Can the Cold Really Give You a Cold? (TCM Says Yes)
Grandma was right. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the cold really can give you... you guessed it... a cold!
TCM describes six outside "evils" that invade the body: wind, cold, heat, dampness, dryness, and summer heat. (Yes, evils. TCM doesn't mince words.) In winter, wind loves to team up with heat. This is due to our modern lifestyle of coming into hot buildings out of the freezing cold outdoors. If this sounds strange, don't worry. It clicks with a little repetition, especially once you start noticing it in your own life.
The first sign: a sore throat
A "wind-heat" cold starts with a sore throat, and it starts small. A tickle you can almost ignore. Train your kids and husband to report the very first tickle. That's when the wind-heat evil is weakest and easiest to beat.
Brew a wind-heat tea
Mint is the star here. Fresh from your garden is best, organic bulk herb is a step up from the store, and grocery-store mint tea works in a pinch.
Optional add-ins:
- Catnip and lemon balm: cooling and diaphoretic
- Nettle: neutral
- Lavender: cooling and bitter, just a pinch
- Rose: neutral and bitter, 1 bud per quart
- Rosemary and oregano: warming, help you sweat, and clear heat toxin
- Yerba santa: a personal favorite
To brew: Fill a quart jar about ¼ full of herbs, cover with boiling water, and steep 10 minutes. Add honey and a splash of milk if you like. Keep it coming until the sore throat is gone.
Add garlic ear oil
Pair the tea with good old garlic-infused ear oil. The ears connect to the throat (that's why ENT doctors exist), and that's where the pathogen likes to hide and multiply.
Don't forget the basics
- Gargle with salt water
- Eat nourishing food; broth is ideal
- Take a warm foot bath
- Stay warm and dry
- Less stress, less screen time (I know. I'm sorry.)
Caught early, most wind-heat colds stop right there, before they turn into the flu or that hacking cough that hangs around until spring. In my house, this remedy is on tap all winter long. I am frequently brewing tea and serving ear oil treatments. And my kids and husband rarely miss school or work! That's a win as far as I'm concerned.
Warmly, Dr. Suuzi Hazen
This post is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. If there's a high fever, ear infection or any complex concerns, seek medical or emergency care.