subject: How to combat colds and flu this season [print this page] How to combat colds and flu this season How to combat colds and flu this season
Even though spring may be looming, we are still in the midst of cold and flu season, Lloyd G Wright, LAc, DNBAO, writes. He has found, through his 37 years of working in the medical field, that traditional Chinese herbal medicine offers quick relief to cold and flu symptoms. "I have not found any medicine, vitamin, or nutritional supplement that works as well as the appropriately selected Chinese herbal formula."
For many individuals, though the idea of veering from the "tried and true" into the realm of Chinese herbal medicines is still an uncharted territory. Wright says that if individuals begin taking Chinese herbs at the first sign of a cold body aches, tickling in the throat, tired, itchy eyes or simply feeling run down they can see the symptoms dissipate and even disappear in less than 48 hours. Even if the symptoms of cold and flu have settled into an individual, there are Chinese herbal remedies that can shorten the duration and lessen the symptoms of the flu. The remedies can relieve body aches, sore throat pain, mucous production and coughing. As with any cold or flu remedy, different formulations of the herbal remedies are required to address various symptoms.
The reason that traditional Chinese medicines are so effective is because of the comprehensive and unique medical model that practitioners have honed over more than 5,000 years. When it comes to the common cold or flu, your acupuncturist will ask you to describe whether your symptoms are primary chilled or heated. As an example, chill symptoms include: body aches, tiredness, mild sore throat, white or clear mucous and the desire to keep warm; hot symptoms include high fever, sweating, severe sore throat, yellow mucous. In the case of a chill condition, your body would respond better to a warm herb, like ginger. Hot condition illness are better treated with cooling herbs in the mint family peppermint.
Individuals in the Western world don't typically think about herbs and foods and how they can affect the body's condition. Wright says that, "when we understand the rules, simple knowledge from this ancient time tested wisdom can have a profound effect on our health."
The bottom line, as with any treatment for an illness, the more quickly you begin a Chinese herbal treatment, the more quickly you will see results. Wright advises individuals to work with medical professionals who are trained in the proper diagnosis and treatment utilizing traditional Chinese herbal medicines.
