Ways to quit smoking part 3

Drinking liquids helps to flush the nicotine out of your system.
Another natural approach is the use of herbs. The herb most widely
used in stop smoking herbal blends is Lobelia. The Lobelia plant
contains Lobeline – a nicotine like substance. Lobeline replaces nicotine
without creating a new addiction. The result is that you can throw all of
your cigarettes packs in the garbage bin without being a victim of the
nasty carvings and withdrawal symptoms.

Cutting out foods that are not organic, that contain high levels of sugar,
or that are heavily processed and packaged is also a natural option. By
changing to a more natural lifestyle, you will be treating your overall
health, rather than just the addiction to nicotine.

One way to insure that you succeed in giving up cigarettes is to involve
yourself with a support group. When you feel like giving up, or you
forget why you quit smoking in the first place, they can bolster your
strength and help keep you on course. In addition, they can make sure
you're responsible for the promises you've made regarding your decision
to quit.

Here are some tips for making the most of your support group:
Your support group should consist of those who care about you and are
willing to aid you in your efforts to kick your smoking habit. They can be
your family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, boss, church members,
pastor, or a professional support system such as your healthcare
provider, therapist, nurse or a community group for those who have quit
smoking.

Be accountable to one person for the completion of your tasks and goals.
This will help prevent you from cheating and sneaking a cigarette.
Don't allow anyone to be negative or to constantly nag. Let everyone
know that you're making this decision to quit smoking and you need to
have positive supporters who will encourage you to achieve your goal.
Be your best supporter by believing in you.
 
Believe that you can be successful. Support your goal by deliberately
stating what it is that you dislike about your smoking habit. Admit your
dependency on nicotine and don't underestimate the negative impact it's
had on your body.

An ideal way to support your goal is to keep a Smoke Free Journal so
that you can record all the important steps you take from day 1 right
though the milestones - week 1, month 1, your 3 month anniversary, 6
months, and 1 year of being smoke free. Recording your failures and
triumphs will inspire you later down the road. It may even inspire
someone else to succeed.

Support your goal not only by clearly defining when and how you will
quit smoking, but make sure that you have the information that you
need to cover all the bases regarding any obstacle you may encounter on
your journey to being smoke free. Talk to others in your support group
who have successfully quit. Listen to their helpful tips and ask about
any quit smoking aids they've found helpful.

It's not easy to quit smoking by yourself. Having a support group not
only keeps you accountable for doing what you set out to do, your
support group can remind you why it's important to you during those
times when the cravings may cause you momentarily forget. They can
help keep you focused. Never forget that you are breaking an addiction
and support is vital.


The Quit Smoking Action Plan
Yes, there is such a thing as a quit smoking action plan. In fact, this one
has worked for countless people just like you. Here's how it works ...

Step One - Set A Quit Date
The first, and possibly most important, part of your quit smoking action
plan is to set a quit date. This is important because it helps you to get
your mind set on quitting before it actually happens. Your set quit date
doesn't have to be tomorrow, or even next week; in fact, it's actually best
if you set your quit date about three weeks in advance. This will give you
the opportunity to follow step two in your quit smoking action plan.

Step Two - Start From Within
The second step in your quit smoking action plan is, now that you've got
your quit date in mind, you need to get your body ready to handle the
effects of quitting. Since smoking affects your overall health, it only
stands to reason that you should treat your entire body when it comes
time to quit. This is best accomplished by beginning a regimen of multivitamins
and herbal supplements to help strengthen your immune
system; and by changing your diet to reflect a more organic lifestyle. Be
sure to include plenty of fruits and veggies in your quit smoking action
plan, as they will help to flush the toxins from your system.

Step Three - Get Help
The third step in your quit smoking action plan needs to be to join a
support group for people trying to quit smoking about a week before your
scheduled quit date. This will allow you to bond with some new friends
prior to your actual quit date; and will give you a better foundation for
the day when you actually put down those cigarettes for good.

Step Four - "D" Day, No More Smoking!
When the scheduled quit date for your quit smoking action plan comes
around, make sure that all tobacco products and paraphernalia have
been removed from your home the night before. This will help to
eliminate temptation, and help you to stick to your quit smoking action
plan. Start every day with a tall glass of orange or grapefruit juice, and
be sure to include plenty of water in your daily routine so as to flush the
toxins and leftover nicotine from your system even faster. Drinking
orange juice as a part of your quit smoking action plan has also been
shown to reduce nicotine cravings by more than 50%!

Cold Turkey
Many ex-smokers have successfully quit the habit cold turkey. Most,
however, will tell you that they did so with little preparation. Often going
cold turkey is unplanned and spontaneous. It just happens. Usually the
smoker goes cold turkey in response to a major event such as the loss of
a close friend or a loved one to lung cancer. The smoker simply stops,
the event so vivid in their mind that every time the urge to smoke occurs
the urge is zapped.

To succeed at going cold turkey, the smoker either needs to be able to
stay focused on the event or to have a constant reminder. For instance,
a pregnant mom might want to tape the ultrasound picture on her
refrigerator as a reminder of the life growing inside of her. Or the father
of an asthmatic son might be reminded that he needs to make his home
smoke free every time he sees his asthmatic son wheezing and reaching
for his inhaler.

Going cold turkey without a plan does not mean that you can't still
develop a plan. In fact, it's always helpful if you develop some definite
goals and enlist the help of family and friends to help you achieve them.
Whether you're going cold turkey or have designed a plan to quit, you're
likely to run across feelings of irritability, being tired, and cravings. Here
are some tips to help you survive:

Understand that being irritable, tired, or out of sorts is to be expected.
Make sure you drink lots of water throughout the day.
Do something physical, such as going for a swim or taking a walk, to
keep your mind active and off your cravings.

Surround yourself with support - people who can help you to resist the
temptation to smoke.