Tag: cold symptoms

Elecampane Honey

Carol Griesmeyer

A few weeks ago my office partner said he was going to make elecampagne honey. I said let’s do it together. I’ll take pictures as you show me how to do it. Really it was “something to put in my blog”.

Elecampane is great to nourish the Spleen to resolve dampness so it makes it easier for the Lungs. In Chinese medicine we say ‘the Spleen is the mother of damp and the Lungs are the receptacles’. A lot of our Lung system congestion is the result of the food we eat and do not digest completely. Elecampane is good for tonifying the digestion, promoting the  appetite and the honey makes it a bit tastier and is good to soothe a throat that has been coughing.

Take some roots – any amount will do. They are easy to grow from seed. They will get tall and are perennial. Size should be about 1″ in diameter – 2 years old, 5-8″ long. Fall is the best time to dig up after the plant has died back. To buy them I would check your local natural food store. If they don’t carry them, they may know who might and get you their number. Check out local farmers’ markets also and you’ll find growers of many great herbs for remedies.

Ele roots raw     Ele wash  Ele slices 4

Scrub off dirt. Cut into thin slices, small pieces, dice, whatever to expose as much of root as possible to honey. Also smaller pieces are easier to chew.

1 jar – pt or ½ pt or may be larger depending on the amount of root you have.

Ele honey fill BEle honey fill C

Pour honey to cover root to within ½ in of jar lip or until the root is covered.

Stop to poke out the air bubbles during the fill. Ele 1 hr done

Let sit 4-6 weeks turning periodically for full root coverage and mixing. Photo is shot of jar after sitting for one hour. It will draw the fluid out of the root.

Take honey directly by the spoonful or add to tea. You can also suck on and chew the pieces of root. They have an intense flavor, not really bitter, somewhat fragrant in that the flavor seems to bloom in your mouth.

This is a great herbal remedy to have around in the cold months when coughs are more frequent and digestion can be off with the heavier food we tend to eat.

Caution: it can be a uterine stimulant so should be avoided with pregnancy.

An herbal formula for Cold prevention

Carol Griesmeyer

Fall and Winter are the seasons in which people think about getting the cold or flu.

In Chinese medicine we call it a Wind/Cold or Wind/Heat invasion or EPI – external pathogen invasion.

This formula is one that we start a lot of our patients on as kids go back to school. This formula is for prevention and for early symptoms of a cold. You can start taking it before you have symptoms. It is especially good if you are planning air travel. I start this 2 weeks before, take during the trip and continue for a week after. Rarely do we get hit by the airport / conference bugs.

Yu Ping Feng San. Translation: Jade Windscreen. As a cold or flu is referred to Wind/cold or heat, as mentioned above, you need a good windscreen to help prevent it’s invasion into your body. If your defensive qi (Wei) is weak it can be easily invaded by wind, cold, heat, dampness and result in the symptoms of a cold or flu. If the are more chills we call it Wind/Cold or more fever Wind/Heat. It is not unusual for Wind/Cold to convert to Wind/Heat in a matter of a few hours or always feel as if it was a Wind/Heat invasion.

Historically jade is a very precious stone in China, as valued as gold in the West. Its culture and history stretches 9,000 years back into the ancient and enormous Chinese empire. Jade has always been a special stone, used not just for fine objects but also as material for grave goods for the imperial family. It is believed to be a link between both the physical and the spiritual worlds, and is the only material that completely encapsulates both the yin and yang qualities of Heaven and Earth, earning it the moniker ‘The Stone of Heaven’.  Jade was considered a guardian against illness and evil spirits, which is why even babies in China are given a tiny jade bangle to wear to ward off bad luck. In the Han dynasty, emperors were buried in jade gowns and jade cicadas were placed on dead kings’ tongues to prevent decomposition and safeguard chi or energy.

It only has 3 herbs in it. One chief, two assistants. Most Chinese formulas have 4 or more herbs.

Huang qi  (astragulus) – a major herb used to support the protective (Wei) qi. Nourishes the Lungs, stabilizes the exterior (that has been invaded)

Fang feng (ledebouriella) – assistant herb: this herb releases the exterior and expels the wind. When the protective qi is unstable,  the skin pores can contract trapping the cold inside. It also expels Wind / Damp. With this you feel the achiness.

Bai zhu (atractylodis) – assistant herb to help the huang qi support the Spleen which thus supports the Lungs. In 5 Elements the Earth (Spleen) nourishes the Metal (Lungs). It is not easy to directly support the Lung qi so we have to go through Earth to do it.

Stay tuned in. Tomorrow we will discuss Yin Qiao San – Honeysuckle and Forsythia Powder.

Disclaimer: This information is for your education only. It is always advised that you speak with an acupuncturist before you use any Chinese herbal formula.  Herbal use is never recommended with pregnancy.

Acupressure for fall and winter

Carol Griesmeyer

The body is covered with acupressure (acupuncture) points. If you aren’t putting a needle in a point it becomes an acupressure point. You can use the tip of your finger, your nail, a knuckle, the finger pad, your fist. Depending on the site and what you are trying to accomplish there are many ways to stimulate a point.

These points can be very helpful. A lot of them on are the Lung and Large Intestine channels and are useful at this time of colds and flus.

Lt hand dorsum with points

Large Intestine 4 – Hegu, Tiger’s Paw

Moves qi (energy) for anything.

Helps with headaches in the forehead area, frontal sinus
headaches. Connects the Lung and Large Intestine channels to
support qi movement

Half way between the knuckled of the index finger and the thumb.  On the fleshy side of the bone.

Lung 7 – Broken Sequence. A point just off the dominent line of the channel.

Helps the sinuses and Lungs. It opens to the nose and descends the
energy to assist breathing.  Helps with difficult breathing, asthma, sinus congestion
Helps cough, cough with phlegm, sinus congestion common with cold  symptoms

On the side of the wrist just above the bony prominence of the radius bone.

Scott with face points_edited-1

Large Intestine 20 – Welcome Fragrance

Opens the nasal passages.  Nasal congestions, with phlegm, polyps, sneezing

In the groove on the side of the nose by the wing (ala)

Yintang – an extra point
Often called the 3rd eye point
Helps to relax
Open the sinuses

In the area at the bridge of the nose and extending up about ½ inch.

Bladder 2
  Helps with sinus pain, frontal headache,   Blurred vision, tearing from irritation, colds, itchy eyes

Above the inner corner of the eye along the boney ridge at a small notch.

Tai yang – an extra point
One sided headache, dizziness
Toothache
Eye disorders – dimness, redness and swelling, pain

In the depression at the temple between the end of the eyebrow and the outer corner of the eye.

Stomach 8 – Head’s Binding
Benefits the eyes
Severe headaches with chills, fever, nausea and vomiting

On the corner of the forehead just into the hairline.

You can rub these points on anyone with these problems. Can be helpful with young children or other don’t want to or can’t medicate. Of course the best action is to go to an acupuncturist. Herbs will be of great assistance. And it is best to get their assistance in prevention also.