Hello Reader,

Here in Los Angeles, all this rain we're having is affecting everyone's health more than we realize!

The ongoing rainy days here in LA is causing a lot of "damp" illnesses in children and adults: recalcitrant sinus infections; colds that bypass most fevers or chills and go straight to the sinus and chest with a lot of wet phlegmy cough and runny noses; stomach bugs with vomitting and/or diarrhea; recurring or never fully recovering illnesses; barometric pressure headaches and joint pain/arthritic pain.

These are all signs of "damp" in the body.

Los Angelinos are not used to all this wetness and thus are now starting to have a hard time warding off all this moisture in the environment. It's seeping into their bodies and causing infections that are lasting weeks, or those that return quickly after a short respite of feeling somewhat normal.

To ward off getting those infections, consider eating warm, pungent foods with a lot of aromatic hot spices like ginger, garlic, onions daily. Don't eat cold raw salads and cold sandwiches but instead soupy-type warm foods. In Asia, we have all kinds of warm soupy foods like shabu shabu/hot pot, nabe, sukiyaki, jjigaes, soups. Ramen too, but I would refrain from too much ramen b/c of all the carbs in the noodles. The carbs turn into "damp" energy in the body if not properly metabolized, adding to the already "damp" body. Instead, focus more on the ramen soup and add tons of vegetables and protein if you want ramen. Latin American cooking also has wonderful sopas, caldos, pozoles, etc.

Eating legumes and multigrains are also very helpful in draining damp energy in the body. In Asia, we eat multigrain porridges made with brown rice, barley millet, mung bean, kidney bean for example.

Exercise at home - so many free videos on YouTube. Exercising gets you sweating to get rid of unhealthy byproducts, this damp energy, too, and increases your body temperature to rev up your immune system.

If you have access to and can afford it, go to an infrared sauna to heat yourself up from the core to activate your immune system.

Moxa is excellent at warming up the body, stimulating your immune system and warding off colds/flu/covid/stomach flu. Moxa is also infrared therapy. Here is my video on how to use moxa safely and effectively at home (I made this right in the beginning of the Stay Home orders, so if you want to bypass some the commentary on that, go to around the 5:20 mark to learn how to use my special stick-on moax. I sell this moxa from my office and can ship to you directly now.

If your feet are cold, dunk your feet in warm tub of water nightly (better yet take a hot bath) to support your adrenal energy and immune system and for better sleep.

Dress warmer and protect yourself. Don't let the rain and cold energy seep further into your body. Wear wool socks to prevent that damp, wet energy from wet shoes seeping into your body. I just treated a toddler this afternoon. Her feet were so cold. I warmed her up. When we asked her to wear shoes back to her car to keep her warm, she refused. We were puzzled. But then I touched her sneakers and figured out why. She didn't want to wear wet, cold shoes. Once I dried them up and heated them up, she happily wore her shoes without a fuss. Even children instinctively understand cold, wet energy is not fun. It's not good for your health. I know investing in rain boots for kids in LA often doesn't make sense b/c it rarely rains, but consider getting cheap rain boots from Target or discount stores for them and protect their health. You too. Get a rain coat and rain shoes if you walk a lot, or you can even wrap your feet in plastic over your socks so the cold wet energy doesn't seep into your body from non-waterproof shoes.If you have had on going or recurring illnesses in the house, check for mold.

With all this rain, mold is very likely brewing in some homes or offices. Check under your toilet and kitchen sinks, in bathroom walls, inside closets and behind cabinets and dressers. If you see mold, that may be a huge culprit to why you or your family is not recovering. If you have mold, get it remediated asap. Until you can get to it, get a dehumidifier to prevent further growth of mold in your home.

But above all, keep your body warm. If your feet and hands are cold and damp, or if your skin is cold, you're cold. Do everything you can to raise your internal body temperature to improve circulation and build "warmth" in your body.

If you've tried this and even western pharmaceuticals like antibiotics and you're still not getting better, or if you want to combine both medicines to get better faster/optimize your well being, I offer teleconsults with very fast acting cold/cough herbs (such as those in my protocols below), sinus infection herbs, diarrhea/stomach bug herbs, and joint pain herbs that can be shipped to you. I have them available for children and adults.

Hope this helps and hope you're well nonetheless!

​

Best regards,

Lúriko P. Ozeki, L.Ac.

Licensed adult and pediatric acupuncturist

Playa Vista Adjacent office 90045

Phone: 424.248.5576

Website: www.iyashiwellness.com

​

Disclaimer.

The information presented in this newsletter are the opinions of Luriko Ozeki, LAc and Iyashi Wellness and are for informational purposes only. The suggestions, products and recommendations are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read in this newsletter. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor, go to the emergency room, or call 911 immediately.

​