The way to self-heal chronic cough: comprehensive guidance on traditional Chinese diet therapy

引言

Chronic cough is a common and troublesome health problem that can be caused by various reasons, affecting the quality of life. Traditional Chinese dietary therapy, as a natural and effective treatment method, can help patients recover their health by adjusting their constitution and improving symptoms. This book aims to help readers overcome chronic cough and restore a healthy life through traditional Chinese dietary therapy methods.

Chapter 1: Understanding Chronic Cough

1.1 Definition of Chronic Cough

Chronic cough refers to a cough that lasts for more than eight weeks. Unlike acute cough, it usually does not come with obvious signs of infection, but it may recur and seriously affect quality of life.

1.2 Common Causes and Symptoms

Common causes of chronic cough include:

Chronic bronchitis: Cough caused by long-term inflammation of the bronchi, usually accompanied by phlegm.

Asthma: Cough caused by chronic inflammation of the airways, often accompanied by wheezing.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease: Gastric acid reflux stimulates the esophagus and throat, causing coughing.

Allergic rhinitis: The nasal mucosa reacts excessively to allergens, leading to coughing.

Symptoms include persistent cough, possibly accompanied by phlegm, difficulty breathing, itchy throat, etc.

1.3 Impact of Chronic Cough

Chronic cough not only affects physical health but may also have negative impacts on mental health and quality of life. Long-term coughing can lead to fatigue, decreased sleep quality, and affect work and study efficiency.

Chapter 2: Basics of Traditional Chinese Medicine Diet Therapy

2.1 Traditional Chinese Medicine's Understanding of Cough

Traditional Chinese medicine believes that coughing is caused by external pathogens invading, lung qi deficiency, phlegm dampness obstruction, and other reasons. According to different causes, traditional Chinese medicine classifies cough into types such as wind-cold cough, wind-heat cough, dry pathogen cough, phlegm dampness cough, and lung yin deficiency cough.

2.2 The theoretical basis of traditional Chinese medicine diet therapy

Traditional Chinese medicine diet therapy emphasizes "food and medicine have the same source", that is, by selecting appropriate ingredients to regulate the body's condition, in order to achieve the purpose of treating diseases. The theoretical basis of diet therapy includes:

Five Elements Theory: Traditional Chinese Medicine divides food into five categories, corresponding to the five internal organs, and regulates the balance within the body through the five elements properties of food.

Balance of Yin and Yang: By choosing suitable ingredients, adjusting the balance of Yin and Yang in the body, and achieving the goal of treating diseases.

Diet therapy based on differentiation of symptoms and constitution: select corresponding ingredients for conditioning according to different symptoms and constitution.

2.3 Basic Principles of Diet Therapy

The basic principles of diet therapy include:

Choose natural, additive-free ingredients: Try to select fresh, natural ingredients and avoid using foods with additives.

Choose ingredients according to individual constitution and condition: Different constitutions and conditions require different ingredients for conditioning.

Persist in long-term conditioning: Dietary therapy requires time and patience, and it takes long-term persistence to see results.

Chapter Three: Constitution Identification and Diet Therapy

3.1 Classification of Traditional Chinese Medicine Constitution

Traditional Chinese medicine divides human constitution into nine types:

Peaceful Constitution: Healthy physique, abundant Qi and blood, balance of Yin and Yang.

Qi deficiency constitution: insufficient qi, easy fatigue, low immunity.

Yang deficiency constitution: insufficient yang energy, afraid of cold, hands and feet are cold.

Yin deficiency constitution: insufficient body fluids, dry mouth and tongue, prone to getting angry.

Phlegm-damp constitution: heavy internal dampness, prone to obesity, thick and greasy tongue coating.

Damp-heat constitution: Internal accumulation of damp-heat, prone to acne, bitter taste and dry mouth.

Blood stasis: Poor blood circulation, dull skin, prone to bruising.

Depressive temperament: Qi stagnation, emotional instability, prone to insomnia.

