what are some strategies to quit smoking cigarettes?

When the body sets out to decide what to carry forward in life, priority is given to what serves our physical well-being. What few of us understand is how carefully cigarettes are designed to break the bond between body and mind. While breathing slowly through a tube does provide some overall calming benefit, nicotine deadens our nerve endings and forces blood flow to our brain. Cigarettes also contain sugar, which gives a selfish brain a quick jolt while starving the rest of the body of nutrition.

Of course, that selfishness comes back to bite the brain later in life. Smoking is one of the primary predictors of cognitive decline.

Smoking cessation is a classic application of hypnotherapy, but “single session” programs rarely rebuild the collaboration between body and mind. I can guide you to that conclusion, helping to undo the damage done by cigarettes while stimulating the body to preserve the parts of the mind that bring deeper engagement with the world. Your most important relationship is your relationship with yourself. If you have allowed cigarettes to disrupt it, hypnotherapy can help rebuild those bridges.

I have great success with Acupuncture and have helped 100's quit.

Some people have tried using essential oils to help with the cravings. One suggestion is to take a drop of Thieves oil and press it agains the roof of your mouth for a few seconds. Good luck.

Hypnotherapy has been very beneficial for some of my clients.

Acupuncture is one of the best methods used to stop smoking. Here is an article I wrote on the topic: http://vitalhealthcda.com/acupuncture-for-addiction/4553323623

I was able to quit cold turkey. I am so grateful to my coworker who heard me talking about how I was going to slowly decrease over time and use e-cigarettes, etc. He pointed me to an old website but I don't remember what it was called. It debunked the myths of using a patch or cutting down to quit, etc. Cold turkey is the only way.

But don't forget that your body is going to need help (extra nutrients!) and I would suggest you use food and targeted supplementation to give it what it needs to help you deal with the stress of quitting, help heal you, and give you things you need to make it through.

I quit 8 years ago. Now I am a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner and I actually started doing research to help my bestie quit but she still "isn't ready", so I will cut and paste some of my notes for you here:

- selenium: anti-oxidant; protective from adverse affects of smoking
- adaptogens: to handle the “stress"
- iodine for mucus thinning
- zinc for healing
- liver support for detoxification
- B or G complex depending on if smoking because of desire for relaxing/stimulation
- tyrosine: anti-oxidant, stress-handling, depression
- l-cysteine (to make glutathione): antioxidant support w/ vit E but not vit C and also with selenium
- vit c, mixed carotenoids, vit a

Just work with a nutrition-focused healthcare practitioner to get the right dose and make sure each of those supplements are right for your unique body and situation.

Another good idea is to boost detoxification. I have an article about gentle daily detox here: https://www.highstakesnutrition.com/blog/2018/8/23/how-to-gently-detox-everyday

Here are some ideas:
- sweat! sauna, steam room
- dry brushing
- nutrients to support both phases of detoxification

A Great Book: The Mood Cure by Julia Ross - she is a specialist in helping people with addictions through nutritional therapy.