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Since fall is the time of dry, cold, and rainy, there is plenty to enjoy. We have a taste for apple cider and warm drinks to cozy up against the newfound chill in the air. The days are shortening and the nights are lengthening. But sometimes the chill in the air, the dryness, and the rain get the better of us. When that happens we can have fever and chills unrelieved by sweating, headache, nasal congestion, and a stiff neck. Many times is can feel like the cold just took up residence in the nape of our necks!

Here is where we introduce one of the most popular Chinese formulas called Cinnamon Twig Decoction or Gui Zhi Tang (in Pinyin). The idea is very simple. The goal is to warm up what is cold in order induce a slight sweat. This will allow us to kick the fever and chills and relieve the stiff neck. This is also appropriate when exposure to cold has left you chilly with a feeling to huddle for warmth.

This particular herbal formula has a long history of use in Classical Chinese Medicine. Its first recorded appearance is in the Shang Han Za Bing Lun (On Cold Damage and Miscellaneous Diseases) which was written circa 220 A.D.

It’s a simple and elegant formula, not harsh on the taste buds, and feels like a warm cup of coffee without the strung out buzz. Its ingredients are cinnamon twig, white peony, fresh ginger, jujube fruit, and licorice root. In the right preparation, it is safe and effective; and with a long history of success definitely worth its weight in gold!

If you’re interested in learning more about Chinese herbs or trying them for yourself, please talk to your Chinese Medicine practitioner. Because Chinese herbs can be customized to fit your symptoms, signs and tendencies, your practitioner can determine which Chinese herbs are best for you. For general information about Chinese herbs, go here.

About Author: Nick Arestopoulos, LAc.

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