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!
Can you believe that there are only 5-1/2 weeks left until Christmas? I am in shock myself, and even if you aren't of the Christian persuasion Christmas seems to be a cultural marker in the US of holiday festivities, holiday excesses (acupuncture is great for recovering from overeating, hint hint... ) and those last few weeks before the new year arrives.
As we enjoy the fall season and prepare for winter and 2009, I have several tidbits of information to share that I hope you will find useful.
HOLIDAY SCHEDULE
First is a note about the holidays and the end of the year - I will be out of the office for Thanksgiving and several days in December and I want to make sure that everyone who wants an appointment can get one! Appointments for the remainder of the year are going fast, so I recommend booking sooner rather than later. Here are the days I will be away:
Thanksgiving - gone Wednesday 11/26 through Friday 11/28 to return Saturday 11/29.
December - gone 11/12 through 11/15 to return 11/16 and from 12/24 through 1/2/09 to return Saturday 1/3/09.
In addition to my usual Tues-Saturday routine, I have added Monday 12/8 and Monday 12/22 to my schedule to account for some of my away time so if you've been dying for a Monday appointment, now is your chance!
My online scheduler is up and running strong, and will be up and running while I am away as well, so you can continue to book appointments online anytime.
INSURANCE - USE IT OR LOSE IT!
Yes, the end of the calendar year marks the resetting of all our insurance benefits, so if you have insurance that covers acupuncture and you haven't used it all up yet, come in quick! As of January 1st your benefits will reset meaning that if you have a deductible to meet, you will have to pay out of pocket until that is met before your insurance will cover again. If your benefits have run out you can rejoice for 2009 when your insurance will cover again, and you can book out into January anytime.
GIFT IDEAS - WINTER WELLNESS PACKAGES + GIFT CERTIFICATES
Yes, the holidays are coming and what could be better than the gift of wellness? Gift certificates are always available in my office for any service and in any amount to make holiday shopping a little easier. I now have instant gift certificates available as well! Just visit my website at www.allwayswell.com and click to the "services & gift certificates" page for more information or click HERE.
My Chinese Winter Wellness Packages are also a nice little treats to help you or a loved one stay healthy this winter. One package contains 10 packets of Ban Lan Gen Chong Ji, one bottle of Yin Qiao San and one bag of Chinese Herbal Soup mix - all the essentials for cold prevention, treatment and recovery! A Winter Wellness Package retails for $20 - a slight savings over purchasing these items individually - and I believe these herbs to be the best cold busters around. A gift certificate would combo GREAT with these treats for a fabulous gift idea!
We also have a lovely assortment of handmade jewelry in the office that I encourage you to peruse next time you are in. Jen Keller, Licensed Esthetician, and myself both have a hobby of jewelry making and we've put a limited number of pieces on sale for the holidays. Jen makes beautiful agate pendants while I do sterling silver and semi-precious stone beadwork. If you need a lovely and affordably priced gift, take a minute to peruse the next time you are in and see if anything catches your eye.
LASTLY, FALL IS HERE! CHINESE MEDICINE & HARMONY WITH NATURE
As the leaves outside continue to fall I'm reflecting on the change in seasons and the wonderful tradition held by Chinese medicine of guiding people to live in harmony with nature. Long ago ancient Chinese doctors recognized the changes in the seasons and the effects they had on the body, recording the best ways to keep living in harmony with these changes to promote health and longevity. This quote from the Huangdi Neijing Suwen - or the Yellow Emporer's Internal Classic - courtesy of Acufinder.com says it all:
“In the three months of autumn all things in nature reach their full maturity. The grains ripen and harvesting occurs. The heavenly energy cools, as does the weather. The wind begins to stir. This is the changing or pivoting point when the yang, or active, phase turns into its opposite, the yin, or passive, phase. One should retire with the sunset and arise with the dawn. Just as the weather in autumn turns harsh, so does the emotional climate. It is therefore important to remain calm and peaceful, refraining from depression so that one can make the transition to winter smoothly. This is the time to gather one’s spirit and energy, be more focused, and not allow desires to run wild. One must keep the lung energy free full, clean, and quiet. This means practicing breathing exercises to enhance lung Qi. Also, one should refrain from smoking and grief, the emotion of lung. This will prevent the kidney or digestive problems in the winter. If this natural order is violated, damage will occur to the lungs, resulting in diarrhea with undigested food in the winter. This compromises the body’s ability to store in winter.” - Huangdi Neijing Suwen
* Element: Metal
* Color: White
* Nature: Yin
* Organs: Lung and Large Intestine
Fall is associated with the Metal element and the Lungs and Large Intestine meridians as mentioned above. This makes it an optimal time for creating organization in your life, for defining boundaries, for establishing order and creating stability. Often this is a reflective time, a time to organize and prepare for the winter months. If you are finding order and stability hard to accomplish, acupuncture can help you center, balance and stay grounded. In addition, a few sessions with a good counselor might help you get on track and learn more tools to help you succeed. My good friend Erin Moline is an excellent family and individual counselor that I highly recommend if you need help in this area (see www.erinmoline.com)
The Lung also governs the Wei Qi - or protective energy - that helps the body resist colds and flus coming with the cooler weather. It is important to start incorporating more warm and nourishing foods into the body at this time to strengthen the Wei Qi - so consider starting the day with a hot breakfast if possible, or at least some hot tea in addition to a breakfast cereal or smoothie. My Chinese Herbal Soup Mix contains all the herbs you need to strengthen your Wei Qi specifically, so you might also consider picking up a packet of soup mix or a Winter Wellness Package next time you are in. A cup of herbal soup a day over the winter, or even once a week, can go a long way towards helping you stay well. Acupuncture, of course, can strengthen the Wei Qi also, as can simpler herbal remedies - such as Ban Lan Gen Chong Ji, an instant herbal infusion of Isatis root, which is a powerful immune booster and antiviral. Lastly, if you're having a hard time keeping up with a healthy diet during the winter months, consider signing up for an organic produce delivery service like Organics to You, or contact my friend Chef Abby Fammartino (see www.yournaturalchef.com) for fabulously healthy and delicious meals delivered to your door.
Well, that is all for me in this Fall update and I hope you continue to enjoy this beautiful change in seasons. As you prepare for the holidays be sure to breathe deep, eat well and practice gratitude as each of these things will go a long way to keeping you well. Yours until next time - Rebecca
