Blog #94 Good Health - Important for a
Fulfilling Life
Many
people consider good health to be one of our most precious assets, and for good reason. Without good health, we may not have the
energy or endurance to work at a job, care for others, enjoy the world around
us, and achieve and embody the things that matter most to us.
With
the New Year, winter weather, and the flu season here, it is important to take
extra good care of ourselves. There are
many vital aspects of self-care. These
include getting sufficient sleep. Sound and peaceful sleep allows the body to
heal and rebuild, helps the mind to stay sharp, supports the various organ
systems to function well, and keeps us more emotionally in balance.
Proper
nutrition is another factor of self-care.
Staying well-hydrated and consuming whole, nutritious, non-processed
foods aids in both keeping the body and mind vital and minimizing toxicity. The better nourished and the less toxic we
are the more able we will be to delay or counteract the onset of acute infections.
Regular
exercise is also important for maintaining good health. Walking, running, Yoga, Tai Chi, Pilates,
stretching and weight lifting, playing at one or more sports you enjoy, such as
tennis, canoeing, or biking, as well as doing gardening, housecleaning and
repair, and wilderness hiking can all be helpful. Regular exercise can maintain healthy blood
and lymphatic circulation, eliminative function and detoxification. Other
benefits are improved muscle tone, greater self-confidence and a calmer mind.
Maintaining
strong posture and abdominal breathing helps with all aspects of health and
vitality, from feeling centered, to keeping the joints aligned and stable, and
establishing good balance to prevent
missteps and falls.
Also
important in maintaining good health are various holistic therapies. Massage helps relax muscles and improve
circulation and lymphatic drainage.
Chiropractic adjusting also does this and especially helps to teach us
to keep musculoskeletal and nervous systems functioning optimally. Acupuncture helps coordinate and balance the
body’s electrical and circulatory systems, which can generally support health
and well-being. Tonic and medicinal
herbs can help strengthen the body, improve resistance to infection and also
remedies physiological imbalances.
Now,
I want to focus on several herbal remedies that often can prevent colds and flu
or shorten their duration. The Chinese
herbal formulas Yin Chiao and Gan Mao Ling can help halt the onset of an upper
respiratory infection when taken at the very start of symptoms, such as the
first hint of a scratchy throat, headache, fatigue or slight warm or chilled
feeling. Yin Chiao treats a more heated
condition and Gan Mao Ling is helpful with a more chilled condition. Since many infections present as a
combination of both hot and cold symptoms, it often is helpful to take one each
of these remedies, usually three times a day, for two or three days. Once the infection has fully manifested,
these herbs will be of little help. They
can be obtained from stores in Chinatown. Better quality versions of these
herbs can be obtained through an acupuncturist from companies like Golden
Flower Herbs.
Another
helpful remedy is a combination of vitamin C and Echinacea. I personally like Standard Process brand
Cataplex C and Medi Herb brand Echinacea Premium. You can tell that an Echinacea supplement is
potent if it makes your tongue tingle.
The stronger the tingle and the longer it lasts, the better the
supplement. Usually, taking one each of these morning and night for several days to a few weeks will keep your resistance to
colds and flu strong. A combination of vitamin C and Echinacea will also
speed up recovery from upper respiratory infections.
It is best to purchase these from a holistic practitioner rather than
from online companies.
Lastly,
Sambucus Elderberry concentrate, preferably in liquid form, is an excellent
tonic. Since it is very sweet it is not appropriate for everyone, but most
people tolerate it well. Elderberry
concentrate can help support you through the flu season. Then, it is best to take a break until the next year’s flu season. Usually one half to one teaspoon one to three
times a day will be sufficient. Sambucus
Elderberry concentrate can be purchased at Whole Foods or similar stores.
This
blog’s offer. Feel free to call me with
questions or come in for a consultation and treatment to support your health
this year. Resolve to treat yourself
with kindness this year.
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