With the prevalence of colds and flus during the winter months, it is no wonder that all around the world, we still call such infections “colds.” Around the world, it has been thought that the weather condition of cold would somehow get in the body and cause the symptoms of chills, fever, etc., as the body fought to expel the cold. In China, the traditional medical theory still groups external disease causing influences into climactic factors: wind, cold, heat, damp, dryness, summer-heat, and fire. For colds and flus, the main factors are said to be wind-cold (the combination), wind-heat, damp-cold, damp-heat, and a few other combinations. The first category of herbs is targeted at the conditions of an early cold or flu, and the second category is for treating deeper infections with debilitating fevers, severe sore throats, etc.
It’s ironic that “colds” were blamed on the cold weather when it was probably the “warm” of being indoors sharing air with other people which led to contracting a contagious flu.
It was only around 1670 that Antony van Leeuwenhoek saw bacteria through microscopes, and only around 1840 that Dr. Semmelweis came up with the brilliant idea that doctors ought to wash their hands to stop passing puerperal fever from cadavers to women giving birth. In China, Dr. Wu Yu Ko observed a plague around 1640 and wrote that there was a disease substance, not the weather, which could be passed around through the air and taken in through the mouth or pores. Sometimes, he observed, the substance was strong enough to cause disease in a healthy person, while sometimes only those with weakened conditions got the sickness. Earlier than that, Zhang Zhong-Jing watched most of his 200 member clan die in a contagious epidemic and set about to study medicine for life. He lived from 142 AD to 220. His medical writings span beyond discussing the stages of epidemic diseases and their treatments, and branch into all areas of medicine. His books, the Shang Han Lun (Treatise on Cold-Induced Febrile Diseases) and the Jin Gui Yao Lun (Prescriptions from the Golden Cabinet) are still referenced today. While they contain some useful references and observations, not everything from the Golden Cabinet is golden.
Many people, armed with modern knowledge of bacteria and viruses, take a fatalistic view of catching a cold or flu. If they are exposed at all, they figure they will contract the disease. Others take the opposite stance, applying psychoneuroimmunology and using affirmations, thoughts, and feelings to boost their immune system while refusing to get worried about something that’s “going around.”
Modern medicine, while recommending fluids and bed rest for viral conditions, has little else to offer other than antibiotics for bacterial infections and flu shots for the elderly. In my opinion, modern medicine focuses far too much on the pathogen while ignoring the terrain. The terrain in this case is the body with its immune system and other defenses. I have met some people who focus entirely on the terrain and don’t consider pathogens to be dangerous. These arguments have taken place for centuries, most notably in Pasteur’s debates with another researched named Bechamp. As with many “yin or yang” debates, both sides are important and work together. I try to both strengthen my terrain and avoid pathogens. But I’m not a fanatic about either one; it’s nice to go out in public and talk with people, even though that exposes one to more pathogens.
Eventually the conventional treatment of colds and flus will be more advanced, I hope. Borrowing from Chinese medicine, immune strengthening herbs may prove to be more useful than vaccines. Also, research may show that inducing a mild sweat at the first stages of a cold or flu significantly shortens its duration.
The two basic types of external invasions in Chinese medicine are wind-cold and wind-heat. The initial treatment for these is to “release the exterior” by inducing perspiration. For wind-cold, warm and pungent herbs are used, for wind-heat, cool and pungent herbs are used. One traditional formula for wind-cold, Cinnamon Twig Decoction, is given as a hot tea and then the patient is instructed to bundle up under the covers until they break a sweat. Of course, they are to avoid going outside in the wind while they are sweaty. Breaking a sweat dilates the capillaries, opens the pores, dilates the lungs, and generally invigorates circulation. It seems sensible (and researchable) that doing this at the first sign of a cold or flu would help the immune system rapidly address and fight off the growing infection.
Because most of the Chinese herbal formulas are combinations of several herbs with various functions, it will take longer for them to be properly evaluated and understood. While some herbs may be inducing perspiration and increasing circulation, others may be directly fighting the bacteria or virus. Not only do Chinese formulas have multiple ingredients with assistive functions, but the formulas for colds and flus change as the stage of the infection changes. Dr. Zhang Zhong-Jing observed 6 main stages in the particular plague he observed, and others see 4 stages for diseases with a fever. There are probably even more stages and variation with varying viruses and mutating bacteria. It is clear that indiscriminate antibiotic use is causing problems by creating resistant strains of bacteria. This makes the potential contribution of Chinese medicine more important, as the immune enhancing effects of some herbs may be the perfect complement to an anti-bacterial therapy.
A few of the important anti-cold and anti-flu ingredients can be purchased in most grocery stores. They are green onions (scallions), garlic, fresh ginger root, and peppermint tea.