This time of year encourages us to snuggle down at home in front of the fireplace and hope for a strong wind that will rake the leaves for us. Alas, wishful thinking!
It is also that time of year when we need to wash our hands well and often!
Autumn (Fall), in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is associated with the Element Metal. Some of the correspondences of the element include the physical organs Lung (yin) and Large Intestine (Yang), along with the orifice “nose” and “skin”, our largest organ – perhaps this helps explain our susceptibility to the so called “cold and flu” season.
Along with falling leaves, we’ll be bombarded with commercials telling us we’ll probably die from the flu if we don’t get the latest concoction from big pharma marketed as the “flu shot”. If you have a compromised immune system, that is not an idle threat. According to the predictors the H1N1 (swine flu) virus is supposed to be prominent this year, and they’re claiming a 72% efficacy rate for the vaccine. In TCM a virus is classed as an “invasion of wind” and we treat it with acupuncture by opening and draining the points known as “wind gates”. That may sound strange to you, but it has been working for over two millenniums as a natural approach to relieve colds, flu and other maladies.
The other aspect is to take a proactive approach and enhance your immune system. We do need to remember the Law of Cause and Effect – for every Action there is an Equal and Opposite Reaction. We can make an incremental, moderate transition towards better health. We can accomplish this through a comprehensive approach with our lifestyle choices. Support your immune system with healthy eating, wise supplementation and acupuncture.
Shaklee sells a patented scientifically proven immune enhancement product called Nutriferon®. They have other immune enhancement products as well. Their products come with a 100% money back guarantee – vaccines don’t. In your eating program include lots of yellow fruits and vegetables (i.e.) apricots, beet greens, carrots, squash, etc. for their beta carotene content which also boosts immunity. This time of year when our shadow becomes longer than we are tall, we need to add a vitamin D3 (the sunshine vitamin) to support our physiology.
Another very important nutrient combination is the omega-3 fatty acids – EPA and DHA. The list of benefits of these fatty acids is too complex to list in this article. The fact that EPA can improve our respiratory function and reduce the frequency and severity of asthma attacks and DHA reduces scaling in psoriasis are some of the health reasons to add the omega-3 fatty acids to your supplement regimen. Shaklee’s OmegaGuard® is a pharmaceutical grade combination of omega-3 fatty acids including EPA and DHA. For the month of November I’m offering a bottle of OmegaGuard® (90 soft gels) for 25% off the regular member price of $40.25, a saving of over $10.00.
Also, take advantage of your extended health benefits before they expire at the end of the year. In case you missed my previous announcement, I now offer direct billing for most of the extended health providers. Bring your benefit card and all you pay upfront is your deductible portion.
My personal approach is the natural one and I haven’t had the flu since the 1960s. Recently I thought that I hadn’t touched enough wood in that department when one day I had a plethora of symptoms often associated with the flu– chills, nausea, aches everywhere, etc. Since I wasn’t sure if I was contagious, I rescheduled all my patients. My recent hip replacement made me nervous given the fact that I developed a rash near my incision. I am probably a very rare person, but I was happy and relieved when my MD’s diagnosis was shingles. By combining a very therapeutic nutritional approach including the above-mentioned immune enhancers and an acupuncture treatment, I was symptom free within 48 hours. Whew!
“Get the lead out!” is an old idiom for “hurry up, slow poke”. On November 4th the news broke about high lead levels in our tap water. This is a National problem that is more common in areas with older infrastructure. If you’re concerned, take a sample of your tap water to a lab and for a small fee you can get a complete analysis of what is really in your drinking water. In our area of Burnaby, BC our test came back far below the acceptable level of lead content. Despite those findings, and after some careful research, we then purchased an Aquasana “Point of Entry” water filtration system. We now drink pure water from any tap in the house and shower in chlorine (Cl, water- soluble poisonous gas) and chloramine(NH2Cl) free water.
Just like how the health of our planet is being showcased in the scientific evidence about climate change, we need to pay attention to our own health and take positive action before it’s too late for remediation. You can book online through my website www.hardmanacupuncture-tcm.com or give me a call at 604.524.6855 and we’ll get your immune system tweaked to help you avoid the so-called flu season. Only a suppressed or compromised immune system opens the door to viruses.
Good health,
Dr. Bill
Photo is © Copyright Warren Elkes and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.