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Overcoming
Your Nicotine Addiction
by Dennis
Hughes, Share Guide CoPublisher
Approximately
90% of active smokers would like to quit and wish they had never
started. Nicotine is one of the most addictive drugs that exists, even
more addictive than alcohol. Stress and negative moods cause 70% of
those attempting to stop smoking to relapse, and 50% of relapses occur
within the first 5 weeks of stopping, because that is how long it takes
the body to get through the most intense physical withdrawal symptoms
from nicotine.
Quitting really requires complete abstinence. Once a
person has a single puff after quitting, they go back to full time
smoking 80-85% of the time. Cutting back doesn’t work, which is
why having a stop smoking program is so important. If you are extremely
physically addicted (having smoked for many years and/or if you smoke
over a pack a day), you may need a nicotine patch or some other product
to help your body deal with nicotine withdrawl. Consult a doctor before
you start. The biggest issue, however, is the psycho-emotional aspect.
Hypnosis is one tool that works especially well for
breaking old habits and replacing them with positive, new habits. At
any moment a situation can arise which triggers negative emotions and
brings up the craving to smoke. This is when you are tested to stay
conscious in the moment. Mental and emotional support programs like
hypnosis and meditation have a proven record of success with smoking
cessation and can act as a lever to roll the weight of your habit away
once and for all-- increasing your chances of quitting from 5% to 65%
or more.
You can lighten the load of your smoking habit with
diet and exercise, but the desire to smoke may keep popping up in your
mind. This is where the lever of hypnosis and meditation comes into
play. In order to stop smoking you need something available whenever
the urge to smoke comes up. One of the best programs I have come across
is The
Non-Smoker’s Edge by Dr. Randy Gilchrist. This is one of the
many hypnosis programs developed by The
Hypnosis Network for
home use.
In this 7-CD Set, Dr. Gilchrist starts with an
introduction to the field of hypnosis and the latest smoking cessation
research. He also discusses smoking withdrawal products and behavioral
modification strategies, helping you to choose the system that’s
best for your needs. The program has 4 main hypnosis sessions (each
approximately 25 minutes long), followed by 5 supplemental sessions.
The sessions are like guided meditations which you play regularly in a
quiet place. Dr. Gilchrist’s gentle voice guides you through a
wide variety of subjects and practices which enable you to view smoking
in a new way--a way in which it is much easier to let go of your
smoking habit for good.
This hypnosis program is most effective if you
listen to one track each day for approximately three weeks. Thus you
will be working with the program for about six months, the time during
which most smoking relapses occur. When you have a moment of craving
cigarettes, use the practices as a shield to protect your emotions and
stay strong. Don’t forget to exercise, drink lots of water, and
eat right, following the nutrition protocol outlined below.
When viewing the long arc of your future life as a
smoke-free person, recall the relaxing vision of a gradually lighter
weight and watch it roll out of your life, using the lever of hypnosis
and guided meditation to achieve this goal. (Read more about
hypnosis to quit smoking)
Stop Smoking Nutritional
Protocol
by Ed Bauman, Ph.D.
and Catherine McConkie, RRT, NC
Smoking is the
most preventable cause of death in the world. It causes lung cancer,
heart disease, and emphysema, all grueling and lethal illnesses. What
most fail to recognize is that there are significant events related to
smoking that lead up to this final collapse of organ function--the
tremendous toxic load and nutritional burden that occur when one uses
cigarettes and other tobacco products. Functional compromise begins to
be evidenced by such benign signs as chronic cough, hoarseness,
wrinkling, and lowered immunity.
Okay, enough of the bad news. Through targeted diet,
herbal and nutrient support, you can quit smoking permanently. The
foundation of our research and nutritional support program for smokers
is based on blood sugar regulation and adrenal support. Also addressed
are the co-existent issues of toxicity and nutrient depletion.
Our Stop Smoking Program
During a 4–8 week interval, attention is given to incorporating
into the diet specific foods that help build and stabilize body
systems, ones that are high in amino acids, essential fatty acids,
antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. We consider this period to be
like preparing for an athletic event—one must take care to get
adequate training, rest, and conditioning in order to succeed.
