You may not know this about me, but I spent some years living abroad and traveling the world when I was in my twenties. I fell in love with many foods- because I love food- including Middle Eastern Cuisine. 
Why do some people always catch a cold, and others don’t?
Viruses, germs and bacteria are everywhere. They are in the food we eat, the air we breathe, and the water we drink. According to Chinese medicine, they do not cause disease. When a certain organ system is already weak and unable to resist outside invasion, it is therefore prone to attack by germs, such as viruses and bacteria. Illness and disease can only result when our body provides a hospitable environment.
For example, let’s say you inhaled influenza virus. Just because these germs are present, does not mean you will get the flu. There are several factors involved such as the health of your lungs, the vitality of your immune system, and your overall health.
Germs gather and thrive only in weakened parts of the body. When there is an imbalance of Qi, the normal functions of your body will ultimately be affected. This can change the normal immune system response and lead to illness.
A disease requires both a pathogen and a host. These nasty critters can only survive and flourish if circumstances are ripe. When the germs are strong, but the environment of the host (you) is stronger, the disease will be resisted. If the host is weak, however, then your environment can become a hospitable refuge for viruses, germs, bacteria and other microbes to set up shop.
In Chinese Medicine, we have a variety of ways to help keep you from getting sick! Here are the top 3 ways that your Acupuncturist can help you kick that cold, flu, or other bug:
1. Eastern Nutritional Guidance
Your Acupuncturist has dozens of recipes for what ails you. They might recommend ginger for upset stomach, or ginger tea with lemon and honey for that sore throat. They also know what your greater imbalance is, and are able to recommend foods that you should incorporate into your diet in order to stay as healthy as possible.
2. Natural Medications
Chances are, your Acupuncturist has a cabinet full of oddly named herbs or formulas in their office. This means that your practitioner is not only familiar with modern day cold and flu medications, but that they also have natural products that you can take in addition to or instead of those over-the-counter concoctions that you’re used to. In addition, your Acupuncturist has herbs that help to boost the immune system which can help prevent colds and flus all together. At the first sign of a cold, call your Acupuncturist for a personalized immune boosting formula and you just might not come down with it after all!
3. Acupuncture!
Acupuncturist work to build and properly align your Qi to keep you healthy or to aid you in getting better faster. Acupuncturists use ancient principles based on yin and yang to help relieve your runny nose, cough, scratchy throat, upset tummy, and pretty much any other symptom that you can think of. Your Meridian channels control the flow of healing energy throughout your entire body, including your organs. The function (health) of your lungs, and the strength of your immune system all depend upon the quality, quantity and balance of Qi which flows within your meridian channels. The “true cure” of disease is simply NOT to kill germs, but to reestablish and build up the body’s amount of healing Qi. This will ultimately provide the adequate amount of Qi in order to restore the integrity of your meridian and organ system. Germs simply cannot attack a strong and healthy body. Studies have shown that Acupuncture increases the number of T-cells in the body. T-cells use antigens to identify and destroy invading bacteria and viruses that cause illness.
If you suffer from frequent colds or you are interested in boosting your immune system in anticipation of cold and flu season, give us a call 405-905-5248! Also, please check out our website at https://www.bewellokc.com and like our Facebook page for fun articles and useful health tips.
the summer solstice your yang energy reaches its peak. It is important to harness the peak of this yang energy, because as summer shifts into fall yang energy will decline. This great abundance of yang energy will translate throughout your body because during this season you are active and growing.
