Posted on Fri, Jan 22, 2010
By Charles Gant, MD
Nicotine, the addictive substance in cigarettes, is one of the most powerful poisons on earth. It's so toxic that as few as two or three drops of pure nicotine applied directly to the skin of an average person will kill him or her within minutes. In lower doses, nicotine can cause high blood pressure, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, heart palpitations and irregular heartbeat, tremors, convulsions, and central nervous system overstimulation. There is no known antidote for nicotine poisoning.
How is it that so many people habitually use such a powerful and potentially deadly toxic substance on a daily basis? Moreover, how is it that smokers who are addicted to nicotine are given prescriptions to the very substance they're hooked on in order to stop smoking? The answer to both questions lies in the way our brains work.
How are brains work
Our brain cells, or neurons, communicate with each other by means of small molecules, called neurotransmitters, that they manufacture directly from nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. When neurons exchange these molecules with each other, they enable us to stay focused and alert, to be able to deal with stressful situations, and to block out pain, among many other things.
When sufficient amounts of nutrients are available to our brains so they can produce and exchange these chemical neurotransmitters in adequate amounts, we tend to stay on top of things, to remain relaxed and happy, and to get pleasure out of everyday life experiences. However, when our brains don't have enough of the nutrients they need to produce neurotransmitters in sufficient quantities, we can become irritable, unable to focus, angry, even depressed. If neurotransmitter shortages continue for longer periods of time, we begin looking for ways to deal with them.
Nicotine changes the way our brains work
Among the most common solutions many of us find to this problem is to take up smoking. That's because, simply put, nicotine, the addictive substance in cigarettes, changes the way our brains work. It artificially interrupts the normal process of manufacturing and exchanging several different types of neurotransmitter, temporarily making us feel "normal" again. The problem is that once the nicotine is used up, our brains are once again unable to produce the neurotransmitters we require to feel good, and we need another cigarette. If you're a smoker, as you continued to smoke, your brain got used to using nicotine as a substitute for its normal production of neurotransmitters, and you began to rely more and more on the nicotine and less and less on your brain's natural ability to keep you focused, alert, and happy. Presto! A habit was born.
Rebalance the brain
The real problem in trying to quit, though, is not the cigarettes themselves but the fact that some physicians may not have a good understanding of how our brains work. They're unaware that there is a straightforward way to rebalance our brain chemistry so that we no longer need nicotine. Even folks who have been smoking cigarettes for years find that within a short time of using a revolutionary new strategy called the Power Recovery Program, their cravings may diminish, or even disappear. Best of all, you don't have to stay hooked on nicotine, or take any other addictive substance, to stop smoking. What you do need to do is to take measured doses of several key nutritional supplements, which are likely in short supply in your body. Doing this makes key nutrients available to your brain and enables you very quickly to resume producing the neurotransmitters you need to overcome the craving for cigarettes and to begin to feel normal again without them.
Nutritional Supplements
There's a special Quick-Start for Smokers stage in the Power Recovery Program that enables you to understand exactly which nutrients are in short supply and have led to your needing to use cigarettes to make you feel better. Quick-Start for Smokers explains exactly which nutritional supplements you need to immediately provide your brain with the nutrients it requires to jump-start the production of the neurotransmitters that can reduce or eliminate your cigarette cravings and get you off on the right foot toward recovery. Best of all, with the Quick-Start nutrients you have the choice of quitting smoking right away or tapering off the use of cigarettes gradually.
The Quick-Start for Smokers nutritional supplement formula consists of the amino acids L-Glutamine and L-Tyrosine, 5HTP, lecithin, vitamin C, and a combination of other vitamins and minerals that are available by purchasing any one of a number of national brand name multi-vitamin, multi-mineral capsules. The Quick-Start for Smokers formula can be found in the newly released book, End Your Addiction Now available from NIHA Products and online booksellers. If you choose to purchase the supplements individually, they're available at supermarkets or health food stores. They're also available in a specially formulated product, called Tobac PAK, that can be purchased from NIHA Products or online at NuPathways.com.
