How best to eat drink and sleep during the coronavirus pandemic

In the last month (January 2020), the temperature in Wuhan has dropped. It is normal for the temperature to decrease during the solar term period, the Lesser Cold (小寒) and the Greater Cold (大寒) (6 January to 3 February 2020), and this is a good thing! 

To give some background, nowadays many people follow a typical modernised life style, with not enough physical activity and too much time spent on thinking and worrying. This type of lifestyle causes a significant issue, which can be described in Chinese medicine as the blockage and stagnation of energy or substance at middle Jiao. (In Chinese medicine, the body can be split into three Jiao’s: the upper, the middle and the lower sections of the body.) This major issue, the blockage and stagnation of energy in the middle Jiao, is stated in the Classics of Chinese medicine to be caused by "the excessive thinking and worrying damage the function of Spleen". The TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) Spleen and Stomach system is the centrepiece of the digestive system around the middle Jiao.

In the winter, the natural tendency is to collect and seal. (For example, a squirrel would stock up on nuts and go into hibernation.) Therefore, when the temperature outside drops, the body's Yang energy follows the same trend by going downward and inward. However, in people who have stagnation and blockage at the middle Jiao, the energy cannot go down smoothly. This leads to the energy not being able to return home. If this persists, the stagnation accumulates and this generates heat, and results in symptoms like tightness in the chest, cough, nausea, sore throat, etc. The resistance to the Yang energy can cause a lot of discomfort! 

In view of the current Covid-19 pandemic, this article will explain Chinese medicine methods to help with the virus. Its fundamental problem, in Chinese medicine, is related to the lack of Righteous Qi (a form of vital energy, which keeps the normal functioning of the energy in the body). When Qi in the body follows its normal routine of going up and down, in and out, the body will produce immunity and recover quickly, because behind the tangible body is the invisible running of the mechanism of Qi). So, by restoring the transformation of Qi in the body, clearing the tangible form of stasis, phlegm and damp in the body, and evacuating the accumulations in the bowels, the body will cure itself without specific treatment to the disease or virus! Analysing the above steps lead to the following recommendations on how best to eat, drink, evacuate the body, sleep and other methods, which will strengthen the immune system.

In view of the current Covid-19 pandemic, this article will explain Chinese medicine methods to help with the virus. Its fundamental problem, in Chinese medicine, is related to the lack of Righteous Qi (a form of vital energy, which keeps the normal functioning of the energy in the body). When Qi in the body follows its normal routine of going up and down, in and out, the body will produce immunity and recover quickly, because behind the tangible body is the invisible running of the mechanism of Qi). So, by restoring the transformation of Qi in the body, clearing the tangible form of stasis, phlegm and damp in the body, and evacuating the accumulations in the bowels, the body will cure itself without specific treatment to the disease or virus! Analysing the above steps lead to the following recommendations on how best to eat, drink, evacuate the body, sleep and other methods, which will strengthen the immune system.

Eat; Due to the presence of the stagnation and blockage at middle Jiao, it is better not to eat too much food that is difficult to digest, such as glutinous rice, egg and meat etc..The white radish (mooli萝卜) and Chinese cabbage (Chinese leaves 白菜) promote health as they have the function of dredging and clearing the digestive tracts (six Fu organs), clearing internal heat, resolving phlegm and detoxification. If you feel weak, try stir-fry white radish or Chinese cabbage with lard (猪油). Lard can open passages for substances to pass through in the body, promote blood circulation and remove stasis. Remember, the stir-fried vegetable dish with lard needs to be eaten while it is still hot. If someone has cold feet, adding cinnamon (桂皮) in the cooking helps. 

Drink; Avoid rich drinks with high viscosity such as milk, tremella soup (银耳汤), thick meat stock (浓肉汤). They tend to affect the movement of Qi (energy). In the case of lacking Yin fluid or having a dry mouth, get the aromatic fruits, such as mandarine, orange, or grapefruit, and make a drink by boiling the pulp with water. If at the same time there is Qi (energy) stagnation or tightness in chest, add some peeling of the fruit when boiling the mixture of the fruit pulp and water. The peelings are good for opening and propagating the movement of Qi. You can also make Pu'er tea with Chen Pi (陈皮aged tangerine peeling). If there is heat, add more Pu'er; If there is Qi stagnation, add more Chen Pi.

Evacuation; Keep the bowel movement unobstructed. The bowel is the main passage to vacate the turbid Qi from the body. A pile of sticky stool can obstruct or shut Qi in the body. If the bowel movement is not good, eating more Chinese cabbage helps.

Sleep; People who have caught a cold recently have an abnormal movement of energy, that is Yang energy not returning to rest inside Yin, and there is stagnation and blockage in the middle Jiao. Sleep is the best way to correct this abnormality and guide Yang energy into Yin! Good sleep improves the immune system.

Slapping (拍打); It is said in the classics of Chinese medicine that "If there is a problem with Lung or Heart, there is pathogenic energy (Xie Qi) at the two elbows; If there is a problem with Liver, there is pathogenic energy (Xie Qi) under two armpits; If there is a problem with Spleen, there is pathogenic energy (Xie Qi) at the groin area; If there is a problem with Kidney, there is pathogenic energy (Xie Qi) at the back of two knees." The coronavirus patients have stagnant heat at Heart and Lung, therefore by slapping (拍打) or scraping (Gua Sha 刮痧) at the inner side of elbows can alleviate the stress on Lung and Heart, and reduce the suffering of the body.

Acupuncture (针刺) (for acupuncturists); Two needling path of Yin Yang Jiu Zhen acupuncture (阴阳九针) are very suitable for the treatment of coronavirus infection. "Yuan Tou Huo Shui" (源头活水) opens and connects the heaven with earth, therefore is very good for smoothing the energy in the central axis (Zhong Mai 中脉) and guide Yang energy down to enter Yin. "Da Hai Shang Ming Yue" (大海上明月) promotes the Qi transformation function at the lower abdomen (lower Jiao). So this is the acupuncture points protocol I recommend for the treatment of coronavirus infection: "Yuan Tou Huo Shui" and "Da Hai Shang Ming Yue", as shown in the pictures below.  

Applying the three needles above can alleviate the discomfort in the body promptly.