Be wary of wind-heat colds and methods for preventing them.

Colds are often difficult to prevent, and we don't know much about them in daily life. There are many types of colds, and the treatments are different, so it's important to understand them before treating a cold. Let's take a look at how to prevent wind-heat colds!

Symptoms of wind-heat common cold

1. Sore throat, usually preceding cold symptoms, with phlegm typically yellow or blackish. A sore throat due to wind-heat type of cold is accompanied by swollen and red tonsils; a sore throat due to wind-cold type of cold is not accompanied by swollen and red tonsils.

2. Thick nasal discharge: Thick, yellow, and turbid nasal discharge is mostly due to wind-heat cold; wind-cold cold only causes clear, thin, watery nasal discharge.

3. In cases of wind-heat type common cold, the tip and edges of the tongue are red, and the tongue coating is thin, white, or slightly yellow; in cases of wind-cold type common cold, the tip and edges of the tongue are not red, and the tongue coating is thin, white, and not yellow.

4. Constipation.

5. Fever, thirst, and irritability: Wind-heat colds are mostly characterized by dry mouth and thirst, with a preference for cold drinks; wind-cold colds are characterized by no dry mouth or thirst, and a reluctance to drink water.

6. For wind-heat type common cold, the pulse is floating and rapid, with a pulse rate of more than 90 beats per minute; for wind-cold type common cold, the pulse is floating and tight or floating and slow, with a pulse rate of less than 90 beats per minute.

7. Chills and fever: Both have symptoms of chills and fever at the same time. The difference is that in wind-heat cold, the fever is more severe and the chills are mild and not very obvious; on the contrary, in wind-cold cold, the chills or aversion to wind are significant and the fever is mild.

What medicine should I take for a cold caused by wind-heat?

1. Prepare 15 grams of honeysuckle, 10 grams of chrysanthemum, and 3 grams of jasmine. Put all the herbs into a cup, add boiling water, cover the cup, and steep for 10 to 15 minutes. Drink as tea.

Efficacy: Clears heat and detoxifies, treats symptoms such as sore throat and body heat caused by wind-heat cold.

2. Prepare 75g of chrysanthemum, 75g of forsythia, 75g of lycium bark, 75g of white peony root, 50g of mint, 125g of indigo leaf, 75g of patchouli, 75g of isatis root, 75g of rehmannia root, and an appropriate amount of gypsum. Steep in boiling water and drink.

Note: For children under 1 year old, use 6 grams per dose; for children aged 1 to 3 years, use 6 to 12 grams per dose; for children aged 4 to 7 years, use 12 to 18 grams per dose; and for children aged 8 to 12 years, use 24 grams per dose. Take twice daily.

Efficacy: Clears heat and detoxifies, dispels wind and releases the exterior, and treats symptoms such as headache, fever, cough with phlegm, and sore throat caused by wind-heat cold in children.

Prevention of wind-heat cold

1. Avoid activities during the hot summer months; outdoor activities are best done in the early morning or after 5 p.m.

2. The room should be well-ventilated to maintain a comfortable room temperature. Air circulation should be ensured. Air conditioning can be used in high temperatures, but the temperature should not be set below 26℃, and it should not be run continuously for 24 hours. After outdoor activities or showering, avoid direct exposure to cold air from the air conditioner, and also avoid showering with cold water. Dry yourself immediately with a towel after showering.

3. Ensure adequate sleep time, at least 8 hours a day. A short nap of half an hour at noon will make your baby feel much more comfortable.

4. Avoid consuming too many cold drinks and ice water due to the heat.

5. Eat more foods with high water content, such as watermelon, mung bean soup, barley, and winter melon. The outer rind of watermelon, known in Traditional Chinese Medicine as "watermelon rind," is an excellent food for relieving summer heat; it can be boiled in water to make a tea.

6. You can also brew some Chinese herbs, such as honeysuckle, forsythia, and mint, into tea. People with a hot constitution can add lotus seeds, people with excessive sweating can add goji berries, and people with dampness can add agastache and eupatorium.