The world is opening up, but the need to maintain your health and safety in the new normal will be a constant.  What's in your immunity toolkit? Small bottles of hand sanitizers, face masks, and a conscious awareness of what you’ve touched, before even thinking about wiping your cheek or touching your nose?  As a company taking a modern approach to Chinese herbal medicine, we believe Chinese herbs deserve a place in your wellness toolkit. When it comes to supporting seasonal wellness and balance, we reach for these time-tested formulas—often before grabbing the vitamin C.

Chinese herbs have been part of holistic wellness practices for centuries. Our team at DAO Labs continues to lean into these traditions to help maintain balance and well-being during challenging winter seasons, especially when juggling family wellness.

Ever since then, we’ve been passionate about sharing the power and efficacy. These herbal blends and the broader modality of Chinese medicine are more relevant now than ever. 

Start with These Three Herbs – But Don’t Stop There 

When we launched DAO Labs, our objective was to create formulas inspired by classic Chinese herbal medicine blends that had stood the test of time, but in ways that were approachable and designed for on-the-go use.  Included in our initial formulas was Immunity Support, a simple but powerful blend of three herbs inspired by a 750-year formula called "Jade Windscreen".  For us, during the long and challenging winter season common in the North Star State, it’s been a valuable part of our daily wellness regimen, especially during the winter months.

What’s more, we designed the formula with wellness elements that you might find familiar: 

• Ingredients that make the herbs “fizz” in water. Much like vitamin powders, simply add the herbs to water and let the effervescent ingredients work.  
• Single serve packets that fit easily in your bag, purse or pocket.
• Flavors that “hide” the stigma typically associated with Chinese herbs – for Immunity Support, my co-founder, aware-winning Chef Travis Metzger created a pear-ginger combination that’s incredibly refreshing.
• An eye toward sustainability – from our support of WildAid to our stringent sourcing criteria, our mission is to be good stewards as we transform health.  

Want Better Immunity?  Focus on Sleep Quality

Want to really advance the impact of your hand sanitizers and face masks?  Focus on getting at least 7 hours of sleep a night.  Quality sleep plays a vital role in maintaining overall health and supporting immune function. It's a daily gift from Mother Nature that allows us to reset and refresh.  But it’s understandable if you’re not getting this much given all the headlines and stress that’s as much a part of the new normal as the pandemic itself. 

Chinese herbal practices may support relaxation and promote restful sleep. I’m personally back to my nightly dose of Mental Tranquility to quiet my restless 2 AM mind, but our community has been equally passionate about Cool Slumber for those who sleep hot and are more restless.  They are gamechangers for me.  

Don’t Neglect Your Digestive Health

According to Chinese medicine theory, health begins with proper digestion. At DAO Labs, we offer a variety of formulas and lifestyle tools rooted in this tradition—from the 8-herb blend in Digestive Harmony, designed to support digestive balance, to our Middle Burner Diet, which merges Chinese dietary principles with familiar Western ingredients. Together, these approaches help you feel more balanced, energized, and aligned with your wellness goals.

Want to Learn More?  We’ll Send You an E-Book on Chinese Medicine & Immunity  

Looking for a deeper dive into how you can support your body’s natural immune function with time-tested Chinese medicine practices?  Check out our e-Book that outlines acupressure points for immunity, tips on other body parts to keep covered (and why) as you venture outside, and ingredients to keep on hand to bolster your Qi and promote balance and well-being.

Care Consideration: Just a reminder that the above information is not a substitute for medical care and is not a substitute for medical advice or recommendations from a healthcare provider. This information is not intended to treat, mitigate, or cure any disease.  That said, we encourage you to connect with an Acupuncturist in your community to learn more about this and other Traditional Chinese Medicine options.  If you’ve got questions about Chinese herbal medicine or getting started with an Acupuncturist, feel free to connect with us at hello@mydaolabs.com.

John G. McGarvey is a co-founder of DAO Labs and a regular contributor to The Way. A frequent visitor to China and Asia for both business and pleasure, he is an avid consumer of Chinese medicine. He can be reached at john@mydaolabs.com.