Beating cold and flu in Autumn

Take these simple steps to ward off colds and flu and stay healthy in the cooler months.

Rug up

According to Chinese medicine, colds and flu happen when “wind” penetrates our body’s exterior defences. Autumn is a time of changing weather – we might dress lightly on a warm sunny morning, only to get caught out with chilly winds in the afternoon. By always carrying an extra layer to protect you from the changing elements, you can give your body the protection it needs.

Scarf it

The area most vulnerable to “wind” attack is the back of your neck. Prevent wind attack by always wearing a scarf when you’re out and about. This trick is so easy to do, but very effective! Natural fibres like wool, cotton, silk or hemp keep you cosy and warm without sweating.

If you do get caught in the wind, apply a heat pack to the back of your neck when you get home, to “warm the channels” and prevent health problems from occurring.

Boost your energy

Try some ginseng tea to give your energy a lift. Ginseng has been scientifically shown to help your body adapt to stress and has been a valuable herb in Asia for thousands of years. If you’re not sure whether Ginseng is right for you, give us a quick call on 9938 2182 to find out.

If you are susceptible to colds and flu, you might need some herbal energy armour to get your body’s resistance into shape! “Jade screen” herbal formula provides an energy shield for bodies that are weakened against attack. Call us on 9938 2182 to see if “Jade screen” formula is suited to your individual constitution.

Soup it up

During the hot months of summer, we tend to eat light foods like fruit and salad. When the weather cools down, we need warming foods to help us to keep our energy shields working against invasions of cold and flu.

Raw vegetables aren’t suitable in cool weather. Instead, try steaming, roasting and stir-frying vegetables to give your body warmth and energy.

Soups are a great way to concentrate the goodness of vegetables and, if desired, meat or poultry. For a super boost to your energy shield, try cooking your soup stock with special medicinal herbs that are also really tasty! Call us on 9938 2182 to find out about energy-boosting herbal soup packs.

Cold and flu “first aid”

Sometimes cold and flu can penetrate our defences. At the very first sign of a cold, follow these steps to ensure you bounce back as soon as you can:

1. Rest

Often the very first sign of impending illness is tiredness. Listen to your body and take a “health day” straight away to rest and recover.

2. Sweat a little

According to Chinese medicine, in the early stages the cold is still in the exterior of your body. Have a warm bath or shower and then rug up in warm clothes and blankets. Drink hot fluids. If you can sweat a little, then you can help your body expel the bug.

3. Herbs to the rescue

Cold-type colds and flu present with headache and runny nose that is clear. Use warming herbal teas like Ginger and Cinnamon to warm and push the cold out of your body.

Hot-type "colds" and flu start with a sore throat and sometimes fever with blocked nose that is yellow. Use Peppermint tea to cool the heat and lightly sweat out the wind attack.

4. Home herbal “first aid” kit

For even greater effectiveness, you can add a home herbal “first aid” kit to your arsenal against cold weather bugs. A basic kit contains one herbal medicine formula for cold-type and one formula for hot-type colds. Then you can add a herbal cough syrup, plus a formula for nausea and vomiting. Imagine being able to treat yourself as soon as illness strikes, with very effective, safe and natural treatments.

5. Professional advice

The above steps should save you from falling prey to cold weather viruses. However, if it’s a strong bug or if your body can’t fight it alone, then call us for an individualised herbal formula and acupuncture treatment that is matched to exactly what your body needs. Always remember, early treatment means quick recovery.

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This post is brought to you by Lois Nethery, Acupuncturist at Ocean Acupuncture in Curl Curl.

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Ocean Acupuncture is a natural medicine centre of independent health practitioners. The views expressed in this blog are the author's only and do not necessarily reflect the views of the other Ocean Acupuncture practitioners.
The information presented in this blog, and on the Ocean Acupuncture website, is for interest and educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for health or medical information or advice. For health or medical advice, please consult your health professional.