Cold and Flu Season

Though we are on the tail end of an exceptionally mild winter, cold and flu season has hit Chicago and the North Shore hard.

For this reason, we need to remember to take care of ourselves so that we stay well and endure. The last thing we want is to be miserable and miss work and fun activities we enjoy!

Check out this Lifehacker link to learn more about this year's flu virus.

Though it is true that the flu and the common cold are a result of an external 'bug', it is also true that exposure is only half of the equation.  The other piece to this, of course, is our immune system, our body's natural defense system, which functions best when we're well-rested, stress-free, and generally feeling good. 

It's good to check in from time to time to make sure we're taking care of ourselves, and ask, "Am I eating well, am I sleeping well, am I working too hard, where is my stress level these days?"

Additionally, many people have turned to Chinese medicine give their immune systems a boost.

If one should happen to get the flu, there are things one can do to hasten recovery.  Chinese herbal medicine has made it into the news, recently, as some are finding it is equally effective as Tamiflu.

Reuters link, "Chinese Herb Mix May Shorten Flu Fever"

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I am pleased to announce that my new website is finished and live!  Please check out www.redcoralacupuncture.com for news related to my practice, acupuncture and Chinese medicine.

Big thanks to Stephen Starr, of Stephen B. Starr Design, Inc. for his work on the site.  Also, thank you to photographer, Brooke Herbert Hayes for spending time with me in clinic to snap the photos that went into the website.  

Mark Sobralske, L.Ac, Dipl. OM