Popular Herbal Remedies To Quit Smoking- Do They Work?
Smoking is not only a filthy habit, but will most
likely kill you. Many a smoker has heard this for years and so it is not
surprising that at the top of the list of New Year?s resolutions for
smokers is the earnest desire to finally get rid of the addiction that
is ruling their lives. Many smokers will admit that they hate their
addiction, yet they do so while in the same breath lighting up another
cigarette or stuffing more of that chewing tobacco into their mouths. Of
course, getting rid of an addiction is easier said than done, and so it
is not surprising that many companies offer a panacea that is supposed
to cure the unhappy smoker once and for all. How many of you have opened
your e-mail only to find dozens of spam messages that talk of herbal
remedies to quit smoking. Do any of them work?
The list of herbal remedies that seek to aid the earnest nicotine
quitter is quite extensive. For example, there is an herbal patch, which
is issued similarly to the nicotine patches available at the grocery
store checkout counter. Of course, instead of nicotine, the substance
you are actually trying to give up, it contains a wide variety of herbal
ingredients that seek to mimic the effect the drug has on the body,
while at the same time acting as a detoxifying agent. Hops, skullcap and
oat are the main ingredients that are used to curb the cravings that
come with the nicotine withdrawal. The manufacturer cites unnamed
researchers that speak of the effectiveness of the patch, and also
claims that most people will succeed with this patch. Unfortunately,
there is no tangible evidence that this patch will work, no empirical
studies that are cited, and no research materials that may be perused at
a smoker?s leisure.
Another herbal remedy is a three-step
set that seeks to help the smoker to get a grip on the physical urges to
smoke, help the body to get rid of the nicotine toxin, and also includes
aromatherapy to finish the treatment process. Granted, there is no
medical study to back up the manufacturer?s claim, but the company does
refer to one of the ingredients? being used in India to treat opium
addiction. Unfortunately, there is not proof referenced with this
statement. Yet another product is a little spray bottle that is said to
deliver the herbal anti-smoking remedy directly under the tongue of the
individual. Its goals are to relieve the cravings as well as the anxiety
and general irritability that go hand in hand with quitting attempts. In
addition to the foregoing, the spray seeks to relieve shortness of
breath and other related symptoms. What is, perhaps, a bit surprising
that the spray is expressly mentioning the dose to use on children aged
two to six. It is a bit astonishing to see an anti-smoking spray
marketed to someone that young.
Medical studies on some websites
are cited as saying that herbal supplements cannot repair the bodily
damage that smokers are inflicting on themselves every day. Who is
correct? Unfortunately, it appears that success is in the eye of the
beholder, who is the patient. Since the statements made by the herbal
remedy manufacturers are quite often not endorsed by the Food and Drug
Administration, their statements must be taken at face value, and there
are quite possibly some individuals who will use the herbal remedy and
have a stunning success with it. Conversely, there will also be some who
will follow the manufacturer?s guidelines to the letter only to find
themselves still addicted at the end of the time period the remedy
specifies. Rather than believing obscure or hard to verify facts, it is
best to discuss any remedy, herbal or otherwise, with your physician. It
will not hurt to have her or him look over the list of ingredients to
see if they will work well together, or if they perhaps will be
detrimental to any medications you are currently taking. Yet, no matter
what remedy a smoker may choose to kick the habit, any effort is better
than no attempt at all, and an herbal remedy may quite possibly be your
ticket of escape from a life of addiction and bodily destruction.