An Acupuncturist's Tips for Staying Healthy this Cold Season
Sniffle and cough season is upon us. Is there anything else we can do besides frequent hand washing to avoid coming down with every cold that comes around?
Yes! In fact, there is a lot you can do.
Before I studied Chinese Medicine, I didn’t realize how much I could do not only to prevent colds but also to treat them once they started. In the past, when I would get a sore throat, the impending cold always felt like an inevitability. I knew that I was in for a predictable progression of symptoms that would last anywhere from a few days to a week or more.
That all changed when I studied Chinese Medicine. I am now much less likely to fall prey to colds, because I know how to prevent them and how to nip them in the bud if they do start to take hold.
This knowledge has been incredibly valuable for me and saved me so many sick days over the years, and I want to share it with you so that hopefully you can navigate cold season with grace too!
Read on for my top prevention and treatment tips to help you stay healthy this season!
COLD PREVENTION TIPS
Committing to the following habits daily will limit your contact with germs and help keep your immune system strong.
1. WASH YOUR HANDS
Hopefully this one goes without saying and you are already doing it, because it is the number one way to stay germ-free. You certainly want to wash your hands after being in public spaces and before you eat or touch your face. Remember that your phone and computer keyboard are germ collectors, so you’ll want to clean their surfaces regularly and remember to wash your hands after you have been handling your phone or typing on your keyboard!
2. AVOID SUGAR
Eating too much sugar is the number one way to weaken your immune system and invite a cold! Remove processed sugar from your diet, especially when you are around people who are sick.
3. WEAR A SCARF, HAT, & GLOVES OUTSIDE
Keep warm and dry, especially your neck. When it’s cold or windy outside, try to cover up exposed skin just like your grandmother told you!
4. WEAR WARM SLIPPERS INSIDE
Keeping your feet warm when you are inside is almost as important as keeping the rest of you warm when you are outside. Invest in some cozy slippers or thick socks that you can wear around the house.
5. USE HERBS PREVENTATIVELY
Incorporate anti-viral and anti-bacterial herbs into your daily diet. I recommend adding herbs like elderberry, astragalus, and echinacea to your daily herbal tea, and adding herbs like fresh garlic, ginger, thyme, and rosemary to your cooking (though not necessarily all in the same dish!)
6. TAKE A HOT BATH
If you find yourself feeling chilled, take a long soak in a hot bath or a long hot shower at the earliest opportunity—right away if possible. Then keep warm afterwards by wrapping up in some blankets or getting in bed.
7. GET ADEQUATE REST
Ample sleep (8-9 hours per night) will help your body stay healthy and have the energy to fight whatever bugs come your way!
COLD TREATMENT TIPS
When you feel the telltale signs of a cold coming on, you’ll want to jump into action right away to make sure that you fight off the germs before they take hold. Typical initial symptoms can include sore throat, marked fatigue, or a feeling of being chilled.
CHINESE HERBAL MEDICINE
I highly recommend that you start taking a targeted Chinese herbal medicine formula at the first sign of a sore throat or cold. There are a few well-known Chinese herbal formulas that are quite effective at stopping a cold in its tracks at this phase.
My pharmacy contains a full complement of herbs that support recovery from colds. These herbs feature variety of pharmacological actions: anti-viral, anti-tussive, throat-supportive, anti-nausea, phlegm-busting, headache-relieving, and more.
When I feel a cold coming on, I choose a base formula and add herbs to address symptoms. I take 1 dose every 2-3 hours for the first day, and then back down to a dose every 6 hours for the next few days (starting the first day I wake up without the sore throat or other symptoms). The easiest mistake to make is to stop the herbs too soon because you’re feeling great, only to find that the sore throat returns.
Talk to a Chinese Medicine practitioner about the type of cold you usually get, and they can help you decide which herbs are best for you to have on hand. The key phrase being “on hand” because the herbs really need to be started at the first sign of your cold. If you wait too long, your cold will progress and you will need different herbs.
As always when purchasing supplements, please buy your herbs from a trusted source. All of the herbs in my pharmacy are GMP certified and have been tested to ensure purity and the absence of pesticides, heavy metals, and other toxins.
2. EAT MISO SOUP
Miso soup with fresh scallions is an ideal food to eat at the first sign of a cold. You can make a very basic version just by mixing a spoonful of miso paste into a bowl of hot water and adding chopped scallions on top.
3. DRINK WARM WATER
Drink lots of warm water or herbal tea and avoid iced drinks. Warm water with fresh squeezed lemon juice is especially nice and gives you a boost of Vitamin C. Take it to the next level with fresh ginger root. Cut a few coin sized pieces of ginger and simmer in water for 20 minutes. Add fresh squeezed lemon juice and just a touch of raw honey. Make up a big batch and put it in a large stainless steel thermos that you can have on hand with you all day long.
4. GARGLE
If you have a sore throat, I recommend the following gargle: dissolve 1/4 to 1/2 tsp sea salt into a small cup of water and add 1 clove garlic (freshly pressed or chopped) and 1-2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar. Gargle a few times a day.
5. AVOID SUGAR LIKE THE PLAGUE!
Sugar will feed the germs, trigger excess mucus production, and generally inhibit your body from fighting off the germs efficiently and effectively. This goes for processed sugars, agave, and maple syrup. (A touch of raw honey in your tea is ok and can actually be helpful because of it’s antimicrobial properties, but don’t go crazy with it because the high sugar content will make it counterproductive.)
6. MODERATE YOUR ACTIVITY
Keep moving to promote healthy circulation of your lymph fluid and blood, but conserve your energy. Skip the hard workouts that will leave you feeling depleted and choose gentler activities like walking and gentle yoga.
7. GET EXTRA REST
Let yourself sleep more than you usually do. Extra sleep when you are sick isn’t lazy; it’s self-care. It’s important to conserve your energy so that you don’t steal from the energy your body needs to fight off the bug!
