I think I’m not alone when I share that I have so many thoughts swirling in my head during this unprecedented time in our history. Right now, I am leaning on statistics and my strong immune system to help ease my personal concerns, but as a practitioner, and even more importantly, member of my community, that only conquers half the battle. I’ve got to admit that I’ve got lots of concerns for those in a more vulnerable place than myself. As a Chinese medicine practitioner, I’m observing this unfolding pandemic thinking not only of epidemiology and sanitation, but also in regards to the elements and natures of the human body and our surroundings. It helps me to find a grounding and place to navigate from. While our understanding of COVID-19 is still unfolding, the initial information that I have been hearing in the Chinese medicine community is that the virus is presenting primarily as a damp toxin illness. This essentially means that the system of those who catch it are invaded with an overwhelming and pathological dampness, in other words, phlegm.
As a slight diversion from the topic at hand (don’t worry, it ties back in later!), when I heard this, it made a lot of sense to me that our elders seem to be the most vulnerable to complications from this illness. Without diving too deep into theory here, many of our regular patients know that the context of Chinese medicine is to try and balance opposing natures in our external and internal environments. The most basic aspect that is referred to is the state of yin and yang. Yang is related to the nature of fire and movement, yin is related to the nature of water and stillness. While we enter the world with an abundance of both yin and yang and they both decline over the course of time, in overall aspect to the course of life, the youthful stage is considered more yang, and the elder time is considered more yin. If you are still following me at all, please give yourself a pat on the back...and if you’re following me, maybe you are catching on to where I am going with all of this. To move and dissipate dampness there are several methods we can use, but underlying all of that, it is incredibly helpful to have a strong underlying yang force, as this heat energy can help clear and move the dampness out of the system. This is why it makes so much sense that elders, who have relatively lower yang energy, are being so hard hit to this illness. If this pandemic involved illness that involved stronger emphasis on the fevers component I think there is a chance that we would be seeing that our children would be the ones more vulnerable.
Here’s where I tie back in…the beauty of understanding these natures of both ourselves and our environments is that they can help guide us to create the most optimal internal environment through the tools of Chinese medicine. And the most fundamental aspect of Chinese medicine is nutrition. While I first and foremost recommend that you follow the basic advice shared with by your local health authorities (wash your hands!), I also know that during these trying times it feels empowering to take whatever small steps we can to enhance our wellness. Please take the following nutritional guidelines as suggestions to help enhance your overall health and immunity from the inside out. Please note that promoting a healthy fire in the belly is almost always beneficial, but these recommendations are offered in line with the current pandemic, and I always recommend reaching out directly if you are considering Chinese dietary therapy for other conditions.
Avoid cold foods: With many of us placing a significant focus on health and wellness, I think many people will consider reaching for a superfood smoothie of some sort. This isn’t a complete no no, but if you do, consider avoiding frozen fruits and ice in your mix, so that the finished product is closer to room temperature. I know it doesn’t sound quite as refreshing, but your body will thank you in the long run! And now is not the time to be guzzling ice water or other cold beverages. When Netflixing at home, save the ice cream until summer, and go for popcorn instead. Eating cold brings cold into the system, and it dampens the digestive fire.
Incorporate warm foods and beverages: Adding onto the first theme...now is a great time to groom your tastebuds to love warm. Tea, warm soups, and even having a mug of warm water with lemon during meals are yummy, nurturing ways to stoke your inner fire.
Minimize or cut out dairy and sugar: Dairy and sugar are yin nature foods, and they engender dampness in the body. Dairy is well known even in western nutrition to increase phlegm production. Sugar overloads the system with empty calories and has the potential to increase insulin resistance and dampen immune response. I know many people are spending increased time at home with beautiful moments of family baking, and I am all for that! But try to reach for recipes that focus on whole grains and minimal use of dairy and sugar. Paleo and keto blogs can be great resources for ideas. And if you do indulge in a favorite family recipe, just take note and try to surround that time with other healthy and clean eating choices.
Incorporate warming spices into your diet: This is another way to continue to stoke the digestive fire. Ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, and garlic are all spices that can be easily emphasized in meals, and the difference is something that is palpably felt after enjoying a meal that features these warming spices.
Take time to chew your food: Movement is yang, and chewing is our first line in the digestive process to incorporate this energy and avoid sending large, soggy clumps of food into our stomachs. Saliva is part of our oral immune system, and our bodies benefit from allowing our food to spend a prolonged amount of time in our moths. For the many of us that are experiencing more time on our hands right now, try experimenting with indulging more in the simple pleasure of chewing.
Take good care of yourselves and each other right now. And please don’t hesitate to lean in during this time if you are feeling confusion, stress, or illness. We exist to support you and as health care providers we recognize that now more than ever is our time to be here for you.