Boost Your Immune System and Find Allergy Relief With Acupuncture & Chinese Herbal Medicine

It has been a heck of a season for a lot of us central Texans. Flu, a Covid uptick, weather that has been up and down that can make you sick, and a particularly harsh cedar season. In this article I’ll share some things that you can do to boost your immune system before we head into spring.

At Home

• Consume foods such as garlic, ginger, turmeric, red bell peppers, citrus, chicken broth, broccoli, almonds, yogurt, and green tea. Anti inflammatory foods help allergy sufferers and vitamin rich foods and supplements help give your immune system a boost. Look for foods or supplements that have vitamin C, ,A, E, B6, D, Zinc, Folate, Selenium, Curcumin, and probiotics. Keep a healthy diet in general.

• If you suffer from cedar allergies, one thing you can do is to change your bathing time from morning to night. This helps to wash some pollen out of your hair before you climb into bed, taking it with you. Also your pets are bringing pollen into the house so make sure they are getting bathed more frequently, too.

• Neti pot rinses are something that have helped me and my patients who have been bothered by pollens and if you are someone who is prone to sinus infections, neti pots are a must. They help relieve congestion and also moisten the nasal cavity.

• Local pollen tinctures which you can find at the drug store or HEB can be helpful for allergies. I use one for cedar every year.

• Get enough rest. If sleep is an issue, try a magnesium supplement, CBD, or ahem, acupuncture! Here is an old post I wrote about essential oils that are helpful for sleep. And another short meditation that you can do to help you wind down.

  Herbs

• Herbs that are good for your immune system include astragalus, ginseng, elderberry, echinacea, olive leaf, maitake, and reishi.

• Yu Ping Feng San, also known as Jade Screen Powder, has been used for centuries to boost and protect our qi. It is helpful if you are prone to catching colds and is also useful for allergies. I personally try to take it before times that I typically suffer from allergies and find that I have an easier time when I do.

• If your acupuncturist uses moxa in their practice, they might warm up acupuncture points with mugwort which has been proven to boost the immune system. This practice is called moxibustion and can be a very soothing part of treatment.

  Acupuncture

• Acupuncture not only helps to reduce stress and anxiety which have an effect on your immune system, but it also strengthens a weakened immune system by increasing red and white blood cells and T cells.

• If you are suffering from sinus congestion or respiratory issues acupuncture can help alleviate cough, drain mucus, and treat headaches.

• There are other herbal formulas besides Yu Ping Feng San that your acupuncturist may provide that can be tailored to your health needs.