If you are one of those rare people that are intensely stubborn and strong-willed, then perhaps quitting “cold turkey” is right for you. Nothing could be more natural than just stopping the habit! But the term “cold turkey” comes from the comparison of the looks of a cold, raw turkey to the sweating, goosebumps, and hollowed-out feeling you get when your body is suddenly deprived of the thing it’s addicted to. Most of us haven’t got the self-control to go through that. Instead, there are several natural methods you can try to help the brain cope with the loss of the nicotine as well as increase your willpower.

You can step down gradually by eliminating cigarettes every day until you’re down to none. Sounds easy, but again it takes great self-control. It’s recommended that you make a schedule and stick to it. Choose a day to start perhaps your birthday or the Great American Smokeout. Eliminate one cigarette from that day. Keep eliminating them over time, and you’ll be free.

Herbal remedies and supplements can help you curb those cravings. St. John’s wort is a natural herb that increases levels of dopamine in the brain. Dopamine is an antidepressant that can make you feel really good and will help the brain lose its need for nicotine. There are a very great many products and supplements out there that contain St. John’s wort. Be sure to research them thoroughly before you choose, and remember that the effectiveness of herbal remedies is not scientifically proven.

Hypnotherapy is also an all-natural choice. Hypnotists use the power of suggestion through relaxation to influence people’s desire. Subjects are acutely focused on the hypnotist, but are not aware of anything else around them. They have a sense of heightened suggestibility, which means they’re more open to being influenced by what the hypno-therapist tells them. So if the therapist wants them to have less of a desire to smoke, they’re more likely to acquiesce.

Finally, there is acupuncture or laser_therapy. Acupuncture is the practice of inserting sterile, hair-thin needles in to pressure points situated along the body’s meridians. The body’s vital energy, or “qi” as the ancient Chinese term it, flows along these meridians and is influenced by the pressure points. By stimulating these points, the acupuncturist can ease pain, promote a feeling of general well-being, and curb addiction. Laser therapy uses those same pressure points in your hands, wrists, ears, and face. However, it does not penetrate the skin and there is no pain. Instead, the “cold laser” is actually non-thermal photons of light emitted in certain wavelengths and intensities. The cells in your body turn that light energy into chemical energy and stimulate growth. When this stimulation happens at certain pressure points, the same effect as acupuncture is achieved.

Eating a healthy diet and getting plenty of exercise are also key to quitting smoking. The extra oxygen from vigorous exercise can help increase lung capacity and fuel the brain, helping it to heal and lose its need for nicotine.

However you decide to quit is up to you. Seek help and support from family and friends, and visit your doctor. Educate yourself so that you can make the healthiest decision that’s right for you. Remember that what works well for some people may not work well for others. The important thing is that if you’re really ready to quit, don’t stop trying until you do.

Learn more about this author, Doreen Martel.

High-blood Pressure Check

Check your blood pressure. People have tendency to have high-blood pressure but only few who realize it. Usually, they just realize that they have it because they get a stroke in the first place. So, before that all happens, check your blood pressure and maintain it in normal level.

Diabetes Check

Same with high-blood pressure, many people are also not aware if they have suffered diabetes for years. Diabetes does not have any symptoms come to think of it. Therefore, the only way to know it is just by checking it to the lab.

Quit Smoking

There is never an advantage of smoking. So, quit as soon as possible since smoking can also lead to stroke. There are several ways to help you to quit smoking. Some people use nicotine patches and gum to deal with the addiction, some reduce their cigarette consumption gradually. But the most important thing is to prepare yourself mentally before you start your program. Even the best program will shatter apart without strong commitment.

Losing weight

With every pound you lose, you lose a bit of stroke risk. Eat a good diet and do exercise. Take a walk and avoid fried meal.

Cholesterol check

Low density lipoprotein (LDL) is the bad cholesterol which causes stroke. Check your LDL and keep them on the normal rate.

Healthy Diet

There is nothing more effective than to prevent stroke than eat healthy food. This is the ultimate prevention to avoid you from many diseases. Pay more attention on what you eat, you will feel the difference.

Doctors cannot agree on the number one cause of heart disease, so you will have to evaluate the evidence yourself and determine your own risk/reward ratio. Smoking, obesity, and high cholesterol are usually in the forefront of any study.

Treatment for disease usually includes a change in diet and other habits like smoking, alcohol consumption, and exercise. Cutting out salt from your diet may not be entirely a good way to prevent heart disease. This is because a very low intake of salt will actually cause some people to die from cardiac arrest.

Cigarette smoke and chemical fumes do more than damage your lungs. Air pollution had both short term and long term toxic effects on the heart and blood vessels and to your heart. If you have an existing heart problem, keep your workouts at the gym. If not, wait two hours after peak traffic conditions before heading out for your jog. If you work in a polluted environment, try wearing a mask.

The level of addiction is a factor that should not be underestimated when deciding how to quit.Quitting smoking will be probably the hardest thing you have ever done. The longer you have smoked the harder it is to quit. Luckily, there are many ways to stop. Some take pills. Zaban is one.Then there is Chantix. Being hypnotized helps some, others it’s a waste of money. However, to quit smoking, the most important ingredient is, quite simply, the desire to stop. Without this real, heartfelt purpose, a smoker’s chances of kicking the habit are virtually nil.

When you do succeed in stop smoking you will feel better, look better and smell better. It’s so hard to stop, but if you really want to you can. Without a cigarette think of all the time you have on your hands. What you can do is limitless.