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Fighting colds and flu with Chinese medicine
CITIZEN-TIMES.com
By Lorraine H. Harris, L.Ac.
In the face of colder weather and news reports about flu vaccine shortages,
traditional Chinese medicine offers some time-honored wisdom to get you
through the winter months. Although Chinese
medicine is oriented towards
preventing disease, there are many therapies to aid your recovery should
you develop cold or flu symptoms.
The Chinese believe that pathogens enter the body through the pores and
air passages, which are akin to an "open window" to the external
environment. The all-too-familiar neck, shoulder, and body aches are
usually the first indication that something has crossed the threshold.
Fever and chills then signal that a battle is taking place to rid the
body of the invading organism. The resultant sweating and coughing is
the body's way of pushing the pathogen back out through the very means
by which it entered.
At the onset of the first signs of getting a cold or flu, try a hot bath,
hot tea and a hot soup made from scallions and miso-a fermented soy paste
that is readily available in health food stores-and then wrap up in blankets
or towels to prompt the body to sweat. Keep the head, neck, and shoulders
covered to avoid drafts. Consider laying low and staying in bed to rest
and recuperate rather than slogging through your normal schedule at half
strength. If possible, prepare your own meals, minimizing your exposure
to other pathogens that might be present in foods prepared and served
by many other people. And, surprising to many people, hold off on the
vitamin supplements for a few days so that you do not nourish the pathogen
as well.
In addition to these simple suggestions, a practitioner of Chinese medicine
can reduce your recovery time by prescribing combinations of herbs and
foods that are specific to your particular type of virus and using acupuncture
to restore balance to the body's systems. This is especially helpful
for those who have a propensity toward asthma, bronchitis, or pulmonary
disease. Chinese medicinal herbs that boost the immune system include
various Asian mushrooms such as shiitake, reishi, maitake. Pears and
apples are examples of foods that strengthen the lungs.
Working with your Chinese medical practitioner can help you navigate
the stormy seas of the winter flu season and eliminate the constant concern
of illness.
Your path to radiant health..
 Lorraine
Harris's Asheville acupuncture clinic is conveniently located in South
Asheville. Ms. Harris is a licensed acupuncturist and Chinese herbalist
and Nationally Board Certified Practitioner of Chinese Medicine. She
is the only Mei Zen-trained cosmetic acupuncturist in Western North Carolina
(WNC).
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