Chinese Medicine Can Help With Nicotine Withdrawal

Deciding to quit smoking is one of the best commitments a person can make to better their health.  Addiction to nicotine is powerful, and is the main reason why most people fail to quit smoking completely.  There's a physical, mental, and emotional habit to smoking that makes it difficult to let go.

Chinese medicine is not a magic cure for nicotine addiction.  However, it can make it easier to quit and remain smoke-free.  Chinese medicine will balance out the physical, mental, and emotional components of the body and help lessen cravings, irritability, jitters, restlessness, and aid in relaxation and detoxification. 

One of the best things you can do for smoking cessation and nicotine withdrawal is meditation.  And one of the best forms of meditation is breathing.  Breathe in, breathe out.  First, sit tall in a quiet place and notice your breath.  Then, breathe in deeply, allowing your belly to expand as your diaphragm drops and your lungs fill with air.  As you exhale, your belly is pushed in towards your spine and your diaphragm rises.  Inhale and exhale at an equal pace.  For a little more, when you breathe, place the tip of your tongue to the roof of your mouth behind your teeth and breathe in and out quietly through your nose.  End with one to three breaths with your tongue down and breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth.  This breathing meditation is excellent to do anytime a smoking craving or irritability or anxiety feels overwhelming.  

Another aspect of Chinese medicine that will help with nicotine withdrawal is Chinese herbal medicine.  Chinese herbs are designed to help with lung dryness, lung tissue repair, cravings, and irritability.  Some common formulas and herbs for smoking cessation are:

• Ophiopogonis Decoction- used for general  lung health
• Buplerum plus Dragon Bone and Oyster Shell Decoction- used to lessen irritability, anxiety, restlessness, and soothing the central nervous system
• Chinese lobelia- a nicotine agonist, used to lessen cravings  

A Chinese herbalist will be able to come up with a formula prescription specific for your withdrawal symptoms.  Chinese herbs are typically consumed as a tea or capsules two or three times per day.  Taking herbs daily is similar to receiving a daily treatment for smoking cessation.

A wonderful combo to Chinese herbal medicine for nicotine withdrawal is acupuncture.  Acupuncture will help to balance out your body's energy, detoxifying and repairing your internal organs damages by smoking, calming the nervous system, reducing cravings, and even changing how cigarettes taste.  Acupuncture needles are placed at many different places on the head, ear, and body.  Treatments are typically done three times per week at the beginning, then cutting back to once per week.  While each person is different, it might take 15-20 treatments total to get over the initial nicotine withdrawal symptoms.

I've seen Chinese medicine turn many smokers into ex-smokers.  Have a specific question about your condition?  Let me know.  I'm here to help!
​-C