Preventing Colds and Flu With Chinese Herbs

As the season has turned to autumn in Santa Barbara it is time to boost our immunity against colds and flu. Chinese herbal medicine offers excellent formulas to ward off bugs.

Within the perspective of oriental medicine, immunity to airborne viral pathogens is a quality belonging to the lung (respiratory) system and the skin. The vitality of these systems to keep exterior pathogenic invaders out is called Wei Qi (chi). Wei Qi also protects us from inner disturbance and vulnerability due to changing weather patterns and exposure to wind, damp, and cold. Wei Qi is considered to be yang in nature, protecting, heating, and our barrier to the ever changing external environment.

Chinese herbal medicine has numerous herbs that are famous for enhancing immunity. Western science calls this class of herbs adaptogens. They enhance and strengthen bodily systems. Herbs are synergistically used in combinations and formulated to fit individual diagnosis.

For preventing colds and flu, the bodily systems targeted for strengthening are the lung qi and the spleen (digestive) qi. A compromised digestive qi often results in weakness of the lungs as well. There are also other systems of secondary importance. If the liver is weakened or disturbed by toxicity or emotional stress, this may weaken immunity. The kidney qi, which can be congenitally weak (inherited) or run down from overwork, lack of sleep or traumas can also result in weak digestion, lungs and immunity. So one can see there are different factors going on for different people. At Health Solutions Acupuncture I do carefully individualized diagnoses to help at the deepest level possible.

One of the most famous of the adaptogenic herbs is Astragalus, known in China as Huang Qi. Huang Qi strongly boosts defensive qi and digestive qi. It is generally invigorating and strengthening (a yang quality) and it also removes dampness from the lungs. Many of my cold / flu prevention formulas include it.

An important concept known in oriental medicine but not known to many popular western herbal preparations for cold and flu is that the adaptogenic herbs, like astragalus, are only to be used for prevention and not used once a person has become sick. The adaptogenic herbs are strengthening and building, once a person becomes invaded by a pathogen, then herbs specific for venting and detoxifying pathogens are used.  This is how specific Chinese herbology is.

Thanks for reading. If you have any questions feel free to email or call:

Miklos Hubay L.Ac.   mikhubay@gmail.com     805 895-6015