Bottom line: If you are a smoker who has struggled with quitting and feel that you're hopeless, take heart. The Power Recovery Program approach has had unprecedented success with helping people overcome addictions of all types, including cigarettes.
You can do it too!
CE Gant, MD, is a nationally renowned pioneer in the fields of nutrition-based medicine and substance abuse. At Tully Hill Hospital, where he served as medical director, he achieved a remarkable 83 percent success rate in ending patients' addictions. Dr. Gant practices at National Integrated Health Associates in Washington, DC, and is author of End Your Addiction Now. Read more about him at Charles Gant MD.
Posted on Fri, Jan 15, 2010
by Eve Colantoni CHC
Unsure what else to do, I got down on my hands and knees and prayed. "I give up", I remember saying to no one in particular. "I just give up". Truth was, I felt defeated and utterly miserable. I had been sick for so long, I didn't really remember what it felt like to be well, to feel good, to be really happy.
At this point, I was on 14 different medications. That's quite a bit for anyone, much less for a 32 year old woman. And despite all the drugs, I still felt awful all the time. I had no energy, I was depressed, riddled with anxiety, would sometimes have full-on panic attacks, suffered from migraine headaches, allergies, asthma, chronic fatigue, insomnia, etc. etc. Really, I could keep going with my laundry list of symptoms, but I think you get the idea.
There came a turning point in my life though. A time when I realized I had had enough and I was truly ready for a change. I had reached the point where I had become sick and tired of being just that, sick and tired...
Have you ever heard the expression, "When the student is ready, the teacher will appear" ? Well, this is what ultimately happened to me. At the time, I did not see all the ailments I was suffering from as a gift. I didn't realize I was being presented with challenges to overcome with a greater purpose ahead of me.
One by one, as I overcame condition after condition, I was learning. I was learning what worked and more often what didn't. Today, looking back, I see my journey in healing as the greatest gift I ever could have received. The truth of the matter is that I could not have gained the knowledge that I have now if I had gone to any medical school in the country. My illness was my boot camp. My training ground. And now, everyday, I get to pass on to my clients all that I've been able to learn. How I spend my days has never been more rewarding.
Being able to "give back" makes it all worth while which is why I've decided to offer this scholarship. As I began on my healing path, it always seemed that just as I needed it, the right book would appear, the right lecture would come up, the right practitioner would come into my life to help me sort out the pieces I couldn't figure out on my own. Now, I'd like to offer the same assistance to someone out there as well.
I've designed my 2010 Weight Loss For Tired People Group Coaching Program to really provide the maximum benefit, with the easiest format and the lowest cost possible. Even at that, I know times have been tough for a lot of people out there and there are so many who could really benefit from a holistic nutrition program.
That's why I'm giving away a seat in this semester's Holistic Nutrition program. Here are the three easy steps you have to do to apply:
Step One: Take a minute to review the program completely to make sure it is the right match for you by visiting:
http://www.WeightLossForTiredPeople.com/blog
Step Two: Tell us your story! Below, in the comments section for this blog, leave a note about the weight loss or health challenges you've had and why you think you would benefit from my program. You can choose to leave your name, or just your initials.
Step Three: Click to Email your name and phone number to me so I can contact you if you're selected. I'll also need you to tell me which entry is yours.
APPLICATION DEADLINE: JAN. 19, 2010 DO NOT DELAY!!
APPLICATIONS MUST BE RECEIVED NO LATER THAN THIS TUESDAY, JANUARY 19TH, 2010 BY 6 PM (EST) FOR THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE WINNER THAT EVENING!!
I wish you all the very best in your health journey and look forward to reading your inspiring stories.
With warmth and gratitude,
Eve Colantoni, CHC
www.WeightLossForTiredPeople.com
www.NIHAdc.com Nutrition and Wellness
The Weight Loss For Tired People Group Coaching Program is a holistic nutrition program offered by National Integrated Health Associates, Washington DC's premier integrative medicine and biological dentistry center.