Volume 1, Issue 1 November 9, 2011
Alternatives to the Flu Shot
Every year, we are told to get our flu shot lest we get infected with some deadly strain of the flu virus. It is true that some people are more at risk, yet there are other ways to protect one’s health than by annual re-injection of vaccines which often carry risks of their own. The simplest, and most natural of options is boosting one’s immune system. Acupuncture offers a protocol that does just that, best done at the change of seasons. As well, certain homeopathic remedies, and herbal immune formulas, in tea or tincture form, will achieve similar results. Check with your complementary health practitioner for your optimum solution.
One more comment about acupuncture for immune boosting – it is best received at change of seasons, especially during Indian Summer because this is quite often the beginning of the ‘flu season’. The immune protocol is relatively simple and can be combined with treatment for other issues.
One substitute for the flu shot currently on the market and which I favour for its safety is a combination of products by the company -Heel, the makers of Traumeel®, the popular ointment for traumatic injury. The combo consists of Gripp Heel® and Engystol® and it comes in the form of homeopathic pills that are taken under the tongue. The best of all about this approach is that the protective effect is cumulative over the years. Further information on the two products is available online at www.heel.com .
In my experience, the impact of the formula is limited in the first year, but it becomes definitely obvious the second and third year. I’ve now been taking these twos formulas for 4 years during the more challenging months of the year (which happen to be coinciding with the flu season, of course), i.e. from October till April or May, depending on how difficult the Winter is.
The protocol for this approach is as follows:
First month
First week: take 1 pill each of the Gripp Heel® and Engystol® 3 times daily, before meals.
Second week: take a break
Third week: take 1 pill each of the Gripp Heel® and Engystol® 3 times daily, before meals.
... Then take a break for the next 5 weeks or so, i.e. till the.
Third month
First week (of): take 1 pill each of the Gripp Heel® and Engystol® 3 times daily, before meals.
Second week (of third month): break
Third week (of third month): take 1 pill each of the Gripp Heel® and Engystol® 3 times daily, before meals.
... Then take a break for the next 5 weeks or so, i.e. till the fifth month, if necessary.
A Change in Direction
From the tools of Feng Shui, Chinese folks know very well the importance of the direction in which they sleep. For instance, sleeping with one’s head at due North brings one closer to the spiritual realm. Choose South when looking for passion, East if you’re ambitious, and West to maintain good relationships. This of course does not happen overnight, so you may have to commit for a few nights before you become aware of the benefits of your sleeping position. But if you’re just seeking a good night’s sleep, a daily, judicious blend of energizing and relaxing activities, while limiting coffee intake and eliminating the late night snack may be all you need.
The crown chakra points upward, which is the direction from which we absorb energy most readily. The most natural way to redirect Qi is through one’s head during sleep.
North (345º-15º) Will improve quality of sleep, enhance feelings of peace and tranquility, and bring one closer to the spiritual realm. It can help one feel more intimate, affectionate, and sexual, but is usually too “quiet” an energy for a young, active person.
South (165º-195º) Anyone who has trouble sleeping, gets easily stressed, is over-emotional, or happens to be going through a rocky patch in a relationship should not sleep with her/his head to the South. Ideal position if single, looking to find passion, and desiring to be noticed. Its Qi, which is most active at midday and during midsummer when the sun is at its peak, is powerful, hot, and fiery. To feel more like a social animal, either informally with friends or when entertaining. Activates self-expression and extroversion. This vibrant, mentally stimulating energy helps one to stand out and develop one’s reputation.
East (75º - 105º) For those desiring to become more ambitious and eager to get things done. Energy form the East is active, focused, and corresponds with the time of beginnings. It helps one to wake up enthusiastic about getting on with one’s day and can give one that extra little push when it is difficult to get out of bed. Excellent for building up your life and undertaking new projects.
West (255º - 285º) Beneficial for maintaining good relationships and spicing up one’s sex life as it encourages playfulness and vitality with one’s partner. Qi from the West combines the benefits of restful sleep with feelings of contentment. This romantic energy induces a state of relaxation that comes with feeling content and is most active at sunset and during Fall.
