According to traditional Chinese medicine theory, the human body is viewed as an organic whole, resembling a fortified city where various organs and tissues work in harmony to maintain health and balance. Common respiratory illnesses like colds and pneumonia can be likened to scattered sparks at the city gates versus a raging fire breaching the walls—they share an intrinsic connection. Proper understanding and effective interruption of cold progression into pneumonia are crucial for maintaining good health.

Why Do Colds Easily Develop into Pneumonia?

According to clinical data, some cases of pneumonia do indeed develop from prolonged common colds. As early as in the *Treatise on Cold Damage*, there was a warning: "When illness manifests with fever and aversion to cold, it originates from yang; without fever but with aversion to cold, it originates from yin. Those originating from yang resolve in seven days, while those from yin resolve in six days, because yang corresponds to seven and yin to six." This reminds us to be vigilant when a cold persists for more than seven days with worsening symptoms. At this stage, pathogens may have breached the body's initial defenses, increasing the risk of progression to more serious diseases.

Implementing proper pneumonia prevention measures

Keep warm

During autumn and winter, before getting dressed in the morning, first rub your palms to warmth and then press them firmly on the Dazhui (GV14) acupoint. Located at the depression below the highest cervical vertebra when bowing your head, the Dazhui acupoint is a vital convergence point of the body's yang energy. Applying warm palms to Dazhui can stimulate the body's yang energy, enhance its resistance, and prevent the invasion of external pathogens.

When going out, make sure your scarf covers the Fengchi acupoint. Located at the back of the neck, below the occipital bone, in the depression between the upper ends of the sternocleidomastoid and trapezius muscles, Fengchi is a pathway where wind pathogens easily invade the body. Covering it with a scarf effectively prevents "thief wind" from attacking through the back of the neck, thereby protecting the body's yang energy.

Furthermore, don't neglect keeping your feet warm. Before bedtime, soak your feet in water boiled with ginger, ensuring the water level covers the Sanyinjiao acupoint. Sanyinjiao is located 3 cun (about four finger-widths) above the medial malleolus, in the depression behind the medial border of the tibia. The feet are convergence points of the body's meridians. Foot soaking promotes blood circulation, warms the whole body, and enhances immunity. Ginger has warming and cold-dispersing properties, further boosting the soaking's effects.

Blocking disease progression

At the first signs of a cold like throat itchiness or nasal congestion, immediately initiate the "three-step fire-extinguishing protocol"—gua sha, acupressure, and herbal tea—to promptly stop pathogen progression and prevent deeper invasion into the body.

You can use a gua sha board or the back of an ox-horn comb to perform gua sha along the pathway of the Bladder Meridian of Foot-Taiyang on the back. Start from the head and gently scrape downward along the bladder meridian with moderate pressure, until the skin slightly reddens. Gua sha promotes Qi and blood circulation, like opening drainage outlets in city walls, allowing the "heat toxins" to be expelled through the sha marks. Clinical observations show that performing gua sha at the initial stage of a cold can effectively shorten the course of illness and alleviate discomfort symptoms.

You can alternately acupress Lieque (LU7) and Zhaohai (KI6) points. Lieque point is located two finger-widths above the wrist crease, in the depression on the radial side. Zhaohai point is located in the depression below the medial malleolus tip. Use your thumb joint to alternately press these acupoints, holding each for 30 seconds. Stimulating Lieque and Zhaohai points activates meridian Qi-blood circulation and mobilizes the body's defensive capabilities, like sounding a city defense alarm, prompting the immune system to quickly enter combat readiness against pathogenic invasion.

Monitor symptom progression

During the progression from cold to pneumonia, changes in sputum serve as an important "warning signal."

When phlegm changes from white to yellow, it indicates that the cold pathogen has penetrated deeper and transformed into heat. At this point, the nature of the pathogen inside the body has changed, and the treatment method needs to be adjusted accordingly. If blood streaks appear in the phlegm, it is akin to cracks appearing in the city walls, signaling the progression of the illness, likely caused by heat pathogen scorching the lung collaterals. In such cases, a decoction can be made with 3 grams of imperata rhizome (Bai Mao Gen), 3 grams of reed rhizome (Lu Gen), and 3 grams of lotus root slices (Ou Pian), consumed as a tea substitute. These three ingredients can clear heat, cool the blood, and stop bleeding, alleviating symptoms of blood-streaked phlegm caused by heat pathogen damaging the lung collaterals. Meanwhile, the patient should seek medical attention promptly for detailed examination to rule out other serious conditions.

Additionally, when symptoms like chest tightness and breathlessness occur, they indicate lung qi stagnation, akin to the enemy forces having breached the city gates and blocked crucial passages. At this stage, the condition is already quite severe, and the patient should seek immediate hospital care for professional treatment.

Dietary Remedies Suitable for Cold Patients

Tremella and Snow Pear Soup is an excellent dietary therapy for prevention and recovery from colds. Soak the tremella, then simmer it with snow pear for two hours, adding 10 wolfberries (Gou Qi Zi). Tremella nourishes yin, moisturizes the lungs, and promotes fluid production in the stomach; snow pear clears heat, moistens the lungs, relieves cough, and dissolves phlegm; while wolfberries nourish the liver and kidneys, improve vision, and moisten the lungs. Combined, these ingredients act like fresh water in a moat, effectively moistening the lungs and clearing heat. This soup can be consumed three times a week.

Additionally, you can also consume lung-nourishing porridge made with 30 grams each of lily bulbs, Chinese yam, and pumpkin. The porridge has a soft and sticky texture, is rich in nutrients, and suitable for daily consumption.