Nicotine in tobacco is known for a large number of harmful chemicals it naturally contains. It is also remarkable for its addictive qualities. Did you know that nicotine is as addictive as heroin and some who have been hooked on both declare that it is harder to quit smoking than to stop taking heroin. Like heroin, cocaine, and alcohol, tobacco produces a feeling of pleasure in the central nervous system, and gives a sense of relaxation while making the heart pump harder (12-25 beats per minute faster), causing palpitations and a generalized feeling of anxiety. For the smoker who takes the last puff before bedtime, the circulatory system is only normal 2 hours out of every 24.

Negative Effect of Smoking to health: Irritation and inflammation of throat and lungs, chronic cough, chronic bronchitis, and premature aging of the skin. This eventually leads to lung cancer, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, emphysema, respiratory ailments, heart disease, stroke, and/or many other diseased conditions and cancers.

Harmful chemicals in nicotine: lead, carcinogens, cadmium, hydrogen cyanide, carbon monoxide, and over 5,000 other irritating chemicals in tobacco.

Withdrawal symptoms: Cough, depression, anxiety, headaches, stomach cramps, irritability, hunger, and cravings for tobacco. This continues for about 2 weeks. If supplementary treatment is given, the urges can be weathered easier, with less likelihood of a return to smoking.

Tips when you want to quit smoking:

• The craving for a smoke only lasts 3-5 minutes. As time passes, it gets easier to resist the urge.
• When you really want to quit smoking it is best to accompany a firm decision with a cleansing program. This helps speed up the elimination of stored-up nicotine and other poisons.
• Take the tobacco pack, or can, and throw it away. In its place put a candy bar. When the cravings are successfully gone, throw away the candies.

Natural Remedies:

• Carrot juice and citrus juices are very helpful.
• Lobelia contains lobeline, which is similar to nicotine. It is non-addictive, but helps a person quit tobacco.
• Keep a stick of licorice in your pocket: and suck on it when you want a smoke. Or munch on a raw carrot.
• Each cigarette destroys 25mg of vitamin C: a full pack in one day eliminates more of this vitamin than is in the diet, it is therefore important to take 5,000 - 25,000 mg in divided doses daily.
• Vitamin A helps repair the mucus membranes which are damaged by smoking.
• Vitamin E is a very important antioxidant needed to repair cell damage cause by smoke.
• Take Vitamin B complex is important for the nerves.
• Take extra calcium and chamomile 3-6 times a day. Both will help to relax during the withdrawal period.
• Take 200 mg. twice a day of coenzyme Q10 this is a powerful antioxidant that protects the lungs, the heart and increases oxygen to the brain.
• Take grape seed extract to repair lung damage.
• Hypnosis is another method to treat nicotine addiction. This method treats not only the physical addiction but the psychological addiction many smokers have.
• Do deep breathing exercises, whenever you feel an urge to smoke.
• Exercising and going to the sauna and steam bath is very important for the elimination of nicotine from the body, thus lessening the physical craving for more tobacco.