Staying Healthy This Fall
- Contact us at the first sign (tickle in the throat, sniffles, sneezing, etc). We can help at the beginning or end of an illness, but not so much when you are in the midst of the worst of it. Not only will acupuncture help boost your immune system, we can also give you herbs to quickly kick out that bug. We can discuss your situation via a Telehealth call to determine if you should come into the clinic or if we prescribe herbs that can be sent to your home or picked up at the clinic. We are not seeing patients in person if they have a fever or any symptoms of Covid.
- Protect your gut: Consider increasing your probiotic (or add one). You can easily double the recommended dose unless this causes you stomach upset.
- Increase Vitamin C, Vitamin D, and Zinc dosage. And drink plenty of fluids.
- Drink/eat fresh ginger: For those who feel chilled or cold, fresh ginger is warming and stimulating. Make fresh ginger tea by grating an inch of the root and steeping it in a cup of just-boiled water, covered, for 20 minutes. Strain and drink 2 cups/day.
- Drink chamomile and mint tea: For those who feel hot and sweaty, drinking a tea of these herbs cools the body, thus alleviating susceptibility to colds and flu.
- If you suspect COVID, isolate from others, wear a mask, and get tested.
IF IT DEVELOPS INTO SOMETHING WORSE
With the following plan, you should get better quickly without the weeks of lingering effects most folks experience.
- Stay home unless your doctor advises you to get other medical attention.
- Get plenty of rest.
- Eat very simply (such as just chicken soup or bone broth).
- Eliminate activities and stress.
- Drink plenty of warm fluids like ginger tea.
- Continue with higher doses of vitamins, and take any herbs we’ve prescribed for you to address any symptoms.
- With the lingering pandemic, it’s also important to monitor your oxygen levels daily with a pulse oximeter, and monitor your temperature. If your pulse oxygen levels are dropping or get below 95, contact your doctor.
Once you are over the worst of it, come in to see me to help you get back to your normal self.
Allergies?
This is also prime time for allergies. Whether it’s the beautiful golden rod that we see all around us now that makes you sneeze, watery eyes after you’ve just mowed the grass or hives from your favorite pet’s dander, I can help.
I have some advanced training in treating allergies that is one of the most effective techniques I’ve experienced. This technique called the Solomon Auricular Allergy Treatment (SAAT) makes use of a needle in the ear that is left in place for three weeks. No kidding. One needle. We do some testing to understand exactly what you are allergic to and then place a very small needle in the ear for each substance that you are allergic to. That’s it. It doesn’t hurt, and you don’t feel it in your ear, even if you sleep on your side. If you have multiple allergies, I can treat about 3-4 at the time, so will ask you to think about what is affecting you most, and we’ll start there. I have even treated the Alpha Gal meat allergy successfully with this technique. This is an allergy that is very prevalent in our area and is the result of a bite from the Lone Star tick which causes an profound allergic reaction to meat and other mammal derived products. I have had this allergy myself and have been successfully treated using this method.
If you have seasonal, environmental or food allergies, I hope you’ll schedule your appointment to get treated.
Be well!