Sick, Sick, Sick

[Hard Fists]

Hey, everybody.

I know that some of you study traditional Chinese medicine. I have had a nasty cold/flu for over a week. While I feel a little better, my lung capacity is short. Over the counter medication doesn't help--actually it just makes me dizzy. Today will be the first day that I go back to working out since I got sick.

Does anyone know of a tea or herbal mixture I can pick up around DC that will help me not gas out?

Thanks,
Aaron

[mickey]

Hi,

It sounds like you need another week. I am just getting over mine. If I have a relapse, I know it is going to be fatal. Take the time to recover fully. Any kind of stimulant will weaken your constitution. Instead, nourish yourself as much as you can.

mickey

[Hard Fists]

Thanks for your suggestion. I just feel weird not being at school for so long, almost like I am letting myself down. Maybe I am just anticipating the soreness of taking two weeks off of my training.

[IronFist]

Go to the store and buy some Airborne. It's an effervescent vitamin tablet in the medicine aisle. Drop one in some cold water and drink it. It's supposed to help with colds but if nothing else it will give you a vitamin boost.

airbornehealth.com

[tug]

At least that's what works for me. And of course, I'm not talking about anything strenuous, but something like a sauna (if you have access to things like that), or simply turning up the heat in your apt/house, and covering up with a heavy blanket for about two hours, all the while drinking a hot green (decaffeinated) tea with ginseng/ginko/echanacia/all of the above, vitamin B/C/D with water and/or Gatorade. Works like a charm since I try to stay away from prescription and over-the-counter remedies. I just can't bring my self to ingest anything made by Western medicine since it seems (at least IMO) they only treat the symptoms, not the source of the affliction.

[IronFist]

^ Are you talking about an artifically induced fever? Can you just take a hot shower instead? I suppose you wouldn't sweat much if you were in the shower. Be careful with that, tho. If your body is already hot you can mess yourself up more and potentially go into shock. Always stay very hydrated.

[red5angel]

actually, instead of worrying about medications or herbal remedies, just ease into it. Your body just needs time to recover and get back to where you were before you got sick.

[tug]

.

Are you talking about an artifically induced fever? Can you just take a hot shower instead? I suppose you wouldn't sweat much if you were in the shower. Be careful with that, tho. If your body is already hot you can mess yourself up more and potentially go into shock. Always stay very hydrated.

Agreed, but no, not a fever, just something to further the activation of extra white blood cells that are struggling to combat the sickness. Yes, I would also recommend a hot shower (or three), as hot as you can stand it for as long as you can stand it, but make sure you have good ventilation as the steam can aggravate a chest cold or bronchitis and make it hard for you to breathe. I do the shower thing also, and although it is temporary relief, it will help you feel better than you do when at the peak of sickness.

I again must agree with Red also though, it is a good idea to ease into whatever remedy you are pursuing, including mine. You really don't want to shock your body too much as it is already working overtime to deal with your affliction.

[IronFist]

I thought steam made it easier to breathe when you had a cold?

[bung bo]

I always feel better when I shower when I'm sick. The steam helps open up your airway and you feel better after you wash all the dirt off. Drink A LOT of water. Take your BW and divide in half. Drink that many ounces of water daily.

Also you can where a lot of clothes to help sweat it out. Don't...umm, drain your essence . That is very important when you're sick.

They're a lot of TCM formulas and pills and stuff on hereacu-market . I have some Gan Mao Ling I take when I feel something coming on and it works fine.

[tug]

Well, it depends, I guess. There's a difference between a head cold and a chest cold. And I don't mean to say that ANY steam is bad, you just have to regulate it to your physiology and severity of your cold/flu/whatever. I depends on who you are. Plus, if you do have bronchitis/pneumonia/plain ol chest cold, you don't want too much steam because there is already too much fluid in your lungs as a result of these afflictions.