Basic Steps to a Quit Smoking ....To day...

                    Your online guide to quitting smoking:  learn the  basics before you buy any product

 Before you purchase any products, it makes sense to  learn a little about the mechanics of any program or  product designed to help you quit smoking.  So we'll  go over why quitting is so hard, the basic steps of  a successful plan, and how different medicines and  herbal formulas can help with withdrawal symptoms.

 We'll also cover the differences between herbal  formulations and nicotine products that aid in your  quest to stop smoking.

  Why Quitting is So Hard

  Most people know full well that quitting smoking is  the most important thing they can do for their  health.  Knowing this, why is it so hard for people  to give up cigarettes?  The answer lies in the  addictive chemical in tobacco known as nicotine.

 Nicotine causes feelings of well-being in people who  smoke.  When this "fix" is taken away, the body  rebels by experiencing unpleasant feelings and  problems including:

  Insomnia

  Tension

  Irritability

  Weight gain

  Dull

  Fatigue

  Nervousness

  With a list of symptoms like that, it's no wonder  why people have such a hard time breaking the habit.

  It's a fact that most smokers who attempt to quit  slip up after the first week, when these symptoms  are the strongest.  The good news is, if you can  control the withdrawal symptoms, you can quit  smoking.

  The Basic Steps to a Quit Smoking Plan

  Most good smoking cessation plans have several  important steps. These include:

  Picking a date to stop smoking that is meaningful to  you such as your birthday or a holiday

   Anticipate withdrawal symptoms and plan for how you  will deal with them (through herbal formulas or  nicotine replacement therapy)

    Inform family, friends, and co-workers that you are  quitting.

   Completely get rid of tobacco products from your  home, car, and place of employment.

  Taking these steps will greatly enhance your chances  of quitting smoking.  Although the program may not  work the first time, eventually you should be able  to quit smoking by following these guidelines and  managing the withdrawal symptoms.

  How to Deal with Withdrawal Symptoms

  The best way to deal with and overcome nicotine  withdrawal is with products designed to help you do  just that.  Research shows that using these types of  products doubles your chance of successfully  quitting for good.  Quit smoking aids basically fall  into two categories:  herbal formulas and nicotine  replacement therapy (NRT).

  Herbal Formulas

  A number of herbal formulas are now available that  work by mimicking the properties of nicotine,  without the harmful side effects.  They work by  "fooling" the body into believing it is getting  nicotine, and thus creates a feeling of calmness and  relaxation in the ex-smoker.

  Herbal formulas are very effective in helping the  person who is trying to quit deal with the nicotine  withdrawal symptoms that are often the cause of  failure with any attempt to stop smoking.  Herbal  formulas have a similar idea behind them as NRT,  although instead of low doses of nicotine, natural  herbs are introduced in the body.

  Nicotine Replacement Therapy

  Nicotine replacement products contain small amounts  of nicotine that are introduced into the body in  smaller and smaller doses over time.  Eventually,  the body will stop craving nicotine.  So, in  essence, NRT works by slowly weaning the body off of  nicotine.

  NRT was developed to give people a way to deal with  the withdrawal symptoms that every ex-smoker  experiences.  While not for everyone, NRT has been  shown to substantially increase the odds that a quit  smoking program will be successful.