Laryngitis

WHAT IS IT AND WHAT CAUSES IT?

When the larynx is inflamed it is laryngitis. Its symptoms are sore throat, hoarseness, and difficulty making sounds. Laryngitis can be caused by many factors such as a viral infection or overuse of your voice, smoking, sinusitis, bronchitis, or exposure to some kind of chemical, dust, or other irritants.

WHEN SHOULD YOU SEE A DOCTOR?

If you have hoarseness and sore throat lasting more than two days, see a doctor. If the symptoms are accompanied with coughing up blood, painful swallowing, shortness of breath, or high fever, see a doctor immediately.

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO IN DAILY LIFE?

• Resting your voice is most important. Even whispering can make laryngitis worse.
• Drink eight to 10 glasses of water a day to lubricate the vocal cords.
• Use a facial steamer (available in a healthcare section of department stores) to lubricate your throat for 10 minutes, twice a day. Take care not to scald yourself.
• Use a cold-air humidifier to keep adequate humidity in your room.
• Apply a warm, wet towel around your throat. Change it frequently. When you shower, point the warm water at your throat for one minute.
• Breathe through your nose, not your mouth.

WHAT SHOULDN'T YOU DO?

• Avoid spicy and fried food. Don't eat raw or cold food.
• Don't smoke, as it dries your throat.

Food Therapy

• Gargle green tea with honey:

  Ingredients: Green tea (Woo Lon, for example), honey.

  Procedure: Brew green tea with boiled water. Wait a few minutes, add 1 Tbs. of honey. Stir well. When the temperature goes down, vigorously gargle.

• Drink water chestnut juice. Peel water chestnuts. Place them in a juicer to make juice and drink often.
• Eat Asian pear with herb:

  Ingredients: 1 Asian pear, 1/8 oz. thunbery fritillary bulb powder (available in Chinese herb stores), 30 ml honey.

  Procedure: Take the center of the pear out and fill with thunbery fritillary bulb powder. Place the pear in a bowl and add honey. Steam it until well done. Divide it into two portions. Eat one portion twice a day.

• Take egg with sesame oil and sugar:

  Ingredients: 1 egg, 1 tsp. sesame oil, 1/2 tsp. sugar.

  Procedure: Beat an egg with sesame oil and sugar. Pour the mixture into a pan with 1 cup of boiling water on the stove. Cook for 40 seconds. Drink twice a day.

Chinese Herbs

• Squirt the patent herb Shuang Liao Hou Feng San into your throat.
• Drink boat sterculia seed tea:

  Ingredients: 5 boat sterculia seeds.

  Procedure: Place seeds in a pot and add 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for five minutes. The seeds will become very puffy. Remove the seeds and drink the decoction as tea frequently.

Low Blood Pressure

WHAT IS IT AND WHAT CAUSES IT?

If your blood pressure is below 90/60, that is considered low blood pressure or hypotension. Normal blood pressure is around 120/80. The symptoms of low blood pressure are often light-headedness, fatigue, or headaches. Orthostatic hypotension is a dangerous type of low blood pressure. It happens when suddenly standing up from sitting or lying down. Along with arteriosclerosis, hypotension can be caused by some medications, diabetes, or hormone disorders.

WHEN SHOULD YOU SEE A DOCTOR?

Sudden low blood pressure sometimes means that you may have a fatal situation. You should go to an emergency room. If you have chronic low blood pressure, see a doctor.

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO IN DAILY LIFE?

• Maintain good nutrition. Eat more lamb, pepper, ginger, Chinese chive, beans, or spicy food. Take in enough salt in your diet.
• Drink plenty of water. Drink coffee or tea.
• Frequent short, warm baths may help.
• Rest and get enough sleep. Overexertion makes blood pressure lower.
• If you feel dizzy when you get up, follow the next three steps:
  • Keep lying in bed for 30 seconds. Meanwhile, try to move your limbs, rub your face, and knead your abdomen.
  • Change to a sitting position for 30 seconds.
  • Finally, slowly get off the bed to stand up.
• Exercise regularly by walking, jogging, or doing Tai Chi. Increase your workload gradually.
• Promptly treat the underlying disease, which can lead to low blood pressure.

WHAT SHOULDN'T YOU DO?

• Don't miss your breakfast. It might be the reason for your low blood pressure.
• Don't eat celery, winter melon, red small beans, and hawthorn.
• Avoid physically demanding activities and climbing to a high altitude. Avoid standing for a long time or changing your body position too much.

Folk Remedies

• Alternately taking cold and warm baths may solve your problem. Prepare two buckets, one with warm water about 104 degrees Fahrenheit, and the other with cold water about 68 degrees Fahrenheit. Soak your arms or legs in the warm water for one minute. Then soak in cold water for 30 seconds. Repeat five times. Soak your arms or legs in warm water to finish.
• The following recipes may help you:
  • Drink strong tea and eat pickles frequently.
  • Eat 10 pieces of red dates twice a day.
  • Eat five cloves of walnuts at a time three times a day.
  • Eat 1/4 oz. longan aril a day, which is available in Chinese grocery stores.
  • Add ginger to your diet.

Food Therapy

• Drink lycium fruit wine:

  Ingredients: 3 oz. lycium fruit, 5 oz. sugar, 750 ml 80-proof vodka.

  Procedure: Soak lycium and sugar in vodka for two months in a cold room (not in a refrigerator). It will become thick and sticky. Drink 20 ml herbal vodka with 30 ml water before bedtime.

• Eat chicken with pineapple:

  Ingredients: 10 oz. fresh pineapple, 3 oz. chicken breast, salt, cooking oil.

  Procedure: Slice pineapple and chicken. Stir-fry with cooking oil until well done. Add salt. Eat every other day.

Chinese Massage

• In acute cases, use the tip of the thumb to press the groove below the nose, slightly more than halfway up (Gv26). Press the point two thumb-widths above the wrist crease of the palm side, between the tendons, right under the buckle of the watchstrap (Pc6).
• Use the tip of your thumb to gently press the point right on the top crown center of your head, on the line connecting the earlobes for 30 seconds (Gv20). Then use the middle finger to gently press and knead the same point for one minute.
• Use the knuckles of both hands to gently press and knead the points a little higher than the waist, two finger-widths on both sides of the spine for one minute (Bl23).
• Use both your palms to scrub and knead the sacral bone area on the midline of your body on the back for one minute.

Chinese Herbs

• Take the patent herb Bu Zhong Yi Qi Wan. Follow the instructions.
• Eat chicken with herbs:

  Ingredients: 1 hen, 1/2 oz. astragalus root, 1/4 oz. gastrodia tuber, 1/4 oz. green onion, 1/4 oz. ginger, 10 ml Chinese cooking wine, 1/4 oz. tangerine peels, salt.

  Procedure: Soak the hen in boiled water for two minutes. Wrap herbs with gauze, place them inside the hen and place hen in a pot. Add green onion, ginger salt, wine, tangerine peels, and water to cover all ingredients. Turn on low heat and cook until done. Discard the herbs. Add some pepper and divide into three portions. Eat one portion a day for three days.