The mornings are growing crisp and cool. The leaves are changing to brilliant colours.
And that's when you feel it. That special feeling..
Cold and flu season is on its way.
Let me put on my other hat as a Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner for a moment. According to Chinese Medicine theory, the outermost part of our body, our skin and muscle layers, is protective and can be likened to the border of a country. This protective function called Defensive Qi or "wei qi", guards us against the external invasion of germs and also serves to warm our body. If we are well rested, enjoy a healthy diet of whole foods, and keep warm as the days grow colder, our border is likely to be stronger. When we are tired, have a poor diet, or dress inappropriately for cooler weather, our border will be compromised as it becomes overwhelmed by all of its responsibilities at once without the fuel of food and proper rest.
When we are invaded or attacked by any pathogen our Defensive Qi will respond. In Chinese Medicine, this conflict creates friction seen as heat or fever in the body. Many people experience chills as well as fever, because Defensive qi needs to, in a sense, re-route its full attention on keeping the internal organs warm and protected, thus leaving the outer border cold and unprotected. Think of this as the troops falling back to surround and defend a smaller area of the country that may be more valuable.
The common cold or flu can lead to many serious complications and is very dangerous for certain populations and health conditions. We have heard many important recommendations from our Health Care providers, such as frequent hand washing, sneezing or coughing into the elbow area, and staying home to prevent the spread of illness. From a Chinese Medicine perspective, there are several additional preventative methods as well as ways to deal with a cold or flu at the onset to avoid future complications and start feeling better sooner. Here are 4 tips to help:
1) Wear a scarf!
According to Chinese Meridian theory, one area most vulnerable to external invasion includes the acupuncture points at the back of neck and top of the shoulders. Additionally, when this area is cold, we tend to lift and hold tension in the shoulders, which can trigger headaches and pain in many people. Keep this area covered and warm to prevent the invasion of cold and wind.
2) Eat Warm to Stay Warm
There are many conflicting ideas in the world today about what makes a healthy diet, and it is important that we eat according to our own health needs. Chinese Medicine places importance on eating with the season, and we know Autumn is the perfect time for soups and other cooked dishes preferably made from local foods.
3) Get up and move!
Regular exercise is a great way feel better on those grey cold days of fall and winter. Nourishing exercises like Yoga and TaiChi not only get your blood flowing, but can also help improve respiration as they focus on breathing exercises and learning how to move energy in the body.
4) Seasonal Chinese Medicine
Chinese medicine is wonderful prevention and treatment for many health conditions. Even if you don't have a specific concern, seeking treatment around the change of the seasons is a way to keep your Practitioner up to date with your current health status. Through a myriad of diagnostic tools like pulse and tongue evaluation, your Practitioner may be able to detect early signs of illness and prescribe Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal medicine to help prevent illness and maintain good health.
Feel Better Faster
If you do start to feel that you are coming down with something, book an appointment with your Chinese Medicine Practitioner as soon as possible. Depending on your symptoms, a treatment with Acupuncture, Herbs and/or Cupping (glass cups applied to the skin using heat or suction to create a vacuum) can help to dramatically reduce the intensity and length of your illness.
In addition to treatment, rest, water and a diet of warm whole foods can help to put you on the road to health. My personal favourite tea for this time of year is Gin/Cin Tea as described below. Check with your Practitioner to see if these flavours would be beneficial to you as they won't be right for every constitution and body type. You can also request specially formulated herbal tea to suit your own health needs.
Gin/ Cin Autumn Tea
1-2 large thumb sized piece of Ginger, peeled and chopped
4-7 pieces of Cinnamon bark (preferably not grocery store brand, look for organic Chinese herb suppliers or ask your TCM Practitioner)
In a large pot add 6-8 cups of purified water, Ginger and Cinnamon. Cover and bring to a boil. Simmer the covered liquid 15-20 min. Let cool to drinkable temperature
Enjoy several cups throughout the day.