How to Support your Immune System this Season

This is one of the worst cold and flu seasons!  For stats and recommendations in regards to the flu shot  go to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention web site.   Go to The Health and Human Services site for local information and statistics for San Diego County that is updated weekly.

Signs and symptoms of the flu are similar to the common cold.  The difference being is the severity of the symptoms.  With the flu there is higher fever, chills, body aches, headache, runny or stuffy nose, sore throat, rough cough, lethargy, tiredness, possible gastrointestinal discomfort with diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, or stomach fullness.  Symptoms of a cold are not as severe, which may include a tickle in the throat, itchy throat, slight cough, low fever if there is one, runny or stuffy nose.  Generally speaking, a flu will get you down, and keep you in bed.  Where with a cold you feel terrible, but aren’t feeling too sick to keep you from doing anything, although you know you shouldn’t spread it around!

Would you like to know what you can do to keep yourself and your loved ones healthy? 

Is it too late, and you’re already experiencing symptoms?  Did you get the flu shot, and you’ve managed to come down with it anyway?  Are you running to the nearest store to pick up anything that will help relieve nasal discharge, stuffy head and nose, cough, sore throat, body aches, fever, chills, or headache?

Though uncomfortable, these symptoms are your body’s way of defending itself against viruses.  In the long run you may do more harm than good when dosing yourself up with drugs to dry up the mucus membranes.

What are other things you can do to lesson your chances of acquiring a cold, flu or cough this season?

Here are a few natural suggestions:

-Eat Immune boosting foods, such as Apples, oranges, bananas, lemons, garlic, red and green bell peppers, onion, beets, apricots, pineapple, horseradish, leafy greens.  Make these into juices, soups, slushs, or eat them whole.  They provided necessary vitamins A, B, C, E, selenium, zinc, and bioflavonoids your immune system needs.

-To aid in shortening the duration of a cold, have a lemon fizz:  dissolve 2 tsp. baking soda in 1/2 cup boiling water, stir in juice of 1/2 lemon into cold water, then combine the mixtures until fizzy.

-Drink a citrus-mint herbal tea combination: orange, mint, peppermint, lemon or lime.

-Clear your head by soaking your feet with a 20-min. foot bath.  Add essential oils such as thyme, eucalyptus, cinnamon, lavender, cypress, white fir or Siberian fir.  Do hourly.

-Facial steam.  Get a pot of steamy water (not boiling) add 1-2 drops of essential oils such as eucalyptus, thyme, lavender, peppermint, cover head over pot with a towel.  Inhale steam 10 minutes.  Do hourly.

-Drink a cup of herbal tea every 60 minutes, coupled with plain water.  Until symptoms subside.  Tea: Cinnamon Twig (Gui Zhi Tang).  Ingredients:  cinnamon (Gui Zhi), white peony (Bai Shao), fresh ginger (Sheng Jiang), Zhi Gan Cao (Honey-Baked Licorice), and red jujube/dates (Da Zao). For the flu modify with the additions of Honeysuckle (Jin Yin Hua), Dandelion (Pu Gong Ying), Apricot Seed (Xing Ren), Anemarrhena (Zhi Mu), and Shi Gao (Gypsum).

–Other teas: rosemary, peppermint, goldenseal, echinacea, dandelion, chamomile, horehound, licorice root, slipper elm, skullcap, ginger.  Add fresh lemon juice or a drop of lemon oil.

–Clear nasal passages:  1/4 tsp. salt to 1/2 cup warm water with 1/2 crushed garlic clove, spray into each nostril.  Twice daily.

–Clear chest with essential oil rub.  Use Vegan Vegetable shortening, about 1 Tbsp.  Mix in a few drops each of Eucalyptus, Lavender, Marjoram, Myrrh.  Rub into chest and upper back.  For a young child avoid rubbing into an area that is too close to the face.  For children 5 or younger be sure the effervescence isn’t too strong.  You can use more shortening, or fewer drops of oil to dilute to per your needs.

– Sore throat:  Gargle with salt water.  Add 1 tsp salt to 6 oz. water.  Gargle and spit out.  Do several times throughout the day.  This is even more effective if an essential oil is added such as clove, or cinnamon.

–Dry throat, Dry cough:  Drink pear juice. Drink honey tea with spearmint and lemon.  Gargle with a tsp. of apple cider vinegar diluted in 6 oz. water.  Essential oils that can sooth dry throat, and support loss of voice are lemongrass, myrrh, rosemary, and lemon.

For Other Symptoms

To Calm Diarrhea or loose stools: Eat white rice, rice water, rice congee, bananas, boiled potatoes, barley water (made just like rice water); Carrot soup; raspberry leaf tea.

To Ease Stomach upset/Nausea/Vomiting:  peppermint leaf tea, cinnamon, ginger; marjoram tea.

Constipation-Choose one or a few of these different suggestions:

A daily tsp. of black sesame seeds cooked in cereal such as rice, millet, buckwheat; Celery juice with a little sweet cream; Chamomile tea; Prunes; 3 tbsp. bran per day.

Other Tips

*Get rest!!  Stay home, and don’t spread your germs!

*Wash your hands.  Use a hand cleaner with Aloe Vera Gel, Cinnamon, Clove, Rosemary, Orange, and Lemon.

