Combining the Best of East and West in Healing

There are two types of flu, seasonal flu and persistent flu. Seasonal flu is usually self-limited.. A person with a cough, runny nose, sneezing, etc. Without bacteria infection, will usually recover in seven to ten days, In young children or the elderly, recovery may be slower and complications may occur. Since most flu is from a virus, not bacteria, antibiotics are not necessary.

There are some natural ways to relieve seasonal flu symptoms. Increase your fluid intake, eat chicken soup, drink hot tea with lemon and honey, take vitamin C 1500 to 3000 milligrams per day for three days, vitamin E 800 milligrams a day for two days or other antioxidants. Some Chinese herbal formulas will also help reduce the flu symptoms. The herbs can be used for steam treatment or for drinking as a tea.

Traditional Chinese medicine considers flu to be of two types, cold type and hot type, depending on the symptoms. You treat the cold type with hot herbs and the hot type with cold herbs.
For a persistent flu, the cause needs to be looked into further. Whether it is from constant exposure to pollution or from a weak immune system.

A person should avoid exposure to allergens or irritants and enhance their immune system. Besides Chinese herbal formulas and antioxidants, it is advisable to take Echinacea, goldenseal, reishi mushroom, and astragalus. These should be taken, at the most, for a six weeks period with a break of two weeks before using again, Herbs are generally safe if used properly. Excessive use of Echinacea may result in liver problems. If the flu persists or is recurrent through out the year, it is advisable to consult a physician.

Allergies and bronchial asthma have been on the rise in this country for the last two decades. To combat this, new potent drugs have been developed. These include immune altering drugs, such as antihistamines and leukotrim receptor antagonist, and immune suppressants, mainly steroids. These medications are quite effective in acute cases, but with long term use they produce serious side effects.

Traditional Chinese medicine focuses on improving lung condition, removing obstruction of energy flow, and restoring qi balance. With acupuncture and herbal treatment the lung meridian is used quite often. If the patient suffers from allergies, face points will be added. If asthma has exhausted the body’s energy, the channels of other organs, such as the spleen, liver, or kidney, will be stimulated.

There are over one hundred herbs for asthma. Some remedies will l reduce spasms and others improve the energy flow of the lung. For allergy, you may try our Allergy Formula I or Formula II from PCMC herb center, respectively for the cold-type or the hot-type. For bronchial asthma it is advised that you see a physician or other health care providers for treatment.

A properly guided complementary approach incorporating medication, acupuncture, herbs, and stress management will reduce complication and enhance the effects of asthma treatment.

February 1999