North-East (15º-75º) The harsh, piercing Qi of the Northeast may interrupt a good night’s sleep, make one edgy, and increase the incidence of nightmares. Ideal for those who want to gain a sense of direction in one’s life as it drives one to be more decisive, focused, and competitive.
North-West (285º-345º) Encourages long, deep sleep. This mature energy may be restricting if one is young and/or carefree, and would be better suited for someone older and better settled. Associated with leadership and responsibility.
South-East (105º-165º) Can help revive a flagging relationship or free up those creativity blocks that have been hindering one’s output. South-East Qi equates with a time of growth and is useful for raising deflated Qi levels, so persevere with it if you want to achieve long-term goals.
South-West (195º-255º) Helps one feel harmonious, open to consolidation, and willing to work with people. Can also improve one’s quality of life, of relationships, of family life, and of workplace. South-West Qi is settled and slow-moving, with points of increased activity in the afternoon and late summer. Use it to help others and to become more practical.
Taken from Chi Energy Workbook by Simon G. Brown, ISBN 1-4027-1701-6.
Chicken Soup and Other Cold Remedies
Well, you’ve done everything but… your children go to school and bring everything back with them. Once a cold has set in, now what? “Feed a cold, starve a fever.” Make sure you keep some chicken broth frozen just for these times. Make yourself a good chicken soup, with lots of veggies. Drink the broth or eat the whole soup, frequently. Also, press the following points as frequently:
LI4— Found when your thumb and index finger are brought together, at the highest part of the mound thus formed. In fact, the most tender point in that area is best.
LI11— Bring the palm of your hand toward your shoulder. This point is found at the outside end of the elbow crease.
Then, stop by Seeds Natural Food Market and get the Lung and Cough Formula from Harmonic Arts. Alternately, if you often find yourself in Courtenay, stop by Marigold Naturals on the corner of 6th and England, and get a bottle of the Chinese pills “Yin Qiao San”. A bottle of Nin Jiom Pei Pa Koa (Edible Island) for coughs is also a good bet. Maybe consider having those on hand just in case since they keep for a few years anyway.
Every year, we are told to get our flu shot lest we get infected with some deadly strain of the flu virus. It is true that some people are more at risk, yet there are other ways to protect one’s health than by annual re-injection of vaccines which often carry risks of their own. The simplest, and most natural of options is boosting one’s immune system. Acupuncture offers a protocol that does just that, best done at the change of seasons. As well, certain homeopathic remedies, and herbal immune formulas, in tea or tincture form, will achieve similar results. Check with your complementary health practitioner for your optimum solution.
One more comment about acupuncture for immune boosting – it is best received at change of seasons, especially during Indian Summer because this is quite often the beginning of the ‘flu season’. The immune protocol is relatively simple and can be combined with treatment for other issues.
One substitute for the flu shot currently on the market and which I favour for its safety is a combination of products by the company -Heel, the makers of Traumeel®, the popular ointment for traumatic injury. The combo consists of Gripp Heel® and Engystol® and it comes in the form of homeopathic pills that are taken under the tongue. The best of all about this approach is that the protective effect is cumulative over the years. Further information on the two products is available online at www.heel.com .
In my experience, the impact of the formula is limited in the first year, but it becomes definitely obvious the second and third year. I’ve now been taking these twos formulas for 4 years during the more challenging months of the year (which happen to be coinciding with the flu season, of course), i.e. from October till April or May, depending on how difficult the Winter is.
The protocol for this approach is as follows:
First month
First week: take 1 pill each of the Gripp Heel® and Engystol® 3 times daily, before meals.
Second week: take a break
Third week: take 1 pill each of the Gripp Heel® and Engystol® 3 times daily, before meals.
... Then take a break for the next 5 weeks or so, i.e. till the.
Third month
First week (of): take 1 pill each of the Gripp Heel® and Engystol® 3 times daily, before meals.
Second week (of third month): break
Third week (of third month): take 1 pill each of the Gripp Heel® and Engystol® 3 times daily, before meals.
... Then take a break for the next 5 weeks or so, i.e. till the fifth month, if necessary.
