Chinese Medicine has long been used for illness prevention.  In fact, back in the day, the Emperor’s physician was paid when the Big Cheese was well, and not paid when he was ill.  This emphasis on maintenance of health, rather than on treatment of existing illness, is, sadly, a complete reversal of our modern medicine.  Today, I’d like to take us back to thinking about maintaining our health, and the health of others, with basic lifestyle recommendations, as well as Chinese medicine techniques.

Chinese medicine is best utilized as prevention, and common sense provides us with some of the best methods of illness prevention.  Most of these methods were first introduced to us by our mothers, more than a couple of years ago.  I realize that some of us do not currently include the following methods into our daily routine, as some sort of long-standing rebellion against our mothers. I understand, but ask you, for the time being, to place that surely-justified rebellion in another category, you know, until this whole pandemic thing blows over.  In case your rebellion has been so long-standing that you need a reminder, the following are good ways to not be part of the problem:

• Cover your mouth AND nose when you cough/sneeze or otherwise emit bodily fluid from your face at a high rate of speed. 
• Frequent hand-washing, up to the elbow (for at least 20 seconds, or the time it takes to sing “Happy Birthday”) is essential; yes, you REALLY have to do it that long.
• When it is impossible to wash your hands, the use of alcohol-based hand sanitizer is a viable SECOND option, but it truly is a second option.
• Keep your mitts out of your mouth, eyes, and nose.  If you chew your nails, and then touch your face, you might as well lick everything you touched (as well as all of the other people that touched those items) since the last time you washed your hands for twenty seconds.  Think about that for a moment.  That’s right.  Ewwwwwwwww.

There are common Chinese herbs, such as astragalus, that have demonstrated impressive immunopotentiating effects.  There are also several Chinese patent herbal formulas which can improve immune function.  Determining which formula is best for you requires a visit to your local L.Ac. because treatment strategy depends on your medical history, as well as a current assessment of your signs and symptoms.  Other herbal combinations have demonstrated promise in the treatment of existing cases of H1N1.  Again, exact formulations depend on the signs and symptoms of the individual patient.  

Acupuncture and moxibustion have also demonstrated effectiveness in building immune function, including improved immune response in cancer patients.  As with Chinese herbal therapy, number and frequency of treatments depends on the state of health of the individual patient at the time of treatment. 

Moderate, regular exercise is also known to boost immune function,so, get out there and move your meat!

Certain foods are also thought to improve immune function. Colostrum, found in breastmilk, is by far the best booster of immune function, but chances are, if you reading this, you have missed that boat.  In that case, the following foods have demonstrated immune-boosting properties, according to Dr. Sears:

• Foods high in Vitamin C such as 
  

  Fruit	Calories	Milligrams of Vitamin C
  1. Guava, 1 medium	46	165
  2. Papaya, 1 cup, cubed	55	87
  3. Strawberries, 1 cup	45	84
  4. Kiwi, 1 medium	46	74
  5. Cantaloupe, 1 cup	56	68
  6. Orange, 1 medium	60	75
  7. Grapefruit, half	39	42

• Foods rich in Vitamin E, such as seeds and vegetable oils, or supplementation thereof.
• Foods with Carotenoids, found in orange-colored fruits and vegetables including mangoes, carrots, squash, apricots, and sweet potatoes.  They can also be found in green leafy veg such as spinach, kale and collard beans.
• Foods with high levels of Bioflavenoids such as citrus fruits, berries, onions, parsley, legumes, green tea, and YEY!, red wine.
• Foods high in Zinc, such as oysters, crab, beef, and beans.  
• Garlic. It really does keep the demons away.
• Foods high in Selenium such as tuna, red snapper, lobster, shrimp, whole grains, vegetables (depending on the selenium content of the soil they’re grown in), brown rice, egg yolks, cottage cheese, chicken (white meat), sunflower seeds, garlic, Brazil nuts, and lamb chops.
• Foods rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, such as flax oil and fatty fish, or supplementation thereof.  

Obviously, if you are pregnant and/or nursing, you might need to refine some of these recommendations.  And, as always, the aforementioned information is just that, information, and is not intended to diagnose you, cure you, or turn you into a doctor.  All of your decisions regarding your health should be made with your personal heath care provider, as he/she is the only one that knows all of the particulars of your state of health.

With that in mind, go forth in health.