Knock Out That Cold Naturally With Acupuncture

Knock Out That Cold Naturally With Acupuncture

Acupuncture Naturally Helps You Beat A Coldwoman getting acupuncture at Accent On Health

Winter is here and with it comes a fever and runny nose the main symptoms of the common cold. So far, about 30% of my patients have walked through the door with a stuffy nose and other symptoms asking for help. Acupuncture is one of the most effective ways naturally to beat the common cold.

Acupuncture has a quick turn-around time shortening colds or viruses to days instead of weeks. There is more though you can do. Instead of reaching for over-the-counter drugs talk to me about natural, safe remedies, you can do at home. You can create a cool little natural medicine shelf in your own home!

Naturally Beat The Common Cold

It’s easy to reach for cold medicine but when you do that it suppresses the symptoms of a cold virus. This means the illness goes deeper into your body lingering there longer keeping you sick. A better way is to help the germs move out of your body. There is no cure for the common cold but natural methods help reduce the common cold duration.

Many people have heard that vitamins can help. Vitamins like food have a warming or cooling effect in the body. They are best used as preventive and immune boosters and come packed by nature.

Vitamins that Fight The Common Coldbeat the common cold concept

Vitamin C is probably one of the best dietary supplements that you can take while you are experiencing illness. C has the ability to reduce a fever in high doses. This is because it is a cooling supplement. If you have the chills, you may want to stay with your regular dose.

Vitamin E is a great great too. It supports the upper respiratory track according to recent studies if taken in doses of 1000 iu. As with anything consult your MD before using even vitamins especially if you are on prescription meds.

Another vitamin, B-6 studied for its effectiveness at enhancing the immune system by Loma Linda University in California and Oregon State University. Both found an increase in blood levels of the vitamin B6 helps boost your ability to fight off the virus.  Taking vitamins is a natural way to beat the common cold.

Acupuncture And A Natural Diet

Foods are our best defense against illness since many supplements are synthetic or highly manufactured making them difficult to metabolize and digest. To further strengthen your immunity, Acupuncture provides seasonal ‘boosters’ to beat the common cold. Eating a natural diet along with acupuncture is the least expensive and healthful way to acquire a strong immune system.

Where can you enjoy the real thing? You’ll find eating more bananas, avocados, and dark-green leafy vegetables give you B-6. Comparing foods high in C you will notice that they are citrus fruits which can be hard to get in cold months so turn to warming vegetables.

radishes from japan This list includes Summer squash, sweet potatoes, bell peppers, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts. Recently we have added Daikon radishes to our menus! This vegetable is sweet with a slight bit at the end. Thinly sliced it’s great with dips instead of chips. My husband and I enjoy it with onion dip, vegetable dip, even avocado dip!

Foods are the simplest way to ensure you are getting a better quality vitamin. The important part of food is that you buy organic. Many patients and clients tell me they can’t afford to buy clean or organic. It’s a matter of not overbuying and using what you purchase. We also shop around.

How To Start Buying OrganicVitamins in food concept

I make a list of recipes I want to cook and foods that can be used. Shopping for fresh is what people do in Europe. Americans are used to plentiful markets picking up a week’s worth of food at one time. The cleaner, fresher the food the more nutrients you have the joy of absorbing.  Clean food is the nature’s store-house for vitamins we should have in our diets. Another thing about clean food is it helps you  beat the common cold by strengthening your immune system.

I go over how to shop on a budget and purchase organic, clean, local foods to my health coaching clients. After 3-4 months, they’re teaching me shopping secrets!

Minerals are a must too if you want to fortify your family’s health again colds, flu, and viruses. I use to be prone to getting sick and it lingered for weeks. When I added whole grains, cooked dried beans and peas my immunity system grew strong. These foods are full of iron, selenium, copper, and zinc; all important minerals for good health.

