Hi friends! I wanted to take a minute today to talk to you about winter, and the risk for colds and flu that seems to accompany the changing seasons and colder weather. I have had an acupuncture practice in Carrboro for the past 17 years, and throughout the winter I see many sick people and am exposed to coughing and sneezing--two certain ways to spread an illness around. Yet I rarely get sick nor do I get flu shots. This was not the case 20 years ago, but I have learned from Chinese Medicine how to prevent illness by strengthening my immune system. Today, I would like to share some of those basic concepts with you.
Qi
The Chinese system of health care is based upon the concept of qi, a vital electrical-like energy that circulates in certain pathways throughout the body and is the motivating force for all the body's functions. There is a layer of qi that circulates on the surface of the body called the "wei qi" or "protective qi. The
wei qi is analgous to the western immune system, and the strength of it is dependent on a person's vital internal energy, the nutrients of healthy food and clean air taken in through the lungs. If this
wei qi is strong, then diseases from other people or from climatic influences (cold, wind, heat) will be unable to penetrate the surface of the body. If the
wei qi is weak then one can easily be made sick by exposure to other people's illness; the pathogens enter the body and cause the initial symptoms we associate with colds (sore throat, fever, chills, aching muscles). The herb
Astragalus is a qi tonic that specifically strengthens the wei qi. It can be taken daily throughout cold and flu season for prevention. It must be stopped, however, if you get sick; otherwise, it may strengthen the illness and take you longer to heal. It can be found in a tincture or capsules at a health food store and taken as directed. Many people also benefit from taking royal jelly, which is the honey bee's food for the queen, for its tonifying effects to the immune system.
Diet
For prevention, one must follow certain dietary habits such as avoiding too many mucus-forming foods that congest the lymphatic system with mucus and forms a breeding ground for bacteria. Why do you think so many people get sick after the holidays? After weeks of consuming alcohol, sweets, breads and dairy products, you may notice that you have sinus congestion and feel like you have a cold. You can actually create an "internal cold" whose symptoms are your body's reaction to trying to get rid of all the mucus--and is not related to being exposed to a sick person at all! If you do get sick, it is very important to avoid all the above-mentioned foods because they will only create more mucus and make it harder to heal.
Probiotics
Intestinal health is a very important part of overall immunity. Did you know that up to 70% of your immune system lives in your intestines in the form of healthy bacteria? When you get sick, it is that bacteria that comes to fight off your infection. People who get ill and stay that way for weeks or months are probably suffering from lack of these healthy bacteria called probiotics. Probiotics can be found in the health food store and should be taken every day as a way to repopulate the healthy flora in your intestines and help prevent illness. Lack of probiotics can contribute to an overgrowth of an unhealthy bacteria in your intestines called candida which can often be one of the causes of weakened immunity. Candida-cleansing supplements like grapefruit seed extract, garlic and olive leaf extract can often help fight off this pathogen. Then, the addition of probiotics will help create a less favorable environment for candida to reappear.
Sweating (yes, sweating!)
Eating a healthy whole foods diet, getting plenty of exercise and plenty of rest will all contribute greatly to strengthening your immune system. If you do get ill, you can follow the wisdom of Chinese Medicine to help rid yourself of the disease. In the initial stage of a cold, there is a battle going on between the external pathogen and your vital
wei qi. The pathogen wants in and if your defensive energy is weak it will succeed and progress along its path. Sweating (diaphoresis) is the main therapy that can throw off a cold in its initial stages only. Even if it does not stop the disease, sweating can greatly reduce your symptoms. Start by drinking a cup of ginger tea (grate 1/4 to 1/2 cup raw ginger into a 2 qt. pot of boiling water; turn water off, cover and let steep for 10 minutes; strain and drink, sweeten with honey if needed), take a hot bath, get into bed and cover with blankets and sweat. Don't be afraid of a fever! A fever is a healing sign and unless it is dangerously high it should be left to run its course and not lowered with aspirin. Many colds can be completely eliminated if caught in an early stage (in the first 24 hours, at the very beginning signs of illness) and following the above directions. Other herbs that are diaphoretic are chamomile, peppermint, yarrow, boneset and elder flowers (which can be drunk as a tea). Vitamin C (1,000 mg every few hours or up to bowel tolerance), cayenne red pepper or garlic (raw or in capsule form) can help stop a cold in its initial stages. Some health food stores carry a Chinese formula called Cold Snap which also induces sweating. Stay in bed and sweat and the next day you will probably feel completely well.
You can take charge of your immunity and be strong in the face of cold and flu season!
Be well,
Cholena
