Addictions and Ayurveda
Addictions and Ayurveda
Addictions and Ayurveda
Statistics
Did you know that smoking is the No. 1 preventable cause of death in the U.S.? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 1 in 5 deaths in this country is tobacco related. Statistics show that tobacco kills more Americans than AIDS, drugs, homicides, fires, and auto accidents combined, and it causes more health problems and early deaths than all illegal drugs.
On average, male smokers cut their lives short by 13.2 years, while women lose 14.5 years. An estimated 25 million Americans alive today will die of a smoking related illness. Almost 9 out of 10 tobacco users start before they turn 18. Approximately 4,500,000 children and adolescents in the U.S. smoke, and an estimated 6,000 kids under 18 try their first cigarette each day. About 46 million Americans nearly 25 percent of the population smoke, and even though 70 percent would like to quit, only about 5 percent actually succeed each year. 1
Following are some tools to help you on your way to a healthier, more grounded lifestyle.
Dose Reduction
Although a short-term smoker can probably quit cold turkey, chronic smokers should wean themselves gradually. Otherwise, a stressful withdrawal syndrome can occur. In the first 3-6 months, reduce the number of cigarettes you smoke per day by 50 percent. In the next 6 months, slowly reduce the number of cigarettes you smoke to none.
Herbal Cigarettes
This smoke mix, "dhuman", will satisfy your desire to smoke while slowly neutralizing the addictive aspect of nicotine so that the body starts detoxifying gradually. Remove one-half of the tobacco from your cigarette at the end of the light, and fill the paper with an equal proportion of the following ingredients: whole rose petals, whole chamomile flowers, calamus root or ajwain seeds, brahmi powder, and jatamamsi powder. Smoke the cigarette until the moment the tobacco starts burning, then snuff it out.
Smoking Meditation
Smoking meditation is where you delay your desire to smoke by bringing awareness to your actions.
Before you light a cigarette, make a conscious effort to slow down the process. Look at the cigarette in your hand, and as you do so, listen to the internal signals of your body. Is this something that your body really wants? Or is this the only way of covering up something else that you are thinking or feeling? Even if you decide that you really do want to smoke it, listening to your body will slow down the process and shut off your "automatic pilot", and eliminate urgent behavior and replace it with full awareness. Just by becoming mindful of what you're doing, you can often make rapid progress in breaking the habit of smoking.
Also, try to make smoking an isolated, independent activity, rather than doing it through the usual cues and signals, such as talking on the phone or drinking coffee. This will increase your awareness, becoming more conscious of the unpleasant sensations associated with the activity.
Next, begin to introduce some new thoughts into the process of smoking a cigarette. It must have a spiritual significance for you, and must be accessed with sincere intention. Deepok Chopra said, "The only lasting solution to smoking or addiction of any kind lies in the discovery of your true spiritual nature." 4
Nasya
Nasya is the nasal administration of herbal oils, ghee, or fine powders for medicinal purposes. Ancient Ayurvedic texts say that doing nasya with brahmi ghee helps to eliminate depression one of the main reasons that people smoke.
After washing and drying your hands, dip your little finger into a container of brahmi ghee. Lightly massage the liquid into the inside of each nostril, then sniff to gently inhale the ghee upward. You can also do nasya with plain ghee.
Aromatherapy
Aromatherapy is an age-old treatment that uses the pure extracts of aromatic plants to heal and restore emotional balance. There are many ways to use aromatherapy, such as in your bath, diffused into the air, spritzed on your pillow.
Detoxifying Blend
2 drops Rosemary oil
1 drop Cypress oil
1 drop Juniper oil
1 drop Lemon oil
Use this essential oil blend mixed with 2 teaspoons Grapeseed oil daily for massage or bathing.
Anti-Stress Blend
This blend helps you unwind, promoting a relaxed state of mind.
2 drops Lavender oil
2 drops Bergamot oil
1 drop Vetivert oil
Blend the oils with 2 teaspoons of carrier oil, such as Grapeseed oil, neutral cream, or lotion. Rub into the skin or add to a bath. Alternatively, omit the carrier oil and vaporize the essential oils. 2
Vata Balancing Diet
In the early stages of recovery from addictive behaviors, a diet that balances Vata dosha is especially important.
1. Favor foods that are warm, heavy and oily. Minimize foods that are cold, dry and light.
2. Favor foods that are sweet, sour and salty, while minimizing spicy, bitter and astringent.
3. Eat larger quantities, but not more than you can digest easily.
Some specific recommendations are as follows:
Dairy- All dairy products pacify Vata.
Sweeteners- Any in moderation.
Oils- All are okay.
Grains- Rice and wheat are very good. Reduce barley, corn, millet, buckwheat, rye and oats.
Fruits- Favor sweet, sour, or heavy fruits, such as oranges, bananas, avocados, grapes, cherries, peaches, melons, berries, plums, pineapples, mangoes, and papayas. Reduce dry or light fruits, such as apples, pears, pomegranates, cranberries, and dried fruits.
Vegetables- Beets, cucumbers, carrots, asparagus, and sweet potatoes are good. They should be cooked, not raw. The following vegetables are acceptable in moderate quantities if they're cooked, especially with ghee or oil and Vata-reducing spices: peas, broccoli, cauliflower, celery, zucchini, and green leafy vegetables. It's better to avoid sprouts and cabbage.
Spice- Cardamom, cumin, ginger, cinnamon, salt, cloves, mustard seed, and small quantities of black pepper are good.
Nuts. All are okay.
Beans- Reduce all beans, except tofu and split mung-bean soup
Meat and Fish- Chicken, turkey and seafood are all right. Beef should be avoided.
De-Stress with Yoga & Exercise
What is stress? Stress is unresolved emotion. Smokers have some deep-seated grief, fear, sadness, frustration, anxiety, or loneliness, but they don't want to look at it. Instead, they start smoking. Whenever you feel the desire to smoke, take a walk in the fresh air, go swimming, or do another form of aerobic exercise.
Of all the many ways to detox, a daily practice of yoga continually chips away at all of the obstacles and debris both metabolic and psychic resulting in so many benefits along the way. Following are two simple yoga routines to be performed daily in your effort to cleanse your mind, body and spirit.
Sun Salutations
The Sun Salutation, or Surya Namaskara, is beneficial for all body types. These exercises contribute to strength and flexibility of all the major muscle groups, balance the spine, encourage circulation, enhance breathing, reduce resistance in the joints and stimulate the internal organs. Performing Sun Salutations regularly improves the mind-body connection, which allows healing and nourishment to take place in all facets of the individual. When performing these exercises, it is important to start slowly with a few cycles. As you become more comfortable, you can work up to twelve cycles per session. Also, each of the poses should move fluidly into the next using the breath to enhance this movement. Inhalations are used to lengthen or elongate the body, while exhalations are used to bend or fold the body.
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