How to regain loss of taste and smell after COVID-19

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Tracking the Covid cases shows, as of January 13, 2021 there have been 92 million global cases of Covid-19, with 2 million deaths and 66 million recovered.

Symptoms such as loss of smell and tastes are not limited to the severe cases, but also to survivors of mild cases.

Studies show that 35% of people in the US have lingering illness following Covid-19. In the US they are called post-Covid “long haulers' ' and have not returned to their pre-Covid-19 level of function and health after 6 month. In addition to loss of smell and taste, body aches and pains, fatigue, low grade fevers, foggy brian in addition to autoimmune conditions like rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia being triggered.  

Acupuncture is one of the best treatments to regain taste and smell.  Studies show that acupuncture is effective in treating Covid-19 related conditions such as breathlessness. 

Regaining olfactory function research shows successful recovery using auricular acupuncture.  Smell and taste are part of the central nervous system and according to an NIH study one of the crucial benefits of acupuncture is that it can facilitate the release of certain neuropeptides in the central nervous system (CNS), eliciting profound physiological effects and even activating self-healing mechanisms. 

Additional acupuncture research has shown to help with immune regulation and an anti-inflammatory effect on the body.

Methods used in Asia and China to address the coronavirus include TCM. Herbal remedies, medicinal foods practices, acupuncture and moxibustion treatments as well as self care practices aid in full recovery and prevent reinfection.

Post Viral Fatigue is Real! Get your Energy Back With These Healing Tips

Recover from illness is extremely important as the lingering effects and weakness can make you susceptible to other viruses and infections. People need to take recovery as part of the healing process seriously.

It is apparent that while Covid-19 virus may not be present in the body ; the immune system is not back to functioning optimally. Everyone is vulnerable. Treating the person with the virus means helping them to be strong while knocking out a virus. As the body fights the pathogen it also weakens the person as the immune system does its job. Imagine a tornado that blows through a town, the town will still be there, but the devastation and the rebuilding will take some time.

The solution:

Work with a Chinese medicine professional and get a personalized treatment plan with acupuncture and herbs. For thousands of years Asia has dealt with hundreds of pandemics and the way to heal has been developed from real human experience.

The principles of Chinese medicine are prevention and cultivating a strong constitution as an important path for health and longevity. Acupuncture and herbs to help regulate the body’s nervous system and help with immune support. Gaining a strong immune system and constitution means recovery is how to get strength back.

If you have been wondering why In China the virus is being controlled and people are recovering from Covid-19 and going back to normal, the secret is they received acupuncture, moxibustion and herbal medicine as part of the recovery phase of the illness. This is making sure to get health back to its best state. 

Here are some tips to help with post viral fatigue:

Acupuncture and Chinese medicine: 

Acupuncture has shown to help with mediating the cytokine storm and relieve inflammation this is also why it is so good for recovery. Much of the post viral fatigue and symptoms are coming from the lingering inflammation and the body not being able to regulate nervous system response of rest and digest. Acupuncture research has shown to help with immune regulation and an anti-inflammatory effect on the body.

Getting a good night's sleep is one of the most important activities you can do for your health. 

Sleep is when growth hormone is produced for tissue repair, immune regulation, organ and brain detoxification and mood regulating hormones like serotonin are made. 

Lack of sleep can cause other body functions and inflammations to occur that can then lead to ischemic death (cell death).

Nourishing foods:

Bone broth is full of nutrients and is easy to absorb to regain energy, adding some ginger and a little bit of astragalus root will make it a medicinal soup. 

Astragalus root is used in many classic Chinese herbal formulas for supporting immune function and has shown to be a strong antiviral.

Choose foods that are organic and naturally immune boosting such as mushrooms, fresh fruits and vegetables. 

Mushrooms: are considered a superfood, this means they have a potentially positive effect on health beyond basic nutrition.  For vegetarians dried mushrooms are also a source of Vitamin D. 

Move your Qi:

Make sure to get exercise, but don’t over do it, it takes time for the body to recover and regain strength and stability. Walking and stretching will increase circulation and improve lymph flow. 

Get some sunlight: Vitamin D is important for a strong immune system.  Low Vitamin D is linked to higher instances of complications with Covid-19. Getting sunlight helps synthesis or Vitamin D.There are also supplements and is found in food sources such as fatty fish, eggs and cheese. Zinc also plays a crucial role in the body’s ability to maintain health and protect it from colds and flus.

Choose tea: Both green and black teas (Camellia Sinensis family) have shown to have natural anit-microbial and antiviral properties . The antioxidants in black help prevent stomach cancers and have a direct bactericidal effect against Streptococcus mutans. The throat is the gateway for bacteria and viruses to enter the body so Tea is what the doctor ordered.

