How to keep well in extreme weather: Strategies from different systems of medicine.

“Prevention is better than cure.” Different systems of medicine have advice on how to keep well, including on how to protect yourself from extreme environmental conditions. Of course, traditionally extreme weather happened at the height of winter or summer, or with the sudden changes in weather which tended to happen at the change of the seasons, such as the “spring winds”. Unfortunately, these extremes are trending to the more extreme, and more frequent - so what are the things that we adopt to help protect our health in the face of extreme weather? This article will explore the advice of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), lifestyle medicine and environmental medicine.

Protecting Against Extreme Heat

In the face of extreme heat, all three systems of medicine advise to:

1. Stay hydrated

2. Limit exposure to extreme heat, especially during peak heat hours

3. Use appropriate sun protection

Additional advice from TCM

The consumption of Cooling foods and herbs to counter internal Heat

In traditional Chinese medicine, each food has a thermal nature - related effect it has on our bodies. Think about the cooling effect of consuming watermelon or cucumbers on the body, even if it is consumed at room temperature, compared to the heating effect of cinnamon, ginger or pepper. In extreme Heat, heating foods and herbs should be avoided and cooling foods should be emphasised in moderation.

Additional advice from Lifestyle Medicine

1. Creating cool environments, whether this is creating drafts, seeking shade or staying indoors, create a microenvironment that protects you from extreme heat. 

2. Recognizing heat-related illness symptoms, and seeking immediate care. 

Symptoms may include:

• Dizziness and lightheadedness

• Fatigue and weakness

• Confusion or disorientation

• Headache

• Nausea and vomiting

• Muscle cramps

• Rapid, shallow breathing

Additional advice from Environmental Medicine

1. Workplace controls to limit exposure to extreme heat.

Developing comprehensive heat action plans in schools and workplaces.

Protecting Against Extreme Cold

In the face of extreme cold, all three systems of medicine advise:

1. to limit exposure

2. adequate clothing to maintain body warmth

3. to stay well hydrated and nourished. 

Most people that we see are great with adopting the first two common sense strategies, but fail at the third. Traditionally in the cold, people would eat porridges/congees, soups and stews in the winter, as well as sip on teas to keep warm. This would provide the water intake needed for the body to work efficiently. In the modern day, diets don’t vary very much according to the season or the weather— so if eating toast, a sandwich, and a protein + vegetables, and drinking coffee to keep warm - you can see why many of the people we see in the winter and chronically dehydrated and impeding their health at a very fundamental level. Some tips on keeping hydrated in the winter include:

• A mug half-filled with boiled water, half-filled with room temperature water. Many find that drinking or sipping warm water is much easier in the cooler months.

• Pear juice

• Coconut water

• Miso soup

• Soups and stews for meals

• Herbal teas

Additional advice from TCM

1. Strengthening the body's Defensive Qi.

2. Consuming warming foods and herbs.

In Traditional terms the qi of the body retreats to the interior, similar to the dynamic that sees trees store more nutrients in their roots in the winter, or the circulation retreating from our extremities to ensure that the vital organs receive adequate warmth. Because of this, the exterior of the body, namely the skin and our upper respiratory system (nasal & sinus cavities and throat) are in a more vulnerable state to exterior pathogens. Keeping the body adequately warm allows the “Defensive Qi” to push towards the exterior, and foods and herbs that warm, such as ginger, cinnamon and cardamom are emphasised. As are those that strengthen the Defensive Qi like Huang Qi, which "Fortify the lungs, protects against Pathogens” and has been shown to increase white blood cell counts.

Additional advice from Lifestyle Medicine

Lifestyle medicine emphasises using lifestyle to increase tolerance to the Cold:

1. regular exercise

2. proper nutrition 

Moderate exercise is shown to improve immunity (while intense exercise reduces it, and should be avoided in the winter). Exercise will also help the quality of sleep in the winter, which is another pillar of health, and will affect both immunity and moods in extreme cold. Exercising outdoors will have the added benefit of exposure to sunlight which is important for stabilising moods, the circadian rhythm of the body and sleep. Make sure if you are exercising outdoors in extreme cold that you have taken the time to acclimatise to the cold and are wearing adequate clothing.

