That bad smoking habit you've been wanting to kick for the past 20 years might soon be a thing of the past with a visit to a laser therapist. That's right, a laser therapist.
While laser therapy is common in skin and eye treatment, laser therapist Joanne Sankeralli-Montillon, a former smoker of 20 years, says low-level laser therapy (LLLT) helped her to completely quit smoking. She has been a non-smoker for seven years since receiving the treatment.
"It was all a very new approach for me, because I had tried quitting many times before through other means, but it would not last. I would go maybe a month or two, but I would always find myself going back to the cigarette," said Sankeralli-Montillon.
She said the treatment is much like acupuncture, except no needles are used.
"There are several laser treatments used for different purposes, some surgical, some cosmetic, etc. The laser treatment I received and now use on my clients is non-invasive and non-medicated," explained Sankeralli-Montillon.
She says the treatment involves activating the body's natural endorphins through laser stimulation of specific points in the body, which helps coping with withdrawal symptoms much easier.
Sankeralli-Montillon ,who was trained as a laser therapist in the US, has been practising this method on her clients since 2009. She travels back and forth to the US, T&T and Jamaica and is now working on operating a full-time service at her Bournes Road, St James office, T&T–Laser Ltd.
The benefits of LLLT
Sankeralli-Montillon said cigarettes do not only contain nicotine, the ingredient that causes the addiction, but also have more than 4,000 chemicals and metals.
"Every time you light a cigarette you are exposing yourself and others to lead, copper, mercury, acetone, arsenic, formaldehyde and hydrogen cyanide, among others. Constant exposure to these chemicals has been known to cause mood disorders, affect the memory, cause dizziness, headaches, kidney damage, respiratory problems, nerve disorders and even infertility."
She said with LLLT, within 20 minutes of treatment clients can begin to realise differences in how their body feels.
"The first thing you notice is that your blood pressure drops to normal and your body temperature of the hands and the feet increases to normal. Within two weeks to three months circulation improves, walking becomes easier and lung function increases," she assured.
Asked if the treatment was costly and how many sessions of therapy a client needed in order to fully benefit, she said it is not costly when compared to the cost of a number of packages of cigarette consumed in a year.
"For example if someone was smoking about one pack per day, in less than four months, they would not only have paid for their treatment, but they would already be experiencing better health," Sankeralli-Montillon said.
She added a client only needed one treatment session lasting approximately one hour and 15 minutes.
As regards to after-care to ensure they do not go back to their smoking habit, Sankeralli-Montillon says some guidelines are provided to follow after therapy.
"Clients receive counselling prior to treatment. During that time we empower them and they understand the reason why they came to us in the first place was to change something they did not like.
"Taking the step to address any addiction is difficult but once that step is taken, 75 per cent of that addiction is already over. Leave the other 35 per cent to this therapy being offered and like the many testimonies I have received from former clients–walk in a smoker and walk out a non-smoker," vowed Sankeralli-Montillon.
For more information on LLLT
e-mail quitnowwithlaserltd@gmail.com. Or visit the Web site: www.quitnowwithlaserltd.com or at 287-2324
