Stop Smoking with
Acupuncture
Among
current U.S. adult smokers, 70% report that they want to
quit smoking and millions try to quit every year. If you
have attempted to quit smoking, you know how difficult it
can be. Nicotine is a powerful addiction. In fact, research
suggests that nicotine is as addictive as heroin, cocaine,
or alcohol.
It is estimated that most smokers will attempt to quit two
or three times, or more, before finally kicking the habit.
When conventional methods to quit smoking have failed,
smokers often look outside mainstream approaches and turn to
alternative medicine.
Acupuncture as an alternative approach to smoking cessation
has a growing number of converts. In fact, acupuncture is
often a court mandated treatment for drug addicts because of
its ability to reduce cravings and alleviate withdrawal
symptoms such as irritability, anxiety and difficulty
concentrating.
A Formidable Addiction
More than 50 million Americans smoke. The numbers are even
higher in other parts of the globe, with worldwide
statistics showing that one out of three people over the age
of 18 are smokers.
The reasons to quit smoking are endless. Cigarettes have
4,000 chemicals, including 43 known cancer-causing
(carcinogenic) compounds and 400 other toxins. These include
nicotine, tar and carbon monoxide, as well as formaldehyde,
ammonia, hydrogen cyanide, arsenic and DDT. According to the
CDC, tobacco is the cause of 443,000 premature deaths each
year, and is associated with emphysema, lung cancer, high
blood pressure, shortness of breath, chronic cough and an
increase in frequency of colds and flu.
Many people want to quit because of the enormous expense of
a cigarette habit or are just plain tired of being dependant
on a substance. There is also considerable social pressure
not to smoke. Most smokers can recall a dirty look or rude
comment from someone that was nearby when they lit up.
How Does Acupuncture Help Break the Cigarette Habit?
Acupuncture is successful with smoking cessation and has
turned a growing number of cigarette smokers into permanent
ex-smokers. Treatments take all of your symptoms into
account and aim at balancing the energy within the body to
optimize health.
The acupuncture treatments focus on jitters, cravings,
irritability and restlessness; all symptoms that people
commonly complain about when they quit. It also aids in
relaxation and detoxification.
In one study conducted at the University of Oslo, Norway,
acupuncture was found to significantly reduce the desire to
smoke up to five years after the initial treatment. Subjects
of the study also reported that cigarettes tasted worse than
before treatment and that the treatments had effectively
reduced their taste for tobacco.
The acupuncture needles used are hair-thin. They are
superficially inserted into various points in the ears and
body to assist with smoking cessation. In between
treatments, small pellets are often taped to the acupuncture
points on the ear. When a cigarette craving hits, gently
pressing on the pellets stimulates the acupuncture points to
calm the mind and eliminate the craving.
Acupuncture is not a panacea or a magic cure in the
treatment of any addiction, including smoking. But,
acupuncture is effective in making it easier to quit and
remain smoke-free for good.
If you are ready to quit, call for a consultation to see
how acupuncture can empower you to take control and begin a
healthy and smoke-free life!
Source: Preventive Medicine. Volume 33, Issue 5,
November 2001, Pages 364-372
Multivitamins, Folate,
and Green Vegetables May Halt Gene Modification in Smokers
Green
vegetables, multivitamins, and folate may protect current
and former smokers against lung cancer, according to a study
that appeared in the January 15 issue of Cancer Research.
This study, supported by the National Cancer Institute, adds
to the growing accumulation of research connecting high
folate intake to decreased cancer rates.
In the study, researchers examined sputum samples of 1101
current and former smokers from the Lovelace Smokers Cohort
in New Mexico. Detailed study of the cells and comparison of
those cells with the Harvard Food Frequency profiles of the
smokers’ dietary intake of leafy green vegetables,
multivitamins and folate revealed that the dietary
substances could be used to predict the prevalence of
cellular gene methylation - a chemical modification used by
the cell to control gene expression. High methylation is a
potential marker for the early detection of lung cancer.
The study also investigated the associations between 21
dietary variables and methylation. Both higher intake of
leafy green vegetables and folate were significantly
associated with a reduced probability of high methylation.
Source: Cancer Research 70, 568, January 15, 2010
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In This Issue
·
Stop
Smoking with Acupuncture
·
Multivitamins, Folate, and Green Vegetables May Halt Gene
Modification in Smokers
·
A Stop
Smoking Acupuncture Point?
·
Eight
Tips to Quit Smoking
A Stop Smoking
Acupuncture Point?
There is
an acupuncture point located on the wrist that is used
exclusively for smoking cessation. The acupuncture point is
used to alter the way cigarettes taste.
The acupuncture point is called, Tim Mee. It is
located approximately one fingers breadth above the
transverse crease of the wrist on the inside of the arm.
Tim Mee is often used in conjunction with another
acupuncture point, Lung 7 that is located right above
Tim Mee. Lung 7 is one of the most powerful of
the lung meridian points. It is a popular acupuncture point
for stopping a persistent cough and relieving a sore throat.
Lung 7 is often used to treat conditions related to
the head and neck. It is also used to improve circulation in
the brain and stimulate memory.
Eight Tips to Quit
Smoking
1.
Exercise more. Getting moving is a great way to remind
yourself why you shouldn't smoke. Exercise can reduce your
stress and help you relax far better than cigarettes.
2. Get plenty of fresh fruit and vegetable juices to
neutralize and clear the blood of nicotinic acid and to
fortify blood sugar.
3. Carrots, Carrot juice, celery, leafy green salads and
citrus fruits promote body alkalinity and decrease cravings.
4. Avoid junk food, sugar and coffee. They can upset blood
sugar levels and increase blood acidity which can aggravate
smoking withdrawal symptoms.
5. Lobelia Tea or Green Tea can be sipped daily during the
detox period to keep tissues flooded with elements that
discourage nicotine cravings. Lobelia is traditionally used
to rid the body of a strong toxin such as a snake bite.
5. Drink water. Research shows that dryness causes cravings.
Sip water frequently throughout the day.
6. Practice deep breathing exercises to increase body oxygen
and keep calm.
8. Come in for your acupuncture treatment. |