Protecting Against Extreme Wind

In the face of extreme wind, all three systems of medicine advise to:

1. Appropriate clothing and eye protection to shield body from wind 

2. Limiting exposure to windy conditions

Additional advice from TCM

“Wind is the spearhead of 100 diseases” in TCM theory. This is because wind can bring with it a sudden change in weather to which the body has not acclimatised to, meaning that it is more vulnerable to disease. Because of this, TCM emphasises to :

1. strengthening the Lungs (Organ and Channel System- which is the system which includes the Exterior of the body, its immune system)

2. and using specific herbs to combat Wind Invasion (which translates roughly into: combating pathogens entering the body as a result of Wind)

Additional advice from Lifestyle Medicine

Exposure to extreme wind can compromise your skin's protective barrier, can rapidly deplete the skin oils and moisture, causing dryness, irritation, inflammation, premature aging and increased vulnerability to infections. It may even increase vulnerability to cancer. The sloughing off of superficial skin layers and exposure of deeper immature layers of skin is thought to be the mechanism by which animal models exposed to wind and sun had increased levels of skin cancer. 

To reduce the effects of extreme wind on your health, lifestyle medicine focuses on:

1. Skin protection

2. Indoor air quality management: controlling how air enters your building and filtration, if needed will help ensure that the air inside your home is not contaminated by debris and pollution. 

Additional advice from Environmental Medicine

Environmental medicine stresses implementing wind barriers and developing emergency protocols.

Protecting Against Extreme Dryness

In the face of extreme dryness, all three systems of medicine advise to:

1. Avoiding exposure to extreme dryness

2. Staying hydrated in the skin and internally

Additional advice from TCM

1. Using food and herbs to “Nourishing Yin and Blood” 

2. Incorporate water into the place that you inhabit. This may include adding water features like small fountains or decorative bowls filled with water

3. Having houseplants indoors: plants naturally increase humidity through transpiration. 

Additional advice from Lifestyle Medicine

1. Staying well-hydrated by drinking plenty of water

2. Ensuring adequate intake of essential omega-3 fatty acids

3. Avoiding excessive consumption of dehydrating substances

4. Protecting the skin by:

• Limiting shower or bath time to 5-10 minutes using lukewarm water

• Applying moisturizer immediately after bathing while skin is still damp

Additional advice from Environmental Medicine

Environmental medicine advises the importance of maintaining proper indoor humidity levels.

Protecting Against Extreme Dampness

In the face of extreme wind, all three systems of medicine advise against inhabiting places that have damp issues, and the detrimental effects it can have on your health. Dampness is associated with:

• Asthma development and exacerbation

• Wheezing, coughing, and difficulty breathing

• Increased risk of respiratory infections

• Allergic rhinitis and other allergic diseases of the airways

• Eczema and skin irritation

• Neuropsychiatric symptoms

Dampness is so hazardous to our health because it  promotes the growth of mold and fungi, bacteria, and house dust mites. These microorganisms produce toxins, spores, allergens, and irritants that are often detrimental to our health. In addition to this dampness increases chemical emissions from building materials. 

Ways to address dampness include:

1. Maintaining proper ventilation

2. Controlling indoor humidity levels

3. Addressing moisture sources in the environment

4. Professional remediation for severe cases of dampness or mold.

At Papaya Clinic, we believe in a comprehensive approach to women's health, and recognise the value in each of these approaches. Our team of health professionals, including acupuncturists, naturopaths, musculoskeletal & pelvic health physiotherapists, and massage therapists, work collaboratively to provide a high standard of wholistic integrative healthcare for our communities.

Resources:

Adapt NSW: https://www.climatechange.environment.nsw.gov.au/impacts-climate-change/climate-impacts-our-health-and-wellbeing

Institute of Environmental Health Sciences: https://www.niehs.nih.gov/ 

Doctors for the Environment: https://www.dea.org.au/ 

Australian College of Environmental Studies: https://aces.edu.au/