Natural Remedies to Help Quit Smoking

A man eating carrot

How to Stop Smoking Naturally

Making the decision to quit smoking is the first step to changing your life for the better. You may feel overwhelmed by the process and nervous about how you will physically and emotionally react to the lack of nicotine. Thankfully, there are many ways to help you learn to quit smoking for good and take control of your cravings.

Find Your Why

An important part of the quit smoking process is finding your motivation to quit. Think about what makes you want to quit – from being there as your children grow up to saving money for a dream vacation – and write the reasons down in a list or put up a picture of your motivation. Your reason for quitting might simply be feeling better, getting healthier, or sparing your friends and loved ones from the dangers of secondhand smoke.4 Perhaps you’ve learned what happens when you quit smoking and are looking to reap the benefits. Whenever you feel tempted, revisit these reminders of your motivation to help keep you from smoking.

Feed Your Oral Fixation

Chewing raw carrots keeps your mouth busy when cravings strike. If you don’t enjoy carrots, try other crunchy veggies, like celery, or even seeds and nuts. Alternatively, reach for sugar-free candy or gum. Some people chew on straws and cinnamon sticks.5

Avoid Herbal Remedies

Many people turn to herbal remedies to quit smoking. However, herbs and supplements such as valerian, ginseng, St John’s Wort and oat straw have not been scientifically proven to help you quit smoking.

Quit Smoking Without Medication

There are a variety of treatments and therapies that can help smokers break their addictions without using medicine. Some have success with cognitive behavioral therapy. Others attempt to train the subconscious mind to pivot away from tobacco with hypnotherapy.6

Some have tried acupuncture to quit smoking, where the goal is to curb cravings for nicotine by stimulating the nervous system and engaging a relaxation response.6 However, there is no consistent evidence that indicates that acupuncture or related therapies like acupressure, laser therapy, or electrostimulation are effective for smoking cessation.7 Further research must be conducted before using acupuncture to quit smoking can be widely recommended.7

Avoid Triggers

If you know that a beer or a glass of wine always brings on a craving for a cigarette, avoid drinking alcohol during the early stages of your quit. Similarly, if you always had a cigarette at a certain time of day, try rearranging your schedule to avoid going through the same routine and facing nicotine cravings. In the first few days after you’ve quit, spend as much free time as you can in public places, like libraries and malls, where tobacco products are not allowed in order to limit your ability to reach for a cigarette.5

Treat Yourself to Some Relaxation

Many people use smoking as a way to relax. If that’s you, make sure you have ideas and plans for ways to relax naturally, without cigarettes. Book a weekly massage, soak in a bathtub with a good book, or plan other ways to treat yourself to something naturally relaxing. Take care of yourself so that you have the energy you might need in order to handle the stress of nicotine withdrawal.5

Exercise in Nature

Heading for the great outdoors and into nature for fresh air and exercise may help as you quit smoking. Moderate walking, swimming, gym classes or cycling are natural ways to distract you from withdrawal symptoms. Doing moderate to vigorous exercise triggers the release of endorphins in your body, which can help you feel more positive and energized. If the great outdoors don’t appeal to you, any sort of activity that requires your focus can help you get through a craving.4

Eat a Vitamin C-Rich Diet

Did you know that smoking can reduce the amount of vitamin C that your body absorbs from food?1 Eating plenty of vitamin-rich foods, like oranges, kiwis, bell peppers, green leafy vegetables, and cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli and cabbage, will help maintain your vitamin C intake. This vitamin is essential for helping to protect your body and keep it healthy – as well as maintaining healthy skin and blood vessels, which a smoking habit may have damaged.2,3

Be Prepared

Plan ahead for dealing with cravings by stocking up on the nicotine replacement product that’s best for you. If you find that nibbling on raw vegetables, nuts or some other food helps distract you from your cigarette cravings, make sure you’re stocked up on those, too. Try to avoid using sweet foods to overcome your cravings for cigarettes as you may end up putting on weight, which may negatively impact your motivation for quitting.

Spring Clean Your Home

Quitting smoking when you can still smell cigarettes throughout your home and on your clothes can be difficult. Launder your clothes and remove the smell of cigarette smoke from your car and soft furnishings. Fill your home and car with natural scents.

Use Support

"Willpower alone isn’t always enough to fend off cravings from nicotine withdrawal. Stay strong with support groups—either in-person or online—and learn how others have handled their nicotine cravings."4

Lean on your friends and family and ask for help getting through your cravings.4 Consider using nicotine replacement therapies like Nicorette Gum to boost your chances of success. Apps like MyQuit can offer personalized support, too.

  1. Scurvy. NHS. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/scurvy/. Accessed 3/20/2020.
  2. Vitamin C. NHS. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-and-minerals/vitamin-c/. Accessed 3/19/2020.
  3. Quit Smoking. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/quit-smoking/expert-answers/smoking/faq-20058153. Accessed 3/19/2020.
  4. Quitting Smoking: 10 ways to resist tobacco cravings. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/quit-smoking/in-depth/nicotine-craving/art-20045454. Accessed 9/29/2021.
  5. Help for Cravings and Tough Situations While You’re Quitting Tobacco. American Cancer Society. https://www.cancer.org/healthy/stay-away-from-tobacco/guide-quitting-smoking/quitting-smoking-help-for-cravings-and-tough-situations.html. Accessed 9/29/2021. Referenced text is highlighted in the source material.
  6. Want to Quit Smoking? Acupuncture Can Help You With Cravings. Cleveland Clinic. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/want-to-quit-smoking-acupuncture-can-help-you-with-cravings/. Accessed 9/29/2021.
  7. Acupuncture and related interventions for smoking cessation. National Library of Medicine. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21249644/. Accessed 9/29/2021.

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Sources
  1. Scurvy. NHS. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/scurvy/. Accessed 03/20/2020.
  2. Vitamin C. NHS. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-and- minerals/vitamin-c/. Accessed 03/19/2020.
  3. Quit Smoking. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/quit-smoking/expert-answers/smoking/faq-20058153. Accessed 03/19/2020.
  4. Quitting Smoking: 10 ways to resist tobacco cravings. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/quit-smoking/in-depth/nicotine-craving/art-20045454. Accessed 9/29/2021.
  5. Help for Cravings and Tough Situations While You’re Quitting Tobacco. American Cancer Society. https://www.cancer.org/healthy/stay-away-from-tobacco/guide-quitting-smoking/quitting-smoking-help-for-cravings-and-tough-situations.html. Accessed 09/29/2021. Referenced text is highlighted in the source material.
  6. Want to Quit Smoking? Acupuncture Can Help You With Cravings. Cleveland Clinic. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/want-to-quit-smoking-acupuncture-can-help-you-with-cravings/. Accessed 09/29/2021.
  7. Acupuncture and related interventions for smoking cessation. National Library of Medicine. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21249644/. Accessed 09/29/2021.

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