Ah, summer! One of our favorite seasons to be active and outdoors in Colorado, but often due to our poor Air Quality Index and high ozone levels, we suffer from nasal, ocular, and respiratory disorders. In addition, wildfire smoke has been deemed the fastest-growing environmental threat in the US, according to Marshall Burke, Professor of Global Environmental Policy at Stanford.
When temperatures rise, the dry air at our higher altitude and persistent winds leave us feeling desiccated, which can make us feel a bit helpless in the search for relief. Your eyes and throat may become irritated, and you may experience incessant sneezing, nasal blockage, and a host of other respiratory symptoms.
In Chinese Medicine, the lungs are considered the delicate canopy because they are situated above our major organs such as the stomach, spleen, liver and intestines. The nose is the gateway or opening to the lungs. The lungs are the only organ that have an interchange with both our external environment and our internal physiology. When breathing is hampered due to smoke or blocked sinuses, we may feel fatigue, spaciness, and a general sense of malaise.
In Chinese medicine it is said that “the lungs rule the Qi”. The skin, our biggest organ, is intimately influenced by the health of our lung Qi. When lung function is impaired, skin issues may arise. The pores can be likened to a window which allows an exchange of healthy Qi to permeate, but can be closed to ward off unwelcome guests, such as pathogens. When this external protective system is weak, pathogens can enter our system and presents as a cold, flu, gastrointestinal illness, or allergies. This external protective mechanism is called our Wei Qi.
If our Wei Qi is exuberant, illness will be deflected. You can think of Wei Qi loosely, as your immune system.
Acupuncture and moxibustion (moxa) are used to enhance our Wei Qi by reestablishing proper Qi flow. We can protect ourselves from the disruptions caused to our Qi by allergens, and wood smoke. The combination of acupuncture and moxibustion (moxa) is a formidable duo. Scientific research recognizes moxa as improving cellular immunity.
When I place needles in the areas of the body that are knotted or blocked, the body is encouraged to function optimally, again. For example, placing needles in key points along the Large Intestine and Stomach meridians, which irrigate the face, can help relieve nasal symptoms. To support this process we must treat the stiff areas of the neck and between the scapula, for optimal results. If these are not treated, circulation can not properly rise and descend, leaving us with the sense that something is stuck or that we are unwell.
The same can be said for rectifying respiratory patterns. Heat that is stuck in the chest must be dispersed. In Chinese Medicine, heat is often synonymous with inflammation. After treating the front side of the body, I leave needles in the hardened, stiff areas of the traps and upper back, followed by moxa to further vent unwanted heat, outward. We can see the immediate results in improved oximeter readings.
