Beat the Cold/Flu

Texas weather changes at an alarming rate, to the point that we cannot be blamed for leaving for work in a light jacket and coming home wishing for our heavy coat. In Chinese Medicine, we treat those weather patterns as pathogens; they are broad and we can easily see their effects. From a modern medicine viewpoint, drastic weather changes can incapacitate the immune system and allow viral and bacterial pathogens to invade.


Suddenly, you realize that you did not dress warmly enough at lunch, and you feel slightly achy in the afternoon. Maybe there's a tickle in your throat. By the time you drive home, you are beginning to have chills. Your head throbs. You know this cold is coming.

Before you go to bed with that cold, I recommend heading straight to the grocery store for a big ginger root, and some cinnamon if you don't have any.

1. Chop the ginger root coarsely. Run a tub of hot water and make sure your neck is immersed in the water. Rub the warm ginger pulp over your upper back and neck.
2. Boil some water with ginger and cinnamon, and strain it for tea. Add some honey, no more than 1 tsp.

Start with this simple solution. If your symptoms do not improve immediately, consider making an appointment with your acupuncturist. Acupuncture works well by rallying the immune system during the early stages the cold or flu.