Fighting Flu and Colds with Chinese Herbal Medicine

For thousands of years, the Chinese have been using a pattern of medicine that differs from the common, conventional methods - focusing more on the long-held belief that illnesses are caused by an imbalance of the energy and spirit as well as the body, Chinese herbal medicine has been set to treat these imbalances through providing the body nourishment and strengthening the immune system.

Though the herbal medicine is great for many different ailments and illnesses, colds and flus in particular are some of the most common. They are also quite frustrating, especially when you seem to get one after another. With such symptoms as fever, aching muscles, headache, sore throat, nausea, chills, night sweats and cough, they can also be quite miserable. It is even more irritating that there is basically no cure for either, and all that can be done to treat such illness is to ease the symptoms and wait it out.

The most that can be done by a doctor is, in very severe cases, be prescribed an antiviral, which won't do much other than slightly ease the symptoms. Many doctors even hand out antibiotics for colds and flus, which will do nothing at all - as these illnesses are caused by viruses, not bacteria! Taking an antibiotic for this may potentially only weaken your immune system.

That's where Chinese herbal medicine can prove better than conventional medicine. Not only are the herbs generally more gentle and safe, but they strengthen the immune system where antibiotics cannot. As antibiotics fight off all bacteria in the body, even the good, and eventually become ineffective, with herbs you won't have this problem. There are also a lot fewer side effects, or at least to a much lesser degree, than many conventional treatments.

Chinese herbal medicine is generally the most useful in the beginning stages of a cold. Just when you begin to not feel so well is the best time to take it, as the herbs will help the virus from growing and getting stronger. When taken in the initial stages, one is very likely to recover within a day or so. However, sometimes a person might miss treatment in the beginning stage. Or, unlike with a cold, the flu tends to come on rather sudden and quickly. In these cases, herbal treatments may not wipe the virus out but instead make things much more comfortable while strengthening the immune system to help better fight the virus off.

There are thousands of different herbs in Chinese medicine, and they all need to be coupled and paired for remedies to fit each individual and the illness it is treating. For this reason, it is suggested to not put remedies together yourself. This should only be left in the hands of a licensed herbalist, or look into buying pre-made Chinese herbal remedies on the market. If you're already taking other medication, you should always talk to your doctor before you add herbs to your diet.