EP16 Boost Your Immunity With These 10 Foods and Herbs

*Disclaimer: The information in these show notes and in the recorded podcast is NOT medical advice or intended in any way to be a substitute for medical advice. The information provided is not intended to treat, diagnose, cure or prevent any condition or disease including corona virus (COVID-19). Please use extreme caution when assessing info about this virus and please consult your licensed medical providers for treatment options. None of the statements in this post have been validated or reviewed by the FDA.

 

View the complete transcript of the show HERE.

“Osha is one of my all time favorite herbs. It's a really beautiful herb. The Native Americans used to call it bear medicine. And it's extremely powerful and unique. And that's one of those herbs which I have always in my clinic. And I always have people have that around the house during the cold and flu season.”—Craig Williams, LAc

In light of all the concern over COVID-19, we wanted to speak with Craig Williams, a licensed acupuncturist and practitioner of East Asian Medicine, to explore the many foods and herbs that he recommends for building immunity. It’s our hope that we can help more people feel empowered to protect their health during this pandemic.

Craig is a Clinical Herbalist (R.H.) with the American Herbalist Guild, a NAMA Certified Ayurvedic Practitioner, and an East West Certified Herbalist ( E.W.C.H.). Craig has a Master’s of Science in Oriental Medicine and is a Nationally Certified Instructor of Wing Chun Kung Fu. Craig is also an ACE Certified Health Coach, Certified Eat to Perform Coach, Certified Revolution Running Coach, ACE Certified Sports Conditioning Coach, AFPA Certified Holistic Nutritionist and a NASM Certified Nutrition Coach.  

Craig's Top 10 Foods and Herbs For Immunity Discussed in this Podcast:

1. Walnuts
2. Sunflower seeds
3. Pumpkin seeds
4. Fresh garlic
5. Raw onions
6. Ginger
7. Osha Root (Tie Da Yin Chen)
8. Astragalus (Huang Qi)
9. Skullcap root (Huang Qin)
10. Cordyceps (and other medicinal mushrooms)

And if you listen closely, you'll catch mention of a few additional foods and herbs that are great for the immune system!

Show Notes:

 

0:40 An introduction on Craig Williams and how his most recent column in Acupuncture Today addressed winter nutrition.

2:50 Walnuts are considered a lung and kidney tonic in Chinese medicine and provide a wonderful source of essential fatty acids.

6:58 Sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds are a good source of zinc, which are a great immunity booster and also important for prostate health.

9:17 Fresh garlic is one of Craig’s favorite herbs for all-around health.

12:44 Raw onions also provide substantial immune boosting and lung support benefits.

13:44 Ginger is one of those herbs that Craig always keeps on hand for addressing all types of conditions. 

17:00 Osha Root (Tie Da Yin Chen) is phenomenal for respiratory support.

21:55 Astragalus (Huang Qi) is a great herb to support the immune system during the cold and flu season.

26:00 Skullcap Root (Huang Qin) is typically used to clear out damp heat conditions. 

28:30 Medicinal mushrooms like Cordyceps provide lung support and help maintain a healthy immune system.  Great in combination with Astragalus.

31:05 Many people are nutrient depleted and dealing with chronic illness. If you keep your immune system healthy, you will bounce back from sickness more easily.

35:00 A discussion on Wen Bing diseases and why prescribing heat-clearing herbs are helpful.

40:50 In the earlier stages of disease, the Chinese Medicine treatment protocol can be more generic, but in the advanced stages, the treatment becomes more unique to the individual.  

 

[Important Note to readers/listeners: More recent findings show that COVID-19 may evolve from a warm disease into a cold-damp phase in which Shanghan Lun principles should then be applied instead of continuing Wen Bing principles. A discussion on this this two-pronged approach is discussed in our blog post Chinese Herbs to Maintain Healthy Immune System During Cold-Damp Phase of Corona Virus (COVID-19).]

 

43:50 Craig’s top three recommendations for staying healthy: 1. eat warm foods and lots of vegetables, 2. make sleep a priority and 3. find some exercise or movement that you love.

47:40 How listeners can get in touch with Craig for more great tips.

Links and Resources Mentioned:

https://plumdragonherbs.com/collections/whole-herbs 

https://plumdragonherbs.com/products/huang-qi

https://plumdragonherbs.com/products/huang-qin

https://plumdragonherbs.com/products/huang-qin-extract-chinese-skullcap-extract

https://plumdragonherbs.com/products/wen-bing-defense-immune-system-support-formula

https://plumdragonherbs.com/products/tie-da-yin-chen-osha-root

https://plumdragonherbs.com/products/wildcrafted-osha-root-liquid-extract-2-oz

Find out more about Craig Williams and connect with him at http://www.ayurvedaaustin.com, on Instagram or on Facebook. You can also check out his latest column in Acupuncture Today by clicking here. 

 

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Thank You For Listening!

  

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Podcast Music Credit:

Motherlode Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) 
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/