Warm Herbs that Dissolve Cold Phlegm: Bai Jie Zi (Mustard Seed)

白芥子

Bai Jie Zi (White Mustard Seed)

Bai = white
Jie = mustard
Zi = seed

White mustard seed is warm. It is for excess cold lung conditions, not lung deficiencies. It travels only to the lung channel. It would have been good medicine for my housemate Jim a few weeks ago when he had clear, thin, copious sputum and drainage, and all the other signs associated with cold phlegm.

Bai Jie Zi is spicy and warm. "Very warming." It warms the lung like a little toaster. One toaster slot per lung. It regulates the qi movement and expels all that cold phlegm.

In promoting qi movement, Bai Jie Zi will disperse clumps and abscesses, otherwise known as phlegm obstructing the channels. When phlegm obstructs the channels, there will be pain. Therefore, white mustard seed helps to alleviate that pain.

White mustard seed transforms this excess yin into yang.

It should not be given to patients with chronic lung deficient cough, yin deficient fire, or stomach fire. This will likely cause diarrhea and further depletion and that would simply make the person sicker.