This is the time of year it seems like everyone you know has a cold or flu and to make matters worse they all seem to want to give it to you!

So how do we avoid colds and flu? You could barricade yourself in your home and hide in a warm bed until the flu season is over, but obviously for most people that is not an option. There are many over the counter remedies for when you come down with the virus but these only make the patient more comfortable and to help control symptoms. As with any illness, an ounce of prevention really is a pound of cure!

Many people commonly get a flu shot for prevention, but there are individuals for whom the flu shot is not recommended and may even be detrimental for, such as persons with allergies to hen’s eggs, those who have compromised immune systems and others who have experienced side affects from previous vaccines. There is also some debate about the effectiveness of flu vaccines and the safety of some of the ingredients that make up the vaccines such as formaldehyde and thimerosal (a mercury disinfectant/preservative) just to name a few.

It definitely makes more sense to build up your immune system to help avoid and defend against the flu in the first place with methods that your Mom would have probably recommended.

• wash your hands often (especially important for people who handle money)

• Get more sleep and rest

• Drink lots of water 

• Eat a balanced diet 

• Avoid alcohol and highly processed sugared foods (yes even chocolate!) 

• Take supplements that help strengthen your immune system 

• Stop worrying about getting sick.  

• Practice stress-reducing techniques as stress and worry can suppress the immune system function 

• Get some acupuncture (Acupuncture is always a good idea for strengthening the immune system)  

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been using effective herbal remedies to both prevent and treat flues and colds for over 3000 years. It is common in China to see a big pot of herbal tea being shared by everyone in schools, hospitals and many other working environments to prevent the flu by building the “Jade Screen” during the cold and flue season. In China the immune system or defensive energy “Wei” is often referred to as The Jade Screen. Just as a screen provides a barrier from the wind, a traditional carrier of illness according to TCM, your Jade Screen protects you against attack from outside pathogens such as the flu virus. There is even an ancient herbal prescription called Jade Screen Powder that has been taken for centuries and is still taken today as an effective immune system booster. Even while taking every precaution, sometimes the flu still gets through the strongest Jade Screen, making us wish we could crawl into bed and never come out 

BodyMind Synergy Health Centre carries several traditional Chinese formulas to boost your immune system or to effectively treat the flu or cold for both children and adults. If you have a tendency to easily catch the flu or cold, we carry Jade Screen Powder to help to build up your immune system to prevent flu or colds. We have Yin Qiao San, an effective treatment for flu or cold that is one of the most widely used formulas in China today. Anti-Virus Remedy is a formula Dr. Cheng has modified from ancient Chinese flu treatments to create a safe effective herbal formula that dramatically reduces the severity and shortens the length of time of flu symptoms. If taken when you are around people with the flu, or at the first sign of symptoms, it may even prevent you from becoming ill. Also, it is recommended that if you feel that you are starting to come down with the flu or are ill, to promptly come in and have an acupuncture treatment. Acupuncture treatments can effectively ease such symptoms as congestion, pain and fever. 

Come on in or contact us to find out which formula would be best suited for you; we can also customise a formula to target specific symptoms. If you already have the flu, promptly make an appointment for a treatment or better yet, come in before you get sick and get a “tune up” acupuncture treatment with a prescription to boost your immune system, thus preventing an illness altogether.  

Call us to learn more and remember to take good care of your self to keep your Jade Screen strong.