🌼 Seasonal Allergies in TCM

Lately I've been waking up feeling like I lost a fight with a bee. Swollen, itchy eyes, fuzzy head, runny nose—the whole miserable package.

And here's the weird part: it's not even spring! Why am I having allergies in late summer?

 

It usually takes me a few days to figure out what's wrong. First I think I'm just being a lazy, worthless human being, but then I remember: "Oh right, allergies are a thing. This happens to me every year."

Since I'm not a fan of expensive allergy meds that either don't work or make me feel like a zombie, I've been turning to some TCM solutions that actually help...

 

The Simple Fix: Chrysanthemum Tea

Lately my go-to has been chrysanthemum tea. In the morning, I'll toss some Ju Hua flowers in with green tea. In the afternoon when I don't want caffeine, I brew Ju Hua with goji berries (Gou Qi Zi).

(I actually just use my French press to do this. Makes it easy to strain...)

This combo is perfect for itchy eyes. Ju Hua is from the Cool Acrid Release the Exterior category, and its specialty is brightening the eyes (明目 míng mù). It's a flower, so it's light and ascendant. It floats upward to treat issues of the head and face—like my itchy, swollen eyes.

A great addition to this is Gou Qi Zi (lycii fructus) or goji berries. Some books put it in the Tonify Blood category, but others put it in the Tonify Yin category. This one also has a famous action of brightening the eyes.

Unlike Ju Hua which disperses, Gou Qi Zi is more nourishing. So if you have dry eyes and blurry vision due to blood deficiency, Gou Qi Zi can nourish blood to brighten the eyes.

But if you have wind or ascendant Liver yang causing dry, red, itchy eyes, Gou Qi Zi also enters the Liver channel to nourish yin. This anchors the Liver yang back downwards and helps the eyes that way. So it's a perfect yin and yang pair!

Gou Qi Zi + Ju Hua is an important Dui Yao pair for the eyes, like in the formula Qi Ju Di Huang Wan (Lycium Fruit, Chrysanthemum and Rehmannia Pill).

Also, adding Gou Qi Zi gives the tea a beautiful red color a nice sweet flavor.

Ancient Wisdom Modern Kitchen recommends combining 2 tablespoons dried Ju Hua (10g), 2 tablespoons Gou Qi Zi (30g), and 2-3 cups water. Boil for 5 minutes, turn off heat and let steep another 5 minute, then strain.

 

When You Need Bigger Guns: Bi Yan Pian

But besides the itchy eyes, I've also been getting a runny nose. That's why I brought out the Bi Yan Pian pills..

Bi Yan Pian (鼻炎片) means "nose inflammation tablet" or "nose-itis tablet".

 

Looking at the ingredients, this is basically Cang Er Zi San with some extras—it has Cang Er Zi, Xin Yi Hua, and Bai Zhi to open the nasal passages, plus wind-releasing herbs like Fang Feng and Jing Jie.

Besides that, it also contains Ye Ju Hua (chrysanthemi indici flos), which is wild chrysanthemum. Wild chrysanthemum is stronger and more aggressive—it's in the Heat Toxicity category rather than the gentler CARE category. Perfect for when your allergies need a more forceful approach.

 

Regular vs. Wild Chrysanthemum

Think of it this way: regular Ju Hua is the friendly house cat that Daoists drink daily for longevity. Ye Ju Hua is the feral cat that's really good at killing mice but you probably don't want to pet it every day.

Both brighten the eyes, but wild chrysanthemum packs more punch for clearing heat. Great for my current situation, but not something I'd drink everyday like regular chrysanthemum tea.

Being in the Heat Toxicity category, Ye Ju Hua is also used for toxic boils and sores, sore throat, and itching. But it's also good for red eyes.

 

Clinical Gold

So I think these are some solid recommendations for allergy patients. Ju Hua is easy to find (Asian grocery stores, Amazon) and it's been a big help for my itchy eyes.
And Bi Yan Pian is great in your clinic. Many acupuncturists forget they can sell retail products to boost revenue. So even if someone comes in for an unrelated issue (like back pain) but mentions seasonal allergies, you can still give them a bottle. It's an easy add-on sale that actually helps people.

 

Because let's be honest—waking up feeling like you got punched by pollen is no way to live.

What's your go-to for seasonal allergies? Hit reply and let me know what works for you!