We often hear people say ‘I caught a wind-cold’, ‘I got chilled’, or ‘I caught a draft’, all of which refer to the same condition, classified in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) as ‘wind-cold cold’.After being exposed to a cool breeze, we may experience symptoms such as chills, shivering, headache, nasal congestion, and runny nose. These are manifestations of the early stage of wind-cold cold, occurring during the struggle between the body’s righteous qi and the invading cold evil qi. TCM believes that wind-cold cold arises from the combination of wind and cold evils, which invade the body when the ability to resist external evils significantly decreases due to excessive fatigue, irregular lifestyle, or improper temperature regulation. They enter through the skin and respiratory tract, harming the body’s yang qi and leading to various symptoms of wind-cold cold. Treating wind-cold involves helping the body disperse the wind and cold evils, typically through methods that induce sweating. Common remedies include taking cold-clearing granules or Jingfang granules, among other TCM formulas. Alternatively, you can try the following simple methods:1. Ginger Tea: Combine tea leaves and ginger, brew with boiling water, strain out the residue, and drink while hot, 2 to 3 times a day, especially suitable for those who have just begun to show symptoms of wind-cold cold.2. Ginger Sugar Tea: Boil ginger slices, tea, and brown sugar together, and drink hot after meals each day. This can help dispel wind, scatter cold, and relieve cough, particularly effective for those experiencing chills and cough due to wind-cold cold.3. Scallion-Ginger Green Tea: Place green tea, ginger slices, and scallion whites in a cup, brew with boiling water, cover, and steep for a few minutes before drinking, 1 to 2 times a day. This can help dispel wind, scatter cold, and relieve exterior symptoms, providing relief for cough and headache associated with wind-cold cold.
