Colds - Hot and Cold - Winter Health

Preventing colds and the flu can be summed up in three words: Wash your hands. The viruses that cause colds and the flu most readily enter our bodies by means of our hands. Wash your hands after shopping. Remind your children to wash their hands as soon as they come home from school. A little "hysterical hygiene" goes a long way to keeping colds at bay.

Of course, there are herbs that can be used to help thwart colds and the flu.

Yarrow is a clear favorite, especially as a tincture. Teachers, moms, and wise children find a dose of 5-25 drops of yarrow tincture in the morning in some liquid reduces the likelihood of getting sick by more than half.

Astragalus is gaining fame for its ability to support strong immune system functioning. I throw a few tongue-depressor-like pieces in my soups, where they infuse their goodness without imparting much flavor. Powdered astragalus can be added to almost anything, from oatmeal to pancakes, soups to gravies. And there is always the tincture, which works well in doses of 1-3 dropperfuls a day. (If at all possible, use domestic astragalus, rather than that from China.)

Eleuthero, which used to be called Siberian ginseng, is another immune system nourisher, used in the same ways as astragalus: cooked into food or taken as a tincture.

And don't forget honey. A spoonful at the first sign of a sore throat or runny nose can kill the bacteria responsible and help you get better fast. (Note: Do not give honey to babies under 12 months old.)

And if you do get sick, here's my favorite way to get well fast.

Treat a cold cold with heat.
Treat a hot cold with cold.

This may sound too easy, but it is actually one of the most effective ways I know of to minimize the severity and duration of a cold (or the flu). I first learned about cold colds and hot colds when I was studying Five Element Theory with a sweetheart who was attending acupuncture school.

It is important to remember that "cold" and "hot" don't refer to temperature; they refer to what we might call metabolism. Thus, the person with a cold cold could very well have a raging fever and the person with a hot cold may have no fever at all. Similarly, hot foods and herbs are not necessarily cooked, and cold foods and herbs need not be refrigerated.

So how can we tell the difference between a cold cold and a hot cold? And what are cold herbs and hot herbs, cold foods and hot foods?

The person with a cold cold (or a cold flu) is pale. Their bodily fluids are copious and without color: The nose runs with clear or white mucus; the bowels are loose and the feces are light in color; urination is profuse and colorless. The tongue may be coated with a white moss. If there is fever, it is accompanied by chills. The person with a cold cold seeks heat and hot foods.

The person with a hot cold (or a hot flu) is ruddy; the face, or at least the cheeks, are very red. The eyes may feel dry and irritated. Their bodily fluids are scant and dark: nasal mucus is dry, yellowish, or "stopped up;" the bowels slow and feces are hard; urination is infrequent and highly colored. The tongue may be red or coated with a yellow moss. If there is a fever, it is "raging." The person with a hot cold seeks coolness and has little appetite.

When you have a cold cold, indulge your desire for heating foods and herbs: Drink lots of hot spicy herbal teas with honey*, such as ginger tea, cinnamon tea, or any of the spicy "Yogi Tea" type blends. Nourish yourself with chicken soup, beef broth, miso soup. Enjoy baked winter squash, baked potatoes, baked yams, baked garlic. Eat lots of olive oil, ghee, butter, olives, and avocados. Eat beans and eat the warming grains: kasha, rye, oats. Stay warm; take a hot bath or a hot shower and wrap up snugly before going to sleep.

When you have a hot cold, indulge your desire for frozen fruit smoothies. Drink lemon and honey* water, iced nettle infusion, hibiscus and mint teas. Nourish yourself with seaweed salads, cucumber sandwiches, and fresh tomatoes with basil. Enjoy berries and melons, green salads, and roasted fowl. Eat the cooling grains: corn, millet, spelt. Eat a little something even if your appetite is small. Stay cool; take off your shoes and socks and put your bare feet on the ground. But keep covers handy when you go to sleep.

You see, cold colds turn into hot colds and vice versa. They don't stay the same the whole time you are sick. So be prepared to pull the covers up to your chattering teeth and flowing nose even if you went to bed stuffed up and sweltering. Or to throw off the pile of covers you clutched hours earlier. The real beauty of this idea of hot colds and cold colds is the premise that everything, even a cold, will change and so the cure comes not from knowing the right answer, but in following the flow of the sickness and offering appropriate treatments. I imagine a balance scale, swinging back and forth between hot and cold, with me gently damping the swings, making each one a little less severe, until single-pointed stillness - health - is regained.

Whether dealing with a hot cold or a cold cold, you can eat as much of the neutral nourishing foods - rice, wheat, fish, honey*, and yogurt - as you wish. But, beware of taking vitamin C while harboring a cold or the flu; it is extremely cooling.

I hope these tips for preventing and dealing with colds and the flu help you, and those you love, stay in glowing good health all winter long.

Green Blessings.

(*Note: Do not give honey to babies under 12 months old.)

Legal Disclaimer: This content is not intended to replace conventional medical treatment. Any suggestions made and all herbs listed are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, condition or symptom. Personal directions and use should be provided by a clinical herbalist or other qualified healthcare practitioner with a specific formula for you. All material contained herein is provided for general information purposes only and should not be considered medical advice or consultation. Contact a reputable healthcare practitioner if you are in need of medical care. Exercise self-empowerment by seeking a second opinion.

Potato Leek Soup is Excellent and Easy For Winter Meals

How often do you look at the bunches of leeks in your market's produce section and wondered whatever you would do with them? They look kind of like over-sized bizarre green onions, but the green part is very thick and tough. They are members of the same family as onions and garlic (the Alliaceae family). And they are not very expensive.

The important thing for you to know about leeks is that they taste very good and they make an excellent soup, especially when paired with potato. Vichyssoise, which you may have heard of, is actually just cold leek and potato soup -- it just sounds more elegant.

Leeks require a little bit of work; they have to be cleaned very carefully, because they usually have sand in them between their layers. So the first thing to do is to trim the top dark green tough leaves away. I usually discard anything much above where the color starts getting lighter. Then you'll want to trim away the bottom root end. Cut the leek in half lengthwise, and you'll be able to start separating the layers. Put them into a colander and clean them thoroughly with running water. There isn't a dining experience much worse than having sand grate when you take a bite of something.

Once they're cleaned well, you want to chop the leeks into smaller pieces, 1/4 to 1/2 inch slices. Now you're going to saute them slowly in some butter. I generally use a lot of butter, just because we really like the taste and feel this is one dish worth the splurge, but a small amount is okay -- or use a little olive oil. You want to cook the leeks over medium to medium low heat, and you want to cook them for awhile so that they soften well, but you don't want them to brown.

Once the leeks are good and soft, you'll want to add stock or water. I prefer a good chicken stock. For a couple of good sized leeks, I'll use 2 quarts of stock. You'll also be adding 4 or 5 potatoes that you've peeled and quartered. Bring the soup to a boil, then lower the heat to simmer, and cook until the potatoes are done (no resistance when you put a fork into them).

Remove your pot from the heat. Now is when you'll puree your soup. This can be done in a blender, a food processor, or by using a stick blender immersed in the soup. With any of the methods, be sure that you take care from the heat of the soup. If your puree is too thick, you can dilute it with more stock or water. You'll also need to check the seasonings, adding more salt if necessary. I sometimes finish the soup with a 1/2 cup cream, but it is delicious without it, too.

You can start with a simple salad, then add a nice warmed baguette with butter to spread or olive oil to dip, or some nice crusty garlic bread, and you have a delicious filling meal. Your friends and family will applaud your taste and talent.