Wind: A major cause of disease

What Can YOU do about invasion by Wind?

What indeed! This is a big subject, far bigger than you might imagine … hence the pages mentioned above on invasion of Cold in Six Stages and invasion of Heat: the four levels.

BY THE WAY! …

If you want to get better without complications, then it’s best not to take painkillers that quell pain, fever and perspiration. (Why Not? Read our page on Suppression.)

I would go further and suggest that if you take such medications, your problem will last longer and may potentially leave you with other ongoing issues which you don’t associate with your Wind invasion but which began after you ‘suppressed’ it. These will include ongoing tiredness, conditions caused by Damp, and possibly onset of Phlegm.

And you will probably be more susceptible to the next Wind invasion.

DIY Herbs

Very roughly, as regards herbal treatment, it comes down to whether you are feeling hot or cold, and whether you are perspiring. (I’m pretty sure nerdy colleagues will take issue with me on some of the following.)

If ALREADY perspiring …

… and the condition is still in the acute stage – ie you got like this very recently, meaning yesterday or today – let yourself sweat it out.

Don’t stand in a draft of cold air, however!! That might make it worse. Instead, wrap up and let yourself sweat it out. Go to bed, if possible, keep warm, and try to pour sweat!

Normally, that’s enough and you’ll soon get better. Drink plenty of water or warm green tea. When better, keep warm and rest.

If NOT perspiring …

then try to decide if you prefer warmth or cold.

In other words,

• are you feeling chilled and prefer warmth, or are you –
• feeling hot and prefer cool things ie you like cool air and cool drinks?
• … which can be difficult to decide, I agree, if you are feeling alternately hot then cold. But if that is the case, ie you feel alternately hot and cold, you probably have Wind-Cold, not Wind-Heat. On both those pages, there’s more advice.

Feeling Cold and Prefer Warmth

If you are feeling chilled and prefer warmth, you need herbs that are warming and which ‘release’ the exterior. These include warming herbs that make you sweat like Cinnamon, backed by ginger. I’ve written a recipe for a ‘toddy’ for this: see Cold: An External Problem that Internalises – Acupuncture Points (acupuncture-points.org)

You could also try taking a hot bath: hot enough to make you start sweating within 15 minutes. (Take care if pregnant, very old, very young, heart condition etc!). Or a sauna or steam-room until you perspire heavily. After you start sweating heavily, don’t take a cold shower! Dry off, get dressed and keep warm. (Cold showers are a great way to keep fit, but they aren’t always appropriate, and certainly not here.)

Young fit people could try playing a game of squash, or a fast run: both to bring on perspiration (but keep wrapped up when sweating!)

Theoretically, eating a little warm food may help if you are exhausted, but often it’s better to just take the warming ‘toddy’ (recipe here) and let your body get on with it. Loading it with food forces it to divert energy away from heating you up to the point when you perspire and instead towards dealing with what you’ve eaten.

Feeling Hot yet not perspiring

On the other hand, if you feel hot, yet are not perspiring, you need herbs that help you sweat, and yet are cooling. These are cool, acrid herbs like mint, chryanthemum flower, great burdock fruit and white mulberry leaf. You should be able to get the mint (you may have it growing in your garden and there’s a picture up above). The chrysanthemum flower is probably available from your local Chinese grocery store. Brew them up and sip frequently.

And/Or go to bed and sweat it out. (Take care to keep wrapped up because, when sweating, your pores are ‘open’ making them more susceptible to yet more invasion by Wind!)

A hot bath or sauna for  you? Not sure. You probably wouldn’t like it – and it might just overload you, so probably better avoided.

Cupping to clear External Wind

If you know how to do cupping (see my comprehensive page on cupping and precautions to take) then cupping is usually a great way to help yourself, by which I mean getting someone else to do some cupping on your upper back.

Normally it would be on the muscles that lie between your shoulder-blades and either side of your spine: it will probably be sore to pressure where your friend should place the cups.

The places you find it most beneficial will probably be Back Shu points. But don’t worry about getting them exactly: cup where you feel you need it.

After the Wind attack, what then?

Your body expends a fair amount of energy combating Wind. Consequently, after a Wind attack, you may be left with what we call Lung Qi deficiency.

That means you need rest, sleep and simple nourishment, avoiding sugary, sweet, raw and cold foods – for more see nutrition.

Make sure you eat warm foods, and chew them well. And not too much food at a time: a few small meals are better.