Dietary Recommendations
The purpose of the Eating for Health™ food plan is to
restore and replenish nutrient reserves. Emphasis is placed on a
minimally processed, whole foods diet which is seasonal and organic
whenever possible. Whole foods that are close to their natural state
contain a healthy balance of nutrients, unlike processed foods that
have had nutrients stripped and then added back along with additives,
stabilizers, and preservatives. Abundant fresh vegetables and moderate
fruit become excellent primary sources of crucial vitamins, minerals,
and accessory nutrients. At this point diet is geared towards building,
with adequate intake of about 20-25% high-quality proteins, 50-55%
complex carbohydrates, and 20-25% healthy fats.
Consume 15 grams of protein plus EFA at breakfast to
help feed the endocrine system. (Eat small amounts of protein at every
meal.) Sugar cravings can be representative of protein deficiency at
the cellular level. Good sources of protein include cold water fish,
lean poultry, lean pork, lamb, and beef (organic is best for all animal
sources), nuts and seeds, yogurt, cottage cheese, eggs, tofu, tempeh,
legume and whole grain combinations.
Limit simple sugars such as honey, fruits, and
juices to one-third your carbohydrate intake. Increase your intake of
fresh vegetables to 5-7 servings daily.
Booster Foods
Booster foods are those that are nutrient-dense and exert beneficial
effects in the body. Garlic, as an example, is high in sulfur and
selenium, and helps pull cadmium from the body (a toxic mineral
by-product of smoking). Garlic is beneficial to the immune system, is
antimicrobial and anti-viral, and helps lower blood pressure and
cholesterol. Ginger has antioxidant properties, and stimulates
circulation and digestion. Cayenne aids digestion and circulation and
is good for the heart, lungs, kidneys, spleen, stomach, and pancreas.
Green powder
blends (spirulina, blue green algae, chlorella, etc.) are an excellent
source of protein and essential fatty acid content, and a good source
of trace minerals, B vitamins, beta-carotene, and enzymes.
Sea vegetables
cleanse the lymphatics, alkalize the blood, and support the endocrine
and central nervous system. They are also soothing to mucosal
membranes, and aid elimination.
Fluid Intake
Drink at least 1.5-2 liters of water, mineral broths, and herbal teas
daily. Adequate fluid intake is essential for replenishing and
counteracting the effects of the heating, drying, and acidifying
effects of smoking. We recommend a tea formulated by Christopher Hobbs
called Polari Tea. It is a blend of fennel, flax, fenugreek,
peppermint, burdock root, and licorice root. These are all herbs which
act to enhance digestion and assist in cleansing the blood and liver of
stored toxins.
Supplements for your Quit Smoking Program
Supplementation is an integral part of our stop smoking plan, in
complement with diet. One thousand milligrams of vitamin C is
recommended four times daily in divided doses, as your body is severely
depleted of vitamin C by smoking. This nutrient is an instrumental
antioxidant, neutralizing toxic by-products.
Other Recommended Supplements:
High Potency Multi-vitamin with extra antioxidants:
Take 2 capsules 3 times a day with meals.
Blood Sugar Regulating Complex:
Take 1 capsule 3 times a day with meals.
L-Glutamine: take 1000 mg 3 times a day between meals.
L-Cysteine: 400 mg 1-2 times daily on an empty stomach.
Antioxidant formula: take 2 capsules, 1–2 times a day.
Things to Avoid
When stopping smoking, you should avoid white sugar and white flour
products such as flour breads, candy, pastries, cookies, soda, and
sugary juices. These foods deplete nutrients and create an acid
condition in the body. Stay away from highly processed and prepared
foods. In addition, avoid deep fried foods, margarines, lard, and
commercial oils, because they generate inflammatory and oxidative
reactions.
Oral
Substitutes/Things to do with your
hands
Eat carrot and
celery sticks
Chew Gum
Suck on
licorice sticks or toothpicks
Take 10
deep breaths
Rub on
smooth stones
Draw
Smoking is
a harmful and difficult addiction that is associated with
tremendous negative health consequences and significant toxicity. There
are absolutely no adverse outcomes associated with improving
one’s nutritional status and only long-term benefits to be
reaped, such as increased sense of well being, improved health,
vitality, and living smoke-free. Christine Gorman in a Time Magazine
article reminds us of an important quitter’s mantra:
“Nobody ever died from giving up smoking. It’s time to kick
your butts and get on the road to recovery.”
Dr. Ed
Bauman is the Director of Bauman College. He has been a ground-breaking
leader in the field of whole foods nutrition and holistic health. For more information go
to www.baumancollege.org or call
(800) 987-7530.
Want to quit smoking?
The Share Guide recommends The
Non-Smoker’s Edge from Hypnosis Network - read our review.
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