Alban Acupuncture & Chinese Herbs Clinic, New York City
Archive for the ‘Common Cold and Flu’ Category
Natural Cold Remedies
Oct 2, 2009
Cold season seems to be coming in early this year. People are already coming into my office with the sniffles, sneezes, and headaches.
Try these quick natural remedies to prevent a cold.
1. Vinegar- Viruses do not like acidic environments. Vinegar is somewhat acidic, so eating foods with vinegar can help prevent the flu. Another low pH food is wine.
2. Garlic- Eating garlic, especially raw, has a lot of antimicrobial effects on the body. A clove a day keeps the doctor away!
3. Vegetable soup- Soup is a great and delicious way to eat a lot of vegetables and get a lot of nutrients. Using aromatic vegetables, like onions, garlic, scallions, are very helpful to prevent the common cold.
4. Seasonal vegetables from the farmer’s market- It is remarkable how seasonal foods give us the right nutrients at the right time of year. At the moment, squash and potatoes are coming into season. In Chinese medicine, we say that these are warming foods, which help to boost our energy as the weather becomes colder. Buying local food is fresher and helps to retain the nutrients.
Read more about Chinese medicine and colds
More than Just Acupuncture and Herbs
Apr 24, 2009
Chinese medicine is more than just what I do in my office, Acupuncture, Acupressure, and Chinese herbal formulas. There are many practices which prevent illnesses and maintain health that you can do on your own.
Here are some I often recommend to my patients and my readers.
Food as Medicine
Eating healthy is the best way to prevent illnesses. Here are some articles which share Chinese medicine dietary therapies and philosophy of food choices.
- Eating Healthy to Create Harmony
- Chinese Medicine Recommendations for Vegetarians
- A Rainy Day Beef Ginger Soup
- Foods to Beat the Common Cold
Exercising
Our bodies are made to move. Here are some exercises and stretches to boost your body and your qi.
Acupressure
You can use acupressure as a self massage to help boost your energy, reduce pain, and prevent illness.
- Acupressure for Cramps, Digestive Problems, and Boosting Energy
- Acupressure for Nausea, Hiccups, and Acid Reflux
- Acupressure for Headaches
Prevent and Beat the Common Cold
Chinese medicine has tons of remedies to prevent and treat the common cold. Here are a few.
A Rainy Day Ginger Beef Soup
Apr 21, 2009
Yesterday was really April Showers here in New York City. I was soaked to the bone when I got home from my office. But, I was really excited to see that my wife had made ginger beef noodle soup for dinner, just the right thing to warm me up and fend off any colds from the storm.
Food is the best medicine
You’ve probably had this experience too. Coming home in a chilly rain storm, you can feel the cold coming on. It starts with an ache in your neck, the sniffles, and a slight fever and chills. This delicious soup is a great remedy for an early stage cold. And it is a snap to make.
Chinese medicine assigns properties to foods which describe their medicinal 
abilities. The key ingredient in the soup is fresh ginger, called sheng jiang in Chinese, which is warm and aromatic. These properties give it the power to “dry dampness” and makes it perfect for fighting off an early colds and achy necks.
In addition, the beef is warming and tonifies the qi and blood. Carrots are sometimes referred to as “baby ginseng” because they can tonify qi. The onions and basil are aromatic, and the noodles also tonify the qi.
Ginger Beef Noodle Soup
Ingredients:
2-3 slices of fresh ginger, peeled
Beef soup bones- We used left over ribs from the week before, marrow bones also work
1 small onion, chopped
2 yellow carrots
4 leaves of basil
bean sprouts (optional)
5 cups of water
1/2 teaspoon salt
pepper to taste
1/4 pound whole wheat spaghetti (about 1/8 per person). Rice noodles or buckwheat can be substituted.
Put the water in a soup pot and bring it to a boil. Add the ginger, onions, soup bones, carrots and salt. Simmer for 45 minutes. In a separate pot, boil salted water for cooking the noodles.
Place the soup, with the vegetables, in bowls and combine with noodles. Garnish with basil and sprouts, add pepper to taste. Warm up and enjoy!
Makes 3-4 servings.
World Tai Chi and Qigong Day
Apr 20, 2009
This Saturday is world Tai Chi and Qi Gong Day, an event to celebrate and share the healing traditions of Chinese medicine.
There will be free classes and demonstrations. I hope to see you there.
Where: Bryant Park
When: Saturday April 25th, 11am-2pm
Read More about World Tai Chi and Qigong Day.
What can Acupuncture Treat?
Mar 10, 2009
What can acupuncture treat? This is probably the second most common question I get as an acupuncturist. (The first is how did I get into acupuncture, which I answered in this post).
