With the scare of Swine Flu (H1N1) many of you are wondering about prevention. Chinese medicine is excellent to support the immune system in order to prevent the virus from really taking a hold. In Chinese Medicine we call this wei qi (defensive qi). There are many adaptogenic herbs to help your body resist illness. There are various formulas used in the following specific stages, as always each person has a different Terrain or constitution so we must take that into consideration. The three stages of this flu are: • Preventative stage • Beginning stages • Fully engaged stage If you keep your immune system strong there will be a good chance you can fight against the flu. We are setting up short consults for patients who desire a preventative approach to this flu season. Call us for an herb consult and or acupuncture treatment. This is key to strengthen your immune system. Things you can do It is important that you recognize the symptoms and seek medical help. Fever, Cough, muscle aches and pains, always tired, sneezes and most of the other “normal” flu symptoms we have come to all recognize. Why TCM? Traditional Chinese Medicine is an effective adjunct to western medical treatment. Swine flu is confirmed by a specialized laboratory test available at the Colorado Health Department. If an infected person must go into the community (e.g., to seek medical care) they should wear a face mask to reduce the risk of spreading the virus in the community when they cough, sneeze, talk or breathe. If a face mask is unavailable, ill persons needing to go into the community should use a handkerchief or tissues to cover any coughing. ● Web sites to help you stay updated: World Health Organization (WHO): http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/en/index.html Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): http://ww.cdc.gov/swineflu/ CDC health precaution recommendations http://ww.cdc.gov/swineflu/mitigation.htm