To start naturally treating the symptoms you have, take a look at your diet. There are certain foods out there that actually could hinder your symptoms instead of making you feel better. Sugars are one that should not be eaten while sick. A proper diet all year round can actually make a difference between how many colds you experience throughout the year.

 

Resources:

An Evidence-based Approach to Vitamins and Minerals: Health Implications and … By Jane Higdon

http://www.today.com/id/22635662/ns/today-today_health/t/stop-your-sniffling-tips-preventing-cold/#.VHAR_clBF5c

Acupuncture Points For The Common Cold

Acupuncture Points For The Common Cold

Acupuncture Points To Boost Your Immunity

acupuncture points

I think it’s important to empower people with tools to help themselves especially when it comes to their health. Herbal medicine, homeopathy, and acupuncture easily treat the common cold. Knowing a few acupuncture points you can perform acupressure on at home can be another tool in your ‘Home Medicine Cabinet’.

Marcie a mother of two young children felt run down working full time and carrying for a family. She came down with every cold or virus her kids brought home from school and daycare.

Knowing Acupuncture Points Can Help At Home

She made a decision to change her health and enjoy life realizing she was spiraling down. One of the things we did was teach her some acupressure for home if she couldn’t visit our Littleton acupuncture office. This is part of our health coaching program.

You can use these same points along with the essential oils, herbal remedies, immune boosting foods I have shared in other articles in the knowledge bank.

Acupuncture is Part Of Chinese MedicineChinese Medicine ball

Typically, Chinese medicine focuses on the external causes of a cold. Things such as the weather and too much stress in your life are likely things that are causing your illness. In Marcie’s case and many others, being with family or co-workers who are sick can be all it takes if you are not at your best.

Chinese medicine is more than acupuncture it’s herbs too. We use formulas made from forsythia and honeysuckle in an easy to take tablet. Depending on your symptoms, a mix of different herbs can treat a cold or flu as well as provide other significant health benefits such as rest and relaxation.

Acupressure For Home And Family

To do acupressure, you use acupuncture points. Using your index finger gently massage the places described below. Direction is important. Some points or places on your body reduce fever, while others increase white blood cells or your immune system.concept of a healthy happy family

Some of my favorite acupuncture points to help you feel better quicker are called 4-gates. These coupled with LI11, and ST36 boost the immune system and help you detox the virus from your tissues.

4-gates is 2 places on your body. The hill or highest place between your thumb and index finger on the top of your hand is LI4. Be sure to rub this area clock-wise; it increases white blood cells. Coupled with LI4 is the area just below [LV3] the web between your big toe and the next. Rub this point or place counter-clock-wise. Be sure to do both your left extremities and right too. When we apply gentle pressure to these acupuncture points this is called acupressure.

LI11 is the area next to the elbow bone; if you place your hand palm-side-down on your stomach it is the side of the elbow you can see if you look down at your arm. Massage this point rather than moving in a specific direction.

More Acupuncture Points for the Common Cold

The same motion is true for ST36. This acupuncture point is harder to find. It located on the outer edge of leg below the knee about 3 inches. I show patients that visit the office how to find this place on your leg. If you’re not a patient or can’t get in, search for a tender spot and that’s usually it!
health coaching helps you feel good concept

With Chinese medicine, you no longer have to reach for an over-the-counter medicine. Marcie, regained your energy and today has a strong immune system. She came in for acupuncture weekly, worked with me as a health coach client learning the best foods to support her health. She also used what I call Primary Foods – relationships, career, activity, and spiritual path to empower herself.

Having more energy, she was able to build a better relationship with her children smiling more and creating memories of active play. She realized her job wasn’t the career she wanted and put in for a position she really wanted – an got it! Most people believe in a divine intelligence of some nature. Marcie began exploring her inner strength and purpose discovering herself and feeling more joy.

You can empower yourself and regain your life just like Marcie. Try these acupuncture points or call to learn more about health coaching and wellness care with me.

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