Sounds like a simple question, but in fact it is quite hard to answer. In many ways, it is like asking, “What does Western Medicine treat?” or ” What do medications treat?”
Unlike other therapies, such as psychotherapy or physical therapy, acupuncture can treat both physical and mental problems, as well as internal medicine. Acupuncture, as a part of Chinese medicine, has been used as a comprehensive medical system and over one billion people still use Traditional East Asian Medicine as their primary means of health care. That means that people use it to treat back pain, colds, PMS, infertility, asthma, strokes, migraine headaches, painful urination, acne, stomach aches, depression, anxiety, and all other types of diseases.
Generally speaking, people seek acupuncture for chronic conditions. Here are some various resources to help you explore “what acupuncture treats?”
1. National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM). NCCAM has some good information about acupuncture treatment for a few conditions, like osteoarthritis of the knee, fibromyalgia, and PTSD. There is also a great video by Richard Hamershlag, a wonderful acupuncture researcher.
2. The World Health Organization published huge document on acupuncture and traditional medicine in 2003. Unfortunately it is no longer on the web, (here is a link to it’s summery on Wikipedia). The document listed over 140 conditions which acupuncture is used for and has documented efficacy. Here are a few of the conditions listed:
- Adverse reactions to radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy
- Allergic rhinitis
- Depression
- Painful Periods
- Ulcer
- Facial pain
- Headache
- Knee pain
- Low back pain
- Correction of Malposition of fetus
- Morning sickness
- Neck pain
- Shoulder pain
- Postoperative pain
- Renal colic
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Sciatica
- Stroke
3. A great article published in the Annals of Family Medicine in 2005, examined the most common reasons for going to an acupuncturist in Washington State and Massachusetts. This article also discusses training and background of acupuncturists and the major categories of diseases, along with specific conditions.
Some of the most common conditions included:
- back pain and stiffness
- anxiety and depression
- neck pain and stiffness
- fatigue
- headache
- shoulder pain and stiffness
- general wellness
- allergies to food
- knee pain
- abdominal pain, cramps, and distention
- infectious disease
- problems of pregnancy or fertility
4. From my personal experience, I think that article was pretty comprehensive for common conditions I treat. In my clinic, other common conditions are chronic prostatitis, chronic pelvic pain syndrome, migraine headaches, acne, dermatitis, and irregular or painful menstruation. If you are interested in getting acupuncture, find someone you can trust and ask them if they have experience with your concern.
5. The way that the Chinese still use their own traditional medicine should also help us understand what can Acupuncture and Chinese medicine treat.
Dr. Chan, my acupuncture Professor, and me
In China, Chinese medicine is completely integrated with the healthcare system. Where I studied, at the Hunan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, we had an entire hospital dedicated to TCM. They also used Western medicine when needed, such as antibiotics, but the main focus was acupuncture, Chinese herbs, and acupressure.
The hospital has many departments, I rotated in acupuncture, internal medicine, Tui na (medical massage) and dermatology. They also had an OBGYN, pediatrics, and an entire inpatient department. People came to see us with all typs of pain, headaches, shoulder pain, back pain, facial paralysis, bell’s palsy, menstrual cramps, infertility, hepatitis, gall bladder disease, rehabilitation from stroke, chronic renal failure, sexual dysfunction, proastatitis, acne, and hives just to name a few.
Dr. Chan, my teacher in the photo above, is a master Chinese medicine Doctor and Acupuncturist. He is famous for his treatment of Prostatitis, Parkinson’s disease, pain, eye conditions, stroke, and cerebral palsy.
6. A similar question to what is it used for is “Is there research?” The answer to that is a wholehearted yes! There is too much to discuss hear, so I selected some of my favorite.
One of the best and most comprehensive studies focuses on acupuncture for osteoarthritis of the knee. There is also evidence that acupuncture works for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, an area I believe acupuncture is underused. Acupuncture has also been shown to help the effectiveness of IVF and improves the health of the babies at birth. Acupuncture is also great at treating headaches of all kinds. I’ve already written about acupuncture and headaches in this post.
Of course, there are millions of other chronic conditions acupuncture can treat. If you are interested in learning more about if acupuncture can address your health concern, please call us at 917-887-4946 for a free consultation.
Top Photo: NYCTCM
Five Essential Stretches for Neck Pain
Mar 5, 2009
After sitting down at my computer for a few hours I often notice a nagging 
pain in my neck. More than the automatic updates, the random pop-ups, or the crashing of my computer, I attribute it to sitting for long periods of time without getting up to move and stretch.
