Ingredients Explanation: 

       Honeysuckle flower (Jin Yin Hua): In TCM theory, honeysuckle flower has sweet and cold properties, and is associated with the Lung, Stomach and Large Intestine meridians. It is used to clear heat and remove toxins. 

       Isatis root(Ban Lan Gen):  In TCM theory, isatis root is considered a "cooling" herb: it cools the blood and helps damp-heat conditions. Isatis root is a renowned antiviral and antibacterial, which makes it quite useful for conditions such as colds, influenza, sore throats and mumps. It is widely used as supplement in many anti-virus for cold and flu in East Asia.*

        Ye Ju Hua (Flos Chrysanthemi Indici): It has fragrant smell and bitter taste. Bitter, pungent, slightly cold; In TCM, it can clear heat and remove toxicity, clear Liver fire and pacify Liver.

        Pueraira root(Ge Gen): Pueraria grows practically anywhere shade is available, from mountainous regions and fields to thickets and forests. Pueraria root is high in isoflavones and isoflavone glycosides compounds that are believed to promote general health.  Traditionally, pueraria has been utilized by TCM practitioners to help hangovers, allergies, indigestion, diabetes and angina, as well as neck and shoulder pain, thirst and fever.*

        Arctium fruits(Niu Bang Zi): Pungent, bitter, cold; Entering Lung and Stomach meridians. Disperse wind-heat, clear the toxic heat, relieve sore throat. It is usually used to help the wind-heat exterior syndrome manifested as swollen and painful throat or coughing with phlegm because it can both disperse the pathogen in the defense system and clear the toxic heat.*

        Lophatherum (Grass Bamboo Leaf, Dan Zhu Ye):  In TCM theory, lophatherum is considered to have sweet, bland and cold properties, and is associated with the Heart, Small Intestine and Stomach meridians. Lophatherum helps to clear heat in the stomach or heart (manifested as irritability, canker sores and swollen gums), remove heat in the small intestine, and promote urination.*

       Schizonepeta (Jing Jie): contains several chemical compounds including menthol, menthone, cineole, hesperidin, caffeic acid and schizonodiol. By TCM theory, schizonepeta has warm and pungent properties, and is associated with the Lung and Liver meridians. Its functions are to expel Wind and help stop bleeding. Typically, schizonepeta  is used to treat Wind-Cold exterior syndromes that have symptoms such as headaches, chills and fever. Schizonepeta can also reduce inflammation and swelling.*

       Forsythia (Lian Qiao): In TCM theory, forsythia is considered to be bitter and cold, and is associated with the Heart, Lung and Gall Bladder meridians. It clears heat and expels wind. Forsythia is typically used to detoxify the body, and to treat fevers, headaches and excessive thirst.*

Mint(Bo He): Mint contains menthol, and menthol is a compound that helps to open up your sinuses. In TCM, mint is considered to have pungent, aromatic and cool properties. It is associated with the Lung and Liver meridians, and is used to expel wind heat, clear the head and eyes, clear up rashes, and remove Liver Qi stagnation. promote perspiration and dissipate body heat. It is also taken as a means of stimulating the nervous system.*

Ginger (Sheng Jiang): studies have found it to ease pain from sore throats and aches caused by colds and flu. Its warm property used here is also to harmonize other herbs and decrease the cold property of above cooling herbs. *

      Mineral Zinc: In the winter season the daylight is short and sun is weak, cold and flu viruses are ready to attack and we need a strong immune system. Our body needs zinc every day in just the right amount.  Our body cannot store zinc, so it depends on a daily supply through diet or supplementation. Zinc is important for a number of life-sustaining functions, including:  Strong immunity; Important component of the enzymes involved in tissue remodeling and prevention of tumor growth; Maintenance of your mood, mental clarity and restorative sleep; Prostate and intestinal health; Senses of taste and smell. Zinc is a constituent of at least 3,000 different proteins in our body and a component of more than 200 different enzymes. Zinc increases human production of white blood cells. It also increases killer cells that combat abnormal cell growth; helps immune system release more antibodies, and supports wound healing. The Cochrane Review found that zinc reduced both the duration and severity of symptoms of the common cold. And using zinc preventatively helped colds occurring, leading to fewer school absences and less antibiotic use by children. Zinc salts are deadly to many pathogens. Researcher Dr. Harri Hemila of the University of Helsinki in Finland, reviewed 13 placebo-controlled trials examining the effect of zinc lozenges on cold infections. Three of them found that zinc in daily doses of more than 75 mg shortened colds' duration by 42 percent, on average. Some studies show that zinc may reduce the duration of cold by 50 percent.*

