Immunity: TCM approved lifestyle and food recommendations and get your through winter

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the body’s Wei Qi (natural defense system) is the first protective layer that defends the body against external pathogens as well every-day stressors.  In order to maintain a positive healthy amount of Wei Qi, we need to ensure quality sleep, proper digestion, restore our immunity, and boost our lungs and livers.

Here are a few important ways to think about how to maintain your Wei Qi through daily lifestyle habits and immunity boosting foods: 

• Sleep Deep
  When your body is able to properly rest and recharge for 7-9 hours, you are able to better maintain a general defensive body Qi. Try to get in bed and ideally find yourself asleep between 11-12pm to allow the gall-bladder liver meridian network to kick into gear – the most important organ for cleansing toxins from the body and blood, while also managing everyday stress

   

  • • How to: Avoid heavy meals and try to finish your last meal 2-3 hours before heading to bed. Try our Campo Sleep, featuring a sedative blend of natural essential oil herbs to switch up your evening routine.

• Eat Light
  If you feel like you’re coming down with something, the best thing to do is simplify your diet. Avoid greasy oily foods, heavy to digest meals, and definitely avoid seafood or spicy foods. All of these flavors and ingredients will generate more “heat” in the body, which creates the perfect breeding ground for viruses and flu symptoms.

• • How to: while symptoms are present, opt for warm and lightly flavored meals (rice soup, porridges, oatmeal bowls) instead of raw salads or cold ingredients. 

• Moisten Lungs
  Once the weather becomes cold, the air starts to get dry and so do our lungs hence the seasonal cough. We need to nourish our lungs with moisturizing herbs and food to help our bodies catch-up – it needs to produce more mucus during this time 

• • How to: Support the lungs with this classic TCM Pear Soup.
    Using 1 organic pear, with the skin on, de-stem and remove the core. Cut the pear into medium sized pieces and place into a boiling pot of water that covers the entire pear. Cook on low heat until the pear is tender. When ready to serve, add 2 tbsp of honey. Makes 1 serving. If you have a cough, repeat this recipe and make it for 3-4 days and you can eat this upwards of up to 2 soups a day.
• Try Astragalus
  While almost all Chinese medicinal herbs should only be used in a formulaic approach, Astragalus is an herbalist’s favorite. It’s easy to use, simple, and great for Qi boosting while also boosting immunity. 

   

  • How to: Slowly build general immunity with a daily astragalus supplement for 30 days. It will take some time to build this and consistency is key.
    
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• Liver Love
  In TCM, we believe liver imbalance manifests the most in the form of irritability and emotional issues. When facing a need for change, it’s most important to find a free flowing movement, not only in our approach to everyday life, but also for our liver. Free flowing Qi allows us to embrace difficulty with ease.
  

How to: Cut back the drinking to 1x a week. While these might be stressful times, excessive alcohol causes the liver to go into overdrive – it not only needs to act as a filter for the blood, but also for our emotions and everyday stresses. Try our December Destress bundle which includes our Defense Tea (featuring Hawthorne Berry, a TCM favorite for liver cleanse!)