An ancient Chinese medicine saying states, “When qi moves freely, there is no pain. When qi stops, pain occurs.” Qi, the body’s energy, must circulate for good health. When its flow is impeded, pain and disease occurs. (For a more detailed explanation of qi circulation and pain, please see this post). The details of diagnosis and treatment can be very complicated, but in general we can say that the greater the pain, the worse the stagnation.
I find patients generally follow a downward spiral towards chronic pain. An injury or minor pain makes a person use that part of their body less, which then leads to greater stagnation and an increase in pain. Whether it is neck pain, back pain, hip pain, tendonitis, knee pain, or frozen shoulder, the quicker you are able to move the joint and regain normal qi flow, the faster and more sustainable the recovery.
Getting up from the computer, to do stretches of the neck, shoulders, and arms often helps my pain. Sometimes stretching is not enough for those in chronic pain. Combining stretching and exercise with acupuncture and Chinese herbs can often speed up relief and lead to a more sustainable recovery.
The Five Essential Stretches for neck pain
Dr. Xiao, and Students, I am on the far right
Dr. Xiao, my Tui Na (Chinese Medical Massage) professor in Hunan China, was famous not only for his technique, the Gun Fa (rolling technique), but also for his compassion for his patients and dedication to their health. In addition to his treatment, he educated his patients and their families about how to maintain and improve health through exercises and stretches. “Every person, not just those in pain, should do these exercises to keep their body loose and their qi moving,” Dr Xiao instructed me. “Remember to smile, it will help your qi flow.”
The following simple movements can help alleviate and prevent neck pain by relaxing the muscles and increasing blood circulation. You may even find it helps you think clearer afterwards.
1. Relax Your Breathing. If you do nothing else, do this simple breathing technique. Natural breathing is the foundation for the mind and body to relax and for qi to flow throughout the body. Stand in a comfortable position with your feet shoulder width apart, arms at your side, and knees slightly bent. Breathe into your stomach, allowing your abdomen to gently rise on inhale and fall on the exhale. After practicing for a while, this type of breathing often becomes your natural breath and you will feel more relaxed and calm. For a more in depth explanation, read this post.
2. Shake It Out. Maintaining the relaxed breathing, slowly begin to rock your shoulders and arms back and forth. Gradually increase this movement and shake out any tension. Remember to smile and have fun with it. You might even try adding a hardy belly laugh.
3. Gaze at the Heavens and Earth. Standing in the same position, relax your face and eyes. Slowly, bend your neck down and look at the ground, allow your muscles to relax. Then gently raise your head and look up. Try not to focus your gaze on any one particular object, but relax and look into the distance. Repeat this motion for about ten repetitions.
4. Look Both Ways Before You Cross. From a forward looking position, rotate your head to the left. When you have reached your limit, hold your head there for a moment and inhale, then slowly turn your head back to the right. Be careful not to over rotate which can cause pain and injury.
5. Rotate your head. Very very slowly roll your head in circles. Keep your eyes and face relaxed. Start rolling to the right ten times and then to the left. This is great to do in the middle of the day if you have minor neck pain.
top photo: Irina Souiki
What to do about the Flu in New York City
Feb 10, 2009
In a press release yesterday, NYC has announced that the flu has come to New York City.
In Chinese Medicine there are two main ways to prevent getting the flu. First, boost your own immune system, which Chinese medicine (read this post for more info). Second, fend off any invaders before you get sick.
It is best to treat a disease before you get it by boosting your immune system. I recommend taking the mushroom reishi, also called ling zhi in Chinese, which will help boost your immunity and your energy.
But when the flu is going around, it is important to take an herbal formula which will help prevent the sickness. Gan Mao ling is a great formula for this. If you get the flu, this formula will not be powerful enough. At this point it is important to seek advice from a Chinese medicine doctor for the right formula.
Check out these posts for other Chinese medicine tricks and tips on how to prevent and kick the common cold and flu.
People who get chronic colds will need a more customized herbal formula and acupuncture treatment.
Photo by JJohn.
Prevent a cold with Acupuncture, Chinese Herbs, and other Tricks
Jan 22, 2009
I wrote in my last post about beating the cold you already have. But what is better than that? Preventing it of course.
There are two good ways to prevent getting a cold. The first is the kill any incoming viruses before they get too bad. Like I said in my last post, one way to do that is gargling with salt water. The other and far more powerful way is to boost your immunity.
And here are some tips to boost your immunity.
1. Soup: What your grandmother told you is true. Soup is a great way to boost you immune system to prevent or treat a cold. Countless studies have proven this for chicken soup. I also think vegetable soup works well because it is jam packed with nutrients.
