You probably know that cigarette smoke contains nicotine and tar. But did you know that cigarette smoke is a toxic cocktail of nearly four thousand chemicals? Many of them like arsenic, formaldehyde, hydrogen cyanide, and carbon monoxide are considered highly poisonous. Some of them are known to cause cancers.

The Ayurvedic way

According to Ayurveda, nicotine, tar, and other toxic substances found in cigarettes have to be removed from the three intake channels – udak or water, prana or air, and anna or food – as well as the tissues (also called dhatus).

To remove the toxic compounds from your intake channels, drink plenty of cool (not cold) water. Better still, drink water kept in a copper container to scrape away the ama or toxic deposit. To remove the toxic substances already deposited in your tissues, take 3 tablets of triphala before bedtime. Take toning herbs such as ashwagandha, shatavari, bala, and ginseng.

Some other western herbs you could try include skullcap, valerian, parrot’s beak, willow, oak, Oregon grape root and goldenseal.

Try nicotine-free cigarettes containing basil, turmeric, Indian cinnamon, clove, gangal, bishop’s weed, liquorice, tendu leaves, and Indian bdellium instead of nicotine-bearing cigarettes!

The yoga route

Neti-kriya yoga performed morning and night is believed to be an excellent aid. To practice this, allow normal salt solution at room temperature to enter one nostril and flow out of the other. Then, reverse.

You can also perform bhastrika pranayam to remove the contaminants in the upper airways. Read a yoga manual for instructions. This breathing technique can decrease the craving for cigarettes.

Dietary changes

Do you often experience a strange taste on your tongue when trying to quit smoking? To adapt better to the de-addiction, eat fewer acidic foods and more alkaline foods such as raisins, beetroots and lima beans.

Avoid stimulants like alcohol and coffee that often increase your craving for cigarettes.

Without the nicotine, your body’s metabolism will slow down a bit. You may gain some weight, so check your calorie intake and nibble on low-calorie foods like celery, apples, and carrots.

Keep going. Remember – if you persist, you will eventually manage to quit.