rock sugar, orange peel and garlic: your arsenal against a cough

2. be kind to your kidneys

the winter season is associated with the kidneys, seat of the body's qi. they are also the root of the body's yin and yang, the opposing forces that must remain in balance for good health to be maintained. providing for your kidneys is all the more important when the weather becomes frigid. therefore, keep your kidneys warm. use a scarf to wrap the small of your back, right below the ribcage (that's where your kidneys are), or wear clothes that don't allow a draught to sneak in. you don't want that fiendish wind to send your yin and yang into disarray. also, snack on some roasted chestnuts, a fine winter treat (see page 60) that also nourishes your kidneys.

3. if you go down, go down fighting

if despite your best efforts, winter gives you an old-fashioned smack-down and you wind up with a cold or flu, don't despair. many herbs, such as honeysuckle (jin yin hua), forsythia (lian qiao) and isatis root (banlangen; see page 57), are effective treatments for the sniffles. the first two are typically featured in yin qiao san, a widely available patented herbal concoction based on a centuries-old formula. another such patented formula, gan mao ling, is very popular, though best suited for the early stages of illness. if sinus infections are your primary adversary, look to skullcap (huang qin), magnolia (xin yi hua), and acupuncture for aid.

for general relief, boil a few slices of ginger root to make ginger tea, a warming and detoxifying tonic.

4. excuse yourself from coughing

one of the most miserable wintertime ailments is the perpetual cough. break into a fit of hacking and watch people run away from you faster than you can say 'sars'. control that cough with this simple suggestion by dr. shi xuejun, a tcm expert at beijing hospital who has treated the likes of former chinese president jiang zemin: boil some grated orange rind (a warming food) and add rock sugar (bing tang; a cooling food) to make a sweet, balanced brew. also, try boiling minced garlic into a garlic tea to help quell a coughing spell.

5. all in moderation

before altering your entire diet and infusing everything you consume with herbal preventatives, remember that tcm dictates balance as the key to health.
"do not overdose on herbal remedies," dr. shi warns. "you can introduce too much internal heat, which opens you to sickness." dr. shi emphasizes that each person is different and thus may require different methods to maintain a strong constitution. consult with a trusted tcm practitioner to help develop the best regimen for you. that way, you won't miss the summer palace masquerading as a winter wonderland