In winter, people are prone to coughs, and some dislike taking medicine. In fact, dietary therapy is a good alternative. Besides the "cough-relieving expert" fragrant pear, nuts and lily bulbs can also effectively prevent coughs. Here, I introduce five delicious and easy-to-make dietary therapies:
Luohan Pear Drink: Place one clean Luohan fruit and two snow pears in a clay pot, add clean water, and place it on a stove. First, use high heat; once it boils, reduce to low heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Drain the water and drink it when it's at a suitable temperature. Luohan fruit is sweet and cool in nature, known for its effects in stopping coughs and relieving asthma, clearing heat and resisting tuberculosis, and cooling and relieving summer heat. When paired with snow pear, which clears heat and nourishes the stomach while nourishing yin and moistening the lungs, its effect of nourishing yin, clearing heat, and stopping coughs is enhanced. It is suitable for acute and chronic pharyngitis, coughs, and other illnesses. In addition, using Luohan fruit alone, steeped in boiling water for half an hour and then drunk as a tea substitute, also has a certain effect on coughs from pharyngitis, laryngitis, and bronchitis.
Steamed Pear: Wash the pear, core it, and then take 3 grams of Fritillaria bulb, 6 grams of Stemona root, and 6 grams of dried tangerine peel, wash them, and place them in the cored pear. Steam it in a steamer and eat one daily. Steamed pear stops coughs and transforms phlegm, and is effective for bronchitis with difficult-to-expel phlegm.
Pear is sweet, slightly sour, and cool in nature, entering the lung and stomach meridians; it can promote the production of body fluids, moisten dryness, clear heat, and transform phlegm. Fritillaria bulb moistens the lungs and stops coughs and transforms phlegm. Stemona root warms the lungs and stops coughs. Dried tangerine peel regulates qi, harmonizes the middle jiao, and dries dampness to transform phlegm.
Three-Nut Porridge: Select 5 grams of high-quality ginkgo nuts, 10 grams of sweet almonds, 10 grams of walnuts, and 50 grams of japonica rice. First, wash the three nuts, put them in a pot with water, and boil for 20 minutes. Then, add the japonica rice and cook until the rice is done. It can be eaten as is, or a small amount of rock sugar can be added. Ginkgo nut is sweet and bitter in nature, astringing lung qi, stopping coughs and asthma, and also stopping enuresis. Sweet almond moistens the lungs and stops coughs. Walnut kernel tonifies the kidneys, secures essence, warms the lungs, and stops asthma. Japonica rice nourishes the stomach and harmonizes the middle jiao.
White Fungus and Lily Drink: Take 10 grams of tremella fungus, soak it in clear water for 12 hours until it expands. Place it in a bowl, add 20 grams of rock sugar and 10 grams of lily bulb. Put the bowl in a steamer and steam for 1 hour. Mix in honey and consume it on an empty stomach every morning. It has the effect of moistening the lungs, stopping coughs, and relieving asthma, and is suitable for patients with dry coughs, little phlegm, and a dry throat with panting. Tremella fungus, also known as white fungus, is sweet, bland, and neutral in nature, nourishing yin and moistening the lungs, and nourishing the stomach to promote the production of body fluids. Lily bulb is sweet, slightly bitter, and cool in nature, nourishing yin and moistening the lungs, and clearing the heart to eliminate vexation.
Reed Rhizome Porridge: Take 150 grams of fresh reed rhizome, wash it and cut it into sections. Decoct it with 10 grams of almonds to extract the juice. Then, add 50 grams of japonica rice to the juice and cook porridge until the rice is cooked and the porridge is ready. This porridge contains reed rhizome, which clears heat, generates fluids, and eliminates vexation, and sweet almonds, which moisten the lungs and stop coughs, along with japonica rice, which strengthens the spleen and harmonizes the stomach. Eating this porridge can clear lung heat, stop coughs, and transform phlegm, and is suitable for patients with coughs, yellow or white phlegm, a dry throat, and thirst.