In the winter, when colds are common, people can prevent illness through proper dietary methods. So how can we use the nature of food to correct the body's imbalances? How can we improve our constitutions by adjusting our daily diet? Listen to the advice from TCM expert Kong Lingqian. In programs like "Health Preservation Hall" and his new book "Kong Lingqian on: Eating Right for Health," Kong Lingqian reminds people that healthy individuals do not need to take medicine to prevent colds.
[Myth] Can high-nutrient tonics prevent disease?
Kong Lingqian points out that people often attribute catching colds to a weak body or insufficient "Zheng Qi" (vital energy). Therefore, they focus on cultivating this vital energy, favoring methods like increasing nutrition, taking tonic herbs, or consuming health supplements. For instance, they might significantly increase high-nutrient foods in their diet, take tonic herbs like ginseng, cordyceps, or astragalus, or consume various nutritional supplements marketed for strengthening and nourishing the body. They believe this will enhance their constitution, resist pathogens, and avoid colds. However, this approach is a misunderstanding of the body's natural disease-fighting ability.
[Viewpoint] Those prone to "heatiness" are more susceptible to colds.
Kong Lingqian believes that a deficiency of "Zheng Qi" is not the only factor that causes colds. Any imbalance in the body's functional systems can lead to a weakened immune system, triggering a cold. Sometimes, the accumulation of toxins within the body is an important condition that allows external pathogens to invade.
He explains that so-called "seasonal pathogens" are climatic influences that appear at the wrong time. When temperatures are erratic and the body cannot adapt to these changes, illness is more likely to occur. For example, internal heat, commonly known as "heatiness" or "getting fired up," is often a contributing factor to catching a cold. Cold pathogens are more likely to affect those with abundant internal heat and who are prone to "heatiness." Internal heat and accumulated toxins act as "internal allies" for invading pathogens, creating a situation where internal and external evils combine to cause a cold.
[Solution] Clearing internal heat can prevent colds.
Kong Lingqian says that clearing internal heat can effectively prevent colds, a principle that has been clinically verified. Therefore, healthy people generally do not need to take medicine for cold prevention. By making appropriate daily adjustments, developing good lifestyle habits, and preventing the buildup of internal heat, one can prevent colds. In terms of diet, this involves balancing your meals, avoiding or reducing spicy and irritating foods, cutting back on rich and greasy foods, eating light meals, drinking plenty of plain water or properly brewed tea, not drinking excessively, avoiding staying up late, and getting moderate exercise. These measures can promote health and prevent colds.
When an influenza epidemic is approaching, a decoction of fresh cogonut root, fresh reed rhizome, mulberry leaves, and chrysanthemum flowers can be consumed as a tea substitute. This helps clear heat and toxins and has a good preventive effect. (By Zhihui)