TLC IN A COLUMN

AHHH! A warm hello to you……..this yellow thing in the sky does make everyone seem so much happier…….nice weather for May isn't it? I know it's been a washout of a summer, but I am enjoying the juicy blackberries for breakfast each morning in abundance. My pumpkins & the season's apples should be big & delumptious too.

UP IN SMOKE…….

Well, we've all had a while to get used to the smoking ban in public places, & controversial as this may be, I am really happy about it. Even hardened smokers have said that going to the pub is more enjoyable, & the long suffering bar staff, smokers or no, are enjoying their job more. Many friends are now happy about taking their families out for a pub lunch or an evening where they know their kids can safely enjoy a night of too much fizzy pop n frolickin'!

The hardened puffers have to brave the elements, as wicked as they have been this summer, to get their fix. Although I can't help thinking that as much as we are saving everybody's health, putting on patio heaters for smokers can't be too good for the planet.

However, about 4 million smokers hope to have quit in the wake of the new legislation, although only about 15% of them will succeed. With some, relapse may occur, but this should not be seen as failure, simply an acknowledgement that this may be a harder weed to kick than you first thought, and you'd be right.



Your body goes through a major detox & withdrawal when you stop smoking. The neuro chemical dopamine drives much of the addiction & causes the cravings when you stop. So its no wonder some people will need more than willpower. Here are some extra tools to help you kick tobacco naturally……..

-Firstly, change the way you think about smoking. Don't think of it as giving up, more as nurturing your body & giving it every chance to carry you healthily into later life. Remind yourself that smoking doesn't make you feel good (no matter what the old black & white films tell you!), they simply stop you feeling withdrawal symptoms.

-write a list of all the reasons why you want to stop & refer to it when you have a wobble.

-get support from friends & family who are quitting.

-plan for times when you would smoke & do something else, e.g., drink a glass of water

-avoid triggers or places where you would normally go for a smoke

-pat yourself on the back when you get through another day, & maybe put the money you would normally spend on tabs in a kitty & treat yourself (approx. £1800 a year for a 20 a day smoker!). One client of mine, now drips in the bling she can now afford, & eats much better, as well as being able to afford to come for a massage regularly. Overall she is enjoying a much better quality of life & has bags of energy.

-consider this;

20minutes after your last cigarette your blood pressure returns to normal

24 hours after, all carbon monoxide has left your body

48 hours later, all nicotine has left your body

soon your lung capacity returns to normal, & in weeks your skin brightens & you will look & feel much healthier

over time, you have just as much chance of getting lung cancer or heart disease as a non smoker & food will taste better, you will smell nicer & your breath will be fresh.

-in one trial 38% of those taking 450mg of St John's Wort twice a day successfully stopped after 12weeks as the herb raised their dopamine levels to help counteract cravings & depression. No-one in this trial put on weight using this method!

-Nux vomica homeopathic remedy can help calm the nervous system, easing irritability, & reducing cravings. This can be obtained from Country Store Health Food Shop, Redruth where they also have a homeopath you can book in with if you prefer an individual approach & ongoing support.

-dandelion & red clover tea aids detox, helping you feel better quicker.

-lemon balm & rose tea calms & uplifts.

-passiflora & chamomile tea relaxes & aids sleep.

Acupuncture can help some people stop by reducing the desire to stop as well as relieving some of the psychological symptoms, & may be useful for those who have tried other methods & failed.

-hypnosis has worked amazingly well, & Anne Wills a well-qualified & highly experienced therapist working at Country Store has helped many people quit after only one session, although depending on your willpower, you may need more than one session. Call 01209 215012 for a consultation.

-Neal's Yard have an advice line where they can give you more tailored advice for free over the phone & may recommend some of their products to help: Tel. 01747 834634

……..& if all that isn't enough to convince you, how about a more global tack…….

-1 in 8 trees felled worldwide is for tobacco production, causing erosion & destroying masses of precious forest

-up to16 applications of pesticides may be applied in 1one 3-month cycle of tobacco farming; some of these residues remain in what you inhale directly into your lungs.

-these chemicals include aldicarb, a nerve poison classed by the World Health Organisation as extremely hazardous. Such chemicals end up in the air, groundwater, rivers, lakes.

-“Green Tobacco Sickness” affects many farmers cultivating tobacco causing dizziness, nausea, cramps, blood pressure & heart rate fluctuations. In North Carolina, 41% of workers got the disease at least once during the harvest season.

-1 tree for every 300 cigarettes is felled for curing tobacco

-some tobacco is also cured with sugar, which creates a more addictive & harsh smoke, increasing the likelihood of lung cancer

-cigarette butts take 15 years to decompose

-in Britain on a coastal clean up in 2003, 30% of the rubbish in our rivers & on our beaches was cigarette litter, & in 2002 77% of litter in Britain was fag related

………so by quitting or reducing your intake you can become a environmental activist*,……

Have fun, be radical* (all those quitting), be well,

Nicolle Mitchell I.T.E.C., CThA

Holistic Health Therapist & Practice Manager

THE LITTLE MASSAGE CLINIC

THE PENVENTON HOTEL & HALF MOON SALON

TEL: 01209 203230 OR 711686

Email: nicolle@tlcinabottle.co.uk

DISCLAIMER: we do not diagnose or guarantee cures. We aim to help people make informed choices about their health. Any changes in lifestyle, diet, medication, supplementation or remedies, should be taken with your GP's or health professional's support.