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Cold
and Flu Season
Dr. Meschi Ph.D., ND, CNC
Laguna Hills, CA
December 2001
With
cold and flue season in full effect across much of the nation
people will need all the help they can get. Choosing the
right herbs for a common cold/flue really depends on what kind
of cold someone has.
Common
cold more likely will come in three "varieties" or
patterns of symptoms. "Cold", "Hot",
and "Part cold, Part Hot."
"Cold"
colds are characterized by chills, drippy rhinitis with
thin, clear or white mucous frequent sneezing and
coughing. Other than a little chill and a few sneezes
and generally patients do not feel very ill. But the
symptoms can linger for several weeks if left unchecked and
particularly if the patient has a very weak immune system.
"Hot"
colds in contrast, are characterized by fever, heavy
painful sinus congestion, thick and sticky yellow green
mucous, aches and inflammation, and general illness. The
overall pattern is flu-like and the patients feels pretty
lousy.
"Part
Hot, Part Cold" colds are a multiple circus of
symptoms characterized by alteration between fever and chills,
congestion and drainage. The basic principle for herbal
treatments of colds is to balance the symptom pattern with
specific herbs that offer the opposites
"temperature". In other words, treat a
"cold" cold with warming herbs, and a
"hot" cold with cooling herbs Warming the
"Cold" cold.
This
is very inexpensive and easy to make and it contains a lot of
antiviral compounds. Take one clove of garlic and mince
it finely, mix with a quarter to half a teaspoon of cayenne
pepper and freshly squeezed lemon - chug it down with a glass
of water, that should warm you up. Fresh ginger is
another good warming herb and a circulatory stimulant.
Simply chop up a thumb sized chunk of fresh root and boil it
in a teapot full of water for several minutes, then just drink
up! You can sometimes add a little bit of cinnamon bark
which is also a warming herb. While we are on the
subject, you can never go wrong with a hot chicken soup or a
vegetable broth.
Patients
with "cold" colds often feel a need to warm, and
there is no better way to do that other than with a hot herbal
bath. An herbal bath would be a combination of Chamomile
flowers, Calendula flowers, and Spearmint or lemon balm
leaves.
Cooling
the "Hot" cold.
In
this situation, stay away from ginger, garlic, cayenne and
other warming herbs. These patients will benefit from
Echinacea products made by Medi Herb. Some patients with
"hot" colds may enjoy a bath in cooling herbs such
as elder flowers and peppermints.
Taming
the "Part Hot, Part Cold" cold.
For
colds with an alternating pattern, cinnamon and ginger which
offer warming and cooling effects would be beneficial.
Also a few drops of Eucalyptus oil in a bowl of boiling water
could break up the congestion associated with "Part Hot,
Part Cold" colds.
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