‘What herbs are good for my immune system?’

This is a common question, and one that doesn’t have a clear answer in Chinese medicine. Firstly, what people mean by ‘immune system’ isn’t always clear, and secondly it varies depending on presentation and circumstances.

If there is a bug going around that you want to resist we normally prescribe formulas that are a mix of herbs that benefit the Interior (your overall health) while Releasing the Exterior, expelling any pathogens that may find their way to you.

However, if you are in the early stages of fighting a sniffle, then the focus shifts purely towards Expelling the Pathogen with acrid, dispersing herbs. While this is an effective strategy it’s not appropriate to use long-term, as over time these herbs can deplete the patient, given their focus on fighting and Expelling Pathogens.

Finally, if the person is looking to support their immune system because they’re experiencing repeated issues of the respiratory system (e.g. recurrent chest or sinus infections), the focus then shifts towards regulating the Lung organ. Of course, we never treat in isolation in Chinese medicine, so regulating the Lung will usually involve regulating other internal organs as well.

This isn’t to say that Chinese medicine doesn’t treat the ‘immune system’, but rather that its approach is more subtle, time-dependent, circumstances-dependent and presentation-dependent. These three presentations are not mutually-exclusive either; the versatility of our formula construction allows us to mix, match and modify as needed for our patient, even taking things like the change of seasons into account.