In Charge of Your Health: 8 Alternatives to Smoking
While smoking is still a hugely popular habit and addiction for millions of people around the world, there’s never been a better time to take control of your own health and quit the habit for good. Of course, giving up completely is one of the hardest ways to quit, which is why many look for an effective alternative.
However, with so many alternatives out there to choose from, it can be challenging to know which one is right for you! So, to help you on your way, here are the eight alternatives of 2019 you need to know about!
- Vaping or eLiquids
Easily the most popular alternative to smoking is investing in a vape stick or vape pen and then ‘smoking’ eLiquid products. These are extremely popular because you have much more control over how much nicotine you’re inhaling, and there are infinite flavors to enjoy.
Vapes are claimed by many to be far healthier than traditional cigarettes, and lots of people use them to wean themselves off them. This is an alternative well worth looking into.
- FDA-Approved Medication
There are several FDA-approved medicines out there which are designed to help you cut out cigarettes entirely and get you back to your traditionally helpful self. These include medicines like Zyban and Chantix, and you’ll need to talk to your doctor or similar medical professional to see if they’re right for you.
- Nicotine Gum
Of course, the addictive part of cigarettes is nicotine, so replacing this in your day-to-day life with other easy to consume alternatives like chewing gum can be a great solution. These are available from different brands in different strengths, so when you feel the urge, just pop a piece of gum and get back to whatever you’re doing.
- Nicotine Patches
Similar to nicotine gum alternatives, patches are literally pieces of sticky patches you place on your arm that seep nicotine into your blood system throughout the day. Don’t worry; this isn’t as invasive as it sounds, and is in fact, one of the most popular alternatives since once the patch is on, you don’t have to think about it for the rest of the day!
- Herbal Cigarettes
One of the biggest parts of smoking habits is the action of smoking itself. It can be addictive, and just a muscle reflex you adopt after years of smoking. A great way to counter this is to replace your dangerous cigarettes with herbal ones that can be far healthier for you, and easier to quit.
- Flavoured Hooka
Hookas are complete setups that use water bowls to filter smoke from flavored substances. Hookas tend to be a lot more social, and you usually wouldn’t smoke one alone. However, they can be a great way to unwind, especially if stopping smoking is stressing you out.
- Nicotine Inhalers
Like an asthma inhaler, nicotine inhalers can give you a reduced burst of nicotine to help you combat cravings throughout the day, all without having to subject you to the common dangers and toxics you’ll find in traditional cigarettes.
- Quit Completely
Of course, out of all the solution, the hardest is to quit smoking cold turkey. While this has a very high failure rate because it’s hard to drop habits, for some people it works, and it may be worth trying to see whether it does for you. Warning; willpower is required.
Summary
As you can see, while quitting the unhealthy form of smoking can be hard work, there are plenty of alternatives and substitutes out there to ensure you can cut cigarettes out completely, or replace it with something more healthier!
