Ever since the Corona Virus appeared in December 2019 Doctors and Scientists all over the world have been not only been working on a cure for this but also ways to combat it or even prevent it. We have been reading through published research papers related to the treatment of COVID-19 using Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and have come across some helpful information you can use to try and combat COVID-19 should you catch it.

Physical exercise as a therapy to fight against the mental and physical consequences of COVID-19 quarantine:

In the above-mentioned paper, the importance of maintaining physical activity (PA) in your daily routine despite being in quarantine throughout the COVID-19 Pandemic is discussed. A quarantine was obviously the best choice in order to stop the rapid spread of infection and become more prepared for how to handle this unexpected Pandemic, however, finding ways to adapt and overcome the change in routine in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle is still important. The paper states that “initiating a sudden quarantine state implies a radical change in the lifestyle of the population.” It also states that in order to “…counteract the negative consequences of certain diseases, such as diabetes, hypertension, CVD, respiratory diseases, or even simply to guarantee active aging by reducing the risk of frailty, sarcopenia, and dementia, as associated diseases in older people, [physical activity must stay consistent].”Exercise is important for all, but this paper focuses heavily on those who are at higher risk by being immunocompromised and even of the elderly generation as an exercise in older people prevents faulty and positively impacts them.

This paper suggests that for those who are still stuck at home and/or have had to extend their quarantine, to find a well-regimented exercise regime that can help the individual maintain an active lifestyle in order to stay healthy and best combat this virus.

Recommended Movement Guidelines


As stated in the study, the following is recommended if the individual is under quarantine:

Weekly exercise: 3.5 hours-6.5 hours of exercise per week (being spread out over the course of 5-7 days to “compensate for the decrease in normal daily PA levels).”



Of those required days, 2 days of resistance training is combined with 3+ days of aerobic training. There are many reasons that exercise is recommended when it comes to nurturing a healthy immune system. The most important reason involves your body temperature. As you work out, your body temperature rises during and after exercise which helps to prevent bacteria from growing, thus helping to fight infection. Physical activity also helps flush out bacteria from your lungs and even slows the release of stress hormones. Practicing Tai Chi daily will meet these requirements, as you go up and down while practice will help for the resistance training, and moving slowly will give you the necessary aerobic exercise.

Acupressure for Better Movement


Chingling, Weiling: Pressing on these points releases tension from the legs which makes it easier to stretch them out. To effectively use this acupressure point, slide the middle and index fingers down the back of the other hand (towards your wrist) and move along the spaces to the outside of the middle two fingers. These points help to release tension out of the legs making it easier to stretch the legs out.

Gallbladder 34 (yang ling quan): This point is specifically used to relax the tendons and ligaments within your body. It is located on the outer aspect of the lower leg, in the depression in front of and below the head of the fibula. Gallbladder 34 is the command point of the joints and sinews, which makes it a great choice for relieving pain, especially in the lower extremities.  It is also used to address hemiplegia, lateral costal pain, bitter taste in the mouth, vomiting, and jaundice. This point relieves hip and ankle pain, thus allowing you to move more freely.

Bladder 57 (cheng shan): This point relaxes and strengthens the lower back, Relaxes the sinews, invigorates blood, clears heat, and even removes obstructions from the channel. This point responds well to strong deep pressing movements when applying pressure.

In Tai Chi we say that Tai Chi is “Meditation in motion”, Harvard Medical school says “Tai Chi is medication in motion” If you have questions or want to schedule an appointment regarding acupuncture for mobility or if you are interested in learning Tai chi, come in or call today!

16.2 million adults suffer at least one major depressive episode a year. Depression can be linked to the loss of a pet, death of a loved one, a relationship ending, or a loss of a job. For many, periodic bouts of depression can become commonplace, thus making it harder to cope and function normally.

Here are 4 ways you can treat depression with Traditional Chinese Medicine.