2. Reishi and Cordyceps: Reishi and cordyceps are two mushrooms that have long been used to to boost energy and immunity. I take reishi in the winter to prevent getting a cold. It works great because even though my patients are sick, I stay healthy. Cordyceps are better for those with chronic asthma and allergies. For these herbs, be careful to purchase from a reputable vendor who sells organic products, because there is a lot of counterfeit out there. And who wants pesticides in their herbs.
3. Acupuncture: Acupuncture is a treatment within Chinese medicine. It is based on stimulating the body to heal itself. And science has recently theorized that it also stimulates the immune system in the body, which can help prevent and treat colds.
4. Chinese herbs: Chinese herbs have long been used to prevent a cold. Many herbs have shown the ability to boosting your immunity and also kill any lurking viruses and bacteria. Huang qi, or astragalus, is a powerful immune booster. This herb is in the common formula Jade Wind Screen, which is for those who frequently get colds. Not all formulas are good for every person, so it is important to see your acupuncturist or Chinese medicine doctor for some herbs when there is a cold going around.
5. Qi gong: These are slow moving exercises that build up you energy, or qi. I won’t go into the details about qi now (I’ve written about qi before), but qi gives us energy to fight off colds. Through breathing and focus, you can actually improve you energy. It is best to find a class in your area. Check back next week when I talk about a basic exercise for you qi.
Now, go out and build your immunity. Good health to you all!
How to Kick your Cold
Jan 20, 2009
There’s a bad cold going around here in New York City. Actually it is probably a couple. People are coming into the office everyday coughing and sneezing up a storm. Others have a chest cold and sinus headaches. What is it from?
I think this changing weather does not allow your body and your energy to adjust. So your immune system is unprepared for the bugs.
There are things you can do to prepare. Don’t get caught without knowing what to do when you have early signs of a cold.
What to do when you start feeling sick
1. Gargling with salt water: We all know that salt has long been used as a preservative for food. This is because it prevents the spread of bacteria by dehydrating them. We can do the same in your your body. If you feel a tickle in your throat or a sore, fight off that early infection by gargling twice a day. Gargling with salt water is also great way to fight off early infections in your throat and prevent a cold before it happens. I recommend using kosher salt, which is very affordable, because it doesn’t have any additives that normal table salt does.
2. Ginger tea after a cold rain: After you get caught in a cold rain, we know it is easy to get sick- you get a headache, sniffles, a sore neck, and your body gets achy. Fresh ginger tea is an ancient remedy from Chinese medicine to beat this oncoming cold. A cup is a great way to warm up and give you system a boost to fight off that cold.
3. Soup with fermented soybeans and scallions: An ancient Chinese medicine recipe for early stage colds is a soup of scallions and fermented soy beans with noodles. It works because it combines aromatic vegetables and helps you sweat it out. For those of us not living near Chinatown, fermented soybeans may be hard to come by, so you can substitute other aromatic foods, like miso, garlic, and basil. Use vegetable or chicken stock as a base.
4. Acupuncture: Acupuncture helps boost your immune system to get rid of that pesky cold that won’t go away. Yes, of course I am going to acupuncture, I love acupuncture, it is my passion, and it is my job. But it also stands up to modern research. So if you have a cold that you can’t kick, go see your acupuncturist.
5. Chinese herbs: Chinese herbs can work by both boosting your immunity and through anti-viral and anti-biotic properties. Of course, I love and am passionate about Chinese herbs too. They are very powerful to stop the common colds and flus when they happen. In fact, on of the first books of Chinese medicine, called Shang Han Lun, or in English On Cold Damage
Now you know ways to treat a cold when you have it. Check back in next week to see how to prevent a cold.
Food for the Winter to beat colds and flus
Jan 4, 2009
Do you feel under the weather when the temperature to plummet? Here are some easy recommendations from the Chinese medicine pantry to help you ward off the nasties’ of the season.
Use ginger in your soups, teas, and stir-fries. Aromatic and warming, ginger infusions are particularly good to drink after getting caught in cold, wet weather. Just a few slices of fresh ginger will go a long way.
Use cinnamon in your oatmeal to warm the kidneys and digestive organs on an everyday basis.
Keep carrots around the house. Often called baby ginseng because of their ability to increase qi, they can be used in soups. Combine them with other aromatic vegetables and herbs such as onions, garlic, celery, turnip, and bay leaves, which will open your sinuses.
While not exactly a food, many Chinese herbs have the ability to prevent the common cold. Ginseng and the mushroom called cordyceps can both help prevent the common cold and flu.
Enjoy!!!
