Yu Ping Feng San

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Fish Creek Park in winter


Winter seems to have come slowly this year.  We're well into November and still have not had much in the way of snow and only a few cold days.  I'm certainly not complaining.  But, we all know that winter is coming and with it comes "cold & flu" season.


One of my favourite little formulas from school was this deceptively simple and poetically named winter saviour.  Yu Ping Feng San means Jade Windscreen Powder.  It ancient China Jade was more valuable than gold - so to have Jade in the name indicated it's value.  Windscreen was a literal name - wind was the external "evil" that brought sickness.  We can think of the TCM term wind as being analogous to viruses or bacteria.  So this simple little formula was a screen, or protective barrier, against wind/virus borne illnesses. 


This formula can be taken before getting sick to help boost your immune system and prevent viruses from taking hold in the body.  Once you are sick it isn't as effective and it's best to switch to a formula that will help your body fight off the pathogen.  



Class: Astringent
Subclass:

Huang Qi
(radix astragali membranacei)
15 g
Tonifies Qi. Raises Yang. Strengthens the Defensive-Qi.
Strengthens the Exterior.
Bai Zhu
(rhizoma atractylodis macrocephalae)
15 g
Tonifies Qi. Strengthens the Spleen. Dries Dampness
Fang Feng
(radix ledebouriellae divaricatae)
7.5 g
Expels Wind. Releases the Exterior. Disperses Dampness.

Actions:
Restrains sweating, Strengthens the Exterior, Tonifies Qi

Indications:
Deficiency of the Exterior with weak and unstable protective Qi (Wei Qi).

Possible symptoms and diseases according to TCM:

  • Immune system weakness (easily catches colds)
  • Allergic rhinitis
  • Aversion to drafts, Aversion to wind
  • Chronic bronchitis
  • Flu syndrome, Respiratory tract infection
  • Spontaneous sweating
Tongue: pale body; white coat
Pulse:    superficial, weak


Huang Qi

Bai Zhu

Fang Feng

Location: Calgary, AB, Canada

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