Cold Wind Invasion In the venerable Chinese classic book on acupuncture, Huangdi Neijing Lingshu (The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Acupuncture), the cause of illnesses are divided into 2 groups: internal and external. The internal causes of an illness come from disturbances in the functioning of our organ systems and include dietary indiscretions, states of overwork and stress and imbalances in our emotions. Such imbalances include exaggerations of our normal feelings: excess anger, joy, fear, worry, preoccupation and anxiety. The external causes of illness include “attacks” by climatic factors. These include cold, wind, rain, heat, dryness and humidity, forces that we normally live in harmony with and often deal with effectively when we are exposed to them. The Chinese called them “Perverse Energy Invasions” because they were not the normal forms of weather factors we are used to, and they were able to easily penetrate our defense system to cause us to be ill. The Chinese knew that man and woman were born of Heaven and Earth. Normally, humans are endowed by Heaven and Earth with energetic systems that fuel the body’s processes of growth, development, maintenance and reproduction. These energies form the basis of all of the structures and functions of our bodies and come from breathing and eating in the form of metabolism. These same energies assist in our defense of the body in the form of an immune system. Illnesses arise when we are out of balance with these cosmic forces, while at the same time our normal complement of energies, including defensive, are weakened. The Chinese have defined a very common cause of illnesses, including upper and lower respiratory disorders (sinusitis, bronchitis, pneumonia), in the form of what they call “Cold-Wind”. This is a type of cosmic or climatic force that is different from what we are usually exposed to throughout any year. Cold-Wind is especially prone to affect us at the changes of season, especially autumn to winter and winter to spring, times when people commonly develop symptoms of the flu or a cold and get sick. In fact, we commonly use the phrase, “I’ve caught a cold”. Indeed, from the Chinese point of view, that is exactly what happens to us. I have found in my years of experience as a physician treating such folk (and when I was ill myself) that the recommended treatment of antibiotics, and even antihistamines and decongestants, did not always work to cure the patient. I wondered why this was the case. When I studied Chinese medicine and acupuncture, I learned about Cold-Wind and how it invades our bodies. This made sense to me and helped explain the failure of antibiotics to help. For the Chinese, illnesses like sinusitis and bronchitis are not due to a “bug” (i.e virus or bacteria). In fact, microbes can cause illnesses like these, but not all of them. That’s why antibiotics do help in many cases. Whether due to a bug or Cold-Wind, the development of symptoms includes a weakening of our defense systems, the immune system, which also needs to be addressed in the treatment. After all, when we fall ill with a flu, we go to bed (if we can!), rest and eat and drink differently. This curtails outside activities, some of which may have stressed our systems and caused us to get ill, and removes us from dietary factors that also may have contributed. Cold-Wind was especially evident several winters ago when people were getting very ill with a severe flu that require many to go to emergency rooms. That winter was very cold for longer periods of time and with harsher wind than we are used to in Georgia. News media and patients themselves reported that antibiotics did not seem to help quickly enough or at all. Some patients that came to my office for treatment reported 1 or even 2 or more weeks of being ill even after courses of antibiotics. I suspected strongly that the perverse energy Cold-Wind was at the root of it and treated according to Chinese methods without antibiotics. Fortunately, these methods proved to be successful, suggesting that Cold-Wind and a weakened immune system was in fact operating. The treatment of Cold-Wind includes: 1. “Cupping”- the use of suction cups made of glass that are applied to the upper back of the patient to create a negative force to help the Cold-Wind exit the chest, a common place for it to lodge; it is a painless and very effective method that leaves suction marks on the back which go away in 3 or 4 days. 2. Herbal Medicines- many herbal remedies, Chinese or North American, are useful here and work to a) create an outward force in the body (in the form of heat and sweating) that exit the Cold-Wind and b) help strengthen our immune and general energy system, including the generation of internal heat; these include astragalus, schizandra, lomatium, coptis, ligusticum, echinacea, goldenseal, licorice and many others; some of these herbs have also been shown to possess antibiotic and antiviral properties useful if an infection is also present. 3. Acupuncture and Moxabustion- the superficial placement of very thin, solid, sterile needles under the skin and the burning of a stick of herb (mugwort) above an acupuncture point; these act to exit Cold-Wind, strengthen our defenses and tonify our energy systems; it is largely painless except for a brief sensation of ache, fullness, mild discomfort or heat at the site of placement; most people worry about feeling pain or have a fear of needles, but most people tolerate acupuncture very well (especially if it makes them well!). 4. Diet and Fluids- I recommend eating lightly (which we are usually already doing naturally because of the illness) and that they give in to any “craving” or “tastes” that often develop while ill; these are natural responses of the body to the illness, attempting to lead us to what we need to get better; often it includes wanting warm liquids and soups and slightly more salty or bitter foods than we usually eat when well; it is interesting to note how appetite often decreases during a flu or cold; I am sure this is also a normal corrective move by the body. 5. Prevention- of course, always preferable to getting sick! I recommend several practical, very effective things to prevent exposure to Cold-Wind at changes of season and under greater stress: a) covering up the head, back of the neck, ears and shoulders with a drop in temperature or increase in windiness, especially at the change of seasons; these areas are very prone to Cold-Wind invasion and the areas that cupping and acupuncture are applied to the Chinese classics; (also, desert-dwelling and open plain people will always be seen with their head and neck swathed by a headdress- it’s to prevent Cold-Wind, particularly common in that environment); this also conserves vital heat energy residing in the head and neck region that defends the area; of all the things one can do to prevent Cold-Wind, this is one of the most important and effective; ( it is not easy to remember in Greater Atlanta as it is often so warm); So, cover up! b) resting more when possible, especially when we know we will be working longer hours, under greater stress or exposed to less light in the fall and winter; this is not always easy given our hectic schedules of work, child and family care, etc.; we all demand much from ourselves at times as well- planning our schedules more prudently and ordering our tasks by priority as possible can be helpful; c) watching our food choices- change in season can bring with it change in amounts and types of food we eat, including rich foods, sweets, etc.; I have also found that “fast foods”, highly-processed foods and diets lower in dark green and other vegetables and fruits can be factors; d) herbal and vitamin supplements- starting extra vitamins A, B, C and E, some minerals like zinc or magnesium and the herbal remedies noted above under stressful situations, overwork or at the first sense or sign one may be getting ill can be very helpful in warding off a cold or flu. Of course, if you are not getting better after trying these methods or if you feel you need to, seek help from your physician. Conventional medicines may be needed and be exactly what the doctor ordered for your illness! The Chinese classics, representing concepts over 5,000 years old, indicate that getting sick, including from a Cold-Wind invasion, has always been part of human existence and is not always easily avoided. But along with the illnesses we have miraculously been provided with such wise and accurate ancient healing systems as Chinese medicine offers!