Quit Smoking Tip -- How To Manage Cravings With Herbs
By Rebecca Prescott, Thu Dec 8th

One of the difficulties in trying to quit smoking is thatsmokers become physically dependant on nicotine. Smoking affectsthe parts of the brain that relate to reward and pleasure. Itincreases the amount of the neurotransmitter, dopamine, and thenature of nicotine is that it creates a cycle of positivereinforcement within your brain that makes you want more.

Scientists have found that when you withdraw from chronicnicotine use, it results in changes in these neural pleasurepathways. And the effect on the brain is similar to what someoneaddicted to cocaine, opiates and other drugs experiences. Hence,depression and anxiety are common.

Fortunately, some resourceful modern herbalists began applyingtraditional knowledge to a modern problem. In Ayurvedicmedicine, common garden variety oats (but not oat straw), isused to treat opium withdrawal. The herbalist Anand, using atincture (an alcoholic extract of the herb), applied this samereasoning to nicotine withdrawal, with significant results.

In a group of 26 heavy smokers, he gave an oat tincture, and inanother group of 26, he gave a placebo. The group who took theoat tincture smoked less cigarettes, and this effect remainedfor two months after they stopped treatment. The herbalist Weisstheorizes that it is the sedative effect of oats. Oats containas active constituents the indole alkaloid, gramine, and thealkaloids avenine and trigonelline. Oats are

described in herbalmedicine texts as helping create a feeling of well-being whilstsimultaneously acting as a tonic to the nervous system. Butunlike narcotics, these are mild, non-habit forming effects.

My herbal teacher, Ses Salmond, suggested the following formulafor those trying to stop smoking. In a 50ml bottle, mix thefollowing herbal tinctures:

* 15ml green oats

* 10ml white horehound

* 10ml mullein

* 5ml golden seal

* 10ml peppermint

Take 6 drops on the tongue whenever the craving to have acigarette is felt.

Acupuncture is also an excellent support option. HerbMed offersthe following herbal option, to be used on appropriateacupuncture points. Mix oil of cloves, oil of wintergreen, anextract of evodia fruit, an extract of sichuan lovage rhizome,and msg, and apply to specific acupuncture points.Unfortunately, they don't say which acupuncture points, but thismay be determined by what each person presents with.

Resources: 1. www.herbmed.org/herbs/herb36.htm#Category24Herb36

2. Class notes by Ses Salmond

3. C Fisher & G Painter, Materia Medica Of Western Herbs For TheSouthern Hemisphere

4. R Weiss, Herbal Medicine (Beaconsfield Arcanum, 1988)

5. www.drugabuse.gov/Infofacts/Tobacco.html

About the author:Rebecca Prescott publishes the health ezine, The Vitamin Vine,and a website offering information on supplements, herbs and vitamins, plus naturalsolutions to common health problems.