Immune System Boost for the Holiday Season.

Acupuncture is a great way to boost your immune system and stay healthy during cold/flu season and throughout the holidays. When our body becomes out of balance, whether due to stress, overwork, overindulgences, or seasonal changes, we are more susceptible to a compromised immune system.

Chinese Medicine works to bring about balance to the body through acupuncture needles, moxa (therapeutic herb), herbal medicine, food therapy, guasha and cupping. In Acupuncture, there are two main types of "colds" - either a Wind-Cold Invasion or Wind-Heat Invasion.

‘Wind-Cold Invasion’ has body aches, low grade fever, chills, aversion to cold, cough, white or clear phlegm, and neck stiffness and usually lasts a few days. This is the beginning phases of the typical common cold.

’Wind-Heat Invasion’ symptoms include high fever, sore throat, body aches, possible sweating, and yellow phlegm. Typically, this looks similar to flu symptoms.

Food therapy options to add to the Fall seasonal changes and boost immunity include warm spices such as ginger, cinnamon, garlic, chives, and black pepper; root vegetables such as winter squashes, sweet potatoes; and onions, lemon and honey.

One of my favorite tea recipes for boosting the immune system is a simple ginger tea. Fresh Ginger (Sheng Jiang) is used in Chinese Medicine as a medicinal herb. When prepared as a tea decoction, Fresh Ginger strengthens the immune systems to expel pathogens such as a ‘wind-cold’ invasion (common cold). Fresh Ginger has analgesic, antibacterial, antiemetic, anti-inflammatory, and antipyretic properties.

Fresh Ginger can be found in any produce section at your local grocery store.

Ingredients

fresh ginger root (3 or 4 1/4" slices)

3 cups of filtered water

lemon

honey

Simmer the ginger root for approximately 20 minutes. Strain and add fresh lemon and honey to your liking.

Enjoy and Cheers to your health!