As the saying goes, it’s getting colder after every autumn rain. Being caught in the rain is not only likely to cause the onset of arthritis and rheumatism, but may also cause a cold. How to avoid catching a cold after being caught in the rain?

1. Avoid entering a low-temperature environment immediately

After being caught in the rain, it is necessary to avoid entering an air-conditioned room with a low temperature immediately. You should first wipe the moisture off your body with a clean towel, or take a hot bath, which can help the body quickly return to normal temperature. You could take a Chinese medicine bath, such as adding ginger or mugwort leaves, to enhance the effect of enhancing the yang and dispersing the cold.

2. Protect the neck and key acupoints

In traditional Chinese medicine, the neck is very susceptible to cold. After being caught in the rain, it is necessary to pay special attention to protecting your neck. You can wrap it with a scarf to prevent the wind and coldness. In addition, Fengfu acupoint (located at the top of the back side of the neck) has a good relief effect on cold caused by wind or coldness. You can use a hair dryer to gently blow the back of the neck. It is recommended to adjust the hair dryer to a low temperature and avoid blowing directly on the skin.

3. Avoid soaking your feet in rainwater

In traditional Chinese medicine, it is believed that the soles of the feet are the reflex areas of all organs in the human body. Rainwater can easily increase the moisture in the body and induce symptoms such as arthritis and rheumatism. The water on the ground after a heavy rain contains a large number of bacteria and fungi. If the feet are soaked in it for a long time, it may cause skin diseases such as tinea pedis and immersion dermatitis. Therefore, it is best to wear rubber shoes when going out. If you have to wade, it is recommended to shorten the soaking time of your feet in the water and wash your feet with clean water in time. You could soak your feet in hot salt water for 15 to 20 minutes after wading, which can have the effect of dispelling coldness and killing bacteria.

4. Drink more warm water or soup appropriately

It is recommended to drink more hot water or hot soup after being caught in the rain. It is believed in traditional Chinese medicine that ginger soup is appropriate. Ginger is warm in nature, which could promote sweat and relieve the symptoms, warm the body, and relieve vomiting, and reduce phlegm and stop coughing. When making ginger soup, you can add some TCM materials such as red dates and cinnamon to enhance its effect of enhancing yang and dispersing cold. Fresh ginger can be sliced and boiled into soup with red dates and cinnamon. The soup should be drunk while it is hot. It is not necessary to remove the ginger skin, because it is rich in nutrients with better medicinal effect.

5. Massage or moxibustion to relieve the cold feeling

If you feel signs of cold in your body, you can consider taking Chinese medicine massage or moxibustion. In terms of massage, you can knead or pat the back, shoulders and neck to help warm the meridians. When massaging, it is recommended to focus on massaging the Jianjing point, Jianzhongshu point and other positions, to relieve the cold feeling in the shoulders and neck. In terms of moxibustion, you can do moxibustion in places where the cold feeling is obvious, such as the navel and waist. Moxibustion can be applied to Guanyuan point, Shenshu point and other parts, which may supplement the yang of the kidney and enhance resistance.

Here are some tips from Beijing 120 on rainy days when the road is slippery and the traffic is heavy.

1. Wear suitable shoes. It is important to choose a pair of waterproof shoes with good grip to prevent rain from getting your feet wet and reduce the risk of slipping.

2. Carry rain gear. It is necessary to carry an umbrella or raincoat with you so that you can quickly block the rain and keep yourself dry.

3. Pay attention to road conditions. The road surface is slippery on rainy days, especially where there is water accumulation. Be careful when walking and try to avoid water accumulation areas.

4. Obey traffic rules. Both pedestrians and drivers should strictly abide by traffic rules. If necessary, slow down and drive slowly to ensure driving safety.

5. Pay attention to vehicle driving conditions. For drivers, special attention should be paid to the fact that the braking distance of the vehicle may become longer. It is necessary to keep enough distance between vehicles and avoid emergency braking.

6. Avoid taking shelter under trees. In order to avoid dangers caused by weather phenomena such as thunder and lightning, it is necessary to avoid taking shelter under trees or other tall buildings.

7. Protect personal belongings. You should make sure personal belongings such as mobile phones and wallets are placed in waterproof bags to avoid moisture damage.

8. Pay attention to weather forecasts. It is recommended to check the weather conditions before traveling and make corresponding preparations. If heavy rain or other extreme weather is forecasted, you could try to avoid going out.

9. Take good care of yourself. Traveling on rainy days may make people feel cold. It is suggested to add appropriate clothes to maintain body temperature.

10. Pay attention to your health. Walking in the rain for a long time may cause colds and other diseases. It is recommended to change into dry clothes in time after traveling and drink some hot tea or ginger soup to warm up your body if necessary.