Dr Lindsay Irwin from our clinic introduced health advice for Wildfire Smoke in a prior article, and this article provides tips drawn from the perspective of Chinese Medicine.
The Lungs in Chinese Medicine are considered a delicate organ and sensitive to dryness. Wildfire smoke dries the lungs and exposes them to toxins which can lead to a depletion of the lung’s energy. The tips in this article are to help moisten and detoxify the lungs, and help restore the lung’s energy.
Foods that help your Lungs
Lily Bulb (Bulbus Lilii; Bai He in mandarin) is a herb that helps moisten and clear heat from the lung as well as stop cough. Additionally, the herb helps calm the mind. The herb has a sweet and cooling energy. Lily bulb can be prepared as a tea but it is also a food that can be added to soups or porridges.
Pears in Chinese Medicine are known to help moisten the lung, assist with cough, and generate body fluid. They have a cooling energy and help moisten the throat. You can eat pears raw or steam them.
Self-treatment: Acupressure of Sinuses and Lung Meridian
Acupressure is a technique of massaging acupuncture points to stimulate them with the goal of stimulating the point’s function as well as increasing qi and blood circulation in the local area. It can be very helpful with sustained practice.
Acupressure should be done with a comfortable pressure and preferably at a relaxing pace. You can use any of your fingers or thumbs to apply pressure. When treating your face, you can treat both sides simultaneously by using one hand per side. Applying an oil or lotion of your choosing on the skin can make it more comfortable to slide over the skin.
When you are stimulating an acupuncture point (abridged to acupoint) spend 5-10 seconds on this point before moving to the next location. Though we mention acupoints by name, you don’t need to overthink their exact location. The acupoint names are mentioned to assist for those wanting to find further details by internet searching.
Sinuses
The sinuses are considering the opening to the Lungs in Chinese Medicine.
Sinus Lower Orbit Circuit (blue line)
Massage near the lower area of the inner canthus of the eye. Next let your finger slide into a dent below and in line with the center of your eye to acupoint ST2, or just below the dent. Then slide along the curve of the bone toward the side of your jaw to acupoint ST7. Finally slide towards your temples (acupoint Taiyang) and rub around. You can repeat this circuit 5-10 times.
Sinus Upper Orbit Circuit (green line)
Massage at the medial aspect of your eyebrow (acupoint BL2). Then slide your finger above and along your brow bone to your temples (acupoint Taiyang). You can repeat this circuit 5-10 times.
Sinus Outer nose (purple line)
Massage near the inner canthus of your eye. Then slide your finger down to the sides of your nostrils (acupoint Li20). You can repeat this circuit 5-10 times.
Sinus Forehead (orange line)
Massage at the medial aspect of your eyebrow (acupoint UB2) then slide your finger up the center of your forehead to just past your hairline. Repeat this motion 5-10 times.
Lung Meridian
Massage acupoint Lu1 (red dot on model). Lu1 point is found on the front of your body in a dent where your upper shoulder meets your collarbone. You can take slow breaths as you massage this point. Massage for 60 seconds.
Massage along the lung meridian starting at the elbow crease at acupoint Lu5 and ending at acupoint Lu9. You can apply some oil or lotion on your forearm to ease the movement. You can take extra time at locations that are tender. Avoid squeezing too hard near the wrist at acupoint Lu9 as there is an artery close by.
Acupuncture for Lung Health
Acupuncture treatments can be effective for helping patients with asthma, cough or other chronic lung conditions. I use different styles of acupuncture for treatment of these conditions depending on the patient. Other modalities such as Tui Na (Chinese Medicine based massage) and cupping can also be used in the treatment of lung health. A comprehensive health history intake is normally done with the patient in order to determine other factors that might be impacting lung health.