     Vitamin B6: B6 is needed in the reproduction of Red and White blood cells and antibodies which is essential in fighting viruses and bacteria infection.  A 2002 study published in "The Journal of Nutrition" found that women who increased their vitamin B6 intake to 2.1 milligrams daily, also increased their white blood cell count by 35 percent.*

     Vitamin D3: A few studies showed the results of higher dose of Vitamin D between 800 IU per day to 2000 IU per day showed the vitamin D group had fewer influenza symptoms compared to the dummy pill group and only one person in the vitamin D group had influenza when the dose was at 2,000 IU per day. An experiment done with Japanese school children looked at the effects of vitamin D supplements on their chances of getting influenza.  They found that more children in the dummy pill group got influenza A than children in the vitamin D group. There was a preventive effect of 1,200 IU vitamin D per day on children getting influenza A.  Vitamin D3 is the naturally occurring form of the vitamin and is essential for life.  Its molecular structure is similar the body’s steroid hormones. Cholesterol is the precursor substance for these hormones and for vitamin D3. Without adequate sunshine, vitamin D3 supplementation is important. In addition, the Vitamin D3 in this formula also can balance the “cold” property of many cooling herbs we described before since Vitamin D3 is produced though exposing to sunlight and its structure and function; it can be considered as warmer “Yang” property according to TCM theory.*

     Vitamin C: While human and animal studies have shown that vitamin C does significantly improve immune function even it may not prevent the common cold or symptom severity over 40 years of research in non-athletic people. It helps collagen formation with other amino acids like Lysine so as to strengthen the connective tissues to form a barrier from the attacking of pathogens to break across their boundaries to other tissues. Some vicious virus strain like Ebola can consume body’s all vitamin C resource and cause hemorrhagic fever like scurvy which will need to take or inject extra large amount vitamin C   but we will not discuss here since it is very rare.*

     L-Lysine: L-Lysine is an essential amino acid that can disrupt the virus DNA replication cycle to stop virus fast reproduction cycles. It was commonly used in people having “cold sore” herpes symptoms. It is also helpful to use in cold/flu situation for slowing down virus DNA replications too.*

 

Good habits to do during the cold/flu season:

1. Always wash your hands with soap after touching door knobs, handles and other public objects and utilities. Avoid rubbing your eyes, nose or mouth after touching those in public.

2. Always use tissue paper or clothes to cover your mouth and nose when you sneeze and cough so not to spread the viruses in the air to other people at home or at public places. 

3. Wear more warm clothing, scarf or hat outside and use warmer comforters during sleep and keep warm room temperatures at home during cold weather. 

4. Avoid sweet substance when you get colds since sugar will decrease the reproduction of our body killer cells and can feed on the bacteria inside our body. 

5. Try avoiding taking anti-fever or anti-inflammatory on-the-counter drugs if you have mild fever or light symptoms since fever is the first defense your body generated to fight off the pathogens and trigger to increase the production of immunity cells. You may feel better temporarily due to lowered temperature by drugs but the pathogens can get deeper and grow faster and you can get secondary infections easier like starting coughing soon or lengthy recovery. 

6. Take more rest and sleep earlier. Take a hot bath if your body feels cold by adding half cup of Epsom salt (magnesium sulfate) and/or sea salt into hot water to balance the osmotic pressure.  This can strengthen the immunity and keep body warm. Avoid washing hairs unless you can dry them quickly.