Dietary Guidelines

*General dietary guidelines when you’re not feeling your best whether it is from a head cold, flu, stomach upset, nausea, vomiting, constipation, diarrhea, or when recuperating from injuries, surgeries, or other illness:

-During convalescence & severe deficiencies:  Eat cereal creams, rice congees, clear broth such as chicken or vegetable, light soups, or gelatin.

-If you can’t keep fluids down try sipping a teaspoon or tablespoon of water or tea at a time.  Sip on a Popsicle or fruit bar, or lollipop to obtain glucose.  Dehydration can be a killer.

-Foods & Drink to Minimize:  Raw cold foods, raw salads, ice cream, frozen desserts, mangoes, watermelon, pears, celery, persimmons, cucumbers, iced-cold drinks, milk, cheese, commercial sweetened yogurts, sugar, white flour, tofu.

I hope this helps you stay well and feeling good!

Wholeheartedly,

Dr. Michele Arnold

A Quick Peek of some Basic Dietary Practices for Eating Well and Feeling Good!

16 TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE HEALTH RULES
These healthy rules apply to children as well as adults, and they are meant to be followed for a healthy lifestyle.

Follow the 80/20 rule!
Fill your plate with 80% dark leafy greens and vegetables, 20% proteins and good fats.

1. Stop eating when you’re 80% full.

2. Eat 3 regular meals each day; develop a routine with 25% food intake at breakfast, 50% at lunch, and 25% at dinner.

3. Take time out for relaxation. Enjoy meals in a calm state, don’t eat standing up or while working or reading.

4. Chew food thoroughly, eat slowly, it takes 20 min. for your stomach to know it’s full.

5. Most meals should provide a balance of 5 flavors (bitter, sweet-bland, spicy, salty, and sour), natures (warming, cooling, cold, or hot), plus have the array of five colors (red, green, orange-yellow, purple-dark, white-tan).
Be sure to vary your types of foods. You don’t have to have all food groups, flavors, and colors in one meal, but if you consume 20% from each type of flavor, and color throughout the day you will obtain the most nutrition without eating too much of any one kind.

6. Most meals should be warm. Meals should leave you feeling satisfied but not full. 80% cooked, 20% raw for those with healthy digestive function. For those with poor digestion, keep cold and raw foods to about 5 %.

7. Eat 3:1 ratio of alkalizing foods to acidic forming foods. Coffee, black tea, sugar, meats, milk, and grains are considered concentrated foods, and are acidic forming. Counteract by eating alkalizing foods such as vegetables and dark leafy greens.

8. Regular sleep patterns; go to bed and wake at the same times every day.

9. Don’t eat three hours prior to bedtime.

10. Regular exercise, at least 3-5 times per week. Use a pedometer to record at least 10,000 steps per day equal to 5 miles.

11. Crowd out eating processed refined sugars, high fructose corn syrup, Agave, polyunsaturated vegetable oils, canola oil, safflower oil, cotton seed oil, & grains such as white flour and most white rice products.

12. Eat only organic Non-GMO foods. Consume Non-GMO organic soy only in traditional Asian forms of Tofu, Miso, Tempeh, Natto, or Tamari.

13. Drink plenty of fresh water per day. Add lemon juice or a few drops of lemon essential oil for alkalinity, and increased glutathione levels (antioxidant) to aid in natural cleansing and detoxification, and digestive support. Do not drink large amounts of liquid with meals. Not only does liquid dilute stomach acid and make it harder for your stomach to break down food, it also overwhelms the spleen Qi. It is best to drink a small cup of warm tea, miso soup, or broth with meals than cold iced water.

14. Enjoy the sunshine 2-3 X per week; depending on your skin type, weather, etc. or until your skin turn’s lightly pink; don’t burn! This is important for natural vitamin D formation that just can’t be beat by vitamins.

15. Reduce stress, find ways to help you deal with stress more effectively, like mediation, Tai Chi, Qi Gong, Yoga, Acupuncture, massage therapy, walking, or other fun hobby.

16. Have regular acupuncture treatments to keep your Qi-energy and Blood flowing smoothly. Chinese Medicine Proverb:

-When there is free flow, there is no pain
-When there is pain, there is no free flow

When in good health, have acupuncture once every 4-6 weeks. You will need more acupuncture when your body is imbalanced. Your acupuncturist will determine your treatment plan, and frequency when you have a health concern.

Acupuncture is the stimulation of acupuncture points on the skin that promotes a healing response, and makes you feel good. Acupuncture can be done without acupuncture needles! So please don’t let the thought of needles keep you from feeling good!

Methods we use to bring your body back into balance are, acupuncture needles, Moxa (moxibustion-burning of an herb called Mugwort over the acupuncture point that creates heat, smoke, and aroma), electro-acupuncture, non-needle microcurrent-electroacupuncture, essential oils, Gua Sha (skin scraping), cupping, plum-blossom, and other pressing tools.

At this point, I would suggest setting up at least a 10-minute consultation with an acupuncturist. This can be done over the phone or in person. If you are concerned about needles, ask about what other methods they use besides needles. He or she can explain each more in depth, and whether you’d be a good candidate for one or all the methods mentioned.

You can visit my web site or Facebook page to learn more about acupuncture and other non-needle methods at www.wellwithdrmichele.com or www.facebook.com/wellwithdrmichele
PS: Sorry, as an acupuncturist I just couldn’t help myself, I feel an obligation to promote my profession!