It is rare to speak out in praise of the common cold - one of the scourges of post-modern centrally heated life - but, along with the fantastical new world order of the hustling, bustling 21st century, I believe its time has come.
The first signs you've landed one can begin to show up to a month before - the sudden catching pain between your ribs in the middle back, a sore spot on the back of your head near the ear, an increase of mucus on waking, aching knees, sore shoulders, stiff neck, unexpected tiredness in the afternoon or various combinations of these, not in chronological sequence. Eventually, you catch yourself muttering, 'Damn - I've got a cold!', until that thought becomes an undeniable reality.
At this point, the 'western' tendency is to panic mildly about likely agenda disruptions and the probability of a few awful hair and runny-mascara days, and to make every attempt to stuff the cold down with various combinations of allopathic and alternative 'remedies', according to your bent. But the common cold virus, according to Taoist (Chinese) medical philosophy, is not necessarily malevolent. In fact, if allowed to run its course, a cold can do you the world of good.
Trying to resist a cold once it has taken hold is futile - you're simply wasting valuable energy. Don't be afraid of it, as fear makes your kidneys contract, which weakens your immune system. Instead, surrender gracefully and let the cold take you into that wonderful soft, fuzzy, altered state where, with ears and Eustacian tubes semi-blocked, you feel as if you're swaddled in cotton wool. This is the 'yin', or feminine state, that makes you withdraw to the interior.
If you can afford the time (a big if, indeed), grant yourself a couple of days mooching round the house taking full advantage of the revelations that often accompany such withdrawal. If you are compelled, for whatever reason, to go out and mingle in the workplace and thus spread the germs of your blessing with others, do what you can to preserve the sense of internal softness, so as not to expend energy you can't afford. The Taoists believe that enduring strength only arises from this 'soft' state. Specifically, the common cold is one of nature's highly efficient ways of giving your immune system a bit of exercise to make it grow stronger. Welcome the cold as a benevolent force and, just as any guest who's made to feel comfortable in your house, the cold will treat you well in return.
Denying the cold its due respect by pushing on regardless and resorting to chemical suppressants often causes more complicated inflammatory conditions in the respiratory tract later on. Of course, where the respiratory tract is weak initially, complications can arise, even if you do surrender to the cold - everyone's cold is different, and generalisations are limited in scope. But there are a few rudimentary steps you can take without changing your whole life that will make the cold's passage both more swift and enjoyable.
To clear your Eustacian tubes, throat and sinuses, eat a slice or two of raw ginger or take a dab of mustard on your tongue. The explosive reaction, though startling, is hugely relieving and the heat is useful for boosting kidney energy and hence the immune system.
Use natural decongestants (eucalyptus and menthol) at night to prevent breathing in dust through your mouth while sleeping. To clear the air passages and prevent the cold going on to your chest, drink mullein tea and steam your face over a bowl of friar's balsam in boiling water. To move 'dirty' blood and energy from your chest and thus strengthen your lungs, do a lot of arm swinging and push-ups, if you can manage them. Do what you can to ensure your body temperature remains constant to ease the strain on your kidneys and, above all, relax.
The lungs traditionally correspond to the emotion of grief or clinging unhealthily to people or situations from the past. Colds often seem to take hold when you're in transition between one significant phase and another and need to let go of something or someone to be able to move on in your life. Some say a cold appears when you need to have a good cry but haven't had time or inclination. Use the time to examine what needs letting go of and resolve to make the necessary changes. If you find this frightening, simply suggest to yourself repeatedly till you start to feel a sense of equipoise, 'All change is good!' Good!
Dear Barefoot Doctor, I'm 33 years old, relatively healthy, active and happy, but need to sleep about 13 hours a day to feel fully rested. In fact, if I can I'll grab an hour in the afternoon as well. Is this indicative of a problem?
Jane Barstow
Clerkenwell, London
Dear Jane, it's probable that your need for sleep is natural for your constitution - there are no rules for sleep, but it might be advisable for you to visit a GP to ascertain whether there's a slight heart problem as, according to oriental medicine, the heart controls the sleep function. Assuming there isn't, perhaps you could consider engaging in some sort of regular daily exercise to wake up your energy a tad. Often sleep is a refuge from stress and troubles, but if this isn't the case, perhaps you just need to increase your sanguinity. Try Floradix, which is a good all-round tonic.
Dear Barefoot Doctor, I suffer from gout in my big toe. Is there anything I can do to help it myself?
Phil Clements
Birmingham
Dear Phil, gout is caused by an excess of uric acid in the blood which originates from deficient kidney energy. Many people I know have been helped by drinking 500ml of juice of equal parts of carrot, celery, spinach and cucumber (with skin). With a pinch of salt, black pepper, ground roasted cumin seeds and the juice of one lemon. Eat two slices of fresh overripe pineapple while drinking the juice.
• Barefoot Doctor is author of 'Handbook for the Urban Warrior' and teaches Taoism, meditation, Chinese medicine and t'ai chi. He has been in practice for more than 20 years, specialising in personal-crisis management. If you have any problems you would like answered, please write to Barefoot Doctor at Life magazine, The Observer , 119 Farringdon Road, London EC1R 3ER, or email him at barefoot.doctor@observer.co.uk. Also, you can visit www.barefootdoctorglobal.com.
