Certain herbs can make you sweat, which is their main job! These herbs are great for helping you feel better when you’re sick with something like a cold or the flu. Sweating can help your body fight these illnesses. But if you’re losing too much water from things like night sweats, diarrhea, or vomiting, you should avoid these herbs because they might make you feel worse.

Types of Sweating Herbs

These herbs are divided into two groups:

1. Herbs for Cold Feelings (like Chinese ephedra, lily-flowered magnolia, and purple perilla): These are best if you have a cold and feel chilly or shivery.
2. Herbs for Fevers (like hare’s ear, kudzu vine, and mulberry-leaved chrysanthemum): These help when you have a high fever.

What These Herbs Help With

Sweating herbs are used for:

• Colds and the flu
• Headaches
• Fevers
• Body aches
• Coughs
• Bronchitis
• Asthma
• Early-stage measles
• Some kidney or joint problems

Four Important Safety Tips

Be careful when using these herbs! Here are four rules to follow:

1. Don’t use for long-term organ problems: These herbs won’t help with ongoing issues in your stomach, heart, or other organs, and they might make you weaker.
2. Avoid if you’re dehydrated: Don’t use these herbs if you’re losing water from vomiting, diarrhea, or bleeding.
3. Stay calm and warm: After taking these herbs, rest and keep warm to sweat just the right amount—not too much or too little.
4. Extra care for older or weaker people: If you’re older or not very strong, pair these herbs with “correct deficiencies” herbs to keep your body strong.

How These Herbs Work

Doctors today say these herbs do two big things:

1. They open tiny blood vessels under your skin and make you sweat to lower fevers, remove toxins, and fight germs.
2. They help your kidneys get rid of extra water in your body.

Stay Safe!

Always talk to an adult or a doctor before using these herbs to make sure they’re safe for you.