Special quality: allergic to specific substances, abnormal immune system.

3.2 Different manifestations of chronic cough in different constitutions

People with different constitutions show different symptoms of chronic cough:

Qi deficiency constitution: coughing weakness, shortness of breath, low voice, and easy to catch a cold.

Yang deficiency constitution: cough with white and thin phlegm, aversion to cold, cold limbs.

Yin deficiency constitution: dry cough with little phlegm, dry and itchy throat, night sweats with heat sensation.

Phlegm-dampness constitution: cough with abundant phlegm, sticky phlegm, chest tightness, and shortness of breath.

Damp-heat type: cough with thick yellow sputum, dry and bitter mouth, sore throat.

3.3 Dietary therapy plans for different constitutions

Qi deficiency constitution:

Astragalus congee: 30g of astragalus, 100g of rice. Boil the astragalus in water to extract the juice, add rice to cook congee, once a day.

Lily Lotus Silver Ear Soup: 30g each of lily and lotus seeds, 10g of silver ear fungus, and appropriate amount of rock sugar. Soak the silver ear fungus, cook together with lily, lotus seeds, and rock sugar, and consume once a day.

Codonopsis pilosula stewed chicken soup: 20 grams of Codonopsis pilosula, 250 grams of chicken, 5 red dates, 3 slices of ginger. Cut the chicken into pieces and blanch, stew with Codonopsis pilosula, red dates, and ginger for 2 hours, twice a week.

Yang deficiency constitution:

Ginger Jujube Lamb Soup: 250g lamb, 3 slices of ginger, 10 red dates, salt to taste. Blanch the lamb, cook with ginger slices and red dates, season with salt, 2-3 times a week.

Aconite porridge: 10 grams of aconite, 100 grams of rice, 3 slices of ginger. Boil the aconite in water to extract the juice, add rice and ginger to cook porridge, once a day.

Stewed Deer Antler with Goji Berries: 5g deer antler, 20g goji berries, 200g chicken, salt to taste. Blanch the chicken, stew with deer antler and goji berries for 1 hour, season with salt, twice a week.

Yin deficiency constitution:

Sand ginseng and jade bamboo soup: 30 grams of sand ginseng, 30 grams of jade bamboo, and appropriate amount of rock sugar. Boil sand ginseng and jade bamboo together, add rock sugar, and take once a day.

Lily Congee: 30 grams of lily, 100 grams of rice, appropriate amount of rock sugar. Cook lily and rice together, add rock sugar to taste, once a day.

Ophiopogon japonicus stewed eggs: 15 grams of Ophiopogon japonicus, 2 eggs, appropriate amount of rock sugar. Boil the Ophiopogon japonicus in water to extract the juice, beat the eggs into the Ophiopogon japonicus water and cook until done, add rock sugar to taste, once a day.

Phlegm-Dampness Constitution:

Chenpi Poria Congee: 10 grams of chenpi, 30 grams of poria, 100 grams of rice. Boil chenpi and poria in water, extract the juice, add rice to cook congee, once daily.

Coix seed and red bean congee: 50g of coix seed, 50g of red beans, and 100g of rice. Cook the coix seed, red beans, and rice together to make congee, once a day.

Winter melon and lean pork soup: 500 grams of winter melon, 200 grams of lean pork, 5 grams of tangerine peel, salt to taste. Cut the winter melon into pieces, blanch the lean pork, cook together with tangerine peel, season with salt, and consume once a day.

Damp-heat constitution:

Cucumber and lean meat soup: 1 cucumber, 200 grams of lean meat, salt to taste. Slice the cucumber, cook it with the lean meat, season with salt, and consume 2-3 times a week.

Green bean and winter melon soup: 50 grams of green beans, 500 grams of winter melon, salt to taste. Cook green beans and winter melon together, season with salt, and consume once a day.

