Here are a few simple suggestions for keeping sniffles at bay…
Wear a scarf: Wind and cold can easily penetrate the body, making you more likely to catch a cold, particularly around the neck, which is so often bare.
Don’t go out with wet hair: For the same reason, after washing your hair, make sure it is completely dry before going outside or going to bed.
Drink Ginger Tea: Ginger not only strengthens your digestive system. It also helps expel cold pathogens before they take hold of the body. So consider making ginger tea by simmering grated fresh ginger (or the powdered form) in hot water for 10 minutes.
Mull some apple juice: There’s a practical reason why mulled wine and Christmas cake spices are popular this time of year. Spices like cinnamon and clove are pungent in nature, and together with ginger, they are used in Chinese Medicine to help ward off colds by heating and energising the body.
During the 1918 influenza outbreak, workers at cinnamon factories seemed immune to the Spanish flu which decimated the population. In 2007 an Israeli researcher developed a cinnamon extract which may protect against modern viruses like Avian flu.
Reduce your intake of cold and raw foods: The body has to work harder to warm up cold foods and break down uncooked items, thus using up more vital energy. If you are already feeling sluggish with the season change you need all the help you can get to keep your body on top form so opt instead for nourishing soups and stews.
Consider taking vitamin C and Zinc: There is plenty of research that the combination of these two supplements can give you an extra weapon during the cold and flu season.
Call me if you succumb to a cold: If you come for treatment within 24 hours of realising you are going down with a cold, I can use some specific techniques to literally release the pathogen from your body and stop you suffering. Call me on 07940 022 851 for further information about this technique, known as Gua Sha.
Making a few dietary changes with each new season can help our bodies work better to help us get the most out of life
In Chinese Medicine different organs in the body are linked and influenced by different seasons.
Spring is associated with the liver. Overeating, especially rich and greasy foods, (so easy to do in Winter) can make the liver sluggish. Since the liver influences the eyes and the tendons, you might find your tendons feeling a bit stiff or inflexible, or your eyes may be red or itchy. Or you just might feel you need to give your body a bit of a Spring clean. Eating foods that help strengthen and cleanse the liver during the Spring can really help set you up for the rest of the year.
Green is the colour of the liver and of Spring, so lots of green leafy vegetables can help cleanse your system. Wild garlic is already out in abundance and dandelion works really well as a Spring cleanser so get picking….
Eating a balanced diet with a variety of juices such as citrus fruits, pear, apple, celery and carrot will be a real bonus in Spring. And now’s the time to get out your sprouting beans; mung, radish and alfalfa are great this time of year.
In Chinese Medicine every organ is linked to an emotion; anger and irritability are the feelings associated with the liver. So if you’re feeling a bit tense, go for a walk to get your energy moving. Foods that can help get your liver energy moving include foods with pungent and sweet flavours. So try watercress, cardamom, oregano, dill, pepper or rosemary.
If you’ve got any further questions, give me a call on 07940 022851.
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