Chinese Herbal Medicine... Sniffing Our Way Through Cold, Flu and Allergy Seasons

An Ounce of Prevention...

"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" although this quote is attributed to Ben Franklin's " Poor Richard's Almanac" and not to some ancient Chinese sage, and you probably heard something like it from your grandmother as you rushed out of the house minus your hat and scarf as a child; it describes very well one of the guiding philosophies of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). In ancient China the doctor who could prevent disease was more highly esteemed then he who merely treated it.

As we sniff our way through the cold and flu season longing for the spring, prevention is still the key to good health. So if you
get more then two colds a year, if your colds tend to linger, if
you are prone to seasonal allergies, or if you work with or have small children at home, read on. It might be a better spring then you think.

Traditional Chinese medicine posits a number of causes of disease; for externally contracted illnesses like colds and flu, these causes are understood as environmental factors that overwhelm our immune systems.  Ancient Chinese doctors identified six climatic conditions: wind, cold, heat, dryness, dampness, and summer heat that could cause illness. Wind
is the most dynamic of the climatic conditions; it is often referred to as the spearhead of 1000 diseases since it is usually wind that carries the other pathogens through the natural defenses of the human body. You may have noticed the shiver up your spine from sitting by a drafty window or the headache you get walking the dog without your hat on a windy winter morning. The external defense of the body in the TCM model is the domain of "wei qi" or protective/defensive energy. Wei qi is analogous to the modern day concept of the immune system. Wei qi is derived from the actions of the body on the food we eat and the air we breathe, it is mostly considered to be a function of the lungs; the lungs are responsible for circulating this energy along the surfaces of the body.

The functions of wei qi are to regulate the opening and closing
of the pores of the skin, to regulate the body temperature, and
to protect the body from outside influences. When we "catch a cold" in this model the initial/prodromal symptoms that we experience are understood to be the battle between our wei qi and the external invading pathogen. You may have noticed that colds often seem to start with a stiff neck, overall body aches, and a desire to wrap up. Ancient Chinese medicine was a clinical medicine based on observation, from these observations they developed theories of disease progression which are still remarkably accurate several thousand years later. When wei qi is depressed because we are run down, not eating right, stressed, or already coping with other illness then our ability to fend off the typical seasonal diseases is compromised. Both conventional medicine and TCM recognize the importance
of a healthy immune system in minimizing seasonal illness.
The fast pace of our lives and the long days we subject ourselves to often lead to feeling worn down and increased susceptibility to illness.

Fortunately, Chinese herbal medicine offers us many approaches to strengthening deficient wei qi and fending off disease. One of the most famous formulas of this ilk is called "Yu Ping Feng San" or "Jade wind screen". This formula first appears in the Chinese formulary in the early 1300s and is attributed to the teachings of the famous physician Zhu Dan Xi. The basic formula consists of just three herbs: Huang qi (Radix Astragali/milk-vetch root), Bai Zhu (Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae/white atractylodes rhizome), and Fang Feng (Radix Saposhnikoviae/ siler). The symptoms that might be addressed with this
formulas are fatigue, generalized body aches, aversion to wind, and headache. Chinese medicine is already being used to combat emerging diseases. A formula combining Yu Ping Feng San with another formula call Sang Ju Yin plus several herbs with strong antiviral properties was used prophylactically in conjunction with western technologies during the SARS
outbreak in China in 2003 by professional health care workers to good effect. Yu Ping Feng San is also commonly used to combat seasonal allergies in therapy starting about 3 months before symptoms generally occur. Research on the components of the formula suggest that they increase the presence of Immunoglobulins A and G, increase function of macrophage cells, inhibit activity of certain types of bacteria, and have
antiviral effects against some influenza viruses. Yu Ping Feng San is a preventative formula for people who's immune function is depressed or who are facing increased immune challenges, it is best taken before any symptoms occur.

The term "Kitchen medicine" describes easy and effective formulas for common conditions using ingredients found in the house. Most cultures have some version of these home remedies. A good home remedy for colds and flu at the body aches, fatigued, headache, "I'm coming down with something" stage is to make a ginger scallion tea using 2 or 3 slices of fresh ginger with the white part of 4 or 5 scallions and boiling in 2 cups of water for 5-7 minutes. The idea is to sweat the pathogen out, so drink the tea while it is still hot and then wrap yourself up well. As with any sweating therapy be careful to avoid drafts and sudden temperature changes especially while your pores are still open. The optimum use of Chinese herbs is in customized formulas designed specifically for the individual patient based on pattern differentiation.  Starting from a classical formula like Yu Ping Feng San the herbalist adds and subtracts herbs based on each individual's constitutional proclivities thus constructing a formula specific to that individual and often able to address several health issues at once. For example a person with weak digestion, who is always chilled, and gets frequent colds needs
a different formula from someone who has migraines, tends to run hot, and often gets a sore throat when they catch cold.  There's a lot to enjoy about winter but not if you feel terrible though most of it. So, if you find yourself reaching too often for the over the counter cold and flu medicines this winter, or are living in anticipation of spring allergies, consider finding a solution in a customized Chinese herbal formula.

Sources
1) Bensky and Barolet; Chinese Herbal Medicine Formulas and Strategies;
Eastland Press 1990
2) Chen and Chen; Chinese Medical Herbology and Pharmacology; Art of
Medicine Press 2004
3) Lau and Leung; Using Herbal Medicine as a means of prevention
experience during the SARS crisis; American Journal of Chinese Medicine
2005;33(3):345-56
4)Lau and Leung; The use of an herbal formula by hospital care workers
during the SARS epidemic in Hong Kong to prevent SARS transmission,
relieve influenza related symptoms and improve quality of life; Journal
of Alternative and Complementary Medicine Feb 2005;vol.II;issue 1:p49-55
5)www.activeherb.com/yuping/

- Rebekah Michaels, Lic.Ac., MAOM, Diplomate OM,