Honeysuckle and Chrysanthemum Tea: 10g of honeysuckle and 10g of chrysanthemum, honey as needed. Brew honeysuckle and chrysanthemum, add honey to taste, once daily.

Chapter Four: Ingredients and Medicinal Herbs

4.1 Common Ingredients Suitable for Chronic Cough

White radish: moistens the lungs, stops coughing, clears heat, and detoxifies. Can be eaten raw or cooked in soup. Common dietary therapy methods include:

White radish honey water: Take 100 grams of white radish, slice it, boil it in water, add honey to taste, 1-2 times a day.

White Radish and Pig Lung Soup: 200 grams of white radish, 250 grams of pig lung, 3 slices of ginger, salt to taste. Cut the pig lung into pieces and blanch in water, then cook with white radish and ginger slices, season with salt, and consume 2-3 times a week.

Pear: Clear heat, moisten the lungs, generate fluids, and relieve thirst. Can be eaten raw, juiced, or cooked in soup. Common dietary therapy methods include:

Rock sugar stewed snow pear: Take 1 snow pear, peel and core it, add an appropriate amount of rock sugar, stew for 30 minutes, once a day.

Pear and Radish Soup: 1 snow pear, 100g white radish, appropriate amount of rock sugar. Slice the snow pear and white radish, boil in water, add rock sugar to taste, consume once daily.

Lily: moistens the lungs, stops coughing, calms the mind, and soothes the nerves. Can be used to cook porridge or soup. Common dietary therapy methods include:

Lily and lotus seed congee: Take 30g of lily, 30g of lotus seeds, 100g of rice, cook congee, once a day.

Lily and Tremella Soup: 20g lily, 10g Tremella, appropriate amount of rock sugar. Soak the Tremella in water, cook it with lily, add rock sugar to taste, and consume once a day.

Silver ear fungus: nourishes yin, moistens the lungs, benefits qi, and generates body fluids. Can be used to cook sweet soup or soup. Common dietary therapy methods include:

Silver Ear and Goji Berry Soup: 10g of silver ear, 20g of goji berries, and appropriate amount of rock sugar. Soak the silver ear, cook it with goji berries, add rock sugar to taste, and consume once a day.

Snow fungus and red date soup: 10g of snow fungus, 5 red dates, and appropriate amount of rock sugar. Soak the snow fungus, cook it with red dates, add rock sugar to taste, and consume once a day.

Orange: Moistens the mouth and quenches thirst, moistens the lungs and stops coughing. Can be eaten raw or juiced. Common dietary therapy methods include:

Orange juice honey water: 1 orange, squeeze the juice, add an appropriate amount of honey, 1-2 times a day.

Orange peel water: 10 grams of orange peel, boil in water, add honey to taste, once a day.

Almonds: Relieve cough and asthma, moisten the intestines and promote bowel movements. Can be used to cook soup or porridge. Common dietary therapy methods include:

Almond Porridge: 10 grams of almonds, 100 grams of rice, cook porridge, once a day.

Almond stewed snow pear: 10 grams of almonds, 1 snow pear, appropriate amount of rock sugar. Peel and core the snow pear, add almonds, rock sugar, and stew for 30 minutes, once a day.

Water chestnut: Clear heat and moisten the lungs, dissolve phlegm and stop coughing. Can be eaten raw, juiced, or cooked in soup. Common dietary therapy methods include:

Water chestnut juice: 5 water chestnuts, juice extracted, add appropriate amount of honey, 1-2 times daily.

Water chestnut and radish soup: 5 water chestnuts, 100 grams of white radish, cook soup, once a day.

4.2 Common Chinese Medicinal Materials and Their Efficacy

Chuanbei: Clearing heat, resolving phlegm, stopping cough, and moistening the lungs. It is commonly used for cough due to wind-heat and dry cough. Common dietary therapy methods include:

Stewed Snow Pear with Tendrilled Fritillary Bulb: 5g of Tendrilled Fritillary Bulb, 1 snow pear, appropriate amount of rock sugar. Peel and core the snow pear, add the Tendrilled Fritillary Bulb and rock sugar, stew together for 30 minutes, once daily.

