Energy Exercises for Cold and Flu Prevention and Alleviation

Meridian exercises release cold energy from key areas of the body that can lead to or amplify cold and flu symptoms.

It’s getting cold right now in the northern parts of the world, like where I am right now in South Korea. Cold and flu season is upon us.

To help prevent cold and flu symptoms or alleviate them if we get them, we can use our bodies’ natural healing power. You probably already know about the benefits of healthy habits–of eating and sleeping well and getting enough exercise. They keep our bodies resilient. We can also directly manage our bodies’ energy system to keep that strong as well. Yoga, qigong, acupressure, breathing, meditation, and other energy work can be used regularly to keep our energy running smoothly and stably.

Important Energy Points for Colds and the Flu

Illnesses such as colds or flus are caused by viral infections, but they have an energetic component, too. As the name “cold” implies, these infections are associated with a buildup of cold energy in the body, especially around the head, neck. and shoulders.

These energy points are especially susceptible:

CV 22 (chundol in Korean): Located in the dip at the bottom of the front of the neck in the middle of the clavicle. It is on the Conception Vessel, an energy channel, or meridian, that runs down the midline of the front of the body.

GV 14 (daechu in Korean): Found on the Governing Vessel between the seventh cervical vertebrae and the first thoracic vertebrae. The Governing Vessel is a meridian that runs down the midline of the back of the body.

Tapping, pressing, and massaging these points can help release the cold energy stuck there. This will improve the energy flow through the Governing Vessel and Conception Vessel as well.

Here are some other acupressure points that also help with colds and the flu ►

Meridian Exercises for Cold and Flu

Moving our bodies mindfully can also stimulate these important energy points and others where cold energy may be stuck. The following three exercises are simple and gentle enough to follow even when we’re not feeling well.

1. Head Twist

1. Sit in a half-lotus position or in a chair with your feet flat on the floor. Lengthen your spine, and rest your hands on your knees.
2. Slowly turn your head to the right and left thirty times. As you move, concentrate on the GV 14 point.
3. Returning your head to the center, tilt your head back as far as you can.
4. Open your mouth, and concentrate on the CV 22 acupressure point.
5. Keeping your head tilted back, relax your jaw so it naturally drops down like a gentle yawn.
6. Then bring up your jaw and allow your teeth to touch each other gently.
7. Repeat this jaw motion thirty-six times.
8. Next, let your head drop to the right side, stretching the left side of your neck.
9. Rotate your head very slowly in a circular motion, clockwise and then counterclockwise, to relax your neck muscles.

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2. Massage for Congestion

1. Inhale, and place your fingers on either side of your nose.
2. Press and massage your sinuses gently.
3. Then press under your eyes and along your eyebrows.
4. Press and massage for about five minutes.

3. Shoulder Stretch

1. Kneel on the floor with your knees at a 90-degree angle and your palms on the floor below your shoulders. Bend your ankles and point your toes forward.
2. Then bring your hips back over your ankles, lowering your chest as close to the floor as possible and extending your arms straight in front of you.
3. Bounce your hips back eight times.
4. Then inhale and hold the posture for several moments in order to stimulate your GV 14 acupressure point and Second Thoracic Vertebrae.
5. Exhale. Keeping your toes on the floor, straighten your legs on the floor behind you, moving your upper body forward. Arch your back with your arms straight under your shoulders, and look toward the sky in a cobra posture.
6. Hold this pose for 20–30 seconds.
7. Repeat all the steps one more time.

When we practice meridian exercises regularly to maintain a healthy energy flow, our immune system gets boosted. Our chances of getting cold or flu symptoms naturally decreases. Keeping our bodies warm with clothing and movement also helps prevent the buildup of cold energy in the body that creates the perfect energy environment for these illnesses.

Learn more exercises for keeping our bodies and energy healthy in my book, Meridian Exercise for Self-Healing.

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