Chinese medicine has a long history of treating pandemic disease. Two Chinese classics tackle this subject: Warm Disease Theory and On Cold Damage include discussions of contagious disease mechanisms and treatments. Covid-19 falls mainly under the category of a warm disease mechanism.
Acupuncture and Chinese Herbs are uniquely equipped to treat the disease mechanism of pathogenic diseases such as Covid-19 and its sequela. It can help with symptoms such as shortness of breath, wheezing, inability to take a deep breath, decreased lung function or lung damage, cough, fatigue, diarrhea or loose stool, and decreased loss of taste or smell.
Because the Chinese medicine view of immunity includes not only the external pathogens, but the strength of the body’s internal protections (wei qi), I always try to approach staying well from a preventative point of view first and foremost. In the best case scenario, the illness is resisted; in the worst case, the illness is decreased in its severity.
In Chinese medicine, the lungs act as a rainforest-like canopy. A febrile disorder such as Covid-19 may dry out the lungs. This can cause wheezing and shortness of breath. The heat rises and gathers in the lungs decreasing its ability to move outward and downward. Acupuncture and Chinese herbs restore this function. I would likely recommend food therapy to restore the moistness of the lungs. Eat plenty of warm temperature broths and soups and avoid spices, spicy food, and fried foods which add to the heat of the body.
If you have a low grade dry cough, a delicious “medicine” is organic poached pears (Asian pears if you can find them) to restore the moistness, the rainforest canopy of the lungs. This recipe is great for any dryness-related cough.
Poached Pears Recipe to Moisten the Lungs
Cut two or three pears into quarters and remove the core and stem. Place in a small sauce pan and cover with water plus an additional inch. Bring to a boil and then turn down the heat to simmer with the lid on for 20-30 minutes until the fruit breaks down. Eat half a pear warm with a portion of the poaching liquid. Additions: If phlegm or congestion is present, add a few thin slices of fresh ginger root to the broth before cooking or stir in a teaspoon of honey to the finished broth.
Refrigerate and reheat before eating.