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Common Cold
It’s been said that the ultimate achievement of medicine would be to cure the common cold. Of course, modern medicine hasn’t reached that point yet, but there are quite a few options within the realm of alternative medicine that will hopefully shorten the length of your cold or lessen the symptoms. Here are a few alternative options for you to try next time you have a cold.
1. Acupuncture
Acupuncture is the practice of inserting small metal needles into specific spots on your skin, a process that sounds painful at first, but is actually mostly painless. It originates in China and has been in use for well over 3000 years. It has been shown to enhance people’s immune systems, reduce pain from migraines, and generally promote well-being.
According to traditional Chinese medicine, the best time to get an acupuncture treatment is at the first sign of the cold. This way, your acupuncturist can align your qi and speed your recovery along. To help with their treatment, they will ask you a set of specific questions on the symptoms you are experiencing so that they can determine the exact points that they will need to stimulate to align your qi. Many people report that if they get acupuncture as soon as they experience the symptoms of a cold, then their recovery from the cold happens within a day or so. This is much faster than the expected disease time, which ranges from 3 days to more than a week.
2. Chinese Herbs
Another cold remedy from China involves a mixture of specific herbs, also depending on your symptoms. As always with a cold, it’s best to start treatment right away if you want to shorten the length of your cold. However, herbs can also help to ease the symptoms of a cold, such as aches, chills, or sore throat. Below are some quick recommendations of herbal formulas for different symptoms and phases of a cold
Yin Chiao is recommended for a cold that is first felt in the throat and neck. The sooner you take this mixture, the better. If the cold is more in the nose and head area, Gan Mao Ling is recommended. Again, take it early. If you’re already in the throes of battle with a cold, or your first symptoms are aches and chills in the body, try Zong Gan Ling. This can help to relieve symptoms and to speed up your recovery.
Most of these herbal supplements can be found in health food stores, especially if you live on the Westc coast. If you’re having trouble finding them in a brick-and-mortar store, you can definitely find them in online stores. It’s always good to have some on hand so that you can stop your cold before it gets a chance to take hold in your body.
3. Vitamin D
If you already have a cold, then Vitamin D may not help you get out of it any faster. However, there are numerous studies showing that people who have a healthy intake of Vitamin D are less likely to even get a cold. Everyone can agree that not getting a cold at all is better than having to treat a cold.
Vitamin D is useful in more than just preventing a cold, though. People with good levels of Vitamin D are less likely to get osteoporosis and have generally stronger bones. It may also help if you’re trying to lose weight, as it has been correlated with successful weight loss as well. There is also some data that suggests Vitamin D may help prevent Multiple Sclerosis, help keep the brain working as you grow older, and reduce the risk of Rheumatoid Arthritis in women. In other words, there are a lot of good reasons to supplement your diet with Vitamin D; cold prevention is a nice bonus, too.
4. Garlic
Garlic is not just delicious in many of your favorite foods, it can also help to prevent you from getting the cold. Many cultures have home remedies involving garlic, like chicken soup or drinks made with raw crushed garlic. The general rule of thumb is to use the freshest garlic you can, although there are also pills that specifically preserve the parts of garlic that are important for fighting colds. Basically, anything involving raw garlic can help you recover, and taking it as a supplement can prevent colds altogether.
As a quick warning about garlic, it can interfere with blood thinning medications and should be avoided by those with blood disorders. It can also cause increased chances of bleeding in pregnant women, and can lower blood glucose levels. On the whole, it’s relatively safe, but high amounts of garlic can cause problems if you fall into any of the categories above.
So, the next time you get a cold, remember that you have more options than going to the doctor. Alternative medicine is a growing industry for a reason: it works. So keep some of these supplements handy, find a good acupuncturist, and you’ll be prepared the next time you get the sniffles.
Bron: http://www.business2community.com
Gepost in Traditionele chinese geneeskunde ~ Geen Reactie
