Autumn is Here and So is the Flu! Use These Tips to Avoid Getting Sick

Autumn is Here and So is the Flu! Use These Tips to Avoid Getting Sick

By Briana J. Sabaj L.Ac, Dipl OM.

Winter, Spring, Summer, Autumn. Just like seasons are cyclical, so are ailments! An example of a cyclical ailment would be seasonal respiratory issues. For many, when Autumn arrives, allergies and asthma are kicked into high gear. Not to mention, this is also the start of cold/flu season! This is no coincidence. This is just a small manifestation of a larger imbalanced picture, and Chinese Medicine can help!

Breathe In the Clear. Breathe Out the Turbid.

Ancient Chinese Medicine focuses on diagnosing via the natural rhythms of life and relates these cycles to their respective organs’ roles and responsibilities. Cycles are important!

During every 24-hour period, season, phase in life, etc. there is a period, where the energy or “qi” of an organ system peaks. If there’s imbalance or weakness within an organ system, symptoms will exacerbate during peak times.

Autumn corresponds to the Lungs and Large Intestine; they work as a pair.

Expand your lungs and take a pure deep breath in through your nose of the crisp, cool Autumn air. Breathe in the clear. As we breathe in the pure, we must remember to let go of waste. As trees let go of the unneeded leaves, the Large Intestine let’s go of unneeded waste. Let go of the turbid.

Imbalances of Lungs/Large Intestine can manifest as a weak immune system, allergies, asthma, cough, shortness of breath, constipation, etc.

Six Causes of Illness:

In addition to using cycles, Chinese Medicine assesses a patient’s condition using the six ’causes of illness’ which are: cold, wind, heat, summer heat, damp, and dryness.

The ancients say that a cold/flu is an external attack of a wind-cold or wind-heat pathogen (a pathogen is something that can produce a disease, like a virus or bacteria). The wind carries the pathogen, and this pathogen penetrates the first line of defense, which is the nose, Lungs, and pores on the skin.

Two Types of Cold/Flu

1. Wind-Heat is associated with an “external pathogen”. This is another way of saying the patient has a virus, like the common cold or a bacterial infection. The common symptoms would be:

• Fever and chills (Fever is more predominant)
• Sore Throat
• Burning, Red Eyes
• Thirst

2. Wind-Cold is also an exterior pathogen, but more is more likely to only be a viral attack. The common symtoms would be:

• Headache
• Fever and chills (Chills more predominant
• Scratchy Throat
• Headache
• Upper Back, Neck, Body-aches

Treat Your Cold/Flu Accordingly…

Always support your immune system! Remember, if your first line of defense, the Lungs, are strong, then so are you! Eat lots of organic and green veggies, drink a lot of room temperature water with lemon, and get plenty of rest! If you get sick, it’s important to treat your cold/flu accordingly. Otherwise, the pattern could morph into other acute or chronic symptoms.

In Chinese Medicine, when there is heat in the body, we use cooling foods or herbs as remedy. If there is cold, we use warming foods or herbs. Here are some natural tips to help! Notice, Miso Soup is on both lists. This is a great soup for any oncoming cold/flu! In addition to these tips, acupuncture greatly helps in relieving the cold/flu!

For Wind-Heat, try consuming these choices:

• Miso Soup with green onions
• Mint, Honeysuckle, Chrysanthemum Tea
• Baked Pears

For Wind-Cold, try these:

• Miso Soup with green onions
• Cinnamon, Ginger, Garlic
• Baked Pears with Cinnamon

Hopefully, you have a better understanding of how the cycle of the seasons and six causes of illness play an important role in our health and the integrity of our organs! It is not merely about the physical changing of the seasons or different climates! It goes much deeper.

Ground Yourself Back to the Earth and Learn More about the Cycles of the Seasons

Taking care of our bodies naturally, we can move back to a way of life that makes sense and speaks of simplicity and sustainability. If you’re ready for a revolution in common sense, come join us for a 23-week BE Wild adventure!

Meet Briana Sabaj

As an acupuncturist, Briana Sabaj feels that to reach optimal health, one must treat the whole person, from root to branch. Her passion is to help others reach this, using Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Healing Touch Therapy, and Acutonics. When not at work, you can find her in the mountains of North Carolina, with her family. Please visit www.HealingPointNC.com.