Bye-bye Winter?… Not quite!
March 2022
By Anjalee Patel, LAc, DACM, Dipl. OM, PTA
It’s easy to get excited when the weather begins to turn, and spring is just around the corner. It provides the chance to be outside in the sun, wear lighter clothes, eat all the fruits that are starting to grow and more.
But the warm sunshine can be deceiving. According to the calendar, spring technically might almost be here. However, winter winds, cold and dryness still are present. Don’t be caught off guard by accidentally exposing your body to the cold when the wind hits and you start to feel like you’re coming down with a cold.
Bundle up to Protect Your Urinary Bladder (UB) Channel
It is important to keep protecting your Urinary Bladder (UB) channel, which is most exposed at the back of your neck, the outside of your ankles and feet, and your lower back. The UB channel is the most superficial channel in the body. That means any cold winds that make contact with the body can then enter via the UB channel. This can create cold symptoms in the body such as body aches, headaches, chills, fever, sneezing, coughing, sore throat and more. Feeling sick is the last thing you want to experience as warmer weather approaches.
As we move through March and navigate April, we’ll experience many fluctuations from day to day in temperature and types of precipitation. Given this classic Chicagoland weather, you’ll want to be sure to wear a hat or have a hood on while outside, even if you are only going a short distance. Your footwear should be completely “closed” like boots or sneakers. Even on those days where the temperature seems to warrant an “open” shoe like sandals or flip-flops…don’t do it! Exposing the UB channel on your feet can lead not only to a cold but also to stiffness and body aches in the knees or low back. It’s important to remember that this even includes the indoors. Do you stand barefoot in your kitchen or bathroom on cold tile or hardwood floors? Or do you step outside without shoes to pick up a package or run down into the basement barefoot and stand on the cold concrete floor? Just catching a chill from doing one of these things can be enough to start a cascade of symptoms that could cause you to feel sick for a couple of days or more.
Prevent Cold Exposure Until Weather is Consistently Warm
The best rule of thumb for knowing it’s safe to begin to pull out your spring wardrobe is when the weather has run 10-14 consecutive days with temperatures above 50 degrees. It is also beneficial during this season to focus your diet on foods that are anti-inflammatory, such as vegetables and fruits. This will help to keep you healthy and reduce your chance of catching a winter-to-spring cold.
Schedule an Appointment
Please contact A Touch of Ginger (ATOG) to start or continue your healing journey. ATOG can restore imbalance in your body to help you recover from a cold or any other illness.
You can schedule an appointment by calling ATOG at (630) 299-3464 or schedule an appointment online. If you don’t live near an ATOG office, you can use a search engine and search for “acupuncture near me” to find a licensed acupuncturist in your area.
Anjalee Patel, LAc, DACM, Dipl. OM, PTA, is a Licensed Acupuncturist, a Doctor of Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine, a Diplomate of Oriental Medicine and a Physical Therapist Assistant at ATOG.