Protect Your Neck!
Ancient Wisdom Combined with Modern Science to Guard Against Cold & Flu Season
Wu-Tang once said to “Protect Your Neck,” and Chinese Medicine would agree! According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the nape (or base) of the neck is most susceptible to Wind-Cold-Damp Invasion, which is how TCM views the onset of what we know as cold and flus This area is a pivotal point in which external pathogens such as Wind, Cold, and/or Dampness invade the body. One of the most important and easy things we can do to boost our immune system during Cold and Flu season is to make sure the back of your neck is covered and protected. This can be done with a scarf or high neck collar and help prevent you and your family from ”catching” colds. The same is said for your abdomen and extremities, so keep your head, hands, and feet all covered and warm, as they are more susceptible to getting cold themselves. Any Wind-Cold-and/or-Damp invasion allows for those pathogens to enter and fester in the body.
There is a quick herbal formula known for boosting your Wei Qi, or most outer layer of protective energy, that must only be used prior to getting sick, and not if you know you are actually sick. Combine 1-2inch worth of sliced ginger with 3-6 of the white parts of the green onion, known as Cong Bai in Chinese, in a small pot of ~3 cups of water, boil for ~15mins, and drink while still warm. It is important to include the roots of the white parts of the green onion, as that is what energetically propels the protective properties throughout your body. It is also important to reiterate that if you are already obviously sick, do not consume this ginger/Cong Bai tea. The idea is that it boosts your Wei Qi, so if the pathogen has rooted inside, boosting the Wei Qi will only trap the pathogens in more.
If you already feel the definitive onset of any colds or flus, and your symptoms are nasal congestion with white/clear discharge, fever/chills, fatigue, and aversion to cold, you can utilize 1-2inch of sliced ginger, 1-2 cinnamon sticks, jujube (dates), and honey in a small pot of 4-5 cups of water over a strong simmer for ~15mins, and drink the resulting tea while warm.
I also love taking elderberry when it seems like illness is upon us, but studies have shown that elderberry can be counterproductive when someone is already sick, much like the ginger/Cong Bai tea, so I only take elderberry when I think I need an immune boost, or at the very beginning stage where I am questioning “am I sick, or am I not sick?” Vitamin C and D are also helpful supplements, as well as Zinc, Melatonin (at night), Echinacea, NAC, and electrolytes would also be on the docket either before or during sicknesses.
Along with herbs and supplements, acupuncture is powerful for boosting your immune system, too! Useful acupuncture points that you can apply pressure onto to help stimulate your immune system include:
LI 4
LI 11
ST 36
BL 10
Liv 3
While these herbal formulas and supplements may help support your immune system, it’s important to consult with your healthcare provider before starting any new herbal or supplemental regimen, especially if you have underlying health conditions, are pregnant, nursing, or take prescription medications. Please consult a licensed Acupuncturist and/or Chinese Medicine Herbalist for more personalized recommendations and treatment. This information is for educational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. If you experience severe or prolonged symptoms, please seek medical attention promptly.
Another helpful tip in preventing or treating flus and colds is to sip on warm water instead of cold. Now is the time to put away your smoothie machine and to break out warm or hot drinks such as teas in lieu of the iced beverages. If you need to keep having smoothies, add ginger and/or cinnamon to them! The warming and moving energy of ginger helps to offset the excessive cold that smoothies inherently have. Chinese Medicine views cold as constricting and stagnating, which are elements that create pain, dysfunction, and undesired outcomes in the body. When it is already cold in our environment and surroundings, we don’t want to make our bodies even colder. Ginger is also known to have warming properties that help negate any lingering Damp energy from the summer months that we don’t want to have in the winter months, as well as tonify (or strengthen) your body’s Yang energy and Qi. Ginger can be too warming for some people with an abundance of Yang, or warm energy, so avoid adding too much if that applies to you, but 3 grams or about ½ inch of fresh ginger is a safe and effective dose for even those with excess Yang constitutions (body types). Simply slice up some fresh ginger or use dried ginger powder to add into your drinks. Cinnamon can also add not only warming energy but moving forces that promote Blood and Qi circulation to reduce bloating, help dispel stagnation, and regulate the nervous system. A healthy dose of cinnamon would be about 3 grams, so add at least ¼ teaspoon to each drink! Some of my patients will leave their smoothies out on the counter after making them to lower it down to room temperature before consuming them, and that would be preferred if you need your smoothies year round.
The same is said for food as well - no more salads! Or at least keep them to a bare minimum. Steamed, blanched, or stir fried veggies are much more appropriate during the colder months. It’s also easier on your digestive system when you avoid consuming raw vegetables. This plays into why Chinese Medicine views raw vegetables as cold - it takes more energy to digest and therefore depletes our precious Yang (or warming) energy. The next couple of months should rightfully be soup season, so break out the slow/pressure cookers, and bundle up!
Acupuncture and herbs have been instrumental tools for thousands of years in naturally helping people through many issues, including winter ailments. There are specific acupuncture points that bolster your defense system and strengthen your immunity that we can activate, and teach you how to best protect yourself at home, too. If you’re feeling like you may be developing a cold, or just want a tune up to prevent this discomfort, now is the perfect time to come in for an acupuncture treatment to help nip it in the bud! We offer complimentary 15-minute consultations if you have any questions about acupuncture or herbs, or about how Chinese Medicine can help you and/or you
