Article author:
Sarah Bevelet
Sarah Bevelet has obtained both a Licentiate and a Diploma in Acupuncture. Sarah is a registered member of the Acupuncture Foundation of Ireland.- View full therapist bio
- Phone: 086 8748551
- Email: info
mindandbodyworks [dot] com
Sneezing, coughing, tired or stressed by the demands of life ?
It is the change of season, as we come into winter our immune system naturally gets weaker. We may pick up viral infections and feel more stressed or exhausted as a result. To add to it, the days are shorter and for some this has a direct effect on our emotional state and results in depression or poor energy.
The Good News
We can all find ways of boosting ourselves and help our body and mind through this change. The basic recommendations would be ;
*Get More Sleep – try to get an average of 8 hours and to be asleep by 11pm.
*Eat Warm Foods. For example, add ginger in your cooking or take it as a hot drink with lemon and honey (this can be soothing and can help release phlegm from your chest). You can also eat plenty of homemade chicken soup with lots of garlic to help recover from colds.
*Cover Yourself Properly.If it is windy outside, wear the right jacket and don't forget your hat and scarf. If you have been sweating, don't expose yourself to strong winds. From the Chinese Medicine perspective one may get a 'wind invasion' or in western terms a 'common cold'. If the weather is damp , try a bath with Epsom Salts (cheap and available at any pharmacy), it will relieve your acheing joints.
If however, despite all of your efforts, you feel your health isn't right, seek help from a profesional therapist. There are many therapies on offer and one of them is bound to be right for you. With the strength of viruses we are exposed to at the present time it is very important to keep our immune systems high. However, if you suspect anything serious always consult your doctor and maybe ask for a routine checkup up or blood test.
Sarah Bevelet is a registered acupuncturist working at Mind and Body Works.