A Change in Direction
From the tools of Feng Shui, Chinese folks know very well the importance of the direction in which they sleep. For instance, sleeping with one’s head at due North brings one closer to the spiritual realm. Choose South when looking for passion, East if you’re ambitious, and West to maintain good relationships. This of course does not happen overnight, so you may have to commit for a few nights before you become aware of the benefits of your sleeping position. But if you’re just seeking a good night’s sleep, a daily, judicious blend of energizing and relaxing activities, while limiting coffee intake and eliminating the late night snack may be all you need.
The crown chakra points upward, which is the direction from which we absorb energy most readily. The most natural way to redirect Qi is through one’s head during sleep.
North (345º-15º) Will improve quality of sleep, enhance feelings of peace and tranquility, and bring one closer to the spiritual realm. It can help one feel more intimate, affectionate, and sexual, but is usually too “quiet” an energy for a young, active person.
South (165º-195º) Anyone who has trouble sleeping, gets easily stressed, is over-emotional, or happens to be going through a rocky patch in a relationship should not sleep with her/his head to the South. Ideal position if single, looking to find passion, and desiring to be noticed. Its Qi, which is most active at midday and during midsummer when the sun is at its peak, is powerful, hot, and fiery. To feel more like a social animal, either informally with friends or when entertaining. Activates self-expression and extroversion. This vibrant, mentally stimulating energy helps one to stand out and develop one’s reputation.
East (75º - 105º) For those desiring to become more ambitious and eager to get things done. Energy form the East is active, focused, and corresponds with the time of beginnings. It helps one to wake up enthusiastic about getting on with one’s day and can give one that extra little push when it is difficult to get out of bed. Excellent for building up your life and undertaking new projects.
West (255º - 285º) Beneficial for maintaining good relationships and spicing up one’s sex life as it encourages playfulness and vitality with one’s partner. Qi from the West combines the benefits of restful sleep with feelings of contentment. This romantic energy induces a state of relaxation that comes with feeling content and is most active at sunset and during Fall.
North-East (15º-75º) The harsh, piercing Qi of the Northeast may interrupt a good night’s sleep, make one edgy, and increase the incidence of nightmares. Ideal for those who want to gain a sense of direction in one’s life as it drives one to be more decisive, focused, and competitive.
North-West (285º-345º) Encourages long, deep sleep. This mature energy may be restricting if one is young and/or carefree, and would be better suited for someone older and better settled. Associated with leadership and responsibility.
South-East (105º-165º) Can help revive a flagging relationship or free up those creativity blocks that have been hindering one’s output. South-East Qi equates with a time of growth and is useful for raising deflated Qi levels, so persevere with it if you want to achieve long-term goals.
South-West (195º-255º) Helps one feel harmonious, open to consolidation, and willing to work with people. Can also improve one’s quality of life, of relationships, of family life, and of workplace. South-West Qi is settled and slow-moving, with points of increased activity in the afternoon and late summer. Use it to help others and to become more practical.
Taken from Chi Energy Workbook by Simon G. Brown, ISBN 1-4027-1701-6.
Chicken Soup and Other Cold Remedies
Well, you’ve done everything but… your children go to school and bring everything back with them. Once a cold has set in, now what? “Feed a cold, starve a fever.” Make sure you keep some chicken broth frozen just for these times. Make yourself a good chicken soup, with lots of veggies. Drink the broth or eat the whole soup, frequently. Also, press the following points as frequently:
LI4— Found when your thumb and index finger are brought together, at the highest part of the mound thus formed. In fact, the most tender point in that area is best.
LI11— Bring the palm of your hand toward your shoulder. This point is found at the outside end of the elbow crease.
Then, stop by Seeds Natural Food Market and get the Lung and Cough Formula from Harmonic Arts. Alternately, if you often find yourself in Courtenay, stop by Marigold Naturals on the corner of 6th and England, and get a bottle of the Chinese pills “Yin Qiao San”. A bottle of Nin Jiom Pei Pa Koa (Edible Island) for coughs is also a good bet. Maybe consider having those on hand just in case since they keep for a few years anyway.