You Got Sick—Now What?

It seems like just yesterday everyone was panicking about the avian flu. We braced ourselves for the worst pandemic in the history of the world. Chickens were slaughtered and burned en masse to prevent the spread of the disease. People were quarantined, and the media made us afraid to leave our houses. My mother-in-law even convinced my wife to buy Tamiflu from one of those less-than-reputable Internet pharmacies. Although there were some outbreaks around the world in small, isolated cases, after all was said and done, few people actually ever contracted this flu, and even fewer died from it. Now we have the swine flu (also known as H1N1) rearing its ugly head, and although scientists, doctors, and health care workers alike are saying it’s milder than the regular flu, good old H1N1 is getting more coverage than the O. J. Simpson case did. Why is there all this chaos for something that happens every season? Chances are it has been a slow news week.

I have been working in the field of Oriental medicine for over a decade, and it amazes me that people will cancel their acupuncture appointments when they are sick. Ask any acupuncturist or Oriental medicine practitioner, and he or she will tell you that when you are ill is when you need treatment the most. It seems that most of these patients were genuinely concerned for the well-being of others and did not wish to spread their germs to them. Although very thoughtful, it did leave them isolated at home for about a week without any palliative care.

It is the intention of this book to introduce Western individuals to some basic tools from traditional Asian healing modalities that will help reduce the duration of their symptoms. Most of these techniques are considered folk medicine in Asia and are frequently reached for at the first signs of a cold or flu, and are definitely used prior to going to the doctor. Hopefully this will provide you with some relief and shorten your self-quarantine.

Most of these remedies are so old, scholars often argue about their origins. These techniques and concepts have never gone out of style because they focus on helping the body overcome the disease instead of focusing on attacking the disease directly. This means that no matter what strain of a new virus or bacteria hits you, these remedies should help provide an easing of symptoms and a shorter duration of the ailment.

In each of the following chapters, a modality will be introduced that has been time tested for thousands of years. I have made attempts to deliver the safest and simplest techniques that still are effective. The chapters are in ascending order of difficulty of technique and can be used in conjunction with most of the other techniques. You will also find that certain therapies are even more effective when paired with others, but most therapies can be done on their own. You may use these techniques in conjunction with modern medicine, including prescriptions from your doctor or over-the-counter remedies. It is also safe to use other holistic modalities, such as healing touch, herbal medicine, and homeopathy, if you feel they are appropriate. If you consult an Oriental medical practitioner, the practitioner may have a different opinion about some of the techniques, but please keep in mind that this information is designed to be safe for all people who use it properly, and with nearly six thousand years of knowledge coming from all over Asia, techniques and theories diff er widely depending on their particular school of thought and training.

Try these techniques and listen to yourself. Remember which ones work best and use them the second you feel like you are catching a cold or the flu. You may be able to bypass the entire course of illness.