If you love fall colors but dread allergy and flu season, rest assured that your immune system can change just like fall foliage. With consistent effort, you can strengthen your baseline immunity resulting in less illnesses with shorter duration and milder intensity.
In other words, you do have some control over airborne pollen and germs. Chinese medicine excels at building up immunity, which in the big picture not only makes illnesses less frequent but also strengthens your body and overall health. With some lifestyle tweaks and secret weapons, you’ll no longer be a pawn to whatever the wind blows in.
How does one achieve a stronger immune system with Chinese medicine? Fundamentally, you must work with and nurture your body’s natural environment. It’s time to meet your Wei Qi or “defensive” qi – Chinese medicine’s version of immunity. Wei qi functions as a protective layer of energy circulating just beneath the skin, in the muscle layer and around sensory openings like the eyes, nose and mouth. This layer acts as the body’s first line of defense, combating pathogens as they try to invade.
Let’s start with what damages wei qi. Not surprisingly, poor sleep and food choices weaken your body and especially immunity. As wei qi thrives on warmth, its potency is diluted by icy drinks, raw foods and sticky, sugary foods (think ice cream, smoothies, excess raw vegetables). A happy meal for wei qi: stir-fry with meat, vegetables, a whole grain and ginger tea. Soups and stews are also excellent foods for wei qi and general health.
Similarly, a sedentary lifestyle leaves the wei qi stagnant and malnourished. Even a brisk walk for 30 minutes at least five times per week is enough to get the immunity engine humming with good energy. Another powerful immunity ally is qi gong, or therapeutic movements roughly equivalent to the Chinese version of yoga. The beauty of qi gong is that even 10 minutes per day is enough to positively impact your health. Check out this routine that focuses on immunity:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-pjjF9ZEQ8
Acupuncture and Chinese herbs have multiple techniques to root out the weakness in your immune system and gradually build it up. If you suffer from chronic digestive issues, this can also weaken immunity as these two systems are interdependent in Chinese medical terms. If you’re prone to chronic asthma or allergies, your lungs (an important immune organ) need to be cleared of phlegm and strengthened. All this is possible by an individual diagnosis and treatment plan. Give your body 3-6 months to improve organ and wei qi functions.
Aside from warm foods and therapeutic movement, here are some other immunity-enhancing tips to help you enjoy the fall while building up immunity:
Plant essences: Oils such eucalyptus, lemon, pine and orange are excellent for clearing the lungs and defending against viruses. If you’re traveling via airplane, bring along a small bottle of eucalyptus essential oil and take deep inhalations every 30 minutes or so of the flight. At home, water-based diffusers are excellent delivery systems for essential oils. At Heritage Acupuncture, we have created a special balm for the chest and forearms to help fight viruses. Our Defense Essence contain a potent blend of oils of thyme, lemongrass, eucalyptus and ginger. Rub it on your chest and forearms when you’ll be in close quarters with others during flu season.
Ginger steam: The warmth and phlegm-busting properties of ginger root make it a powerful ally during cold and flu season. To harness this, shred 3 inches of raw ginger and add 3 cups of water. Bring to boil and simmer for 15 minutes. Use this mixture to steam your face by alternately taking deep breaths through your nose and mouth for five full minutes. Keep your eyes closed and cover your head with a towel to retain the steam. Once the mixture cools, refrigerate it. You can boil the blend briefly the following day, cool to simmer and repeat the facial steam. Do this three consecutive days then toss the mixture.
Dress warmly: As wei qi is powered by warmth, avoid going barefoot or without a jacket in cooler temperatures or wind. It’s especially helpful to cover your neck and upper back when outdoors. This area is especially vulnerable to wind, which in Chinese medicine terms can bring pathogens into the body.
The older you are, the more important it is to nurture your immune system and lungs. The elderly are especially vulnerable to lung conditions such as pneumonia. No one is free of risk, but adopting these measures will allow you to be more in charge of your immunity and overall health.