More on Life with the COVID-19 Pandemic

More Recommendations from Chinese Medicine in the COVID-19 Era

With credit to Golden Flower Chinese Herbs

Beyond WHO recommendations for protective measures against COVID-19, Chinese medicine provides a second strategy.  In modern medicine, it closely corresponds to the concept of immunity.  It's called “anti-pathogenic Qi,” "upright Qi" or Zheng Qi. 

Anti-pathogenic Qi is enhanced by these means:

• Qigong
• Diet
• Herbal formulas and
• Managing stressors to our immune system

Qigong is strategic movement combined with synchronized breathing and meditation’s focused intentions.  With the confinements of COVID-19 stay-at-home measures and greatly reduced outings, some of us are at increased risk for blood stagnation or stasis.  This can cascade into other problems.  It is all the more important to attend to movement.  Outdoor activity is preferable because of fresh air.

A very important aspect of diet related to COVID-19 prevention is cultivation of deep, nourishing hydration.  Drinking water cannot achieve this by itself.

Eat clean foods that are hot to the touch, “wet,” and relatively easy to digest such as broth soups (not cream-based) and porridges for breakfast.  Vietnamese phó is a good example that provides deep, nourishing hydration.

• Avoid dehydrating foods like alcohol, carbonated beverages and caffeine
• Avoid phlegm-producing and inflammatory foods like dairy, gluten and overly spicy foods
• Avoid eating between meals.  Give your digestion a chance to make strong Qi and rest.

Manage stressors to the immune system.  Poor quality sleep, high stress levels, overworking, inflammatory and phlegm-producing diets all diminish our capacity to fight off invading pathogens.  It is important to make corrections to these areas if we wish to increase the strength of our anti-pathogenic Qi.

Movement, diet, herbal formulas and stress management all empower us to get through this pandemic.

Good Qi to you!

Greetings at this time of COVID-19

   




Greetings!

At this time of COVID-19, here are three beauties of Chinese medicine:

• Emphasis on prevention as the most important phase
  
• Pattern differentiation for each unique individual
• Identification of different stages of a contagious disease 

Prevention

You know the currently promoted strategies, for example:

• Wash your hands with soap and hot water, as needed, and for at least 20 seconds.
• Use hand sanitizer and wipes, as needed.
• Stay in shelter except for essential outings or necessary work.
• Wear a mask in public in order to protect others.
• Properly clean food or other items that come into your home.

Chinese medicine takes prevention much further
 

Exercise, get adequate sleep, achieve positive mental states for at least a portion of your waking time, and breathe some fresh air each day.  These help keep your Qi strong.  In this case, Qi can roughly be translated as immune system.  Various Qigong mind/body/breath exercises can help and there are some good ones on the internet.

Nutrition is more important than ever

• Refined sugar weakens your immune system.  Alcohol is concentrated sugar.
• Moderately consume naturally sweet foods such as fruit and starchy veggies, for example, carrots.
• Grapefruit, orange or tangerine peels help resolve mucous conditions of the lungs.  To extract these properties, make a tea by simmering the fresh or dried peel for about 20 minutes.
• Minimize damp and phlegm-producing items such as dairy, flour products, beer and excess oils and fats.
• Help keep your digestive system strong by avoiding cold drinks as well as chilled or frozen foods.  Primarily consume that which is cooked.
• Go the healthy direction of an anti-inflammatory diet.  For details, see my blog entry from way back in July 2014:
  http://janetcookwellness1.blogspot.com/2014/
• Try to avoid or minimally consume chemicals, preservatives or additives.

Individualized Chinese herbal formulas can include herbs that strengthen the body’s ability to fend off pathogens trying to enter the upper respiratory system.  These are generally considered formulas that tonify.  A licensed practitioner of Chinese medicine can determine which herbs are best for you according to your constitution and unique patterns at that point in time.

Beyond Prevention

For legal reasons, I cannot talk about treating COVID-19 yet can focus on patterns, stages and treatment by Chinese medicine of some contagious diseases.

• It’s very important to contact a practitioner as soon as possible if one has fever, dry cough, sneezing, sputum production, nasal congestion, shortness of breath, lethargy, muscle pain, headache and/or dehydration.  Stop any formulas that tonify. Other Chinese herbal formulas can nip this stuff in the bud but it has to be done quickly.
• If there is a pneumonia stage, know that a study in China showed those who were treated by both western medicine and Chinese herbal formulas fared better than those who were treated only by western medicine.
• Recovery Phase is very important after one might have gone through the above stages.  Chinese herbal formulas strengthen Qi (energy) and address the damaged lungs’ need for moistening, strengthening and flow of air.

In summary, there are many things we can do to help ourselves and others stay healthy or return to that state.
 

May you be well and peaceful.

It's the Year of the Earth Pig!

Happy Year of the Earth Pig!

Regardless of which element and animal, the Chinese Lunar New Year is always a time of celebration, togetherness, and reflection.

Because the Pig is one of 12 Chinese astrological animals and Earth is one of five elements, the Earth Pig only occurs every sixty years.

In no particular order and priority, here are some beliefs about those born under the sign of the Pig. These characteristics can be appreciated and cultivated by any of us:

• Pigs represent luck, overall good fortune, wealth, honesty, and general prosperity as well as a generous and giving nature.
• Such people tend to be hard working, peace-loving, truthful, trusting, patient, and reliable. 
• They tend to have a big sense of humor. 

The Earth Pig in particular is communicative (my current favorite books about this behavior are Marshall Rosenberg's Nonviolent Communication and Living Nonviolent Communication) and has a strong sense of time-keeping.

Health-wise, it's important to find a balance between work and rest. 

It's an Earth year – so garden, walk, hike or climb mountains when you can.

Gun Hei Fat Choi!  Happy New Year!