• Acupuncture

For those who experience frequent or chronic depression, there is hope. Acupuncture is a marvelous tool for combating depression without relying on potentially harmful antidepressants. Acupuncture points can be stimulated to help with blood flow and reset the nervous system. If blood flow is impeded, oxygen doesn’t get to the tissues and the cells themselves can become deficient. When there is a deficiency, there is usually some form of depression. This is why many health experts recommend exercise for depression. The increased oxygen and flood of endorphins in the body help fight off the depression itself.

• Diet

It may seem weird that a diet can help improve one’s mental health, but it’s true. Studies have shown that a diet in Dark leafy greens like spinach, kale, and Swiss chards helps in decreasing inflammation, which is linked to depression. Nuts like walnuts have the highest amount of Omega-3 fatty acids than any other plant. One final note on diet, reduce or even eliminate sugar from your diet. Sugars even alternative sugars can greatly affect your mental health.

• Herbal Medicine

Jia Wei Xiao Yao Wan is an enhanced form of Xiao Yao Wan, a well-known ancient Chinese herbal formula for Liver Qi stagnation. Jia Wei Xiao Yao Wan is a commonly used herbal remedy for anxiety, irritability, stress, and depression due to the challenge of daily life or premenstrual tension.

• Tai Chi and Qi Gong

Tai Chi and Qi Gong are also part of Traditional Chinese Medicine and help in fighting depression, naturally. When you practice Tai Chi or Qi Gong daily it will help by bringing the body and mind back into balance by decreasing stress and allowing the person performing it to focus all of their intentions on the movements. This allows the mind to relax, which in turn relaxes the body. Tai chi and qi gong also increase oxygen flow into the muscles, allowing for increased mobility. When we are more mobile, there is less stagnation, pain, and depression.

If you are somebody who suffers from depression and you are looking for natural, ways of fighting depression, maybe give these suggestions a try. If nothing else, it is worth looking into. But most importantly, once you find the right path to correcting depression, follow it. Everybody is different and there is no one right answer. If you have questions regarding how Traditional Chinese Medicine can aid in your depression symptoms, give us a call today!

From an acupuncture perspective, your body is made up of lots of different kinds of Qi, or energy. These different types of Qi have specific physiological functions in the body. One essential type of Qi is the Wei Qi. Roughly translated as “immunity,” the Wei Qi is your body’s natural strength and ability to fight off pathogens like viruses and bacteria.

The Wei Qi, also called “protective Qi” flows in the space between the skin and muscles and is the first line of defense against sickness (after your skin). The Wei Qi also controls the opening and closing of the pores, so spontaneous sweating is a sign of a weakness in your protective Qi.

When the Wei Qi is not strong enough, we are not able to fight off outside pathogens, and we get sick.

A number of other energetic imbalances can weaken our Wei Qi:

• When there is Qi Stagnation in the body from stress or mental tension, this interferes with the flow of Qi throughout the body, so the area where the Wei Qi flows is not supported properly, and the Wei Qi suffers.

• When the digestive energy is weakened through poor diet, overwork, or stress, it fails to transport the nutrients from food around the body, leading to a deficiency of the Wei Qi.

• When the lung Qi is weakened through too much talking, grief, pollution, illness, or allergies, it cannot effectively turn our breath into the Qi we need to protect ourselves. The lungs are also said to control the Wei Qi, so when they are weakened, the Wei Qi automatically suffers.

• When our jing, or essence, isn’t strong due to constitutional and genetic factors, all of our body’s systems suffer, including the Wei Qi.

So, how do you make sure your Wei Qi is healthy and strong?

• Eat right. The food we eat is transformed into useful Qi by our digestive energy. This Qi – “Gu Qi” is further refined and part of it is turned into Wei Qi by our body’s natural resources. If you are not eating properly, your digestive energy won’t be able to pull the necessary components out of your food to make efficient and strong Wei Qi. This means it is essential to limit processed foods, eat warm and hearty meals, eat at regular times, get enough protein, and to eat a balanced diet.

• Get outside. The air we breathe is also turned into Qi within our bodies by the lung. Try to spend at least 10 minutes of every day outside, regardless of the weather. This could mean taking a walk in the sun or standing on your porch and watching the rain.

