I was sick of trying fad diets and not losing weight but now I've shed FIVE STONE without fat jabs or silly eating plans
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A MUM who shed five stone through gastric band hypnotherapy has described the treatment as life-changing – saying it completely rewired her brain.
Laura Bell dropped from a dress size 22 to a 14 without surgery or fad diets.
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Laura Bell spent years yo-yo-dieting and wanted to lose weight
Credit: Jam Press/Laura Bell
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Laura has dropped from a dress size 22 to a 14 using gastric band hypnosis
Credit: Jam Press/Laura Bell
The 42-year-old, from Hertfordshire, spent years yo-yo-dieting and even considering going under the knife.
Before committing to gastric band surgery, the mum-of-three decided to try hypnosis instead after a chance encounter with a hypnotherapy teacher.
Incredibly, the therapy was a major success – seeing her go from 18.5st to 13.5st in a year.
'I was actually thinking about having a gastric band and surgery," Laura said.
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'I thought, before having the gastric band, I'll try hypnosis.'
Gastric band hypnosis is a therapy that uses guided relaxation and visualisation to make someone's mind believe they've actually had a gastric band fitted.
It aims to help people feel full with smaller portions and change their eating habits.
The four gastric band hypnosis sessions, which cost around £500, were spread over a week – and Laura says she saw immediate results.
Each face-to-face session included deep relaxation, calming music and vivid visualisations – including the sounds and smells of the hospital.
Laura explained: 'When you're doing the suggestions during the gastric band one, you envision you having the actual surgery.
I lost almost a stone in just six days and here's the exact list of delicious meals I ate which never left me hungry
'The smell of Dettol to help you visualise being in hospital.'
During the hypnosis, new suggestions were planted – like only eating until full and ditching snacks and alcohol.
Laura added: 'When you're in the space between falling asleep – the bit where someone can plant new suggestions in your mind – such as you're going to drink more water, you're only going to eat until you're full, not use your tummy as a waste bin.
'When you wake up, your brain automatically believes that.'
After just one session, Laura found herself reaching for soup instead of pizza at lunch.
The mum says the technique left her only wanting small food portions and her cravings completely disappeared.
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Before committing to gastric band surgery, the mum-of-three decided to try hypnosis
Credit: Jam Press/Laura Bell
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Laura went from 18.5st to 13.5st in a year using the therapy
Credit: Jam Press/Laura Bell
She said: 'We went for lunch and I went for the soup and not a pizza. I didn't want anything more.
'I'm not even thinking about crisps, cake or chocolate. I'm not interested.
'I've stopped drinking alcohol for the last year or so – it's empty calories. If I'm not having any of the other stuff, why would I have alcohol?'
Laura now goes to the gym three to four times a week and says her energy has soared.
She said: 'I feel like I've had a glow-up, my energy is so much better, and what I'm able to do with the children is so much better.'
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Laura before going through gastric band hypnotherapy
Credit: Jam Press/Laura Bell
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Laura paid for four gastric band hypnosis sessions, which cost around £500 and were spread over a week
Credit: Jam Press/Laura Bell
But she still listens to monthly recordings from her hypnosis sessions to keep her mindset topped up.
She said: 'I listen to them mainly once a month just to keep me topped up.
'Once the gastric band is done, then that is done.'
I'm not even thinking about crisps, cake or chocolate. I'm not interested
Laura Bell
Laura discovered the programme through a client as part of her work in strategy for small businesses.
The hypnotherapy teacher invited her to join a workshop as part of her own self-care.
Inspired by her own experience, Laura went on to become a qualified clinical hypnotherapist herself.
What is gastric band hypnosis?
GASTRIC band hypnosis is a psychological technique used for weight loss.
It's a form of hypnotherapy that aims to convince the subconscious mind that you've had a gastric band surgically fitted around your stomach, even though no actual surgery takes place.
The aims of sessions are to reduce portion sizes, encourage healthier eating habits and decrease food cravings, especially for unhealthy foods.
Sessions are typically conducted by a trained hypnotherapist.
Each face-to-face session includes deep relaxation, calming music and vivid visualisations – including that your stomach is now smaller and that you will feel full after eating less food.
She now runs her own business helping others change their relationship with food.
Laura said: 'I was at a pretty bad place when I started my hypnosis journey.
'I thought, enough was enough. I was going into my 40s, I was a mum of three co-parenting.
'I needed to do something that worked once and for all.
'I always yo-yoed with weight.
'I wanted to do something that would change my relationship with food forever where I could do it on autopilot and wasn't following a routine or anything.'
Now Laura believes she's finally cracked it.
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Laura has gone on to become a qualified clinical hypnotherapist herself
Credit: Jam Press/Laura Bell
She said: 'The hypnosis undoes all the things you've been told through tradition and society.
'It means when you are losing weight, you're doing it on autopilot, you're not even thinking about it.
'I've had a similar experience to if I'd had the actual gastric sleeve.
'I only eat when I'm hungry.
'I only have small portions and that was immediate – straight after I had my first session.
'I've forgotten my body shape has changed.
'I still buy the wrong size clothes or look at things and think there's no way I'm going to fit into them – but I do.
'It's been life-changing, to say the least.'
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I started taking some in the morning with breakfast and stopped taking my antihistamines. Quercetin is a flavonoid found in apples, onions and berries. It has anti-inflammatory and antihistamine-like effects Dr Helen Wall I definitely loved having it in my porridge, but I'm not sure it had any effect. The pollen count was exceptionally high on the week of the test and my itchy eyes and sneezing continued as normal. I struggled to sleep because of it too and after seven days, I had to go back on the antihistamines as I looked as though I'd been crying. I admit to being disappointed. I'd far rather have taken honey to ease my symptoms than medication. But it just didn't do the job. 4 Scientists say local honey likely won't help treat your itchy eyes Credit: Getty DO ANY NATURAL REMEDIES WORK? SO honey doesn't work, but what else can you try? Nasal irrigation is the 'strongest contender' for a natural hay fever remedy, according to Dr Wall. 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