Miles wrote me from England and stated that for the last ten years, he has had a cold and a cough. Although he has had many different treatments throughout the years, his condition seems to have gotten worse over time. He reports having a lot of greenish mucus in the morning blocking his nose, and crusty eyes when he wakes up that he has to put hot water on to get them open, as well as feeling sluggish all of the time.
Having a chronic cold and cough sucks big time. I know because growing up in Detroit, Michigan, I went through the same type of thing when I was in my early teens. My mother took me to many different specialists until, finally, we found that my immune system was reacting to dairy products. Every night before bed, I had cookies and milk and this went on for years. I was a big fan of ice cream, especially banana splits with lots of whipped cream on top. Like most teens, I also loved pizza. Basically, I was overloading my system with a lot of mucus-producing foods and, at the time, not one of the doctors ever addressed my diet. All of this produced so much extra mucus in my body, it appeared to be a continuous cold and cough. I guess it was my body’s reaction to rid itself of all the “moo glue” that I was adding daily, and the situation is worse these days.
Dairy is nature’s perfect food but only if you are a baby calf. The USDA recommended drinking three glasses of milk a day. That recommendation was just to sell milk and most likely paid for by the dairy association. Here are a few reasons you should avoid dairy products:
1. Milk is pro-inflammatory and will make your skin worse. It contributes to blocking your pores.
2. It accelerates aging.
3. It causes allergic reactions in the gut.
4. It is highly processed, filled with antibiotic and hormones.
5. Milk is fattening. In six months, a calf can put on hundreds of pounds. Why would you think it is good for any human?
6. There is evidence that animal fat causes cancer, diabetes, arthritis, heart disease, lymphoma and multiple sclerosis.
There are many more reasons to take dairy out of your diet. It just isn’t good for you. You may be asking yourself what I can put on my cereal. For me, that’s easy. I don’t eat cereal but, if you must, try organic rice, almond, or organic applesauce. You will be amazed how quickly your health will improve.
A few years ago, I read an article by Dr. Zand. She said, “There's nothing common about the common cold and no two viruses are the same.” She went on to state how colds can be caused by over a hundred different types of viral pathogens. Remember, flu viruses frequently mutate from year to year. That makes it tricky for one to develop a strong immunity to these ailments. Why is it that some of us get colds all the time and others seem to never get sick? Dairy products could be a big reason that you have a snotty nose, watery eyes and a cough. The answer lies in our immune system. We all get exposed to colds and flu daily. If you have a strong immune system, it will knock a cold out with no problem, especially if you eat a clean diet. But, if your immune system is compromised, or you are under a lot of stress, the chances of you getting something are much greater. Those flu, colds and cough seem to slip by our defenses. We are sick before we know it.
This is the time of the year when quite a few people are coming into my office with colds, sore throats, cough, runny noses, and sneezing. In the Chinese system of health care, these are all related to the Metal element, which rules the lungs and large intestine. Long-standing stress and poor diet both weaken the immune system and can trigger a cold in a New York second.
I use various techniques to build up the immune system naturally like acupuncture, herbs, homeopathic formulas, vitamin therapy and even detox protocols. These are techniques used in Chinese medicine to open up the meridian and Qi flow. All of these help to build our immune systems and get a person stronger and healthier. There is another important factor to look at if you are getting recurring colds and flu – your emotions! Emotional upset plays a key part in any Dis-Ease, colds and cough are no exception. They have to do with an imbalance that causes our immune system being too weak. If a person feels loved, secure and well-nourished, they usually don’t have too many stresses and are healthy in body, mind and spirit.
As I mentioned earlier in this article, the Metal element controls both the lungs and large intestines. The emotional component attached to the Metal element is sadness and grief. I have a great exercise to clear those emotions. In Medical Qi Gong, it is called the Yin set. These are powerful exercises that will keep all of your organs healthy. Within thirty days of practice, you can eliminate most of the blockages, even the deep core stuff that you have been holding onto for years.
I wish you the Best in Health, Wealth, and Happiness.
Dr. Wu Dhi
