When experiencing mild cold symptoms, you don’t necessarily have to resort to Western medicine. Some simple traditional remedies from Eastern medicine can help you feel better without side effects.
Common herbal remedies for colds:
Perilla leaves:
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Perilla leaves (photo: VNE) |
They help reduce fever, control nausea, stimulate digestion, and relax the fetus during pregnancy.
Old tangerine peel: Helps dissolve phlegm, strengthens the stomach, and induces sweating.
Ginger: Dispels cold, alleviates cold symptoms, relieves phlegm, expels wind and cold, treats headaches, nasal congestion, cough, and nausea while stimulating digestion.
Patchouli: Opens meridians and reduces pain.
Peppermint: Reduces fever, induces sweating, dispels wind heat, and has antiseptic properties. Used to treat colds, headaches, and nasal congestion caused by cold, as well as cold-induced coughs.
Bamboo leaves: Clear heat, reduce fever, and calm the mind.
Schizonepeta: Relieves colds, expels wind, clears heat, opens blood vessels, treats flu, and measles.
Agastache: Treats nausea, stimulates digestion, and clears the respiratory system. Useful for flu, headaches, body aches, and fatigue.
Cold symptoms (Wind Cold)
Symptoms include fever, chills, aversion to wind, body aches, headaches, sneezing, runny nose, and a thin white coating on the tongue.
Use 12 g of both perilla leaves and patchouli; 6 g of old tangerine peel, ginger, and licorice. Pour 400 ml of water, boil down to 200 ml, and drink while hot to induce sweating. Consume 1-3 doses. If experiencing bloating or nausea, add 12 g each of agastache and magnolia bark. For children, use 2/3 to 1/3 of the adult dosage, depending on age.
Heat symptoms (Wind Heat)
Symptoms include high fever, aversion to wind, heavy head, sweating, cough, back pain, dry mouth, thirst, yellow urine, and yellow coating on the tongue. The throat appears red upon examination.
Use 8 g of peppermint; 12 g each of honeysuckle, licorice, and schizonepeta; and 20 g of bamboo leaves. Pour 400 ml water, boil down to 200 ml, then cool and drink.
Steam inhalation for colds (suitable for both Wind Cold and Wind Heat)
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| Pomelo leaves for steam inhalation (Photo: SK&DS) |
Use equal amounts of pomelo leaves, chrysanthemum, basil, mugwort, perilla leaves, lemongrass, and bamboo leaves. Place them in a pot, cover it tightly, boil for a few minutes, then inhale the steam. When steaming, cover yourself completely and slowly open the lid to allow the steam to escape gradually to avoid burns. Stop steaming when the patient sweats and feels comfortable; do not prolong the session. After steaming, it’s recommended to eat scallion porridge with a little salt. If available, porridge with meat or eggs is even better.
Note: Steam in a windproof area, do not steam for those with high fever and excessive sweating, young children under 7 years old, the elderly, pregnant women or those menstruating, and individuals who are severely dehydrated or have lost significant blood.
Wind therapy for colds (for both Wind Cold and Wind Heat)
The method of wind therapy is effective for external cold diseases that have not affected internal organs. For materials, you can choose: boiled eggs (egg whites) + silver coin; fresh ginger (root) + tangled hair + 40-60 degree alcohol; betel leaves + kerosene.
The patient can either lie down or sit, with the person performing the therapy standing next to or behind the patient. Take 50 g of fresh ginger, pound it finely, then wrap it with a bunch of tangled hair, and cover it with a thin cloth or handkerchief. Dip into a bowl of alcohol, then rub along both sides of the spine from neck to buttocks, and can extend outwards to the sides of the back and lower back. Keep applying until the alcohol dries, repeating for about 10-20 minutes (the skin in the treated area should feel warm and a bit red).
Preventing colds with garlic-infused alcohol
During cold seasons, it’s essential to keep warm and wear masks when going outside to prevent catching a cold. When there is an outbreak of flu in the area, preventative measures include:
Drinking garlic-infused alcohol: Soak 100 g of crushed garlic in 1/2 liter of 60-degree alcohol for 2 days, strain, and take 20-30 drops with cooled boiled water three times a week.
Nasal drops with garlic water: Mix cooled boiled water with crushed garlic (3 cloves of garlic per 10-15 drops of water), strain, and use for nasal drops. Do not administer nasal drops to infants (only allow them to inhale).
Dr. Đỗ Minh Hiền
