Swine Flu? We'll be Well!

Ways to Stay Well and Beat the Flu
There's been a lot in the news lately about the Swine Flu and yes - the Swine Flu may be coming to our area but thanks to Chinese Medicine and some common sense, we have every reason to believe that we will be perfectly fine. The presentation of the Swine Flu looks much like any other flu - sore throat, fever, body aches - and despite all the attention this is getting in the news, there have actually been relatively few cases reported for a "pandemic" and only one death. In the great flu pandemic of 1918 over 500,000 Americans died, just to give you some perspective, and it looks like the Swine Flu is mostly under control in the US at this point. However, most susceptible are the very old and very young and those people that work with these populations and if that defines you, or you just want to take extra precautions to be safe here are some great tips and Chinese Medicine tools to help you stay well:

• Wash your hands before eating or touching your face - and ideally you want to wash your hands under the faucet for 20 seconds. How do you know when you've been under the water long enough? Going through the ABC's is the child standard, but the bridge (funny voice part) from Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen is also approximately the right length. Sing away (preferably in your mind) while washing!

• Take Jade Windscreen - this classic herbal formula is a Chinese immune tonic to bolster your defenses against colds, flus and allergies. Its a great addition to any preventative regime.
  

• Try Isatis Root aka Ban Lan Gen - Isatis root is a Chinese herb known for its strong antiviral properties. It can be used preventatively if you are in a high risk environment (nurse, teacher, etc.) or can be taken at the onset of cold or flu to address the viral component of the pathogen. In China it is also used in anti cancer formulations.
  

• Stock up on Yin Qiao San - Yin Qiao is one of my favorite herbal formulas which is specifically for sore-throat type colds at the initial onset of illness. A strong dose at the very beginning of a tickle in your throat is often enough to stave off whatever is going around the office.
  

• Get plenty of rest and decrease stress! - Sleeplessness and high stress both decrease the bodies natural defenses. Try to be kind to yourself and get a good night's sleep and that too will go a long way to keeping you well.
  

So there are some tips to help you stay well and avoid the Swine Flu as well as whatever else might be lurking around your workplace. Simple tips, but they can go a long way to help. The herbal formulas mentioned are available in my office and now online in my new Virtual Dispensary as both capsules and as tinctures (an alcohol extract). Both are very effective though tinctures are often easier to carry around in your purse or coat pocket. If you have questions about anything mentioned, please don't hesitate to call or email me and I'll be happy to answer.

So rest up, be well and if you haven't been in for a while now is a great time for a tune up. My schedule has been getting pretty busy of late, so if you're thinking about coming in be sure to book sooner rather than later!