If you are a smoker, you know that this is much more easily said than done. The thing is, we know a lot more about the effects of smoking on people than we did even ten years ago, and the information is startling. We have known for a long time that smoking is associated with the development of lung cancers and other respiratory syndromes such as emphysema. Well, now studies show that it is much worse than that. I went to a course last year held by a very highly educated professor and nutritionist, and the topic of discussion was longevity. She stressed over and over again that smoking is the absolute number one worst thing you can do for your health. Studies have shown that if you smoke, not only are your chances of getting lung cancer and emphysema much higher than they are for the average person, but your chances of getting loads of other types of cancer, diabetes, osteoporosis, arthritis, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease and many others are also astronomically higher! What it boils down to is that smoking seems to help break down the immune system in such a way that you will succumb to the chronic illnesses that you are most genetically predisposed to far more easily than the average person. This does not bode well for longevity at all, or for having an energetic, pain-free lifestyle. Plus, smoking is a huge financial burden- imagine the pay raise you’d be getting if you no longer needed to buy cigarettes each week! In any case, what I am saying is that smoking is no light matter. Today while I was out doing errands, I bumped into a previous hypnosis client who came over and hugged me and relayed that she has been a nonsmoker since our one hypnosis session together. This totally made my day, reminded me of how thankful I am to do the job that I do, and reminded me that I have not been spreading the word enough about my ability to help people with the daunting task of quitting smoking. Now, this is not a magic fix, and certainly the person using hypnosis to beat the addiction needs to be ready to quit, but it can be amazingly helpful. Some people quit right away after a session, some just start decreasing the amount they smoke and then taper until they don’t need it anymore- everyone is different with their willpower and their clarity of mind when it comes to reaching their goal. Just as weight loss or managing stress vary greatly from person to person, so does the task of quitting smoking. But the key is that hypnosis can give a person clarity of thought and a greater sense of control over their actions. They come away with new relaxation skills that allow mindful awareness practices to strengthen and become a part of their daily life. I am feeling wonderful about being able to offer therapeutic hypnosis to my community at an affordable rate, so if you know someone who has been saying they need to quit, please share this page with them. I am deeply committed to helping create a strong, high integrity practice that supports the ideals and optimal richness of lifestyle for those in my amazing community. Feel free to leave comments or questions here, or email nikki@nikkisnature.com for more information. Have a peaceful and healthy day!
