A few drops of essential oil can change your life for better. They improve your mood, soothe your nerves, promote sound sleep, and can even help you quit smoking. According to a research report published recently in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, inhalation of essential oil does help in curbing tobacco-craving. Aromatherapy, or course, is not a miracle cure, but the study does appear as a silver lining to chain smokers who are yet to find answer to the question, “how to stop smoking?” If used sensibly, essential oils can play a big part in your quit smoking efforts. Affordability and easy availability of essential oils contribute to their mass appeal as an effective means for fighting tobacco addiction. Here are two more anti-tobacco benefits of aromatherapy:
No Side Effects
Side effects such as palpitation, dizziness and nausea often stop people from sticking to their quit-smoking resolution. Popular nicotine replacement products such as inhalers, patches, gums and lozenges and nasal sprays trigger a lot of withdrawal syndromes in people trying hard to give up smoking. Tormented by all these symptoms, they often give up their efforts mid-way. Essential oils are free of such ‘reactions’ – they help you quit without any adverse effect.
Healthier Choice
Conventional anti-tobacco aids such as e-cigarettes can be harmful for your health. The aromatic vapors used in these products are free of nicotine, but are loaded with many hazardous chemical substances. In fact some past FDA reports found that some of the leading e-cigarette brands contained dubious chemicals. Few years back, a team of Greek researchers found that e-cigarettes cause breathing problems in both smokers and non-smokers. And that’s not all. A recent report submitted by the School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia suggested that if the vapor coming out of e-cigarettes came out of any industrial unit, the people exposed to it should be monitored for health issues. Aromatherapy, on the other hand, is completely devoid of these health risks.
Aromatherapy Recipe to Cut Down Craving
When it comes to controlling your craving, angelica and black pepper are two essential oils that are believed to be most effective. In addition, you can try citrus oils and Roman chamomiles to overcome your nicotine cravings. Some researchers are of the opinion that smokers should use both essential oils, while others maintain that people should create their own unique blends to deal with their unique withdrawal symptoms. For this, you will have to first identify the types and intensity of your symptoms. Do you feel irritable, angry or anxious? Or, is it weakness and lethargy that torment you while trying to give up on those cancer sticks? Good news is, specially formulated aromatherapy blends are commercially available all over the world. Most of these formulas contain essential oils of black pepper and angelica as their main components. Patchouli, clary sage and spikenard essential oils are also used in some formulas. If irritability is your problem, address it with citrus oils. Inhaling rosewood essential oil helps you curb your craving while helping you deal with symptoms such as stress, nervousness and hypertension. Roman chamomile is also good for those seeking to calm their nerves while struggling with unnerving withdrawal symptoms.
Unfortunately, there is no magic potion to cure your tobacco craving. It takes sheer willpower and iron determination to call it quit. Some recent researches however prove that aromatherapy can help. If you are yet to find a satisfactory answer to the question, “how to stop smoking”, we strongly recommend you to try essential oils. The key to getting over your addiction is getting started. And aromatherapy offers an excellent starting point.