• Get enough sleep. Your body replenishes many deeper levels of energy during sleep. If you are not getting enough sleep and some of the more internal energies of your body are weak, the Wei Qi has to work overtime to keep you healthy – and it won’t be able to do that for long. Also, the Wei Qi actually moves internally in the body during sleep, to nourish and protect your internal organs, and not getting enough sleep will not allow it sufficient time to migrate inwards and then get back to the exterior of your body where it is needed during the day.

• Bundle up. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, many pathogens enter the body through the back of the neck during cold weather. So, help out your Wei Qi and don’t leave your neck exposed to cold or wind – wear scarves or jackets with collars to keep that area protected.

• Get acupuncture! There are specific points on the body that help nourish the Wei Qi to help prevent sickness. Acupuncture can also strengthen your other energy systems if they are not supporting the Wei Qi sufficiently.

• Practice Tai Chi! Practicing Tai Chi will help build the Wei Qi to help in preventing further sickness and if you do get sick continuing to practice Tai chi will help you recover faster.

If you are wanting to improve your health and learn things you can do to prevent getting sick or learn how to quickly recover, call today so we can help you improve your health.

Recent studies have suggested that using acupuncture as a preventative approach to colds and flu can reduce the incidence of upper respiratory tract infection and shorten the duration of the illness. Acupuncture and Chinese medicine work by rebalancing the body’s systems, regulating the body’s healing energies, and enhancing the immune system.

Even though germs, bacteria, and viruses are everywhere—in the food we eat, the air we breathe, and the water we drink—according to Chinese medical theory, they do not cause disease. Illness occurs when our Wei Qi and our meridian organ systems are weak and out of balance. When this occurs, it creates a hospitable for germs, bacteria, and viruses to thrive, leading to a cold, the flu, or worse.

What in the world is Wei Qi? One of the main theories supporting acupuncture and its treatment of colds and the flu is the concept of Wei Qi. The concept of Wei Qi is similar to the Western concept of the immune system. It functions as a barrier in protecting and defending the body against foreign substances, which can cause illness and disease. When it is strong and abundant, we remain healthy. When the supply of Wei Qi becomes inadequate, health is compromised, and we become vulnerable to outside invaders.

Throughout our lives, a variety of factors affect our health and well-being. Although most of the time we recover quickly and regain our health, when these factors are numerous, our internal mechanisms become compromised and weakened. Our Wei Qi becomes depleted, and we get sick. By the time we notice the symptoms of our illness, the body’s self-regulating, self-balancing, and healing systems have already been affected.

Acupuncture and Chinese medicine support and strengthen the systems of the body that are involved in the production of Wei Qi and can help rebalance and support the immune system and stimulate Wei Qi energy. By building up the supply of Wei Qi and facilitating the smooth and free flow of it throughout the body, the body’s organs and meridian systems become strong, enhancing their ability to effectively fight off illness and disease.

Acupuncture and Chinese medicine are safe, natural, and effective ways to support the body’s self-regulating, self-balancing, and healing systems. If illness does occur, acupuncture can help you get back on your feet again, helping to stave off prolonged illness without the use of medication and over-the-counter drugs.

Tips for Staying Healthy:

• Consume 8-10 glasses of filtered water daily

• Practice Tai Chi regularly to support the immune system

• Eat a healthy, organic diet, including foods with beta carotene (carrots, broccoli, sweet potatoes, garlic, and tomatoes)

• Limit sugar intake. Sugar taxes the immune system, especially when feeling under the weather

• Talk to your acupuncturist about herbs that can support your immune system

• Get plenty of rest

• Enjoy fun and relaxing activities

• Stimulate specific acupuncture points that support Wei Qi – such as Stomach 36 • Schedule regular acupuncture treatments to support the body’s self-regulating, self-balancing and healing systems

If you are interested in learning more about Tai Chi, Qi Gong, or Acupuncture and how they can help your immune system, feel free to come in or call. 801-463-1101