In this toxic world, unfortunately many of us have conquered healthy diet, but have resorted to polluting our body temple by other means. When it comes to smoking, it doesn’t help that movies and other advertisements continue to verbally promote that smoking is “cool.” Its too bad we never get to see the after effects in these films, because seeing James Dean struggle with lung cancer is definitely not cool.
Unfortunately often times these addictions are then addressed by prescribing stimulants or drugs, that may contribute to the damage in the long-run. Below is an interview with Dr. Yew of Yew360 Wholistic Health & Wellness, discussing how one can overcome nicotine addition the natural way. He has started a support program for those in the DMV interested in kicking their smoking habit naturally. If you or someone you know could benefit from this please see his contact info at the end of this post. -XoXo Raw Girl
What are some of the adverse affects that smoking can have from a holistic perspective?
Smoking on a physical level pollutes the body, congests the liver and lungs with tar, mucous, and a host of known cancer-causing substances. Smoking is linked to approximately 90% of lung cancer incidents and resulting deaths. It can either have an overstimulatory and/or depressant effect on the mind, causing increasing dependency on lighting up to feel good, and in some cases, to even function normally. It also ultimately lowers the spirit, which is reflected in the lapse of willpower a lot of people have with quitting. It’s used as a spiritual crutch, and if you eventually want those legs to get stronger, you have to do some therapeutic work and let those crutches go.
Have you had any clients successful kick their nicotine addiction naturally? How long can a process like that take?
What types of foods or lifestyle changes best support efforts to quit smoking?
Partnering with someone who has the same goal is a great start. This way, you can exchange ideas to form a solid and practical approach to quitting, and you can be each other’s support system. Making the effort to start with more easily applicable short-term goals is another way to keep things moving. It helps to drop the discouragement factor by not overwhelming yourself, and therefore helps to build confidence and motivation on this mission – two of your best allies. Highly caffeinated and sugary foods and beverages can be very disruptive agents when your agenda is disposing of addictive substances, so I would recommend avoiding them whenever possible. Some of my clients have found licorice sticks (commonly referred to as chew sticks) to be beneficial in reducing cravings and agitation, while increasing calming and cooling foods such as fresh green lettuces, chards, and cauliflower can work in your favor too by strengthening your body’s natural resistance to stressors.
After one has successful quit, are there any foods or herbs that can assist with regenerating the lungs and clearing up any damage done?
There are plenty of foods and herbs that can help to regenerate the lungs. Vitamins A, C, & E, which are abundant in papayas, mangoes, watercress, parsley, and green leafy vegetables across the board are essential to this process. They synergistically help to hunt down free radicals that damage the body, fortify the immune system, and facilitate tissue repair. There are also other herbs such as lungwort and fenugreek, which can tone the lungs and/or work towards removing mucous plaque and tar buildup.
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