After entering winter, the cold climate causes people to spend more time indoors. To keep warm, office buildings, homes, school classrooms, and other public spaces are often kept in a sealed state, causing indoor air to become continuously polluted. The spread of various viruses and bacteria also significantly increases the incidence of respiratory diseases. Common winter respiratory diseases include the common cold, influenza, acute viral upper respiratory infections, and pulmonary infections. Children under 5, the elderly, and patients with chronic diseases are the primary groups affected. In addition to frequently opening doors and windows for ventilation to maintain indoor air circulation and reducing visits to crowded public places, these groups can also prevent respiratory diseases by adjusting their diet.
Supplementing foods rich in Vitamin A and beta-carotene. Medical research shows that about 70% of children and the elderly with recurrent respiratory infections have lower-than-normal levels of Vitamin A in their serum. A deficiency in Vitamin A can impair the function of the respiratory epithelium and immunoglobulins, easily leading to prolonged or unhealed respiratory infections.
In daily diets, attention should be paid to providing foods rich in Vitamin A for children and the elderly. Animal liver, egg yolks, and dairy products contain the highest levels of Vitamin A. Beta-carotene, a precursor to Vitamin A, is mostly found in orange-yellow plants such as carrots, red sweet potatoes, corn, and persimmons. Additionally, many dark green vegetables, such as spinach, kale, chives, and pea shoots, also contain relatively high amounts of carotene. After consuming carotene from plant-based foods, it is converted into Vitamin A in the liver and intestinal mucosa for the body to use.
The beta-carotene in vegetables like carrots and kale is easily soluble in fat. In the small intestine, it combines with fat particles and bile and is absorbed along with fatty acids. Therefore, it is best to cook such vegetables with oil to facilitate the body's full utilization.
Supplementing foods that nourish yin and moisten the lungs. You can eat more foods with the effect of nourishing yin and moistening the lungs, such as tremella, lily, lotus seeds, pears, lotus root, radish, water chestnuts, Chinese yam, soy milk, and honey. For example, you can have tremella, lily, and lotus seed soup; red date and lily congee; honey radish soup; honey snow pear soup; or stir-fried carrots, celery, and lily.
Proactive water intake. While food is essential for life, water comes before food. Proactive water intake is also very important for preventing respiratory diseases. It is best to drink 6 to 8 glasses of water proactively every day. Do not wait until you are thirsty to drink. Thirst indicates that the body's water balance has been disrupted, and cells are dehydrated to a certain extent, with the central nervous system sending a signal to replenish fluids. Drinking a glass of water first thing in the morning is particularly important because after a night of sleep, urination, skin evaporation, and breathing through the mouth and nose, a significant amount of water is lost, and the body is already in a state of dehydration. The mucus in the small bronchi becomes thick and difficult to cough out, potentially causing blockages and leading to lung and bronchial inflammation. Morning drinking can effectively relieve dehydration in the respiratory tract. Plain water is best for morning consumption, though a small amount of honey can be added.