Have you gotten your flu shot this season?
As a healthcare provider, I consider it my duty to stay vaccinated, not just for the sake of my patients, but for myself and now, my young son. I see, touch and talk to many people, both sick and relatively healthy, in any given day. Yes, some seasons the flu vaccination isn’t as effective, and I do run the risk of the vaccine causing slight flu-like symptoms right after. I realize that many of my colleagues do not share my opinion regarding flu shots and vaccinations in general, especially as a Chinese Medicine Practitioner. But the pros of being vaccinated definitely outweigh the cons for me. Even though I practice a form of medicine that is ancient and “all natural”, I would never deny the use of modern scientific medicine and technology, especially when it concerns the health and well-being of my family and friends.
In addition to the flu shot, what are some other ways to fight off the common cold, the flu and other illnesses common during the colder season?
SLEEP
Getting a good night’s sleep is so important! Try to turn off all screens for at least 30 minutes prior to bedtime, make sure your bedroom is dark and is conducive to a good sleeping environment. Develop a “bedtime routine” to help set the mood and facilitate better sleep. This can involve a little light reading, or stretching routine or a warm bath. Keep your bedroom cool. Avoid caffeine at night. And some light exercise, but not right before bed, can also help. Good, adequate sleep will also help you to recover, if you have already come down with a bug.
NUTRITION
Antioxidants
Antioxidants come up frequently in discussions about good health and preventing diseases. These powerful substances, which mostly come from the fresh fruits and vegetables we eat, prohibit (and in some cases even prevent), the oxidation of other molecules in the body. The benefits of antioxidants are very important to good health, because if free radicals are left unchallenged, they can cause a wide range of illnesses and chronic diseases.
Singlet oxygen can compromise the immune system, because it has the ability to catalyze production of free radicals. Astaxanthin and Spirulina have been shown to enhance both the non-specific and specific immune system, and to protect cell membranes and cellular DNA from mutation. Astaxanthin is the single most powerful quencher of singlet oxygen, and is up to ten times stronger than other carotenoids (including beta-carotene), and up to 500 times stronger than alpha tocopherol (Vitamin E), while Spirulina has a variety of antioxidants and other substances that are beneficial in boosting immunity.
Here’s a list of 12 foods high in Antioxidants: (source: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/foods-high-in-antioxidants)
- Dark Chocolate
- Pecans
- Blueberries
- Strawberries
- Artichokes
- Goji Berries
- Raspberries
- Kale
- Red Cabbage
- Beans
- Beets
- Spinach
ACUPUNCTURE
I bet you knew I would list this, right?
Regular acupuncture treatments can help to boost and bolster your immune system. How does acupuncture boost your immune system? From the standpoint of this ancient practice of medicine, the needles that are inserted into your body manipulate various types of Qi (roughly translated as energy, or life force). There are various types of Qi. The most important type for your immune system would be “Defensive Qi”, the force that fights off illness. If it is too weak, then the invading force wins. But if it is adequate and strong, it can fight off invaders and prevent full-blown sickness.
In more modern terms, the acupuncture needles, as a foreign object in the body, initiate a immune response. It summons increased blood flow and circulation to the area, releases endorphins and works to decrease inflammation. Studies have shown that acupuncture helps the brain increase the body’s level of T-cells; cells which destroy bacteria and harmful viruses in the body. It is thought that acupuncture does this by provoking the body’s immune response through the use of the needles: the body thinks the needles are a threat and marshal their white cell and T-cell count to fight them off. However, the effect of this lasts days after the acupuncture session and so works on viruses and bacteria as well.
So….if you’re sick and tired of, well….getting sick and tired, come by Embrace Acupuncture and boost your immune system! Book your appointment here!