Decades ago I learned a simple yet effective technique for treating early stage cold and flu symptoms, and you know what? It works!
There is nothing worse than going to work when everyone around you is sniffing, sneezing, coughing, hacking. I am a huge advocate for stepping away from work and obligations for 24-hours to do some intensive resting and immune boosting, but I am also aware that not everyone has that luxury. So, when symptoms begin to arise, why not use the kitchen medicine of ancient sages? Folk medicine can be a powerful and easy way to get you though illness while boosting your immune system at the same time.
Let’s first define “early stage”. This means, within 24 hours of symptoms arising, and by symptoms, I mean a scratchy throat, headache, chills, fever, body aches, clear runny nose. This is the point at which a pathogen is still at the surface and can be vented from the body through the pores. While I am a huge advocate for having clients come to the office for treatment during these early stages of illness( acupuncture and cupping are great tools)it is not always easy to make it happen, so I send these instructions instead.
Things you’ll need:
1 cup jasmine/white rice, cooked
1 cup hot water
1 tea bag green tea
Blankets
Warm layers of clothing like a bathrobe or sweats
Prepare your rice and your green tea. Bundle up and drink the tea and eat the cup of hot rice. Once finished, lie down under plenty of blankets in your layers of warm clothes with eyes closed for 20 minutes. Allow the body to promote a sweat. Change into dry clothes, get back into bed and rest.
Why this works.
In Chinese medicine there is an aspect of Qi called Wei Qi or Defensive Qi. It is in charge of opening and closing the pores. Green tea is a natural diaphoretic and thus promotes sweating, hot rice offers more warmth to the body and energy to back up the defensive Qi’s ability to push the pathogen out through the sweat. Many clients ask me why it is important to close the eyes. There are two potential reasons here. One is linked to the parasympathetic nervous system, the rest and digest part of our CNS that gets activated during sleep, and allows for rejuvenation of our internal systems while sleeping, the other is the activation of the Wei Qi, which is also heightened during sleep. When the eyes are closed, this potentiates a Wei Qi response setting us up for strengthening the immune system. Resting is not just about lying down, because we could easily lie down and turn the TV on or read a book or do work from bed. True rest comes when a system can truly relax, which is why closing the eyes is the special sauce to this kitchen medicine inspired cold remedy.
Let me know your favorite cold remedies and what works for you when you are fighting illness. Here’s to a healthy winter and a robust spring season to follow.