n addition to the formalized practice in TCM, Chinese people may use folk remedies. These remedies are applied to a wide variety of aliments and may be used for general health maintenance as well. Because colds and flu are usually self-limiting, certain remedies are likely to shorten their course and help alleviate associated symptoms. 1. Wind-Heat Type Cold and Flu Chrysanthemum tea is suitable for wind-heat infection. Foods like peppermint, chrysanthemum, Chinese box thorn, mung beans, lotus leaves, olives, Chinese spinach and spinach are recommended. They are cold or cool in properties, which help to relieve heat symptoms..

• Chrysanthemum and peppermint tea: Boil the chrysanthemum (6g) with 400ml of water. When brought to a boil, add in peppermint (3g) and crystal sugar (15g), boil for 2-3 minutes. Take the hot tea twice a day. It helps to relieve symptoms like sore throat, nasal congestion, headache and fever that occur in "heat" type flu.

  2. Wind-Cold Type Cold and Flu Ginger tea is suitable for wind-cold infection. Foods like ginger, onion, garlic, green spring onion, fermented soybean and coriander are encouraged for consumption. They have pungent and hot properties, which help to expel evils located in the exterior level.

• Ginger tea: Clean and shred fresh ginger (15g). Make into tea with 200 ml boiling water. Add brown sugar (12g) to taste. Serve hot twice daily. After taking it, go to bed and cover the body properly to let it perspire. This tea expels the evils and promotes appetite, which is applicable to wind-cold type flu.
• Furthermore, in the early stages of the wind-cold type, one can also prepare a big bowl of a hot Ephedra (6-9g) decoction for deep breathing in its steam until it is cool for symptom relief .

3. Other types of cold and flu: Foods like watermelon, wax gourd, loofah, cucumber and bitter melon are recommended during summer. These foods, which are harvested in this season, help counteract symptoms associated with summer and damp-heat evils. 4.Treatment remedies for either wind cold or heat-cold evils Some massage techniques on selected acupoints may help ease symptoms of general flu symptoms; because, the following techniques enhance the meridians' qi and blood flow in the head, neck, shoulder and chest areas. Massage needs to be applied with firm and forceful pressure. (See graphics for acupoint locations.)

• Rub the forehead from the middle to the two sides 10 times;
• Knead tai-yang10 times;
• Rub the temple separately, 10 times;
• Knead feng-chi 10 times;
• Grasp the posterior neck 10 times;
• Thump jian-ging 10 times;
• Pat the upper back 10 times;
• Nip and knead the he-gu 10 times.

For individuals with swelling throat and a sore throat, knead under the chin bone and pinch shao-shang, 10 times additionally.For individuals with a stuffy and runny nose, knead ying-xiang and rub the nose by hand, 10 times additionally. For individuals with severe cough, knead the fei-shu, tian-tu and tan-zhong respectively, 10 times additionally.