4 Fall Foods to Nourish the Lungs

TCM recommends four medicinal foods to moisten the lungs and relieve coughs this autumn.

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In autumn, the temperature can vary vastly between morning and night, and the drier air can often hurt the lungs, resulting in a dry cough. Worse, it may even aggravate dormant health conditions. Cough due to dryness often appears as a persistent dry cough with no or little phlegm, accompanied by difficulty spitting it out. Sometimes, the phlegm can even be blood-streaked. Other symptoms, such as dry mouth, sore throat, itchy throat, and hoarseness, may also be present.

So how can we stave off these symptoms and nourish the lungs through diet and medicinal foods before heading into winter?

Lung-Nourishing Foods

According to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), the lungs are delicate organs that like moisture but hate dryness. Therefore, your diet in autumn should focus on nourishing yin and adding moisture. This means eating foods that benefit the lungs and promote body fluids, such as white fungus, pear, lily, lotus root, water chestnut, sesame, honey, and persimmon.

White fungus, pear, lily, lotus root, and water chestnut are white foods that match the color associated with the lungs in TCM, which means they can moisturize the lungs. Although these foods can be served year-round, doing so in autumn aligns more with the body’s needs.

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Sesame, honey, and persimmons also have moisturizing effects. Eating honey can help people suffering from long-term coughing alleviate symptoms. In addition, these three foods also moisturize the intestines and improve constipation during autumn and winter because the large intestine and the lungs are intertwined in TCM. Moistening the intestines also moisturizes the lungs.

Eating porridge in the morning is also recommended. This is because, in addition to the lungs being prone to complications during fall, the temperature variation between morning and afternoon will shrink the stomach, resulting in stomach pain. Eating porridge helps moisturize the lungs, nourishes the stomach, and improves stomach pain.

Eating more green vegetables and dairy products is also advised.

4 Medicinal Recipes for Nourishing the Lungs

The following four autumn medicinal recipes nourish the lungs and alleviate symptoms of dry cough, acute and chronic bronchitis, and coughs caused by colds:

1. Stewed Pear With Almonds

Preparation: Take 15 grams (0.5 ounce) of sweet almonds and peel and smash them. Peel and slice a pear. Put both into a bowl. Add 20 grams (0.7 ounce) of rock sugar. Add an appropriate amount of water, put everything in a pot, cover with enough water, and simmer for about 1 hour before serving.

Usage: Consume once in the morning and once in the evening for three to five days in a row.

2. Fritillariae Cirrhosae Bulbus Stewed With Pear

Preparation: Wash one pear and cut it into halves. Remove the core and add 6 grams (0.2 ounce) of Fritillariae cirrhosae bulbus powder. Then, put the halves back together and keep them closed with toothpicks. Put it in a bowl, and add 20 grams (0.7 ounce) of rock sugar. Add an appropriate amount of water, and simmer for 30 minutes before serving.

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Usage: Eat the pears and drink the soup once daily for three to five days in a row.

3. Lily Almond Porridge

Preparation: Combine 50 grams (1.8 ounces) of fresh lily (or 30 grams/1.1 ounces if using dried lily), 10 grams (0.4 ounce) of peeled and chopped almonds, and 50 grams (1.8 ounces) of japonica rice. Cook together into a watery porridge, adding an appropriate amount of white honey.

Usage: Eat while warm three times a day.

4. Adenophora and Lily Decoction

Preparation: Gather 15 grams (0.5 ounce) of Adenophora radix, 30 grams (1 ounce) of lily, 5 pieces of Ficus carica, 18 grams (0.6 ounce) of lean pork, and 1 slice of tangerine peel. Wash the Ficus carica and cut them in half. Wash the lean pork, Adenophora radix, tangerine peel, and lily. Put all the ingredients into boiling water and cook over low heat for about 1 hour. Add a little salt, and serve.

Usage: You can drink it in the morning or evening or consume it alongside meals. It is suitable for the whole family and has the effects of nourishing yin, moisturizing, clearing the voice, and as a laxative. It is ideal for symptoms such as lack of sleep resulting in dry throat, sore throat, and hoarse voice.

Some of the medicinal herbs mentioned above may sound unfamiliar, but many can be found in health food and Asian grocery stores. In addition, because everyone’s body constitution is different, the corresponding treatment methods are also different. Please consult a professional physician for specific treatment plans.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Epoch Health welcomes professional discussion and friendly debate. To submit an opinion piece, please follow these guidelines and submit through our form here.