I have been reading the news more than I ever have in my entire lifetime for the past couple of months. When the virus first erupted in Wuhan, I was away on Orcas Island with friends. We were all sitting around discussing what was happening and the initial numbers- 50, 200, 600, 1000 people infected. I had heard an infectious specialist describe this virus as “unlike anything he had ever seen before” and those words have continued to ring in my ear. Now we know why. Containment is now no longer an option- we’ve seen how quickly this virus has been able to spread through our global community.

Social distancing is such a difficult concept for us humans. We have evolved to seek community, spend time with friends and family, hug, and comfort each other- especially in times of stress. Part of our stress response is to produce oxytocin -also known as the love hormone- which is what drives us to seek this support and to be surrounded by the people who care about us. Kelly McGonigal, the author of The Upside of Stress emphasizes that human connection is “a built in mechanism for Stress Resilience.” By producing oxytocin we are driven to social connection and oxytocin production then increases. Oxytocin works like an antidote for stress by reducing blood pressure, cortisol levels and anxiety and promotes growth and healing. Thank goodness we live in a time where we can easily stay connected through a multitude of options- Facetime, Snapchat, What’s app, Facebook, Instagram and all the other social media sites that are available to us while we are self-isolating.

Now more than ever before we can support ourselves and others by staying connected through the phone, online or from a distance when interacting with our neighbours. This will activate oxytocin and help to reduce the negative and stress induced feelings caused by the uncertainty we are facing, loss of work and economic fallout. Support, support, support.

Another very important way to support our immune system is through our diet. Chinese Medicine has always utilized diet therapy in aiding the body because the flavour, temperature and function of foods can heat, cool, moisten, or dry the body. COVID-19 seems to attack the lungs exclusively causing extremely sticky phlegm to accumulate which is very difficult or unable to be expectorated by coughing. This is why we are seeing the extreme need for ventilators in the hospitals for certain cases. Eliminating from our diet any foods which are damp/phlegm producing and increasing foods which will cut through the phlegm is crucial at this time.

Which foods should be avoided?

All the foods below create dampness and excess phlegm in the body:

Dairy– a little fermented dairy is O.K. such as non-sweetened Greek yogurt or sour cream. A little butter is O.K also

Sugar– reduce as much as possible. Check labels for sugar content.

Bananas– promote phlegm production

White flour- think bread, pastries, wraps pasta, bagel, and pizza

Raw foods- reduce salads, tropical fruit, and raw veggies.

Cold food and drinks- Ice cream, smoothies, food straight out of the fridge, any drink with ice in it. Ice cream especially includes 3 out of the 4 items in this list- sugar, dairy and cold.

Alcohol- produces phlegm if consumed excessively

Junk Food-  Fast food, greasy or deep fried foods

Dehydrating drinks should also be minimized- caffeine, sodas, alcohol

In Chinese Medicine we have a clear connection between the Lung and the Large Intestine. The Lungs will experience more blockage, and less outflow of mucous if there is blockage in the Large Intestines, i.e.: constipation. Keeping our bowels moving is especially important at this time to keep our lungs healthy.

Beneficial ways to aid in reducing dampness/phlegm from the body and helping to keep our bowels moving:

Yin/Yang water first thing in the morning– Mix half a cup of cold filtered water into 1/2 cup of boiling water. Drink this quickly in a few big gulps and envision the fluid clearing out your intestines.

Warm, cooked foods.

Deep nourishing hydration- more than just about drinking water, eating “wet” foods will give the body time released and deep hydration. Bone broth soups, Vietnamese phô, oatmeal, congees, porridges are all examples.

Grains– These grains nourish our digestion (Spleen) and are a great source of fiber which in turn keeps our system regular. Oats, millet, rice (roast slightly before preparing), Quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat, corn, barley, Rye, spelt

Spices which help to clear mucous and phlegm from the lungs – mustard seed, cumin, coriander, cardamom, star anise, peppercorns, cinnamon, ginger

Vegetables- leeks, broccoli, kale, cabbage, mustard greens, radicchio, endive, arugula, dandelion greens, radishes

All beans and pulses– mung bean, adzuki, black, chickpea, pinto, soybean, split peas, lentils, etc.

Herbs- parsley, cilantro, dill, rosemary, oregano, thyme

In moderation- Meat, poultry, seafood

Ginger/lemon tea– is especially great for ventilating the lungs and clearing phlegm and are both normally found in our kitchen.

2 X 1 inch pieces of ginger, juice of one lemon, 2 cups of water and a little honey to sweeten. Boil for 5- 10 minutes. Drink a few times daily.

Also important:

Movement and exercise is also important for lung health. This could be gardening, jumping rope in your backyard, going for walks in nature (if you can), or stretching- anything that gets you moving. Doyogawithme is a free online community of streaming yoga classes. A fellow Acupuncturists has online Qi Gong classes (free 7 day trial offered) which is is an ancient practice used to build health, heal injuries and pain, reduce stress and anxiety, and promote longevity and vitality. A good friend, Jenna Kurylo who is an amazing pilates instructor will be offering online pilates classes starting soon. There are many ways in which we can be home and still be active.

Deep breathing to build lung energy– Click here for a short YouTube video by local acupuncturist Jeffrey Chand

Sleep a minimum of 8 hours– this should be easier now…. naps are great also.

Self-isolating seems to currently be the only way to prevent our hospitals from becoming overwhelmed. The recent information emerging on the COVID-19 virus is that it can live in the air for up to 3 hours, on copper for up to 4 hours, on cardboard up to 24 hours and on plastic and stainless steel up to 72 hours. It’s not easy for us to be confined to our homes but we hope that by starting early we can avoid the tragedy that is playing out in Italy and Spain and other parts of Europe right now.

I would like to leave you with this moving quote that has been shared around the internet. It’s written by Kitty O’Meara, inspired by an Italian poem by Irene Vella.

“And the people stayed home. And read books, and listened, and rested, and exercised, and made art, and played games, and learned new ways of being, and were still. And listened more deeply. Some meditated, some prayed, some danced. Some met their shadows. And the people began to think differently.”

“And the people healed. And, in the absence of people living in ignorant, dangerous, mindless, and heartless ways, the earth began to heal.”

“And when the danger passed, and the people joined together again, they grieved their losses, and made new choices, and dreamed new images, and created new ways to live and heal the earth fully, as they had been healed.”

Sandra Robertson R.TCMP

Renew Health

204-4475 Viewmont Ave.
Victoria, BC  V8Z 6L8
250 590 4197
http://www.renewhealthvictoria.ca/

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