Certain foods can be used to fight respiratory diseases and can have "mucokinetic" (mucus-moving) effect, similar to the commonly used decongestants and expectorants. 

Like it Hot!
The best mucokinetic foods are hot and spicy.  The effectiveness of these ancient remedies have been confirmed by research.

• Mustard, horseradish
• Garlic
• Hot chili peppers

The hot stuff in these foods stimulates nerve receptors in in the mouth, throat and stomach, which in turn activates the vagus nerve controlling secretion-producing glands. These glands release waves of  fluids that make the eyes water and the nose run, but they also release watery fluids inside the bronchial passages of the lungs, thus breaking up congestion and flushing away irritants.

If you can tolerate it and if  you do not have a health condition for which eating hot spicy food is contraindicated, here are few tips to clear up stuffy nose and lung congestion from Dr. Irwin Ziment, lung specialist from UCLA:

• Sprinkle ten to twenty drops of Tabasco sauce in a glass of water and drink it or gargle with it
• Chew on a chili pepper
  
• Add a whole peeled garlic cloves to your soup; zap garlic in a microwave first to preserve alliin, the primary therapeutic substance
  

Antiviral Effect
Some foods have proven antiviral effect.

• Ginger 

            - Destroys influenza virus

• Shiitake mushrooms

             - Substance called lentinan in shiitake mushrooms fights influenza viruses

• Onions

            - Substance quercetin, concentrated in onions, has antiviral and antibacterial activity.

• Yogurt

            - Has antiviral and antibacterial properties
            - Enhances immune system

• Garlic

           - Garlic extract is found to kill nearly 100 percent of both a human rhinovirus that causes colds  parainfluenza 3, a flu      
             respiratory virus
          - Commonly called "Russian penicillin" for its widespread use in Russia and throughout  Eastern Europe
          - Add whole peeled garlic cloves to soup. 


See also: Keeping Your Immune System Strong - What to Eat


Source:  Food Your Miracle Medicine by Jean Carper
​

            -

Chinese Herbal Medicine has a two thousand  long history.  People of ancient times suffered from numerous infectious and febrile diseases with the same symptoms that we see today in colds, flu, pneumonia, bronchitis, malaria and many other.  Over centuries the Chinese doctors discovered and developed extensive herbal pharmacopeia  that they used to create herbal remedies to treat these diseases.

So it is no surprise that today with the COVID-19 pandemic,  Western and Traditional Chinese  Medicine (TCM) doctors in China  work together to  cure patients from this disease.

These herbal supplements they use in China are also available to us here. 

​Great Road Acupuncture and Herbs LLC  provides herbal and dietary consultations  online (email, skype, facebook,  whatsup video chats or phone conversations). Herbal prescriptions are not included in the consultation fee.
​
The prescription orders can be picked up in the office or mailed to your address.
​
 CONTACT US  for  more information or  SCHEDULE HERBAL CONSULTATION.

"Our food should be our medicine and our medicine should be our food."
                                                                                                                      - Hippocrates
 What we eat can have a great influence on our immune system.
 Based on research studies,  these foods have a  strong immune-boosting  effect:

•  Yogurt 

                - Can kill and disable bacteria 
                - Simulates production of gamma interferon, boosts activity of natural killer (NK) cells
                - Revs up production of antibodies

• Shiitake mushrooms

                - Contain antiviral substance called lentinan that exhibits strong  immunostimulating activity
                - Stimulate macrophages (important in fighting cancer cells and microbes)

• Fruits and vegetables 

                 - Boost immune defenses against bacterial and viral infections and cancer:
                    spinach, kale, broccoli, cabbage, broccoli sprouts, carrots, blueberries,  strawberries, raspberries, onions..

• Garlic

                  - Has a strong anti-bacterial, anti-viral and anti-cancer  effect
                  - You can eat raw garlic or  a cold-pressed garlic extract
                  - When you feel sore throat coming on, eat some garlic or onion to scare off the cold or flu.

• Food rich in zinc

                    - Stimulate production of T-cells that fight off infections
                  -  Oysters (raw and smoked), crabmeat, pot roast, calf's liver, turkey (dark meat), pumpkin and squash seeds
                  -  You can take also zinc supplements
                  
Foods that can weaken immune system:

•  Sugar
• Fat (wrong type of fat)

             - Fish oil which is rich in omega-3 fatty acids has a beneficial effect on immune system
              - Vegetable polyunsaturated fats (omega-6 fatty acids)  such as in corn, sunflwer and safflower seed oils
                can inhibit formation of lymphocytes 

   

             
            

At this time Great Road Acupuncture and Herbs will be operating with normal business hours.
 
