Winter has arrived, but with it is not only the warm sunshine and joyful festivals, but also the cold winter cough. Have you ever been plagued by a cough on a cold and windy day, and have you been desperate to find a way to relieve cough and phlegm, and clear your lungs? If so, you've come to the right place.
If you are eager to learn how to deal with winter cough with TCM diet, if you want to learn practical methods, then read on because the following content will help you. Let's start this health journey together and work hard for a cough-free winter!
Step 1: Symptom identification
In TCM diet, the key first step is to accurately identify your cough symptoms. Winter cough can generally be divided into two categories: dry and wet.
Dry cough
A dry cough is usually accompanied by the following features:
- The cough is dry and harsh.
- Cough with no phlegm or only a small amount of white sputum.
- Coughing may cause an irritated or sore sensation in the throat.
If your cough fits the above description, then you may have a dry cough and TCM diet therapy will help improve your symptoms.
Wet cough
Wet cough has the following characteristics:
- The cough sounds moist or sore in the throat.
- Cough with yellow or green sputum, sometimes with a feeling of difficulty breathing.
- The cough is usually long-lasting and tends to cause chest tightness.
If your cough symptoms match the above description, then you may have a wet cough and can also seek improvement through TCM dietary therapy.
Identifying the type of cough is crucial to choosing the right diet, as different types of cough require different foods and regimens. Next, we will delve into how to choose the right diet according to your cough type to achieve the goal of cough suppression, phlegm and lung clearance. Don't worry, we've got some practical tips to keep your cough away during the winter months.
Step 2: Choose a therapeutic diet
In the case of winter cough, it is important to choose the right dietary regimen. Depending on the type of cough, here are some tips for dry and wet cough to help you stop cough and reduce phlegm.
Dry cough type
If your cough is dry, often accompanied by a dry, itchy and stinging throat, you may have a dry cough.
Dietary Recommendations:
Pear soup: Pears have the effect of moistening the lungs and relieving cough, especially pears. You can choose to peel and slice the pears, add some rock sugar, and cook them into a pear soup that you can drink once a day.
Lotus seed soup: Both white fungus and lotus seeds have the effect of nourishing yin and moisturizing the lungs, which can help relieve dry cough. Stewed white fungus and lotus seeds into a soup, it is a delicious dietary dish.
Avoid:
- Avoid spicy and irritating foods, such as chili, garlic, ginger, etc., to avoid irritating the throat.
Wet cough type
Wet cough is often accompanied by symptoms of sputum production and chest tightness, usually caused by cold lungs.
Dietary Recommendations:
Lily honey juice: Lily has the effect of clearing heat and dissolving phlegm, and honey has the effect of moistening the lungs and relieving cough. After the lily is cooked, honey is added and eaten once a day.
Apple Soup: Apples are a warm fruit that helps warm the lungs. Slicing apples and boiling them into soup can help relieve a wet cough.
Avoid:
- Avoid eating cold, raw and cold foods, such as iced drinks, ice cream, etc., so as not to aggravate the damp and cold constitution.
Choosing the right diet can help you relieve cough symptoms, but keep in mind that diet therapy is not an immediate solution and will take some time to see results. If the cough lasts longer or worsens, consult a doctor promptly. Read on as we explain how to clear your lungs and further improve your cough in the next step.
Step 3: Clarify the lungs
In TCM dietary therapy, clarifying lung qi is an important part of winter cough treatment. Clearing the lungs helps to purify the respiratory system, improve immunity, and reduce the frequency of coughing.
1. Eat carrots: Carrots are rich in carotene and vitamin C, which help clear the lungs. Carrots can be eaten raw by slicing them or used in soups or salads.
2. Treat white radish: White radish is considered a great way to clear the lungs in winter. It helps to moisten the lungs, clear away heat, and reduce cough symptoms. You can cut the radish into thin slices and soak it in hot water to make radish water, which you can drink every day.
3. Get close to grapefruit: Grapefruit is one of the winter fruits, it is rich in vitamin C and antioxidants, which can help clear the lungs and improve immunity. Eating half a yuzu a day or squeezing yuzu juice is a good choice.
4. Taste garlic sprouts: Garlic sprouts not only have an antibacterial effect, but also help clear the lungs and reduce phlegm. You can chop garlic sprouts, add them to stir-fried vegetables, or make dishes like stir-fried meat with garlic sprouts.
5. Ginger: Ginger is regarded as a treasure in traditional Chinese medicine, it has a warm nature, can promote the circulation of qi and blood, and has a certain help in clearing the lungs. You can slice ginger, brew it into ginger tea, or add it to cooking.
Step 4: Traditional Chinese Medicine Diet – The Secret Weapon for Respiratory Health
TCM is an ancient and effective form of Chinese medicine that combines food with medicine to treat diseases and maintain health. In the treatment of winter cough, Chinese herbal diet can play an important role.
Principles of Chinese herbal diet
The principle of TCM diet is to select different medicinal and edible materials according to individual symptoms and constitution, and regulate the body through the effect of medicinal properties. For cough, TCM usually focuses on clearing the lungs, dissolving phlegm, relieving asthma, and nourishing yin to restore the balance of the respiratory system.
Practical Chinese herbal diet
Almond Barley Porridge: This medicinal diet helps to moisten the lungs and relieve cough, especially suitable for dry cough type cough. Cooking almonds, barley, and pears together into porridge and eating it once a day can help relieve cough symptoms.
Chuanbei Pear Soup: Chuanbei Sydney Pear Soup is a traditional cough medicine that is suitable for wet cough type cough. Boiled together with Chuanbei, pear and rock sugar to make soup, it has the effect of clearing heat and moistening the lungs, dissolving phlegm and relieving cough.
Lily Lotus Seed Soup: This medicinal diet helps to nourish the yin and lungs, and is especially effective for dry throat and discomfort caused by coughing. Boil lilies, lotus seeds, and rock sugar together into a soup that can be eaten once a day.
Yuzu Honey Tea: Yuzu Honey Tea has the effect of clearing heat and moistening the lungs, relieving cough and reducing phlegm. Mixing grapefruit juice, honey and warm water with a glass a day can help relieve cough discomfort.
Precautions
- TCM diets require the selection of ingredients and recipes based on individual symptoms and constitution, and are best carried out under the guidance of a TCM physician.
- For severe cough or long-lasting cough, you should seek medical attention in time, and Chinese herbal diet can be used as an adjunct treatment.
- People with food allergies or allergies to certain ingredients should choose medicinal diet formulas carefully.
Traditional Chinese medicine is a natural, gentle treatment that can be easily prepared at home and has a unique taste. By choosing a Chinese herbal diet wisely, you can better take care of your respiratory system and solve the problem of cough in winter. Continue to explore the mystery of TCM diet therapy and help health!