Loquat and Fritillaria Syrup: 10g Fritillaria, 10g loquat leaves, appropriate amount of rock sugar. Boil Fritillaria and loquat leaves together, extract the juice, add rock sugar to taste, take once daily.

Almonds: Stop coughing and relieve asthma, moisturize the intestines and promote bowel movements. Suitable for coughs and asthma. Common dietary therapy methods include:

Almond Porridge: 10 grams of almonds, 100 grams of rice, cook porridge, once a day.

Almond stewed snow pear: 10 grams of almonds, 1 snow pear, appropriate amount of rock sugar. Peel and core the snow pear, add almonds, rock sugar, and stew for 30 minutes, once a day.

Loquat leaves: Clear the lungs, stop coughing, reduce rebellious qi, and stop vomiting. Used for lung heat cough, asthma. Common dietary therapy methods include:

Loquat leaf boiled water: 10 grams of loquat leaves, boiled in water, add honey to taste, once a day.

Loquat leaf and orange peel tea: 10 grams of loquat leaves, 5 grams of orange peel, boil in water, once a day.

Balloon flower: Promotes lung health, expels phlegm, and helps clear throat pus. Used for cough with excessive phlegm and sore throat. Common dietary therapy methods include:

Balloon flower root soup: 10 grams of balloon flower root, boil in water, add honey to taste, once daily.

Stewed Snow Pear with Platycodon: 10g of Platycodon, 1 snow pear, and appropriate amount of rock sugar. Peel and core the snow pear, add Platycodon and rock sugar, stew for 30 minutes, once a day.

Chapter Five: Living Habits and Health Suggestions

5.1 Dietary precautions

Avoid spicy and irritating foods: such as chili peppers, mustard, etc., to avoid irritating the throat and causing coughing.

Drink plenty of water: keep the respiratory tract moist, and the daily water intake should be more than 2000 milliliters.

Eat more fruits and vegetables rich in vitamins: such as oranges, lemons, apples, spinach, etc., which helps to enhance immunity.

Avoid excessive drinking of alcohol and coffee: These drinks can irritate the throat, triggering or worsening coughing.

5.2 Adjusting Daily Habits

Keep indoor air moist: use a humidifier or place a water basin indoors to keep the air moist and prevent coughing caused by dryness.

Avoid excessive fatigue: Ensure adequate rest and sleep, and avoid excessive physical fatigue.

Stay away from allergens: For patients with allergic cough, they should try to avoid contact with allergens such as dust mites, pollen, pet hair, etc.

Quit smoking and drinking: Smoking can irritate the respiratory tract, leading to coughing, quitting smoking is an important measure to prevent chronic cough.

5.3 Breathing Training and Simple Exercise

Deep breathing exercise: Helps to strengthen lung function and increase lung capacity. Practice deep breathing exercises every morning and evening, 10-15 minutes each time.

Specific method: Stand or sit, place both hands on the abdomen, inhale slowly, try to inhale air into the abdomen as much as possible, then exhale slowly, repeat the process.

Aerobic exercise such as jogging, walking, swimming, etc., helps to improve physical fitness and promote blood circulation. It is recommended to do it 3-4 times a week, for about 30 minutes each time.

Jogging: Morning or evening jogging in a place with fresh air, avoid running in heavily polluted environments.

Walking: Walking after meals helps digestion, strengthens the body, about 30 minutes each time.

Swimming: Swimming can not only increase lung capacity, but also relax the body and mind, do it 1-2 times a week.

Yoga and Tai Chi: Through the practice of yoga and Tai Chi, you can relax your body and mind, strengthen your physique, and improve respiratory function. Practice 2-3 times a week, for about 1 hour each time.

Yoga: Choose some yoga poses suitable for beginners, and practice breathing regulation and body stretching.

