Anti-smoking drugs may cause other problems

Two popular anti-smoking drugs -- Chantix and Zyban -- will now carry warnings about the risk of severe mental health problems, the Food and Drug Administration announced Wednesday. This is important news, with Wisconsin public places going smoke-free one year from now in July 2010.

Read more here to learn about this research.

I predict this news will encourage smokers to reconsider and research more natural means of stopping smoking -- including hypnosis, self-help groups like Nicotine Anonymous, Chinese herbal remedies and acupuncture.

Stopping smoking? Here's a kit to help you

Wisconsin's new ban on smoking in public places goes into effect on July 5, 2010.

Karen Carnabucci, a psychotherapist at Lake House Health & Learning Center, and Arthur Shattuck, Chinese medicine practitioner at Roots and Legends, have put together recommendtations for a kit that will support you in stopping smoking. These kit ingredients may be used on their own or to supplement professional treatment. You might want to make the kit with a group of friends who could serve as a support system for each other. We hope that it will give you support and strategies to help you in your intention to stop smoking and grow in good health.

Here is what is included and why:

Xiao Yao Wan, the Chinese herbal tea that is both soothing to drink and assists in detoxifying the nicotine from the body.

Lemon to make lemon juice -- add juice to a warm glass of water and take each morning and evening to cleanse the liver

Dental floss may be used to floss after meals, a primary time for many smokers to have a cigarette. The flossing not only promotes good dental hygiene but also gives the individual a new and healthy ritual to replace the habit of smoking after a meal.

Cotton in small bottle that is scented with lavender essential oil; lavender is a soothing scent that naturally relaxes the nervous system. The scented bit of cotton may be sniffed during times of stress or craving.

Indes card with help line numbers. Reaching out to talk and get options to a cigarette is helpful during times of craving. You may also list a number of supportive friends who are willing to take your calls when you are feeling a craving. The toll-free Wisconsin Quit Line is (877) 270-7867; you may also dial 211 for other resources.

Pen to add additional numbers of friends and other supportive places to call.

Natural licorice twig, which may be chewed or nibbled in place of snacks or sugary candy. Chinese licorice, which is called Gan Cao, contains a sweet component that actually lowers sugar cravings and appears to make cigarettes taste unpleasant if there is a slip. It is the only herb that relaxes all of the body’s 12 meridians and therefore makes a person a little less tense.

Sticker to remind you of your commitment to your health. It may be placed in a location that has been a common smoking place, such as the telephone or car. Use additional “sticky” notes as needed.

Inspirational statement may be read as many times as you wish as a reminder to keep your commitment to your good health. Here are are some samples:

• Many people have successfully stopped smoking, and I can too!



• I can take time to remember all the reasons that I have stopped smoking.


• I am free of nicotine. I am taking good care of my health.


• I am free at last -- no longer a slave to cigarettes!


• I turn away from cigarettes and turn toward a healthy life.


• This minute in this day, I am smober…a no smoker!


• I enjoy breathing deeply with my clean lungs. My lungs thank me for new energy.


• I am capable. I have strengths. I want to live.


• I am proud of myself.


• I am reducing my health risks and increasing my health capacity.


• It’s OK for me to reach for help rather than a cigarette.

Remember to practice deep breathing and simple yoga stretches to cleanse and comfort your body. Tai chi or qi gong are also helpful, as is exercise including walking. Give yourself a simple massage or find someone to give you a massage.

Top 6 health trends for 2009

We're just into the beginnings of 2009, the time when experts are looking forward with predictions for headlines for the year.

One of the areas that is often neglected -- despite its growing interest by public and professionals alike -- is that of alternative and complementary heath. These trends surely will affect businesses, both large and small, as well as the way that health care is sought and delivered in our communities. Here is my list of top health trends:

Interest in alternative treatments will experience a second surge. As more mainstream medications, from Aleve to Prozac to Vioxx, are showing seriously dangerous side effects, we'll be looking for new solutions to minimize health conditions. Even though interest in alternative treatments is already high, more people, practitioners and patients will be willing to experiment with new remedies, activities and lifestyle changes to avoid these kinds of medications. Yoga, tai chi, qigong, Feldenkrais, imagery, acupuncture and other exercises and modalities will continue to gain attention due to their ability to calm, soothe and attend to medical situations such as chronic pain, hypertension, obesity and stress.

Along with the growth of interest in alternative medicine, there will be a growth in the interest of alternative psychotherapy and personal and business coaching. "Alternatives" don't just come down to herbs, massage and yoga, as valuable as they are. People can experience significant growth and change -- often in short amounts of time -- with activities that use drama, guided imagery, music therapy, art therapy, sand tray therapy and other modalities that speak to people's whole selves, not just symptoms.

In our buy-buy culture and go-go lives, we'll step up the need for personal satisfaction rather than external achievement. This may well mean a "diet" on activities, trimming our schedule of overextended lifestyles and creating routines and opportunities for our overstressed bodies and minds. Products and services, including personal coaching, will assist in helping us focus on what is really satisfying and comforting.

As insurance costs bump up, a greater push to keep students and employees healthy. This will mean a closer examination of cafeteria food in schools and vending machines in work places, including information on how eating patterns create stress, obesity and health and behavior problems. Food processing companies and vendors are upgrading their searches to develop and market products that are not only healthy but actually promote health.

Special interest treatments will be developed for special interest groups. Studies are showing that various groups, whether ethnic or otherwise, are at higher risk for certain health concerns. Just one for-instance: a research study is showing showing high rates of smoking in the LGBT (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender) community. In some parts of the country, LGBT smoking rates can be as much as 50 percent higher than their heterosexual counterparts, making nicotine an emerging public health priority for LGBT individuals.

Nicotine treatment programs will gradually become more varied and incorporate alternative methods of treatment, care and support. These alternative methods may include acupuncture, non-traditional psychotherapy, online support groups, herbal therapy, dietary changes or a combination of unique interventions designed to fit the individual's needs. More insurance companies are offering help with nicotine cessation, too, as it becomes apparent that nicotine use hurts health and contributes to many illnesses and conditions. The fact is that smoking kills more people each year than HIV/AIDS, car accidents and drug and alcohol use combined.