Every year as the weather cools and we shift from fall into winter, I see the same cycle begin to unfold—one person in an office, school, or household gets a cold, then another, and before long people are passing around coughs, sore throats, and fatigue.

Chinese Medicine offers a time-tested way to strengthen the immune system so we don’t fall into that pattern year after year.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, our immune system is understood as being a defensive energy—Wei Qi—which is like a protective barrier at the surface of the body. When it’s strong and regulated, we’re less likely to “catch” external pathogens. When it’s weak or scattered, external illnesses (we call them evil qi!) easily penetrate, giving rise to those seasonal bugs that interrupt our everyday life and sometimes can give rise to other- more chronic health concerns.

Acupuncture is wonderful for strengthening the immune system but Fall is a busy time and it is not always easy to get in for treatment. Herbal medicine can be an invaluable resource. One of the classical formulas used to strengthen the immune sytem is Yu Ping Feng San, often translated as “Jade Windscreen Powder.” The idea of a “jade screen” symbolizes a precious, translucent barrier—strong, pure, and resilient—shielding the body from external attack. This blend of Astragalus (Huang Qi), Atractylodes (Bai Zhu), and Siler Root (Fang Feng) has been used for centuries to reinforce the body’s outer defenses and reduce susceptibility to colds, allergies, and recurrent respiratory infections.

In my practice, I often recommend modern adaptations of this classic—Evergreen Herbs’ Immune+ is one of them—which combines the wisdom of Yu Ping Feng San with other supportive herbs that nourish vitality and maintain immune balance. It can be used once to twice daily in the morning and or afternoon as a preventative during the fall and winter months, or taken as needed when you’ve been exposed to someone sick, feel run-down, or are traveling.

However—and this is crucial—it’s important to stop taking any immune-boosting formula if you actually begin to feel sick.

Think of your immune system as a fortress protecting the body. When everything is balanced and you’re healthy, it makes sense to strengthen and reinforce those walls. But if invaders have already breached the fortress—if you’re starting to feel a sore throat, swollen glands, congestion, or fever—then continuing to fortify the walls just traps the invaders inside. At that point, our focus must shift from prevention to clearing.

When early-stage symptoms appear, I recommend switching to formulas that help the body release the pathogen rather than fortify it. Depending on your symptoms, this might include:

• Evergreen Herbs Lonicera or Herbal AVR (for clearing viral heat and sore throats)
• Herbal ENT (for sinus congestion and swollen glands)
• Blue Poppy’s ColdQuell or a high-quality patent version of Yin Qiao San (for the onset of colds and flu-like symptoms)

If illness progresses into the lungs, with cough or phlegm, there are additional formulas that can help resolve that stage of the infection. Each case is unique, and it’s always best to match the right formula to the exact phase of illness.

I keep a small apothecary of formulas on hand this time of year on my kitchen counter—for myself and my family. I recommend you have things on hand for that late at night or first thing in the morning realization that you are…not quite feeling well. 

 If you or a loved one start to come down with something, you can always reach out by text to (303) 938-1222. I’m happy to recommend formulas for pickup, tailored to your specific pattern and the stage of your illness.

Prevention, protection, and the right response at the right time—that’s what makes Chinese Herbal Medicine particularly effective this time of year.