Ask Dr Xiang Jun: What to do When You are about to be Down with Flu
When there is influenza virus going around, many people fall sick one after another, in families, offices, communities. The usual initial symptoms of an influenza infection or flu are fever, scratchy throat, sneezing, runny nose, body aches and fatigue.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), prevention is better than cure. During the initial stages of flu, there is still the possibility of curbing the infection from worsening and flaring into a full infection with some TCM tips and methods.
Here are some of them:
Watch my video on What to do when you are about to be down with flu on my Youtube or Instagram.
1. Avoid Enclosed Crowded Spaces such as the Shopping Malls and Gyms
In TCM, influenza is viewed as an invasion of external pathogenic factors that the body's Vital Qi must fight. Enclosed crowded spaces will mean the pathogenic factors are concentrated in higher quantities within a space. Even if a person’s Vital Qi is high and strong, staying in enclosed crowded spaces will expose one to a much higher risk of infection, more so for a person who is already on the verge of a full flare up of the viral infection.
2. Drink Lots of Water with Addition of Some Salt
The symptoms of influenza viral infection or flu are usually related to Heat and Toxins, which are under Fire element in TCM. Water counters Fire which can help to bring down the factors for the infection to proceed further.
Salt in Science is anti-viral and in TCM is cold in nature and is known to clear Heat and eliminate Toxins, which can enhance the effect with water to prevent the flu from worsening.
3. Take Immunity Boosting Herbal Tea Infusions with Monkfruit, Chrysanthemum or Thyme
Monkfruit or Luo Han Guo clears Heat and moistens Lungs which is the main internal organ related to immunity due to the fact that all Qi originates from the Lungs. When the Lungs are strengthened, the Vital Qi of the body is strengthened as well which can reverse any infection at its initial stage.
Chrysanthemum clears Heat and Toxins and purifies the Blood. Any virus that invades the body is spread in the body through the Blood. By purifying the Blood, it means that Chrysanthemum can clear the pathogens from the Blood and prevent the infection from spreading early on into the flu.
4. Pat on Acupoint Dazhui (GV 14) Frequently till Warm
On top of clearing Heat and tonifying deficiency of Qi and Yang, Acupoint Dazhui expels and pacifies Wind. External Wind comes from outside, enters the body through the acupuncture meridians, and causes what are known as colds, flu, and virus. Pathogenic Wind is often associated with Cold, Humidity, Dryness and Heat, forming complex pathogenic factors such as Wind-Cold, Wind-Humidity, Wind-Dryness and Wind-Heat which are various TCM syndrome differentiations of influenza infection. By expelling and pacifying Wind, Acupoint Dazhui can help to ward off the flu attack through removing other pathogenic factors all together at the same time when Wind is expelled.
Therefore stimulating Acupoint Dazhui through the motion of patting, it brings out all the benefits of the acupoint to stop the progression of the influenza infection at its early stages.
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