I’m pretty sure you don’t need me to tell you that smoking is a health hazard and puts you at risk for a number of chronic health problems.  You probably also know how icky it is, especially for the non-smokers around you.  So, I’m not going to tell you any of that.  My passion is helping people feel better and living healthier lives and I’m going to tell you about your options to naturally quit smoking.  This post will be about the preparation.  There will be another post shortly about the action.   I have had great success working with my clients to support their decision to quit smoking and we’ve been able to do it without the use of medications.

Perhaps you are here reading this post because you’re interested in quitting.  (Congratulations!!). To naturally quit smoking (in fact to change any habit) it is important to acknowledge that there are distinct phases of behavior and change that one goes through.  People go through them at different rates.    Take a look at the list below.  Into what stage do you think you currently fall?

• Precontemplation (not yet acknowledging that there is a problem behaviour that needs to be changed)
• Contemplation (acknowledging that there is a problem but not yet ready or sure of wanting to make a change)
• Preparation/determination (getting ready for change) ** keep reading for tips below
• Action/willpower (changing behaviour) ** learn more in a future article at healthtopics
• Maintenance (maintaining the behaviour change) and
• Relapse (returning to older behaviours and abandoning the new changes)

Usually my clients who are hoping to naturally quit smoking are in the contemplation/preparation stages (if they were precontemplative they wouldn’t think the habit needed changing).  One of the first things I do is suggest they read: Allan Carr’s Easy Way to Stop Smoking.  This book has helped a lot of people to look at their habit differently and give them the mental conviction to quit.  It is a great resource for my patients and works beautifully with my treatments (which include a combination of stress reduction techniques, herbal and vitamin support, food suggestions and acupuncture).  I recently had one patient who came to me about 3 weeks before her arbitrary “quit date.”  We decided to do acupuncture to support her throughout her quitting process.  She came back for the 2nd treatment a week later and asked, “What did you do to me?  I want to keep smoking until such and such a date, but whatever you did to me last week has caused cigarettes to revolt me.  I can barely get through 3 puffs!”  She is now happily NOT smoking and getting healthier every day.  She said it was easy to naturally quit smoking and she didn’t have any cravings.

So how can YOU prepare yourself?

Think and write! Seeing words on paper can really help solidify the details of your habit.  What are the pros and cons of smoking?  What are your smoking patterns?  When or where do you smoke?  With whom do you typically smoke? Are you aware of any emotional triggers? Why do you want to quit smoking?  Why will your life be better when you quit?

Set a date! Pick a calendar date.  It doesn’t necessarily need to be a time that you project to be low stress… in fact, sometimes it’s better to pick a time of high stress.  Tell people when you intend to quit.

De-Stress! Learn techniques to reduce and modify your stress.  Yoga, meditation, walking, exercise, calling a friend, yelling in the back yard – what ever works!

Save! Think of all the money you will be saving when you naturally quit smoking.  Plan a fun gift for yourself after a certain amount of time past your quit date.  Use some or ALL(!) of the money you would have spent on cigarettes.

Clean! Tidy certain areas in your house and car and designate them as smoke free zones.  Throw out cigarettes, lighters, ashtrays.

Grossify! Make smoking unpleasant.  Buy a different brand.  (Get acupuncture, apparently :)).  Smoke alone if it is a social activity for you.  Face your smoking chair towards a wall.  Collect all of your butts and put them in a clear jar as a visible reminder.

Cut and delay!  Cut your intake.  Smoke only half of each cigarette.  Don’t carry cigarettes.  Try to delay the first cigarette of the day by one hour.  Cut out the people that do not support your choice or that might influence you to smoke.  This is about you and your health.

It is possible to quit smoking. Millions have done it before you and you can too. If you’re feeling nervous about doing it on your own, employ the help of a professional.  I know my clients really benefit from a holistic approach, one that supports them emotionally, nutritionally and energetically.  Stay tuned for the next post on action.

Naturopathic medicine is a safe, effective and natural approach to you and your family’s health.  Naturopathic doctors can and will empower you to live a healthy lifestyle while treating and preventing disease.  Find more information on the services I offer at Arbour Wellness Centre at Nanaimo Naturopathic Doctor. You can also follow me on my blog.  Happy Healing!!

