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Source: Folk Health Preservation
Unhealthy bodies exist in two states: one is cold; the other is heat. However, it is important to note that the states of cold and heat are not static; they are constantly changing. The most prominent changes between cold and heat occur during a cold.
In the past, TCM textbooks divided colds into wind-cold and wind-heat types. I believe this is incorrect. In fact, wind-cold and wind-heat are not different categories of colds, but rather different stages of a cold. Colds are caused by temperature changes leading to dysfunction in the body. Each person’s cold will go through both wind-cold and wind-heat stages.
Initially, a cold causes a certain suppressive state in the body, with the most obvious manifestation being coldness on the surface of the body, prompting the need to wrap up warmly. Sometimes, there is a runny nose and sneezing, which some refer to as a wind-cold cold. However, this is merely the initial stage of a cold. Why is this considered a suppressive state? Because at this time, the body is in a state of “insufficiency,” where qi and blood cannot supply the surface, making it unable to mount an effective defense. Therefore, this is a “yin” state. In other words, the energy of yin begins to control the body, and this yin energy has the characteristic of suppressing and contracting.
We learned in middle school physics that one of the properties of matter is thermal expansion and contraction. The human body is the same; when it is hot, the body expands and sweats; when it is cold, goosebumps appear, and the body contracts, leading to sneezing and a runny nose.
In fact, the initial stage of a cold can sometimes be very short, lasting only a few hours or half a day. Because it is so brief, many people do not pay enough attention to it. It is crucial to note that this cold surface stage is very important. At this time, the cold pathogen has not yet penetrated deeply, and the body’s resistance still has the ability to quickly eliminate it. Therefore, it is essential to seize this opportunity! What should be done? Quickly relieve the suppressive state!
The method is actually quite simple; any warming food or drink can help. Sometimes, even a cup of hot water can be effective. This is because the body is controlled by both yin and yang energies, but now the yin-cold energy is becoming stronger and wants to control the body alone. The most direct method is to use warm items to increase the body’s yang energy, restoring the balance between yin and yang. Typically, using the white part of scallions (Allium fistulosum), cutting it up, adding a few slices of ginger (Zingiber officinale), and simmering it in water until it boils is effective. Do not simmer for too long, as we want its stimulating components. As Wu Jutong said, “When the aroma is strong, take it; do not over-boil, as lung medicine should be light and clear; overcooking will thicken the flavor and affect the middle jiao.”
It should be noted that scallions and ginger are both warming foods. Once they enter the body, they will increase the yang energy within. When the yang energy is sufficient, the body will heat up and sweat, thus restoring the balance of yin and yang. Why should scallions and ginger not be boiled for too long? Because at this time, the cold pathogen is only at the surface of the body, belonging to the lung meridian, which should disperse the cold. What does “disperse” mean? We often say to promote or spread, meaning to expand outward.
What is easy to disperse? Light things are the easiest to disperse, like air. Therefore, when scallions and ginger are lightly boiled, their light aroma enters the body like a warm wind, quickly eliminating the cold pathogen from the lungs.
I often recommend using perilla leaves (Perilla frutescens) to brew water to dispel surface cold pathogens. Perilla leaves, also known as purple perilla leaves, can be purchased dried at pharmacies. You can keep a small bag in the office; if you feel a cold coming on and suddenly feel cold, brew a handful in boiling water and drink it after six or seven minutes.
In ancient times, herbs like ephedra (Ephedra sinica) and cinnamon twig (Cinnamomum cassia) were used to address this issue, but they are not commonly used now. However, if you are extremely cold and shivering with no sweat, it is still advisable to use Ma Huang Tang (Ephedra Decoction) from the “Shang Han Lun” (Treatise on Cold Damage). Usually, using perilla leaves, scallions, etc., is sufficient. Once you start to feel warm and no longer feel cold, that is enough. It is best to break a light sweat, but do not sweat profusely, and avoid standing in a draft immediately afterward.
Another method is to place a hot water bottle in the bed near the back at the lung shu point (BL13), which is located on either side of the spine near the lungs. The hot water bottle should be at a safe distance to avoid burning the skin. This can help promote yang energy while sleeping, changing the suppressive state within.
