Why was chronic cough so common in Calgary last winter?

The winter and early spring of 2012 many Calgarians suffered from a chronic dry cough.  The theory of TCM can shed light on this seemingly mysterious trend.  It had much to do with the prevalence of chinooks we had then, combined with the unusually warm weather that winter and the previous summer.

The Chinese have a saying:  If the summer is mild, then the following winter will also be mild.  Winter is the season when animals hibernate.  They conserve their energy by retreating to a restful place so that they can survive the harsh cold of winter and be prepared for the arrival of springtime.  Though people are not animals, we have much to learn from the behaviour of our natural environment. 

The setting sun has always been the time to retire and rest as it triggers our physiology to demand sleep.  The advent of electricity and modern heating have afforded us the luxury of staying awake many hours longer than we would have in the past.   Artifical light and the late night glow of our computer screens confuses our sleep cycles, especially in winter when the days grow shorter and nature suggests to us that more rest would be wise.  

When winter is sufficiently cold, nature's Qi descends and retracts into the earth for storage, closes the earth's pores and encourages the rest of nature to also store Qi.  When winter is not cold enough, the earth's Qi rises and floats and causes there to be more wind, just like our chinooks.

The excessive blowing of wind steals moisture from the land as it blows which consumes the earth's Yin.   This wind is like the earth's breath and can be likened to the breath of all living creatures including people.  As the earth's Qi floats, so does that of people.   When the Qi floats in our bodies it causes cough which consumes Yin, leading to dryness.  This dryness is made worse by repeated coughing and the continuation of this same unusual weather.  This is how a weather phenomenon can directly affect the health of the people that live in a region.

Of course, not everyone living in Calgary has a chronic dry cough, but we must also consider the variability of peoples' constitutions.  Some people who already have a tendency to feel dry or those who are already Yin deficient due to other lifestyle causes will have a greater tendency to develop this type of cough.

People are not separate from nature, we are part of nature.  We are inclined to forget this link due to the comfort that modern conveniences provide us.  If we can re-establish our link with nature by observing and learning from its patterns, we can better protect our health. 

Those suffering from dry cough can add pears, prunes, and honey to their diet.  These foods help to moisten the body and hold moisture in.  Note that honey is specially for dry cough, not for any type of cough.