Bring back Turtlenecks

Many thousands of years ago the Chinese used to believe that sickness was caused by evil spirits. The scholars of later dynasties developed the theory that disease was caused by environmental factors such as wind, cold, summer heat and the like. Remember, Chinese medicine is based on observation of its practitioners over centuries. For example, it was postulated that cold harmed the kidneys and heat harmed the heart. Perhaps they noticed the ruddy complexion of a cardiac patient, or the fact that people urinate more when they are cold.

Cold and flu season is upon us and now is the time to develop strategies for staying well. According to Chinese medicine, illnesses with fever, chills and muscle aches are said to be caused by wind. To prevent these illnesses patients are advised to protect their body against invasion of wind by making sure their neck is covered. This is because in Chinese medicine, it is believed that illnesses enter the body at the back of the neck, so protecting the neck from wind is essential to prevent illness. I believe that Chinese medical practitioners over the centuries noticed increased swelling and heat in the neck during viral and bacterial illness. This would be from increased activity in the many lymph glands clustered in our throat and along our neck muscles. These lymph glands are the first line of our immune defense against colds and flu, so it stands to reason that they thought the neck was where illness “entered” the body. This is why acupuncturists advise wearing scarves and protecting the neck as soon as the weather starts to get cool.

Wearing scarves to ward off colds is not just a Chinese tradition, it is also used in Auyrvedic medicine and many Germanic countries. In some countries, wearing a scarf around the neck inside is used to treat a sore throat. It is well known that viruses like a cooler environment, so keeping your throat (and nose) warm will help you ward off a cold and there is some research that supports this.

At this time of year, the recommendation to get a flu shot is everywhere. Yet many people do not realize that the flu shot is not all that effective. One study this year predicts that the flu shot effectiveness will only be about 20%. For some strains it has only been 17%. Also, recent studies have discovered that the shot becomes less effective over a short period of time.

So, getting the flu shot but not paying attention to other strategies for preventing cold and flu doesn’t really make sense. Making sure you are eating right, getting enough sleep and fluids and watching your vitamin D intake are all vitally important for prevention. Are you prone to colds and flu? Perhaps you should buy some turtlenecks.