How To Stay Healthy During Cold/Flu Season

1.  Wash your hands frequently or use hand sanitizer, and keep your hands away from your face

2.  Drink lots of water

3.  Eliminate or limit sugar of all kinds – studies show that sugar reduces the ability of white blood cells to kill pathogens.   This includes fruit juice – heavily dilute it if you must drink it.

4.  Get lots of sleep.  Lots.

5.  Get acupuncture….ideally, preventatively.  Acupuncture helps to optimize the flow of energy, or qi, through your lungs which can help prevent illness; it also reduces inflammation, boosts your immune system, and reduces the effects of stress on the body.  Studies have shown that after acupuncture, certain immune-enhancing blood components stay elevated for at least 3 days after a treatment.  Acupuncturists believe that each person has a unique constitution, which is why some people catch colds and flu and some do not.  We address the individual weaknesses in a patient that can contribute to their illness.

6.  Take preventative herbal medicine (see below)

7.  Use Essential oils:  eucalyptus, tea tree, rosemary and peppermint are all effective anti-viral oils.  They can be applied safely to the soles of the feet or to a tissue for you to inhale.  Repeat 3-4 times per day.  Diluted in a carrier oil (coconut, almond, or, in a pinch, whichever vegetable oil you have on hand), they can be applied to the upper lung/chest area.

If you do get sick, Acupuncture and certain herbal or nutritional supplements can help to alleviate symptoms and reduce the length of time you are sick.

Yin Chiao is a readily available herbal formula (try your local health food store) when taken at the very first signs of illness (a scratchy throat, a sneeze or headache that is unusual for you)  can help stop a cold or flu before it progresses.  Take 6 pills every 3 hours for the rest of the day.  If it takes root, and the symptoms are mostly chills, headache and body ache, switch to Zhong Gan Ling at the same dosage for one day past feeling healthy.

For prevention take 4 pills of Yin Chiao 3-4 times per day when exposed to sick people or getting on an airplane or visiting a crowded public place.

Vitamin C, at a dose of 500-1000mg every 2-3 hours can shorten the course of illness.  Zinc, too, is an important nutrient to add in – take it in lozenge form every 2 hours.   Vitamin A, 25,000 iu/day, short-term, is a helpful anti-viral nutrient too.

Echinacea (unless you have an auto-immune disorder) and Astragalus are 2 helpful herbs to assist your immune system.  In tincture form, take 2 dropperfulls in water 3 times per day.

Essential Oils:  same as above; additionally, doing a steam is extremely effective.  Add up to 10 drops total of the oils you choose to a large, non-plastic bowl of water that has been boiled and allowed to cool down just a bit.  Immediately after you drop in the oils, make a tent over yourself and the bowl with a towel.  Then lean over the bowl and inhale the medicinal vapors.  Breathe them in deeply for about 10-15 minutes.  It may make you cough a little, but thats okay, they’re working!  You can do this twice daily until you feel better.

These substances do take time to kick in, but be consistent and they will help.

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Do you get frequent colds/flu?  Sometimes the body can have low-grade, unresolved infections that weaken your defenses and keep getting stirred up, so to speak.  I can help your body indentify and heal these infections so that your immune system is strengthened and is less susceptible to every new bug that comes by.  Also, our emotional stories, issues, or concerns play a role in constantly getting sick too.  Together we can listen to what your body-mind is trying to say and let it all go (yes!) so that you can thrive.  Sound good?  Email me:  colleen (at) healwithcolleen (dot) com.