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Ever since the Corona Virus appeared in December 2019 Doctors and Scientists all over the world have been not only been working on a cure for this but also ways to combat it or even prevent it. We have been reading through published research papers related to the treatment of COVID-19 using Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and have come across some helpful information you can use to try and combat COVID-19 should you catch it.
Physical exercise as a therapy to fight against the mental and physical consequences of COVID-19 quarantine:
In the above-mentioned paper, the importance of maintaining physical activity (PA) in your daily routine despite being in quarantine throughout the COVID-19 Pandemic is discussed. A quarantine was obviously the best choice in order to stop the rapid spread of infection and become more prepared for how to handle this unexpected Pandemic, however, finding ways to adapt and overcome the change in routine in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle is still important. The paper states that “initiating a sudden quarantine state implies a radical change in the lifestyle of the population.” It also states that in order to “…counteract the negative consequences of certain diseases, such as diabetes, hypertension, CVD, respiratory diseases, or even simply to guarantee active aging by reducing the risk of frailty, sarcopenia, and dementia, as associated diseases in older people, [physical activity must stay consistent].”Exercise is important for all, but this paper focuses heavily on those who are at higher risk by being immunocompromised and even of the elderly generation as an exercise in older people prevents faulty and positively impacts them.
This paper suggests that for those who are still stuck at home and/or have had to extend their quarantine, to find a well-regimented exercise regime that can help the individual maintain an active lifestyle in order to stay healthy and best combat this virus.
Recommended Movement Guidelines
As stated in the study, the following is recommended if the individual is under quarantine:
Weekly exercise: 3.5 hours-6.5 hours of exercise per week (being spread out over the course of 5-7 days to “compensate for the decrease in normal daily PA levels).”
Of those required days, 2 days of resistance training is combined with 3+ days of aerobic training. There are many reasons that exercise is recommended when it comes to nurturing a healthy immune system. The most important reason involves your body temperature. As you work out, your body temperature rises during and after exercise which helps to prevent bacteria from growing, thus helping to fight infection. Physical activity also helps flush out bacteria from your lungs and even slows the release of stress hormones. Practicing Tai Chi daily will meet these requirements, as you go up and down while practice will help for the resistance training, and moving slowly will give you the necessary aerobic exercise.
Acupressure for Better Movement
Chingling, Weiling: Pressing on these points releases tension from the legs which makes it easier to stretch them out. To effectively use this acupressure point, slide the middle and index fingers down the back of the other hand (towards your wrist) and move along the spaces to the outside of the middle two fingers. These points help to release tension out of the legs making it easier to stretch the legs out.
Gallbladder 34 (yang ling quan): This point is specifically used to relax the tendons and ligaments within your body. It is located on the outer aspect of the lower leg, in the depression in front of and below the head of the fibula. Gallbladder 34 is the command point of the joints and sinews, which makes it a great choice for relieving pain, especially in the lower extremities. It is also used to address hemiplegia, lateral costal pain, bitter taste in the mouth, vomiting, and jaundice. This point relieves hip and ankle pain, thus allowing you to move more freely.
Bladder 57 (cheng shan): This point relaxes and strengthens the lower back, Relaxes the sinews, invigorates blood, clears heat, and even removes obstructions from the channel. This point responds well to strong deep pressing movements when applying pressure.
In Tai Chi we say that Tai Chi is “Meditation in motion”, Harvard Medical school says “Tai Chi is medication in motion” If you have questions or want to schedule an appointment regarding acupuncture for mobility or if you are interested in learning Tai chi, come in or call today!
