Five tips for giving up smoking

1. Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT)

This helps to ease some of the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal, such as intense cravings, nausea, tingling of hands and feet, insomi, mood swings, and difficulty concentrating. NRT is available as:

• gum
• patches
• sprays
• inhalers

2. E-cigarettes

An e-cigarettes is an electronic device that allows for the inhalation of nicotine in a vapour without the other harmful byproducts of tobacco, such as tar and carbon monoxide.

New Research suggests that e-cigarettes can help in quitting smoking because people can gradually reduce the nicotine content of the e-liquid in a similar way to NRT. However, there is some controversy in the literature about this approach to smoking cessation.

3.Vitamins B and C

Various studies have shown that smokers generally have lower concentrations of circulating B vitamins and lower levels of vitamin C as compared with non-smokers. Smokers often cite stress as one of the triggers that increases the craving for a cigarette. The B vitamins are known as the "anti-stress" vitamins and they can help to balance mood.

Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidants that may help to protect your lungs from the oxidative stress caused by cigarette smoke. So supplementing with these vitamins may help when stopping smoking.

4. Use an app to track habits

Habits such as smoking are triggered in response to certain cues. Research that repetition of a simple action in a certain setting leads to that action being activated in similar settings; for example, automatically smoking with your morning coffee.

But healthy habits can be formed by repeating healthy actions consistently in the same context, and there are a variety of free apps online that can help track your progress.

These apps can help track smoking consumption and nicotine-craving cues; this information can then be used to plan when and where to reinforce a new healthy habit in place of the old unhealthy one.

5. Make a list

For those smokers who are planning to quit cold turkey, making a list to stay motivated may be helpful when times get tough. Such reasons may include:

• Improving overall health.
• Saving money.
• Setting a good example for children.
• Looking better and smelling better.
• Taking control and becoming free of addiction.

By reviewing the list every day and especially in difficult moments, smokers can train the mind to focus on the positive aspects of their goal and reinforce their will to quit.