Cravings

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In a message dated 12/10/02 7:17:46 AM Eastern Standard Time, g.kelty

writes:

 

 

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> I quit smoking 5 years ago and have gained 70 pounds and growing. I

> crave food as much as I did nicotine. Any ideas of what to do. I

> considered going on scoal chewing tobacco but afraid of slipping back

> into cigs. it did help my food craving while I cut down on cigs. Is

> there any substitute that will help curb my craving...Iam a creature

> of habit, I must fill this smoking void with something besides food

> that's killing me too!

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Hypnosis is a wonderful tool to change behavioral habits. Acupuncture and

homeopathy in skilled hands with specifically help you with your symptoms.

The wonderful things about these tools are they take into account the

individual not just your smoking take this.

You are past the physical craving for nicotine unless you are around other

smokers. Then on a cellular level you are triggering the memory of having the

poisonous chemicals in your body. This can be perceived from being mild to

severe symptoms.

 

Because you are now substituting foods you are still in an orally

gratification cycle and I suspect looking for something to do with your

hands.

 

Until you can get the help with the psychological effects through whatever

means you decide, and you are a creature of habit:

I suggest you get a box of coffee stirrers and carry then around and chew on

them as needed.

That can become annoying to people around you but takes care of your

immediate needs.

 

A better way would be to do deep breathing exercises.

This you can do at your desk, driving a car, watching TV, lying in bed,

whenever a craving hits.

However a hypnotherapist would teach you how to do a simple exercise 2-3x a

day that would not only help you get over your smoking cravings but teach you

a tool to use for all stresses for the rest of your life.

 

Use affirmations that are positive and reflective of that which you desire.

For example do not use the words of that which you do not desire.

I am becoming a non smoker. This not only makes you think of smoking but it

keeps it in the future tense not the present tense.

A better one is:

With each breath I take, I am more healthy, balanced, and happy.

 

As you take in a deep breath slowly count to the count of 5 hold to the count

of 5 release to the count of five and start over again. Do this for 2-3

minutes everytime you feel stressed or have a craving.

 

See yourself in the desired state. In this case as slim and beautiful. Pay

attention to any objections that come up when you contemplate the desired

state for those are your real core issues.

 

Do the Franklin close on yourself.

Get a pad of paper and draw a line down the center write your desired state

on the left. On the right write any objections or thoughts that come up.

keep answering those thoughts with the positive ones on the left and the

objections on the right until you don't come up with anything else. Then go

back and look at your list and see which ones need to be worked on.

Then go back and see, feel, hear, taste and smell what it is like to be in

the desired state.

For example see yourself stepping on the scale and reading the desired weight

with joy. Choose the outfit in the colors you love to wear and hear the

compliments you give yourself for achieving your goal. Smell and taste the

foods that would help you achieve your goal and feel the satisfaction you

have and the enjoyment of getting there.

This is a habit you can safely do for life.

 

If you are just becoming a non smoker (have to also watch the use of the word

quitter because some people don't consider themselves quitters and then they

have to start again sub consciously because they are not quitters.

 

Increasing Vit C to 2,000 mg a day unless you get loose stools will help.

Then cut back 500mg at a time. Long term studies have found you can get too

much Vit C and 500mg is now the recommended dose not the 60mg the gov't

declared for years to be the MDA. A good multivitamin be sure to read how

much C is in it and adjust accordingly.

Make sure it has B complex and zinc and magnesium with calcium.

 

However five years down the road this is emotional/psychological.

 

Check out your practitioner to see if their style is compatible to yours.

Some hypnotherapist like to use the aversion technique and then you risk

becoming one of those obnoxious people preaching to everyone about the

dangers of whatever habit you had and now have the aversion to and you react

violently to that substance so you can avoid it. There are ways to do it

peacefully.

 

In my Acupuncture/Homeopathy practice I combine both modalities with hypnosis

and I have a 97% success rate without weight gain.

 

Be sure to tell the person of your tendency to substitute one addiction for

another so that those issues are addressed. Otherwise you could go down

another road you do not desire.

 

Of course developing a breathing habit would be healthy for life.

 

Here's the handout I give my patients.

 

PATIENT INFORMATION HANDOUT At the initial office visit I give a handout to

the patient with the following instructions:

Support Person - The decision to stop smoking can elicit uncomfortable

emotions. Ask someone who is available to you in the next few weeks to act as

a sounding board and provide encouragement when needed.

Affirmation - An affirmation is a positive statement repeated often to create

desired changes in your life. Repeating the affirmation helps not only to

remind you why you are no longer smoking but imprints a new image of health

so that the body can then produce health. Examples: " I make healthy choices

in my life. " Setting Boundaries - Set up contracts with other smokers to

refrain from smoking in your presence. This includes spouses. When possible

stay away from smokers until you feel more confident with your nonsmoking

health status.

Drink water - Research shows that dryness causes cravings. Sip water

frequently throughout the day. Refrain from drinking coffee - Research shows

that coffee causes cravings and dehydrates the body.

Food choices - Eat a lot of carrots. celery and other vegetables throughout

the next few days. Raw sunflower seeds carry an enzyme that helps to curb

cravings. Candies upset blood sugar level, which can aggravate

smoking-withdrawal symptoms. Sugar substitutes such as NutraSweet are sweeter

than sugar and cause further sugar cravings. It also turns to formaldehyde in

your body and can cause up to 80+ disease symptom patterns from migraines to

MS. Stay away from Aspartame and other artificial sweeteners. Brown rice

syrup, honey, dates, and many other things can be used to sweeten your foods

that won't create more cravings. Research has proven that those who use the

artificial sweeteners gain on average 10 pounds in a year.

Managing cravings - Cravings feel like they will last forever but actually

fade in two minutes. Plan what you will do during a craving. Examples: Take

your herbs; repeat your affirmation; breathe deeply; walk to another place;

sing a song; dance; call your support person.

 

Be in joy,

Sunny