I just wanted to give you the heads up that the common cold, which we have not seen in many moons, is back. Patients, friends and even my family are reporting sneezing, sore throat, congestion, cough and fever.
My first suggestion if you begin to have symptoms is to get a COVID rapid test to rule that out.
Then your work is to shorten the duration of your symptoms with acupuncture and herbs so you can get back to what you love.
The principle is to support your immune system, cool off and thin out the phlegm, and quiet the cough.
Things at home that will help:
Vitamin C up to 1000mg a day (unless you have loose stools -then call me) and Zinc 11 mg for men, 8 for women, and Vitamin A 900 mcg for men, 700 for women. (Vitamin A strengthen the soft tissue membranes making it harder for pathogens to get in.)
Make sure you are getting plenty of sunshine, fresh air, and sleep. Wearing a mask will reduce the load of virus you will acquire if you are near someone who has symptoms. As will washing your hands frequently and refraining from hugging and sharing.
Try a quart of tea every day to strengthen the immune system:
• 1/2 of organic lemon and a Tablespoon of honey to 1 Quart of hot water, keep refreshing and drinking through the day
• Astragalus • Nettle • Echinacea• Elderberry
If you have symptpms:
Oregano oil capsules 300 -450 mg every 4 hours will ward of bacterial and viral infections. Olive leaf capsules will help the sore throat.
Green Tea, Watermelon, Strawberries, and Cantelope will cool the heat. Licorice tea and slippery elm will help the sore throat. Mullien tea will help the dry cough.
Take very little to no food until you are through the worst of it, stick to broth and the above to stay hydrated
If you aren’t much of a tea drinker, you just like the ease of capsules or herbal medicine completely confuses you. Contact me, I can help find the right formula. acupuncture@amyodellwilson.com
Once you know what you are dealing with I can help. It is best and easiest to catch the symptoms early.
These are a few examples of the Cold Formulas from the Chinese Herbal Tradition that are effective.
Astra C: Helps prevent colds and flu
Cold Away: Addresses fever, sinus and chest congestion, coughing, aversion to wind headache, sore throat, tonsillitis, otitis media, measles, pharyngitis. Can be administered on a short-term basis for Cold/ Flu prevention
Isatis Gold: Treats bacterial and viral infections that cause inflammation and fever, especially upper respiratory, colds, flu, and bronchitis.
Nasal Caps: Treats acute and chronic sinus congestion with thick, yellow mucus, sinusitis, rhinitis, hay fever, colds and flu. Addresses snoring due to facial congestion. Addresses earache due to sinus blockage. May be used for sinus headache.
Yin Chao Jin: Treats colds, flu, and sore throat. It is particularly effective during or prior to the early stages when fevers, headache, cough and sore throat are present. There may be slight chills or no chills present with difficulty in sweating. The patient may also have body aches with sore shoulders, stiff neck and swollen lymph nodes. Treats skin itching due to wind-heat, including allergic skin reactions such as hives.
Astra 4: for immune system enhancement and as an energy tonic. May be used for fatigue, systemic weakness, adrenal deficiencies, chills, diarrhea, muscle aches, and inability to concentrate. Has adaptogenic properties; helps the body adapt to (mental and physical) stress. Improves lung health and reduces respiratory infections
**Caution: You will find the above formulas on Amazon, but Health Concerns does not directly supply Amazon nor do they support third party sales on Amazon. Most likely you will find expired or knock off brand formulas.
