OK, so based on some of the responses I’ve gotten to my Coronavirus Concerns post, people are confused about the different strategies I outlined and when to use them. So I’ll try to make a simpler version here.
As always, remember this Disclaimer: nothing anywhere on this blog, or that I’ve written here in this post, is intended as medical advice, or to substitute for medical advice, or intended to treat, cure or prevent any disease. It’s intended for educational, informational, or entertainment purposes only. Before making any changes to your health care regimen always consult your physician, the CDC, the World Health Organization, and any other qualified licensed health care professionals you come across. Continuing to read this blog post may result in your slow, exquisitely painful death or dismemberment. Proceed with the utmost caution and at your own risk. The word “you”, when used in this post, is a placeholder and does not actually refer to anyone or anything, and the same is true of all verbs. Any resemblance to actual persons, either living or dead, is purely coincidental.
If you have no signs or symptoms of a cold or flu:
Continue to use the preventative measures outlined by the CDC, such as hand-washing, using hand sanitizer liberally, avoiding close contact with others, wearing a mask, and so on, as noted in previous posts. Wear a mask whenever going out.
In addition, get a good amount of exercise, especially Qi Gong. Eat a nutritious diet. In particular, the following foods have been shown in research to prevent a particular virus you may have heard of from replicating: Pomegranate juice, Green tea, Cranberries.
Take supplements such as Host Defense’s MyCommunity, Cordyceps, and Turkey Tail extracts.
Drink the Good Qi Tea:
Ingredients
1 tbsp fresh ginger
1 tbsp goji berries (if you have a problem digesting nightshades, use jujube – Chinese red dates – instead)
1 tbsp dried astragalus
Boil 2 cups of water, steep the herbs for 10 minutes, then strain out the herbs. You can boil another 2 cups of water, and steep the same herbs again, for another 9-10 minutes. Drink throughout the day.
If you start noticing a sign of a cold or flu, such as a scratchy throat or sore throat, fever, fatigue, sinus pressure, etc., as soon as you sense any of that, do all of the following:
Take licorice root extract, 1/2 tsp, 3-6 times per day, but avoid if you have hypertension or are pregnant. Take 2 hours away from any medications. Do not take for more than two weeks at a time.
Drink some ginger tea. Grate or finely chop some fresh ginger, an amount about four times the size of your thumb – it must be fresh to be effective for this purpose. Boil 6 cups of water, take it off the heat, and steep the chopped or grated ginger for 2-3 hours in a covered container (it must be covered to keep the essential oils of the ginger in the tea). If you like, at the end of the 2-3 hours you can add one tablespoon honey, the juice of one-quarter of a lime, and 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne pepper. Drink at least 6 cups a day. Warning: do not drink ginger tea if you are pregnant, as it can cause a miscarriage.
Try the shotgun flu formula, 6 times a day (do not take if you’re pregnant, and take 2 hours away from any medications). Continue taking your elderberry tea as well.
Ingredients
This recipe expels wind, heat, and cold from the surface of the body. Many of my patients report that when they take it at the first sign of a cold or flu, they avoid getting sick.
1 teaspoon fresh oregano
1 tablespoon fresh basil
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, chopped
2 cloves fresh garlic, crushed (not chopped)
2 teaspoons fresh peppermint
Juice of 1/2 lemon, or 1 lime
1/2 teaspoon of lemon or lime zest
Half of a small cayenne pepper, seeds removed, chopped (or 1/4 teaspoon dry powder)
1/2 to 1 cup water
Put everything in the blender and mix well. Drink carefully, as it’s quite strong. Best results are obtained taking several doses, 2-4 hours apart, preferably after a meal or snack.
I personally would also take some quercetin, 2 capsules every 4 hours.
I hope that makes things simpler for everyone. Please ask if you have questions.
Best of luck to us all this year! Let’s take care of each other.
Agape Acupuncture in Seattle 