Yoga and More

If you are interested in participating in the study, please read the Research Study Protocol below, and then complete the Study Intake Questionnaire.

1. Research Problem: Are there methods of assisting with the cessation of smoking cigarettes that do not use chemicals or medication?

2. Research Questions:
2.1. Primary Question.  Will the use of yogic breathing and meditation techniques with yogic hand/finger and hand reflexology, which can be performed while seated in a chair, and within the five minute time frame it takes to smoke a cigarette, be an efficacious intervention to assist with the cessation of cigarette smoking?
2.2. Secondary Question: Will the inhalation of essential oils known for respiratory health further assist with the cessation of smoking?

3. Justification: Cigarette smoking is problematic because it increases risks to good health, e.g.,
* loss of elasticity of skin, which causes sagging or loose skin and wrinkles,
* toxins, which cause facial complexion issues,
* less blood supply teeth, which causes gum disease and bad breath,
* reduced saliva, which causes gastroesophageal reflux disease,
* osteoporosis,
* emphysema,
* cancer,
* heart attack,
and it increases in health care costs.

4. General Objective:  To measure the efficacy of Yoga breathing and Meditation with Yoga finger positions or movements and Hand Reflexology as an intervention to assist with the cessation of cigarette smoking, with a subgroup of subjects using essential oils that are known for respiratory health.

5. Hypotheses:
5.1. Primary Hypothesis: Because mouth, inhalation and finger movements are the primary voluntary conscious physical muscular activities utilized in cigarette smoking, it is hypothesized that Yogic breathing techniques, which include mouth positions in certain instances, called pranayama, and finger positions and movements, called mudra, hand reflexology, and Yogic Meditations, all of which may be practiced within the five minute time frame it takes to smoke a cigarette, anywhere a cigarette may be smoked, and anywhere smoking is not prohibited, will be efficacious tools for those who desire to cease cigarette smoking.
5.2. The use of essential oils for respiratory health may boost the effect of the Yogic techniques.

6. Research Methodology:
6.1. Study Design: Yogic breathing and meditation with hand/finger  positons/exercises and hand reflexology, to stop smoking will be offered to the community for $35 per workshop.  For participants who desire to become study subjects, the subjects will agree to use of the techniques over time, to record the impact of the techniques on smoking reduction and cessation over time, to be interviewed during participation and following exit from the study for up to six months.
6.2. There will be an intake questionnaire and periodic interviews to determine bodily changes, e.g., weight gain, changes in life style, changes in well being, etc.  The interviews will follow subjects for five months following a cessation of smoking that lasts 40 days.
6.3. Subjects will be taught Yoga pranayama, Yoga meditation, Yoga mudra and hand Reflexology techniques that can be performed during the five minutes of time it takes to smoke a cigarette.  
6.4.There will be a series of repeating live workshops of forty five minutes, that will include self assessment, the teaching of Yogic theory, the teaching of a variety of Yoga techniques, the teaching of self massage of the hands, the use of essential oils, and group discussion.  These live workshops may be videoed for study subjects to use after having taken the live workshop on the subject matter covered.
6.5. There will be a reference and diary book in paper form, about the size of a pack of cigarettes, for subjects to have access to the interventions taught and to record the use of the intervention techniques, smoking consumption and comments.
6.6. A compliance officer will follow data collection by subjects and interviewers, including data collection.
6.7. Data collected will be analyzed for the preparation of a study report.

7. Subject Selection Criteria:
7.1. The sample size is unlimited.
7.2. Recruitment shall be of all forms, flyers, corporate HR departments, corporate wellness departments, social media, other advertising.

8. Investigators:
8.1. Principal Investigator: John Silvestri
8.2. Co-Investigators:
8.3. Collaborators:

9. Budget:
9.1. More than one role may be handled by same person at start up.  The staff or people roles include:
- staff: Workshop presenter.
- staff: Interviewer of subjects.
- staff: Clerical person to scan paper submissions, to preserve information uploaded online, and to record data into a spreadsheet data base or other software.
- staff: analyst of data.
- staff: report writer
- staff: compliance review, quality control person
9.2. Venue and supply expenses.
- Workshop location for 13 weeks
- Workshop handouts
- Reference and Diary booklets

Complete the Study Intake Questionnaire.