Tai Chi: Learn some simple Tai Chi movements, regulate your breathing through slow and orderly movements, and relax your body and mind.

Chapter Six: Actual Cases and Insights

6.1 Actual Cases

Case 1: Regulation of Qi-deficiency Constitution Patients

Patient Background: Ms. Li, 45 years old, has been working in an office for a long time, often feels fatigued, has low immunity, and frequently catches colds. In recent months, she has been experiencing persistent coughing, especially worsening at night, with little white phlegm and a low voice.

Diagnosis: Qi deficiency constitution, insufficient lung qi.

Diet therapy plan:

Astragalus Chicken Soup: 30g Astragalus, 1 chicken leg, 5 red dates, 3 slices of ginger. Blanch the chicken leg, stew with Astragalus, red dates, and ginger for 2 hours, twice a week.

Codonopsis and Jujube Congee: 10g Codonopsis, 10 Jujubes, 100g Millet. Boil Codonopsis and Jujubes in water, extract the juice, add millet to cook congee, once daily.

Lily Lotus Silver Ear Soup: 30g each of lily and lotus seeds, 10g of silver ear fungus, and appropriate amount of rock sugar. Soak the silver ear fungus, cook together with lily, lotus seeds, and rock sugar, and consume once a day.

Adjusting living habits:

Maintain a regular schedule and ensure an adequate amount of sleep.

Engage in aerobic exercises such as jogging and walking appropriately.

Result: After a month of dietary therapy and lifestyle adjustments, Ms. Li's cough has significantly reduced, nighttime coughing has decreased, and her immune system has improved.

Case Two: Regulation of Damp-Heat Constitution Patients

Patient Background: Mr. Zhang, 30 years old, slightly overweight, enjoys eating spicy and greasy food, and often stays up late. In recent months, he has been experiencing coughing, thick yellow sputum, accompanied by sore throat, dry mouth, and bitter taste in the mouth.

Diagnosis: Damp-heat constitution, lung heat phlegm-damp.

Diet therapy plan:

Green bean and winter melon soup: 50 grams of green beans, 500 grams of winter melon, salt to taste. Cook green beans and winter melon together, season with salt, and consume once a day.

Honeysuckle and Chrysanthemum Tea: 10g of honeysuckle and 10g of chrysanthemum, honey as needed. Brew honeysuckle and chrysanthemum, add honey to taste, once daily.

Bitter gourd stir-fried with lean meat: 1 bitter gourd, 200 grams of lean meat, salt to taste. Slice the bitter gourd, slice the lean meat, stir-fry together, season with salt, 2-3 times a week.

Adjusting living habits:

Avoid spicy, greasy foods and maintain a light diet.

Keep the indoor air humid to avoid dry environments.

Result: After two weeks of dietary therapy and lifestyle adjustments, Mr. Zhang's cough has significantly reduced, phlegm has decreased, and throat pain has disappeared.

6.2 Experience and Summary

Through the above cases, it can be seen that traditional Chinese dietary therapy has a significant effect in treating chronic cough. Here are some insights and summaries:

Dialectical treatment: Chinese dietary therapy emphasizes dialectical treatment, selecting appropriate ingredients for conditioning based on different constitutions and causes. This is the key to the success of dietary therapy.

Persist in long-term conditioning: Diet therapy requires time and patience, and it takes long-term persistence to see results. You may not see obvious results in the short term, but if you persist, your physical condition will gradually improve.

Combining lifestyle adjustments: The therapeutic effect of diet therapy cannot be achieved without good lifestyle habits. Maintaining regular routines, appropriate exercise, avoiding excessive fatigue, and staying away from allergens are all important supportive measures.

Individual Differences: Everyone has different physical constitutions and causes of illness, so dietary therapy should also vary. It is recommended to undergo dietary therapy under the guidance of a professional doctor to ensure safety and effectiveness.