   In order to continue spread wellness and health  we ask you that:
 
1) If you feel sick, have fever, a cough, please contact us to reschedule your appointment.
 
2) If you had a direct contact with someone who has been in a high infected zone, please contact us to reschedule your appointment.
 
3) During your regular appointments, you are welcome to ask any questions regarding self-care and how to keep your immune system strong. 

4) You can schedule Herbal Consultation appointment. Chinese herbal formulas have been used for centuries to fight off malaria and other  febrile infectious diseases and are currently used with success as a supportive measure in China to fight  COVID-19.

Fibromyalgia is a common chronic syndrome affecting women more than men. It is characterized by widespread pain, fatigue, and sleep disturbance. Other symptoms may include cognitive difficulties known as 'fibro fog' (difficulty in paying attention or concentrating on mental tasks), headaches, paresthesia (tingling, numbness, chilling or burning skin sensations).
​
Fibromyalgia is believed to be a neurobiological disorder that is referred to as central sensitivity syndrome.  It means that pain sensations felt in fibromyalgia are likely due to hypersensitivity of the central nervous system and the way it processes pain.

Can acupuncture help?
A consensus statement from the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) concluded that acupuncture  may be useful as an adjunct treatment or may be an acceptable  alternative treatment  in comprehensive management program for fibromyalgia.

Recently, even BlueCross BlueShield, a major  health insurance company, dropped opioids for the management of chronic pain, and is adding acupuncture as an alternative.

This shows that acupuncture is well recognized within Western medical institutions as a valuable option in treating chronic pain.

From the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) perspective, the diagnosis will be made based on the symptoms that the patient presents.  If, for instance, one patient may suffer from chronic pain with the tingling and burning sensations in the skin, they will get different diagnosis and treatment, than the patient who suffers from chronic pain and cognitive difficulties. The TCM practitioner will also treat the root of the problem as well as the symptoms.  In addition to acupuncture, the treatment may include herbs, moxibuction, cupping, and lifestyle modifications such as changes in diet and exercise.

The treatment usually lasts 6-12 weeks, depending on the severity of the condition and on the individual's response to the treatment.

A randomized controlled trial with fibromyalgia patients published in Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine showed that acupuncture was beneficial for pain and quality of life 3 months after the end of the treatment  with some improvements lasting one year after the treatments.

This study  evaluated acupuncture treatments alone. It did not include other forms of TCM treatments that may be included in your acupuncturist's clinic (mentioned above: herbs, exercise, dietary changes..), that may contribute to even more lasting improvements.

References
Targino, R., Imamura, M., Kaziyama, H., Souza, L., Hsing, W., Furlan, A., . . . Neto, R. A. (2008). A randomized controlled trial of acupuncture added to usual treatment for fibromyalgia. Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine, 40(7), 582-588. doi:10.2340/16501977-0216



​


​

It seems we are deep into the season for all kinds of cold viruses.  We hear people sneeze and cough all around us. Either you had a cold or someone  you know had it.
Can acupuncture and herbs help?
And the answer is … yes!  As a matter of fact, a great body of knowledge of Oriental medicine is dedicated to fighting infectious and febrile diseases.
There are acupuncture points on your body that, when stimulated by needles or warmed by moxa, can effectively relieve nasal and sinus congestion, sore throat, headaches, cough and strengthen your immune system.
There are also very many herbal formulas that treat  respiratory diseases in various stages, from common cold with nasal congestion, to pneumonia.

But, there are also things in your kitchen cabinets that can be very helpful. Here is a simple remedy:
Ingredients
1/2 inch of  fresh ginger, cut into small pieces
1 piece of cinnamon bark or 1/2 tsp of cinnamon powder
1 quarter of a small lemon
1 tsp of honey
10 oz of water
Bring water to a boil and add all of the ingredients. Steep at lower temperature for 20 minutes. When done, let is stay for 5-10 minutes, then strain the liquid. Drink slowly.

Chicken soup is also very effective, especially if you add garlic, onions, turmeric and black pepper.

Seasonal colds and flu may be also prevented  by taking herbal formulas and having acupuncture treatments in early Fall, before the start of the flu season.
​




​
​