Tags: acupuncture, Dr. Tonia Mitchell, Nanaimo Naturopathic Doctor, quit smoking naturally, smoking cessation tips

Test your diet knowledge with a diet quiz.

Do you use weight loss products? The diet quiz may lead you to ask more questions about the products that you use.

The diet quiz may also lead you to research other well known diets that may be beneficial to you.

You can answer either true or false to the questions below.  The answers to the diet quiz are at the bottom of the article.  Also at the end of this article you will find information on a tool you can use to customize a healthy diet plan just for you.

1.  Do some foods have negative calories?

2.  Raw food diets do not supply our bodies with ample amounts of all vitamins and required minerals?

3.  Companies do not have to prove that weight loss products or services actually work before they can be sold?

4.  Weight loss products and services are usually tested for safety before they reach store shelves?

5.  Up to 15lbs of fat may be removed by liposuction?

6.  High calorie diets are the only cause of obesity?

7.  Children should be allowed to control their portion sizes?

8.  The Mediterranean Diet is not associated with a reduced risk of heart disease and cancer?

9.  Fast foods cannot be part of a healthy diet?

10.   The Slow Food USA movement was developed to slow down the rate at which consumers are purchasing diet products?

11.   Comfort foods exist?

12.   Chocolate is an aphrodisiac?

Answers to the diet quiz:

1. FALSE: Although this is a myth, many people think the concept is genuine due to stories they’ve heard of grapefruit and other diets.
2. TRUE: Although, there can be positives to a raw food diet which can be described as an uncooked vegan diet, generally speaking raw food diets lower your beneficial HDL cholesterol levels and might lead to a vitamin B-12 deficiency with a loss of bone mineral density.
3. TRUE:  There are no laws in effect that require a weight loss product to be effective.  The weight loss industry falls outside of consumer protection with respect to general societal standards.
4. FALSE:  The history of the weight loss industry is filled with failures that have led to serious health concerns.  There is generally no testing for safety before weight loss products reach the marketplace.
5. FALSE:  Surgical standards dictate no more than 8 lbs of fat may be removed by liposuction.
6. FALSE:  High calorie diets are included in the many causes of obesity.
7. TRUE:  It is up to the parents to provide a nutritious selection of foods while the children themselves should be allowed to decide how much they eat.  Interactions around eating and body weight can have consequences in the prevention or promotion of obesity in children.  Positive activities that include regular physical activity that promotes fun while decreasing a focus on eating, foods and weight can help promote healthy eating habits and normal weight for children.
8. FALSE:  The Mediterranean Diet emphasizes olive oil, breads, whole grain cereals, nuts, fish, dried beans, vegetables and fruits together with wine, in moderation.  A guide to this diet was developed by the World Health Organization in 1994 to help popularize a form of diet related to a reduced risk of heart disease and cancer.
9. FALSE:  Yes, many fast foods are high in calories, fat, saturated fat and salt, however, an occasional cheeseburger and fries or your favourite pizza can still be consumed while maintaining a healthy diet.
10. FALSE:  The Slow Food USA movement is an international group that supports ecologically sound food production and the revival of the kitchen and family table as centers of pleasure.  This organization promotes culture and community while living a slower and more harmonious rhythm of life.
11. TRUE:  Feelings of security and love can be renewed by comfort foods.  The ice cream your mother fed you when you had your tonsils out or the chicken noodle soup you were given when you had the flu can bring back those feelings of being cared for.  Ice cream, apple pie, chicken noodle soup, boxed chocolates, meat loaf and mashed potatoes are among the most popular comfort foods.
12. FALSE:  The notion that food can act as an aphrodisiac has been with us since ancient times.  Although many have searched high and low for love potions none have been found.

When you’ve finished the diet quiz, visit Canada’s Food Guide website and use the interactive tool to build your own healthy eating plan.  By entering data such as your age and sex and then selecting various food items from the four food groups and choosing different physicial activities you can create a program that is customized just for you.  You will find this tool at Health Canada.

Tags: Aphrodisiac, Diet Quiz, liposuction, Mediterranean Diet, Negative Calories, Obesity, Raw Food Diets, Slow Food USA, Weight Loss Products