Quit Smoking Tips

Below, I have listed a few quit smoking tips or techniques that have been proven effective in helping to combat your cravings. As long as you employ one or more of these concepts, you take another step toward a healthier and happier smoke-free you!

MAKE SUER YOU TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF.

Do what is right to support your “smoke-free” journey.

First step: when and where are your cravings?

The first step toward becoming “smoke free” is to identify when and where your smoking cravings occur, i.e. after eating, after a cup of coffee, during stressful situations, etc.

When you become aware of the triggers that precede your cravings, it will become easier for you to begin to break the habit. As long as you refrain from grabbing a cigarette for at least 20-30 minutes after the craving trigger, you will have a much better chance of quitting. As time ticks by, it will become easier to remove yourself from the cravings and you may even forget you wanted a cigarette in the first place.

Manage you habit

Cravings may feel like they last forever, but will most likely dissipate within 3-5 minutes. Invent your own ideas to bust the cravings or use the suggestions below to help you manage them when they occur. Plan ahead by writing down these suggestions in your day planner, on post it notes in your house, car, or at your desk, or even on your screen saver. Remember to make these healing activities fun and enjoyable, as well as easily accessible!

Affirmation

An affirmation is positive statement, which when spoken repeatedly, helps to bolster the positive and desired changes you are embarking upon. Repeating the affirmation helps to remind you of why you are no longer smoking, imprinting in your mind and body a positive image of a “smoke –free” existence.

An example of an affirmation might be:

“I am a non-smoker, and I make healthy choices in my life”, or

“I am strong, healthy, and vibrant, and choose healthy things in my life.”

Setting boundaries

Set up contracts with other smokers that you associate with. Let them know that you are choosing to kick the habit and that you want them to refrain from smoking around you. This includes friends, spouses, and family members.

If you are in a public location and someone lights a cigarette, you can do one of two things:

ask them to put it out, or
leave the situation and socialise elsewhere.

The desire to pick up a cigarette and smoke, when others are doing so, is strong.

Support person

The decision to quit smoking is an important one, and by taking the positive steps toward quitting, you may experience some unpleasant and uncomfortable emotions. Ask someone, whom you are close with, to act as sounding board for you, and to provide you with encouragement.

Ear seeds/needles

In your acupuncture treatment at Almond Wellness Centre, you may receive ear seeds/needles. These seeds/needles are held in place on the ear with a small piece of adhesive tape, and are located on specific points in your ear which help reduce stress, calm the mind. When a craving occurs, rub each of the ear seeds for approximately 15-30 seconds. Rubbing them throughout the day will help fortify and support your acupuncture treatments.

Chinese herbal tea

Chinese herbal tea can help detox and ease off the discomfort around your mouth, nose and chest area. It also has calm effect, which can help fight cravings.

Breathe deeply

Many of us do not take full, deep breaths. Take time out during the day to breathe deeply. Begin by inhaling into your belly. Then, allow the breath to move up into your chest, making it rise as full as you can. As you exhale, focus on completely expelling the air from your body. In you exhale, making the sound SSSSSSSSSSSS, activates and opens the lungs and chest.

Refrain from drinking coffee

Coffee can dehydrate your body and lead to cravings. Most people associate a cup of coffee with a cigarette. In order to be successful, you need to break the coffee and cigarette relationship.

Drink Water

Sip water frequently throughout the day. It will help to curb your cravings and will cleanse and flush the body tissues.

Food choices

Eat lots of carrots, celery and other vegetables. They will satiate your appetites, as well as provide your body with the nutrients it needs to regain health and vitality. Candy and other sweets will upset the sugar level in your body, which can aggravate any withdrawal symptoms that you may experience. Sugar substitutes, such as NutraSweet, are sweeter than sugar and can cause even more cravings.

How to avoid cold and flu season

General conditions

In some respects, Chinese medicine’s fundamental understanding is no different than Western medicine. For example, both systems agree that colds and flus occur from an external pathogen entering the body. However within a Chinese medicine paradigm, this etiology must be understood within the context of the individual’s constitution.

Fundamentally, there must be some weakness (e.g. immune deficiency) for a pathogen to invade. Anything that weakens one’s resistance (overwork, not sleeping, eating poorly, etc.) can weaken one’s immune system and allow a pathogen to attack and enter, causing disease.

Self-treatment for the Common Cold

Of course for optimal treatment it is best to consult your Chinese medicine practitioner at the first signs of a cold. If this is not possible, and you are a generally healthy individual, getting the initial stages of a common cold, there are a couple things you can do.

Signs and Symptoms include:

Mild headache, aversion to wind, mild chills, scratchy throat, and slight runny nose.

Self-treatment

Miso soup with lots of spring onions
Ginger tea – bring 2 cups of water to a boil, add three slices of fresh ginger, and simmer for 15 minutes. After drinking either one of these, one should bundle up, creating a mild sweat, and rest.
Take Chinese herbal pills such as “Yin Qiao Wan” from the clinic.
Rest Rest Rest; avoid taking too many showers and baths. Do not go into work and give it to everyone.
Get cooking and make some immune boosting Chicken soup by Theresa Cutter “The health chef”.

Ingredients

10 cloves garlic, smashed (approx 1 whole bulb)
2 tablespoon finely grated ginger
4 teaspoon of turmeric powder
1 litre chicken or vegetable stock
1 litre water 500 g free range / organic chicken breast, cut into chunks
2 bunches coriander, chopped
4 cup mirin or rice wine (optional but delicious)
3 tablespoons tamari soy sauce

Combine the garlic, turmeric, ginger, stock, water and chicken into a large pot.

Simmer for 5 – 10 minutes over a low heat until chicken is cooked through and flavours have infused into the stock.

Add mirin, tamari and coriander just before serving.

Serve in large bowls and sip slowly.

Enjoy.

If your symptoms are much different than above, for example, you feel hot, thirsty, have a severe sore throat, severe headache, severe chills, etc. then this approach is inappropriate and you should seek additional treatment strategies.

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