Chapter Seven: Frequently Asked Questions

7.1 Is traditional Chinese diet therapy suitable for everyone?

Traditional Chinese medicine diet therapy is a safe and effective method of regulation, but it is not suitable for everyone. For acute conditions or serious illnesses, it is recommended to seek treatment under the guidance of a doctor. In addition, diet therapy should also be based on individual constitution and condition for proper treatment, to avoid blind diet therapy.

7.2 What should be noted in diet therapy?

Choose fresh ingredients: Try to select fresh, natural ingredients and avoid using foods with additives.

Reasonable combination: Choose suitable ingredients according to individual physique and condition, and avoid conflicts between ingredients.

Persist in long-term conditioning: Dietary therapy requires time and patience, and it takes long-term persistence to see results.

Avoid excessive intake: Diet therapy is not the more the better, excessive consumption of certain foods may lead to adverse reactions, should be consumed in moderation according to needs.

What should I do if the therapeutic effect of diet therapy is not obvious?

The therapeutic effect of diet therapy may not be significant due to the following reasons:

Incorrect dialectics: Failure to correctly differentiate leads to improper ingredient selection. It is recommended to carry out dialectical treatment under the guidance of a professional doctor.

Persisting in not enough time: Diet therapy requires time and patience, and you may not see obvious results in the short term. It is recommended to persist for a period of time before observing the effects.

Unadjusted living habits: Good living habits are an important guarantee for the therapeutic effect of diet therapy. It is recommended to adjust living habits at the same time, such as maintaining regular work and rest, appropriate exercise, etc.

7.4 How to prevent chronic cough?

Keep indoor air moist: use a humidifier or place a water basin indoors to keep the air moist and prevent coughing caused by dryness.

Quit smoking and drinking: Smoking can irritate the respiratory tract, leading to coughing, quitting smoking is an important measure to prevent chronic cough.

Stay away from allergens: For patients with allergic cough, they should try to avoid contact with allergens such as dust mites, pollen, pet hair, etc.

Maintain good lifestyle habits: maintain regular routines, ensure an adequate amount of sleep; engage in appropriate aerobic exercise to enhance physical fitness; drink plenty of water to keep the respiratory tract moist.

结语

The treatment of chronic cough requires patience and perseverance. Through the methods of traditional Chinese diet therapy, combined with healthy lifestyle habits, I believe that every reader can overcome chronic cough and live a healthy and happy life. The dietary therapy plans and lifestyle suggestions provided in this book are hoped to help you and wish you a speedy recovery.

附录

Common Ingredients and Chinese Medicinal Materials Mini Dictionary

White radish: moistens the lungs, stops coughing, clears heat, and detoxifies. Can be eaten raw or cooked in soup.

Pear: Clear heat, moisten the lungs, generate fluids, and relieve thirst. Can be eaten raw, juiced, or cooked in soup.

Lily: moistens the lungs, stops coughing, calms the mind, and soothes the nerves. Can be used to cook porridge or soup.

Silver ear fungus: nourishes yin, moistens the lungs, benefits qi, and generates body fluids. Can be used to cook sweet soup or soup.

Orange: Moistens the mouth and quenches thirst, moistens the lungs and stops coughing. Can be eaten raw or juiced.

Almonds: Stop coughing and relieve asthma, moisturize the intestines and promote bowel movements. Can be cooked in soup or porridge.

Water chestnut: Clear heat and moisten the lungs, dissolve phlegm and stop coughing. Can be eaten raw, juiced, or cooked in soup.

川贝母：清热化痰，止咳润肺。常用于风热咳嗽、燥咳。 English Translation: Tendrilled fritillary bulb: Clearing heat, resolving phlegm, stopping cough, and moistening the lungs. Often used for wind-heat cough, dry cough.

Loquat leaf: Clear the lungs, stop coughing, reduce rebellious qi, and stop vomiting. Used for lung heat cough, and asthma.

Balloon flower: Promote lung health, eliminate phlegm, and help clear pus from the throat. Used for cough with excessive phlegm and sore throat.