This stage is what TCM refers to as the external cold stage.
If coughing occurs at this time, one can choose the Chinese patent medicine Tongxuan Li Fei Wan (通宣理肺丸). This formula primarily consists of warming herbs that can help the body’s tissues resist. Remember, do not use cold or cooling medicines.
If the external cold stage is handled promptly, based on my experience, the cold can be resolved within a day. If you do not pay attention, the cold pathogen will continue to penetrate and quickly reach the internal heat stage.
What is the internal heat stage? As the external pathogen penetrates, the body’s resistance begins to engage in a fierce battle with the external pathogen, turning many areas of the body into battlegrounds. The manifestations at this time are typical heat symptoms: red and sore throat, fever, joint pain, coughing, etc.; diagnostic indicators include yellow phlegm, yellow nasal discharge, sore throat, and elevated body temperature. Everyone must remember these indicators. I often analyze the condition through phlegm and nasal discharge.
What should be done at this stage? When the tonsils are inflamed and coughing begins, it can be extremely uncomfortable!
At this time, one should use cooling methods to clear internal heat.
A simple combination of medicines is: Shuanghuanglian Oral Liquid (双黄连口服液), which contains honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica), scutellaria (Scutellaria baicalensis), and forsythia (Forsythia suspensa), collectively known as Shuanghuanglian.
If it is severe, I recommend going to the pharmacy to buy herbs to brew. The following herbal tea formula is one I often use, which is from my grandfather, Mr. Wang Engge.
This formula is used to treat sore throats, and I have added a dose of perilla leaves to help regulate the initial onset of a cold. You can refer to it.
The basic formula is: 10 grams of honeysuckle, 15 grams of forsythia, 6 grams of fangfeng (Saposhnikovia divaricata), 3 grams of qianhu (Peucedanum praeruptorum), 10 grams of white silkworm (Bombyx mori, crushed), 10 grams of common groundsel (Senecio vulgaris), 10 grams of dandelion (Taraxacum), 6 grams of belamcanda (Belamcanda chinensis), and 6 grams of perilla leaves (add perilla leaves after the decoction is done, let it steep for ten minutes).
If there is coughing with yellow phlegm, you can also add 10 grams of Zhejiang fritillary (Fritillaria thunbergii) and loquat leaves (Eriobotrya japonica).
The white silkworm in this formula is very effective for relieving sore throats. After brewing the medicine, it should be consumed like tea, drinking it warm and continuously. It cannot be sufficient to drink it twice a day; this way, the medicinal effect can be sustained. Therefore, I call this formula a medicinal tea formula, and it should be treated as tea.
This formula is aimed at dispelling external cold while clearing internal heat, derived from Zhang Zhongjing’s Ma Xing Shi Gan Tang (麻杏石甘汤) and is quite effective. If local doctors can adjust it according to individual constitution, that would be even better. Pregnant women should avoid it.
Since it is a heat syndrome, why add perilla leaves to dispel the exterior? This is based on my experience; colds rarely present as purely heat syndromes. There is usually some degree of external cold accompanying internal heat, so it is necessary to combine exterior dispelling; otherwise, the effect will not be good. If it is entirely an internal heat syndrome, then the illness must be extremely serious.
Generally, drinking a few doses of such Chinese medicine can resolve internal heat.
If the internal heat stage is handled promptly, based on my experience, the cold can generally be resolved within two days (some people may experience a gradual reduction in symptoms over several days), and it will definitely not progress further. However, some people are heavily influenced by Western ideas, believing that colds have no specific effective medicine and that they will naturally recover in seven days.
Not long ago, I watched a discussion on a central television program featuring three experts from a major hospital in Beijing discussing colds. Two of them said, “A cold means going home, drinking more water, and resting for seven days, and you will recover on your own. The Americans do the same.”
After hearing this, I felt quite uncomfortable. In terms of scientific technology, the United States is certainly more advanced than us; however, in terms of health preservation, the U.S. cannot compare to us because we have thousands of years of health wisdom.
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