Fall is the perfect time to stop smoking. In Asian medicine fall is the time of metal and the yin organ of metal is the lung. This means that it is a time of strength for that organ and it is better able to cleanse itself.
Acupuncture for stopping smoking has some controversial elements. Some studies have shown it to be only moderately effective in controlling the cravings for the chemicals. In studying over the point selection of the NADA protocol for addictive substances, I notice that the points are not focused on the addictive aspects but focus on supporting the organs of the body during detoxification. The ear points used are Kidney, Lung, Liver, Shenmen, and Sympathetic. The ear acupuncture points stimulate the brain directly since they are not on channels.
So, to assist in reducing the craving for cigarettes/tobacco I use a blend of essential oils that affect the brain by being smelled. Since the nose is a sense organ, and the aroma is smelled, the stimulus goes directly to the brain instead of to a channel or visceral organ as it would from a channel acupuncture point. There, it satisfies the opiate receptors and reduces the craving while giving the person an uplifted feeling. If a person smells the aroma and smokes a cigarette directly afterwards, they taste bad. One of my patients tried this and said, “Well, I guess they always tasted bad.” They didn’t finish the cigarette, but put it out.
So, step one is to reduce the craving with the aromatic oils. Step two is to support the organs in detoxifying with acupuncture. Step three is to support the organs with foods and nutrients that are beneficial to those organs. I use a list of foods for people to add into their diet depending on what their Traditional Asian Medical diagnosis is: Lung Yin Xu, Lung Qi Xu, Lung/Heart Qi Xu etc. Each diagnosis has some specific foods with beneficial properties relating to that diagnosis. Step four is to support the process with people having similar experiences.
I am starting a four-week fall focus on quitting smoking. It doesn’t require a complete abstinence from smoking at the beginning. The oil blend has a gradual effect and allows the body to begin producing nicotine on its own. (The body stops producing nicotine when it is supplied by cigarettes, hence the cravings. Nicotine is used by the sympathetic nervous system).
I will keep you informed as to the group’s progress and statistics. I’m also interested in hearing experiences people have had while trying to quit smoking. It has been said that it may take 7-9 times trying before successfully quitting. The oils greatly improve that statistic with most people stopping within one to three weeks.
