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Almost everyone deals with the Common Cold today. If you were to ask a hundred people on how to avoid catching the cold, you will get a hundred different answers, everything from Vitamin C to sleeping. While some of the ideas aren’t bad ideas, there isn’t a lot of evidence on how they prevent you from catching the cold. You will find some people who have a strong immune system and others they don’t. One thing to also consider is your environment, for example if you work in a call center or office, you are more likely to catch it then if you work in a warehouse or other type jobs. Nothing will work 100% of the time with everyone.
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has existed for almost 3,000 years and has many branches to help people stay healthy. In TCM there is 6 different ways to cause a disease: wind, cold, summer heat, dryness, dampness and fire. In order to remain healthy the body has to adapt to the changes in these elements. Wind is the most common cause of the cold, due to sudden or abnormal changes in the weather. Wind will generally combine with other elements to cause different illness. The most common are wind cold and wind heat.
Wind cold invasions are the type of colds that you usually experience during winter. During the warmer months you might get a cold that is caused by wind heat, when the seasons change from spring into summer and summer into fall.
TCM has proven over the centuries to be very effective in treating people who suffer from frequent colds. The human body has shown that it has the capabilities to fight off bacteria and viruses. But once in awhile when someone is under a lot of stress or not getting enough sleep or has a poor diet, their immune system can become compromised and a cold may develop. TCM emphasizes prevention through the use of acupuncture, herbal formulas, diet and exercise (Tai Chi and Qi Gong).
When a person gets regular acupuncture is can increase their immune system, making it easier to fight off any foreign invaders. Herbs such as angelica root is also frequently prescribed to rid body of viruses. Andrographis or Chuan Xin Lian in Chinese is another herb that is frequently used because it reduces the severity of cold symptoms while strengthening the immune system. Forsythia fruit or Lian Qiao, is another herb that is used frequently to treat the common cold.
In TCM there are other things that can be done to help prevent the common cold. Covering the back of the neck is beneficial. The nape of the neck is thought to be the entry point of many viruses. Keeping this area covered when it is windy, or cold may help keep a person from getting sick. Another good recommendation is to eat according to the season, so has the weather gets colder, one should eat more warming foods. There are several websites that you can find out what the temperature of each food is.
The last thing that may be beneficial in prevention of colds is exercise. To keep the energy flowing throughout the body, it is necessary to move. This is where practicing Tai Chi or Qi Gong comes in. Both Tai Chi and Qi Gong are very easy to learn and the practices are low impact. Tai Chi is even being used around the globe in senior home to help the residents regain balance and keep them healthy, both mentally and physically.
If you want to increase your chances of fighting of the common cold, call us today at Master Lu’s Health Center and come in to start defending your health.