Tulsi tea: ( holy basil) Research shows it is a “super herb” that has antibacterial, antiviral, anti-fungal, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, the list is long for its healing properties. It is ideal for immune support and easy to keep with you in tea form or as an essential oil.

Autoimmune Conditions Seem To Be On The Rise...How Can Acupuncture Help?

Having an autoimmune condition really sucks. It usually takes years to figure out what is wrong and often no one believes that you actually have pain or suffer.

Many people with autoimmune conditions find Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine gives them relief. #acupuncture #painrelief #rheumatoidarthritis

What are autoimmune diseases?

Autoimmune diseases are an abnormal inflammatory response related to chronic illnesses. and they are on the rise in the us. According to AARDA (American Autoimmune Disease Related Association), close to 24% of the US population has an autoimmune condition. 

Environmental factors such as pesticides, and our food are a source of toxicity and inflammation. 

Conditions like MS, Crohn’s disease, Chronic Fatigue, Fibromyalgia, and Rheumatoid arthritis can have good days where everything is normal and days or weeks where you feel like your life is hijacked.

How Can Acupuncture Help?

Studies have shown it to be beneficial in treating Rheumatoid Arthritis, because of the anti-inflammatory effect, anti-oxidative effect and regulation of immune system function.

What causes autoimmune conditions to get worse?

Our lives are extremely stressful and stress hormones disrupt our immune system to then over respond and attack the body. 

Stress and stress hormones of fight or flight increase inflammation in the body and make it hard for the nervous system to rebalance. This is one of the underlying reasons why autoimmune conditions are so hard to treat. Once triggered the body becomes hypersensitive and can develop more sensitivities and triggers. Emotionally this also makes the worse.

Poor sleep will also interfere with the immune system and will inflammation, digestion and mood. It becomes a vicious cycle.

Are autoimmune diseases on the rise or is there more awareness than there used to be? 

There is more awareness about autoimmune diseases, but it is not always clear that the illnesses are autoimmune or a passing event. So many doctors don’t test patients for the autoimmune antibodies or 

Are there any theories about why?

There are lots of chemicals in our environment and pesticides, plastics, beauty products as well as processed foods and these are linked to increases in inflammation. Studies show that processed foods cause more inflammation in the body. 

Why are autoimmune commons, and so common in women?

Women have more nerve receptors as well as hormonal fluctuations compared to men.  Hormonal cycles along with stress can lead to more inflammation and contribute to chronic conditions autoimmune related illnesses such as fibromyalgia.  Research has shown estrogen plays a critical role in affecting pain receptors,  and inflammation. 

When do autoimmune illnesses typically surface and why they are they so difficult to diagnose?

Typically autoimmune conditions will surface after an event, such as the flu virus that can disrupt the intestinal flora and in turn cause an autoimmune response. Autoimmune conditions can also show up years later after suffering from mono or strep where the body never fully recovers and then over time develops more inflammations. This is what makes them so difficult to diagnose because the symptoms may come and go, and seem to be harmless, like a little allergy or digestive upset.

Something like food poisoning, can later cause chronic digestive problems such as IBS or colitis. 

Gut bacteria is crucial for our immune system and when it is out of balance our entire body suffers from a lowered immunity and a dysfunctional immune response. 

Why a Balanced Immune System is the Key to Total Body Wellness

Health is not a matter of luck. It is something you create.

The immune system is a regulatory function meaning that it is in a state of “dynamic balance” this is something that is observed in the Daoist principles of Chinese and East Asian Medicine. Using the metaphor of Qi or life energy flow helps to look at health as vital energy.

Wei Qi is the defensive Qi that surrounds us and protects us from illness that are referred to as “evil” pathogens.

For the most part we don’t notice our immune system at work unless we get a runny nose , a rash or a fever. A well balanced system just works, this is know as homeostasis.

When a person has a balanced immune system, they may not notice any “symptoms” because the immune system is able to recognize immediately pathogens surrounding them and escort them out or “kill them”. Their body can sense when there is something off and respond rapidly to auto-regulate. 

Getting sick is really our immune system responding to an attack and it just happens that we are the battlefield where the attack is taking place.

In Asian culture, the practice of cultivating health and longevity, this involves practices that strengthen the mind body connection. There are principles that support the development of optimal health and wellness. The 8 principles in East Asian medicine are. food, exercise, meditation/mindfulness, acupuncture, herbs, bodywork, cosmology (season and planetary influences) and Feng Shui (the art and science of placement).

How to work with the genetics you were born with so you can take charge of your health destiny.

