Colds are virus-infected diseases in the upper respiratory tract and classified as common cold and influenza. Common cold, usually mild, results from rhinovirus infection and is characterized mainly by nasal symptoms. With a high morbidity and repeated infection tendency, common cold may occur all the year round but mostly in winter and spring. But influenza, usually widespread, is due to influenza virus infection and has pronounced systemic toxic symptoms.

Ingredients: Clean shredded fresh ginger 9g, brown sugar 12g.

Process: Infuse them in boiling water.

Directions: To be taken warm at a time. After taking it, one should lie in bed until he or she perspires a bit. It is applicable to common cold of wind-cold type.

2) Decoction of Chinese Green Onion, Prepared Soybean and Yellow Wine

Ingredients: Chinese green onion 30g, prepares soybean 15g, yellow wine 50g.

Process: First decoct the prepared soybean for 1o minutes; then put in the cut-up Chinese green onion with hairs and go on decocting for 5 minutes more; and finally sift the decoction from the dregs and pour in the wine.

Directions: to be taken warm, twice a day. It is applicable to common cold of wind-cold type.

Ingredients: Schizonepeta 9g, clean perila leaf 9g, tea leaves 6g, fresh ginger 9g, brown sugar 30g.

Process: Decoct the first four ingredients and sift the liquid from the dregs; then put in the brown sugar and stir it to have it dissolved.

Directions: To be taken in several separate doses on the same day. It is applicable to common cold of wind-cold type.

4) Gruel of Fresh Ginger and Glutinous Rice

Ingredients: Fresh ginger 6g, clean polished glutinous rice100g, Chinese green onion 30g, millet vinegar 10ml.

Process: Cook the fresh ginger and the rice until they come to one or two boils, then put in the Chinese green onion which has been washed clean and cut up and go on cooking; finally when the gruel is nearly done, pour in the millet vinegar and cook for a while.

Directions: To be taken got. After taking it, one should lie in bed until he or she perspires a bit. It is applicable to common cold of wind-cold type.

5) Schizonepeta Gruel

Ingredients: Schizonepeta 9g, peppermint 3g, prepared soybean 9g, polished round-grained rice.

Process: Decoct the first three ingredients and sift the decoction from the dregs five minutes after they begin boiling; then take gruel with the decoction and the rice. It will be done in a few minutes.

Directions: To be taken warm, twice a day. It is applicable to common cold of wind-cold type.

6) Tea of Chrysanthemum Flower and Reed Rhizome

Ingredients: Chrysanthemum flower 6g, reed rhizome 21g (double it if the fresh is used)

Process: Decoct them or infuse them in boiling water.

Directions: To be taken as a drink. It is applicable to common cold of wind-heat type.

7) Wrinkled Giant-Hyssop Drink

Ingredients: Fresh leaves of wrinkled giant-hyssop12g, fresh lotus leaf 12g (6g if dried), right amount of white sugar

Process: Decoct them in water or infuse them in boiling water.

Directions: To be taken as a drink. It is applicable to those suffering from common cold of summer-heat and dampness type.

8) Gruel of Peppermint and Chrysanthemum Flower

Ingredients: Peppermint 9g, chrysanthemum flower 9g, mulberry leaf 6g, lophatherum 6g, polished round-grained rice 100g.

Process: Decoct the first four ingredients in water and strain the dregs out of the decoction after they have been boiling for five minutes; then put the rice into the decoction to make gruel. In a few minutes the gruel will be done.

Directions: To be taken twice each day. The gruel is applicable to common cold of wind-heat type.

9) Gruel of Job’s Tears Seed and Hyacinth Bean

Ingredients: Job’s tears seed 30g, white hyacinth bean 30g, polished round-grained rice 100g.

Process: Make gruel with the three ingredients.

Directions: To be taken twice a day. It is applicable to patients with common cold of summer --heat dampness type.