Dear Sneeze: If you’re gonna happen, happen. Don’t put a stupid look on my face and then leave.
— Anonymous
Do you sometimes feel, during the coldest depths of winter, that warmer weather will never arrive? Do you dream of sun, sand and surf while the rain pours down outside and the wind threatens to remove your skin from your bones? I do. Then, that magical day arrives, the sun shines, the temperature edges up and I can stand barefoot on the beach without freezing my toes off. Alas, my happiness is short lived because…AAACHOO!!! Sneezes. Watery eyes. Stuffy nose. Ahhh…the joys of summer!
Did you realise that hay fever and allergies are actually a sign of deficiencies in your body? Think of a finely tuned jet engine. If dirt or other contaminants enter the engine then it will cease to run smoothly. According to Traditional Medicine, your body works along the same lines. Do you sneeze and cough a lot? Your issues are most likely related to your lungs. Conversely, if you have red, itchy eyes you are probably dealing with poor liver function. Are your symptoms mostly in the Spring? Then the liver is your culprit. The liver is Spring’s ruling organ and most likely your bugbear. In the Autumn? The lungs are to blame. For shame!
In Traditional Medicine, hay fever and allergies are related to poor Qi in the body. By focusing on some simple yet profound lifestyle changes you may help your body heal itself. Try going to bed a little earlier. Put your electronic devices away at least an hour before bed and concentrate on quality of sleep. Sleep is the body’s great healer and focusing on this one element can do wonders for your overall health. Diet is also vitally important to maintaining Qi. Try adding cinnamon and ginger to your diet. Don’t eat cold foods and icy drinks, focus on cooling foods instead – like watermelon. And eat for the season you are in at the moment. Which means fresh, in season produce. Yum!
Regular acupuncture treatments may also be helpful in helping you balance your Qi which can lead to reduced hay fever and allergy symptoms. Remember…hay fever and allergies aren’t normal. They are a sign that your body is out of alignment. You wouldn’t drive an unbalanced car or fly in an airplane that only had one working engine…don’t settle for less than perfection in your body. In its own way – your body is the most finely tuned engine in nature. Nurture it for a lifetime.