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Food Therapy for Colds 1
Remember how your parents always bugged you about wearing a hat and sweater in cooler weather? They knew that perhaps in different words a “wind cold invasion” could lead to the flu, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, fevers. We try to prevent wind invasion with our hats and sweaters... but what happens if that fails? If that fails? What if you catch a cold and steadily get worse? Wind is considered a pathogenic source which enters at the level of the head and face and if not expelled quickly may move deeper into the throat and chest. There are two types of wind pathogens：wind-cold and wind-heat. Most colds begin as a wind-cold invasion and may progress into wind-heat. We want to protect and nourish the Wei(defensive) Qi of the body through diet, herbs and exercise. Our bodies are made of yin and yang potentials. When they are balanced, we are healthy. Exterior pathogens can create an imbalance of your Qi. The nature of food is also yin or yang. Therefore we can use food medicinally for balance.
Prevention and Treatment of Wind-cold Invasion
Generally, ginger, scallion, chilies, coriander or cabbage can be recommended to promote perspiration which forces out the wind toxin.
Avoid vinegar because it contracts the pores.
Try green tea mixed with peppermint tea. Fresh ginger tea with a bit of brown sugar is good when you have the other symptoms as well.
For breakfast, eat too hot oats with honey (or pure maple syrup) and powdered cinnamon. Oats are warm and easy to digest; honey is sweet, nourishes body fluids and cinnamon is warm, pungent and unblocks channels for the upper body aches.
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