You probably know of lots of ways that are commonly used to help people quit smoking. There are patches, pills, 12-step programs and more. But you might not have heard of some of these under the radar methods for helping you kick your habit.
1. Tell Someone You Are Quitting
If you only tell yourself that you are going to quit, then you don’t feel so bad if you mess up and start smoking occasionally again. But if you tell someone you care about, then you feel like you let them down if you slip up. By making your pledge publicly known, or at least known to another individual, you provide yourself some motivation to get over the rough patches when your cravings hit.
2. Freshen Your Breath
As a smoker, you probably popped in a breath mint from time to time or brushed your teeth just to make your breath smell better. But did you know that this is actually a great way to reduce your cravings? When you freshen your mouth, it cools down your mouth and makes your brain not fell the need for hot smoke inside.
3. Enjoy Some Fruits
Chewing is one of the best ways to fight your cravings. If your mouth is occupied, it won’t feel as strongly that it needs a cigarette inside it. But there are foods you can consume that actually combat the withdrawal symptoms and reduce your cravings more effectively than just chewing.
Fruits are some of the best foods to consume when you quit smoking. Grapes act as natural antioxidants and reduce the toxin levels in your body, decreasing the amount of nicotine. Apples and blueberries work similarly, and acidic fruits can reduce your cravings greatly.
4. Drink (Water!) Constantly
Drinking water or other healthy drinks works similarly to some of the methods outlined above. It rinses out your mouth and makes it feel fresh and clean, reducing the need for smoking. But drinks like water and grape juice can lower the levels of toxins in your body. This speeds up the recovery process and cuts down on the withdrawal symptoms and the cravings, making quitting much easier.
5. Measure Your Victories
If you keep track of your progress and you quit smoking you can help to motivate yourself and stay on the right path. Each hour and day you don’t smoke can add up to an accumulated sense of self-worth and accomplishment. And each cigarette you avoid smoking can make you feel better about how far you have come.
Keep track of your habits and the kind of progress you have made. You’ll feel more confident in your ability to conquer your cravings when they occur. You may also want to keep track of the time by having a watch handy. Nicotine cravings can distort your sense of time and make you feel like it has been longer since you had a cigarette than it really has. Most people don’t quit right away, and you want to be sure you aren’t giving into your urges and having a cigarette shortly after your last one.