5 ways to fend off flu season, according to Chinese medicine

With a history dating back millennia, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is one of the oldest forms of healing in the world. In Hong Kong, TCM is a common practice very much integrated into our day-to-day life. 

Several companies have set out to demystify TCM and make it accessible to a wider audience around the world, including Nong’s: a traditional Chinese medicine clinic owned by PuraPharm International^®, a Cathay Pacific partner and well-known producer of Chinese medicine granules. 

With clinics in Hong Kong, China and Australia, Nong’s offers an efficient, accessible and contemporary approach to TCM. Registered practitioners – all of whom have a university degree and several years of clinical experience under their belts – provide customers with a detailed diagnosis, recommending products and therapies such as concentrated Chinese medicine granules, acupuncture, cupping, dressing, gua sha and Chinese tui na massage.  

According to TCM, common illnesses are caused by a disruption to our internal balance of qi, or temperaments on which we rely to function. With expert help from Nong’s, we’ve compiled a few tips for maintaining your inner equilibrium, boosting immunity and fending off colds and flu this season.

1. Act in accordance with your body’s constitution 

In TCM, every individual has a unique body constitution, impacted by factors such as diet, lifestyle and genetics. There are nine constitutions, and a practitioner can identify which you have based on several factors including your symptoms, the illnesses you are prone to catching, your ability to recover from illnesses, your skin, energy and immunity levels, and your ability to withstand certain climates and environments. It’s also possible to have a mix of different constitutions. Knowing your constitution will help you understand your body’s needs and why it may feel out of balance. It will also allow a practitioner to provide a personalised treatment to regain your balance.

2. Eat immunity-boosting foods

“In general, eating less raw, cold and fried foods will help strengthen your overall immunity, but while you’re sick you should avoid these, as well as fatty, sweet, greasy, spicy, sour and fishy foods,” says Dr. Carla Ng from Nong’s Causeway Bay clinic. In addition, you should avoid tonics such as ginseng and royal jelly and refrain from smoking or drinking when sick.

If you have a cold, drink plenty of warm water and eat hot meals with onions, garlic, ginger and vinegar. These remedial ingredients will help with your symptoms and strengthen immunity.

Herbal medicine is prescribed according to your constitution. At Nong’s clinics, there are hundreds of herbal granules on offer, allowing practitioners to tailor-make herbal medicines and offer therapies to suit your individual needs.

Video credit: yamasan/Getty Images

3. Strengthen your immunity

“Strengthening one’s immunity is essential to avoid falling ill,” comments Dr. Ng. Your constitution, lifestyle and environment can all contribute to potential imbalances, so it’s important to ensure you have good lifestyle habits. Make sure you eat a healthy, balanced diet, get sufficient sleep and exercise – especially during high-stress times. A stronger immunity will increase your ability to resist illnesses like colds and influenza.

You can supplement your immunity with Chinese medicine, such as PuraPharm’s PuraGold: a unique formulation of six types of Lingzhi, also known as Reishi mushroom. The ingredient has a host of benefits including strengthening the body’s resistance, enhancing organ function, promoting cell renewal, enhancing mental vitality and more, which is suitable for anyone to take.

4. Adapt your habits to suit the season

In TCM, wind, cold heat, dampness, dryness and fire are the six climates of nature (also known as the six qi) that our body must adapt to. When our bodies can’t adapt to the changes of the six qi, this can lead to catching a flu or cold.

It’s important to wear appropriate clothing for the season, especially when there’s a sudden and unexpected change in temperature. In winter and rainy seasons, cover your neck and back from the elements. And if you find yourself constantly getting sick as the seasons change, consider avoiding crowded places and wearing a face mask, especially during peak flu season.

5. Focus on prevention

“Chinese medicine places great emphasis on prevention, recognising that maintaining harmony in the body is essential to prevent disease,” says Dr. Ng. “In TCM, health is a state of balance between yin and yang energies. Treatments such as acupuncture, herbal medicine and dietary therapy are used to regulate and harmonise these energies to promote overall health.”

Other lifestyle habits said to help keep your body healthy include keeping the air in your environment fresh by opening windows frequently and washing your face with cool water. This will help your body better adapt to the cold. Appropriate UV exposure is also important, so open your blinds to let sunshine in. And if you’re having trouble sleeping try soaking your feet in hot water before bed – it warms your meridians (the points in your body where energy flows).

For personalised modernised Chinese medicine treatments, visit any of Nong’s clinics across Hong Kong. Cathay Pacific’s Cathay member will enjoy an earn rate of HKD100 = 110 upon spending HK$500 or more on products purchased at the clinics, or HKD5 = 11 upon a minimum spend of HKD500 for purchases on PuraPharm online shop .  

This story was originally published in December 2023 and updated in March 2025.