Helix Clinic blog

It’s worth remembering that when you give up smoking, your health starts to improve straight away, and the longer you stay nicotine-free the better it gets. Did you know that when you stub out that last cigarette:

• After 20 minutes, your blood pressure and pulse rate will go back to normal.
• After 8 hours, the nicotine and carbon monoxide levels in the blood will have reduced by a half and oxygen levels will have returned to normal.
• After 24 hours, carbon monoxide will have been eliminated from the body, and your lungs will start to clear out mucus and other debris accumulated from smoking.
• After 48 hours, there is no more nicotine in the body. You will find your ability to taste and smell improve.
• After 72 hours, the bronchial tubes in the lungs can start to relax and work more efficiently. This means your energy levels will increase.
• After 2 weeks your circulation will start to improve.
• After 3 months, any lung problems you previously had, such as coughing or wheezing will start to improve. Lung function improves by up to 10%.
• After 5 years, the risk of getting a heart attack falls to roughly a half of that of a smoker.
• After 10 years, the risk of lung cancer halves compared to someone who is still smoking, and the risk of heart attack returns to the level it would be if you had never smoked!

And another benefit… after 10 years you would have saved over £15000 by not smoking. So the only question remaining is… what are you waiting for? If you really want to stop, but the physical cravings are still too much, then maybe we can help. Why not ask us how acupuncture could help you to stop smoking for good.

Tags: heart attack, lung cancer, smoking

In yesterday’s post on how acupuncture can help you to stop smoking, we talked about how 2 or 3 shorter acupuncture treatments per week were more effective than 1 longer treatment per week during those first 3 weeks when the cravings are at their worst.

Before someone gets to that stage though, it is important for them to think about their mindset and whether they really do want to give up smoking. When patients first come in, one of the first things we ask is whether they really do want to give up. It sounds silly to ask this question seeing as that is why they said they have come in, but it is important to check this commitment to change.

Sometimes people feel that they ought to give up smoking, or maybe their partner is always on at them to quit, but when it comes down to it they still really enjoy having that cigarette after meals, or having a smoke when they drink, or sharing a smoking break with colleagues from the office…

If this is the case, it is unlikely that the treatment will be successful, and indeed it is unlikely that any treatment would be successful (e.g. hypnosis, patches etc). Acupuncture cannot make someone change their mind if mentally they are not ready to quit.

On the other hand, if someone is really ready to quit smoking but is just having trouble breaking the physical cravings then acupuncture can be a very powerful agent for change. Acupuncture (and especially ear acupuncture) causes a release of endorphins in the brain. These are the body’s pleasure chemicals and help to suppress the craving for cigarettes. They are also the reason why many people feel so relaxed after an acupuncture treatment. So, if someone is mentally ready to quit cigarettes for good but can’t quite beat those physical cravings then acupuncture could be just the thing.

Tags: mental state, smoking

We get many calls and emails from prospective patients asking us how effective acupuncture is to help stop smoking. There is certainly lots of anecdotal evidence that acupuncture can help someone to stop smoking, and at the clinic we have helped lots of people to quit smoking for good, but sometimes people still have trouble giving up.

From our experience, we have found that the most effective application of acupuncture to help stop smoking is through shorter, more frequent sessions.  The physical cravings are generally the worst during those first three weeks after quitting, and during that time people need support more than once a week to help with persistent cravings.

For those first three weeks, we would recommend coming in for at least two and preferably three short ear acupuncture treatments (15-20 minutes) evenly spaced throughout the week. In addition, it is best to start the whole process with a couple of body acupuncture sessions to help the detox process get started. After that initial 3 week period, weekly body acupuncture sessions are recommended for a further month to help consolidate and prevent relapse.

One of our blocks of 5 acupuncture treatments (at a cost of £200) would cover an initial consultation and body acupuncture treatment, 3 weeks of 2-3 ear acupuncture sessions a week, and a final week’s body acupuncture treatment to help get you through that tricky initial period, and off the cigarettes for good.

Tags: cravings, ear acupuncture, smoking

Looking for something a bit different to check out this weekend? Well, how about going to Haringey’s first seed swap event, organised by Haringey Allotments Forum and Sustainable Haringey’s Food Group.

The idea is simple and a good one - bring along seeds to swap if you have them, and trade with other flower and vegetable enthusiasts to find something new to grow in your garden!

The venue is Bruce Castle and refreshments will be available. The event is being organised by Seven Sisters Permaculture and is running this Sunday the 22nd Feb between 2pm and 4pm. For more information, you can email jehanna@gn.apc.org or sevensisterspermaculture@wikispaces.org.uk

Tags: Haringey, London, permaculture, seed swap

This year, eating disorders awareness week is between the 23rd and 28th February. You can keep up to date with daily initiatives, projects and news on the website run by BEAT. BEAT is the leading UK charity for people with eating disorders and their families, and is the working name of the Eating Disorders Association.

Eating disorders are a serious mental illness, and they affect over a million people in the UK. BEAT provides helplines for adults and young people, online support and a UK-wide network of self-help groups to help people beat eating disorders.

If you have ever wondered if you suffer from an eating disorder, there is an effective and simple questionnaire that you can do to give you a better idea. The SCOFF questionnaire asks 5 questions, and was introduced in an article published in the BMJ in 1999. The questions are:

1. Do you make yourself (S)ick because you feel uncomfortably full?
2. Do you worry you have lost (C)ontrol over how much you eat?
3. Have you recently lost more than (O)ne stone in a 3 month period?
4. Do you believe yourself to be (F)at when others say you are too thin?
5. Would you say that (F)ood dominates your life?

In the original paper, two positive answers out of 5 were found to give a 100% sensitivity to anorexia and bulimia. There were a few false positives (i.e. if 2 or more positive answers were given by respondents who were not diagnosed with an eating disorder), but all of the respondents who had been independently diagnosed with anorexia, bulimia or both answered 2 or more questions positively.

If two or more of these questions are relevant for you and you haven’t been diagnosed with an eating disorder, it would be wise to make an appointment to talk to your GP to discuss it further.

We have other health-related questionnaires on our website. Why not check out our lifestyle questionnaire and checklist for symptoms of stress?

Tags: anorexia, BEAT, bulimia, eating disorders, questionnaire, SCOFF