You are born with a constitution (genetic predisposition) that has strengths and weaknesses and as you develop nutrition, activities, behaviors environmental factors influence your health and wellbeing.  

Scientific research shows that environmental factors play a role in our immune system in the form of epigenetics. Environmental chemicals, nutrition, emotional and stress challenge the immune system and your body chemistry can turn on certain genes that later can become chronic diseases. 

A balanced immune system does not mean you won’t get “sick” The symptoms we call sick such as, a runny nose, sneezing, fever, cough, sweating, vomiting and diarrhea are the body’s way of getting rid of a virus or bacteria. 

This means making sure to get proper nutrition, exercise, sleep as well as cultivate mental, emotional and spiritual wellbeing.  

The idea of “boosting” is really more like making sure that the immune system is supported so that your body will do what it does best balance and heal, and will have energy when it encounters a pathogen or virus.

• Start now even if it is a baby step!

• Hydrate with water and avoid sugary drinks, caffeine and alcohol

• Foods that are plant based and anti-inflammatory

• Food that is nutrient dense so that the body can absorb and metabolize easily

• get regular exercise, this helps with circulation and mood

• sunshine and vitamin D

• probiotics to balance your gut flora

• getting restorative sleep

• relieving stress, acupuncture can immediately shift the brain chemistry to rest and digest

• keeping a healthy weight, relieve strain on joints, the heart, lungs and kidneys

• mindfulness practice of meditation to help calm the brain

How the Pandemic is impacting pregnancy, IVF and adoption decisions.

Infertility affects both men and women and the pandemic has created and added layer of stress that needs to be addressed for a successful pregnancy.

Struggling with fertility is anxiety producing and one of the most stressful situations for women and couples.  A study shows that 68% (204 million) of Americans are worried about their family’s health related to COVID-19. 

The pandemic has increased the level of fear and anxiety over whether it is safe to conceive and have a healthy pregnancy and baby. The influence of Covid-19 pandemic on the psychological status of infertile couples is having an affect.

Studies report that as many as 30 percent of women are postponing pregnancy because of all this (health risks and worries; isolation; job loss and more)

Women with infertility will still be recovering from having their fertility treatments cancelled, surgeries postponed and closed clinics. Many women feel like they will have to start from square one. There is concern about when it will be safe to resume treatments and if COVID-19 would cause deformities such as Zika virus.

The information on the impact of Covid-19 has not been conclusive making it difficult for couples to decide if it is safe to move forward with getting pregnant. 

The CDC findings are that pregnant women are at risk for more severe illness from covid versus non-pregnant women. 

Pregnant women with Covid-19 or more likely to be admitted to the hospital and in the ICU with a 70% more likely to need ventilators according to data, though death numbers are not impacted. Even with these findings there are gaps in the data.

What do we know for sure? 

Patients that have pre-existing health issues such as obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and immune problems that would have also been considered high risk under normal circumstances are at higher risk if they contract Covid-19. 

During pregnancy there are changes in the immune system that make women more prone to severe illness from influenza and can also be harmful to the developing baby. Flu vaccines are an added protection during pregnancy because the antibodies will pass on to the developing baby. 

The difference with Covid-19 is that there is no vaccine available and will take time to study efficacy once it is used.

 What can couples do now?

Each couple will have to take a hard look at their health right now and if they can improve their overall health, which in turn will help with fertility and pregnancy. Look at setting a timeline and health goals around getting pregnant for both male and female.  If it is possible to postpone or wait a bit, couples that can are rethinking when they will resume if they are working with a fertility clinic. 

Taking a whole health perspective of eating well, exercising, losing weight and stress reduction will help to strengthen their immune system and reduce their risks of severe illness. 

Relieve Stress

Stress is the biggest disrupter of reproductive hormones. It’s not about relaxing, it is about the overall function of the nervous system being triggered over and over creating anxiety.

Focus on your overall health

Think of the big picture of habits that contribute to your overall health - sleep, nutrition, exercise, mind-body practices, and self-care. This can also include the relationship with your partner, as fertility can put a strain on relationships. These habits all support fertility, no matter what stage of the fertility journey you are on. 

Holistic approaches

Acupuncture: studies show acupuncture can improve fertility outcomes for both men and women. Acupuncture helps to regulate the nervous system and has shown to activate certain neuropeptides in the brain that reduce inflammation and stimulate the immune system to heal. 

Males: It is important that male fertility is investigated. Studies show the virus can damage testicular cells and interfere with spermatogenesis causing problems with male fertility. Men should get tested for antibodies and also sperm health, preemptively they can freeze sperm for the future as well.