Acupuncture To Stop Smoking - Can It Help You To Quit Smoking ?

More people are choosing to quit smoking each year. They may decide that it costs too much and takes too much time. They also cite health risks as reasons for quitting. No matter what reason smokers have, they will usually struggle with quitting. As with other additions, quitting smoking is not an easy process. Often the patch or pill simply does not work and acupuncture to stop smoking becomes a viable option.

Acupuncture, an ancient remedy, is now used as a new, popular method to quit smoking. Though it does take time, acupuncture helps people quit smoking by helping them overcome their cravings and other withdrawal symptoms. By treating specific symptoms and consulting with individual patients, acupuncturists are able to help quitters bring balance to their bodies. Many acupuncturists perform a physical exam on their patients in order to better understand the situation and develop an appropriate plan of action.

Acupuncturists can help people who want to stop smoking but the number of treatments and frequency of the treatments will depend on the individual diagnosis. Most smoking cessation treatments last between fifteen minutes to a half an hour and a majority of patients visit an acupuncturist once or twice each week. Patients who seek the help of an acupuncturist to stop smoking will receive about four to six 30-minute treatments during the first few weeks. The number of treatments varies, but one or two per week are generally recommended. As symptoms of nicotine withdrawal decrease, patients need only attend one session per month.

Acupuncturists normally concentrate on different points of the patients’ body. The shen men point is a key focus for acupuncturists because it reduces stress. They also concentrate on the kidney to increase self-discipline and the master point zero to encourage homeostasis. Focusing on the lungs relieves nicotine withdrawal symptoms. An acupuncture point on the wrist called the tim mee and the four gate points may be instrumental in helping smokers quit by relaxing the nerves.

Some acupuncturists will recommend herbs and supplements as part of their stop smoking treatments so as to control the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal. For instance, some acupuncturists will recommend green tea for the duration of the detoxification period to discourage the body from going through nicotine cravings. Soothing tonics are sometimes recommended by acupuncturists because of their ability to lubricate the lungs and mouth, therefore halting the craving of smoking cigarettes. Herbal medicines to decease the stressfulness of attempting to quit smoking and bring the body into balance are also frequently recommended.

People trying to quit smoking are recommended to work out regularly and to eat healthy fruits, vegetable juices and broths to get rid of bodily toxins. Other good foods to eat are celery, carrots, oranges and other citrus, as well as plenty of leafy green vegetables. Foods to be avoided while quitting smoking are sugars, chocolate, coffee, and junk food.

Smokers should drink a lot of water, practice breathing properly, do daily exercises. Developing a strong support system to help them quit smoking is a good idea as well as having a plan in place to help them fight cravings. For example, when they crave a cigarette, smokers should instead call a friend or take a walk to shift their focus.