Introduction: Early spring is a season of unpredictable temperatures, sometimes warm and sometimes cold. Spring is a wonderful time for all things to sprout and for flowers to bloom, but it is also a high season for various respiratory diseases. Due to large temperature differences between morning and evening and dry weather, the body's immunity and the resistance of the respiratory system are relatively low, making respiratory diseases more likely to occur. Here are ten foods to prevent respiratory diseases in spring, helping you get through the entire season smoothly.
1. Kelp
Kelp is a vegetable with high nutritional value and also has certain medicinal properties. It is rich in mineral elements such as iodine. Kelp is low in calories, moderate in protein, and rich in minerals. Research has found that kelp has multiple biological functions, including lowering blood lipids, lowering blood sugar, regulating immunity, anticoagulation, anti-tumor, lead detoxification, and antioxidant effects. Eating kelp can help prevent respiratory diseases. The commonly eaten kelp in daily life has the effect of removing old phlegm and is beneficial for respiratory health. Kelp has a salty and cold nature, and is associated with the liver, stomach, and kidney meridians. It can resolve phlegm, soften hard masses, and promote urination. It is used for the treatment of chronic bronchitis and asthma. It can be made into kelp syrup or cold-dressed kelp. Consistent consumption can remove old phlegm, thereby eliminating the inducing factors, and the effect is very good.
Kelp and Pig's Trotter Soup with Soybeans
2. Tremella (Silver Fungus)
Tremella contains protein, fat, and various amino acids, minerals, and liver glycogen. The protein in tremella contains 17 amino acids, of which tremella can provide 3/4 of the essential amino acids required by the human body. Tremella also contains various minerals, such as calcium, phosphorus, iron, potassium, sodium, magnesium, and sulfur. The content of calcium and iron is particularly high; in every 100 grams of tremella, there are 643 milligrams of calcium and 30.4 milligrams of iron. In addition, tremella also contains liver glycogen such as trehalose, pentosan, and mannitol, making it highly nutritious with a tonic and strengthening effect, and is a high-grade nourishing supplement. Tremella can not only improve the liver's detoxification capacity and protect the liver, but also has a certain therapeutic effect on senile chronic bronchitis and pulmonary heart disease.
Tremella is also a good tonic medicine. Its characteristic is that it is moistening but not greasy. It has the effects of strengthening the spleen and whetting the appetite, replenishing qi and clearing the intestines, tranquilizing the mind and strengthening the stomach, nourishing the brain, nourishing yin and clearing heat, and moistening dryness. It is a good supplement for patients with yin deficiency and excessive fire who cannot tolerate warm tonics like ginseng and antler. Tremella is rich in natural gelatin, and together with its yin-nourishing effect, long-term use can moisturize the skin and has the effect of removing facial chloasma and freckles.
Rock Sugar Tremella Soup
3. Water Chestnut
Water chestnut is sweet and cold in nature. It can clear lung heat and is rich in mucilage, with the effects of promoting fluid production to moisten the lungs, transforming phlegm and benefiting the intestines, promoting urination, clearing heat and detoxifying, cooling the blood and transforming dampness, and promoting digestion and relieving distension. It is mainly indicated for thirst due to febrile diseases, jaundice, red eyes, sore throat, scanty and dark urine, exogenous wind-heat, and abdominal masses. Water chestnut has a good effect of clearing heat and purging fire. For lung-heat cough with thick phlegm that is difficult to expectorate: mix 1 cup of water chestnut juice with 1.5 grams of ground Chuan Bei (Fritillaria thunbergii), take it 2-3 times a day. This can clear heat and promote fluid production, as well as supplement nutrition, making it most suitable for patients with fever. "Luo's Medical Mirror" points out: "Water chestnut tonifies qi and stabilizes the middle burner, whets the appetite and aids digestion, removes heat and promotes fluid production, stops dysentery and quench thirst, treats jaundice, stops bleeding, and neutralizes copper poisoning." In addition, water chestnut contains an antiviral substance that can inhibit meningococci and influenza viruses and can be used to prevent the spread of meningitis and influenza.
Pear, Lotus Root, and Water Chestnut Soup
4. Chinese Yam
Chinese yam has a tender flesh and contains extremely rich nutritional and health-promoting substances. "The Divine Farmer's Materia Medica Classic" describes it as "mainly strengthening the middle burner, tonifying deficiency, expelling cold and heat pathogens, replenishing qi in the middle burner, increasing strength, promoting muscle growth, and long-term use makes the ears and eyes sharp." "The Materia Medica of Master Ri Hua" says it "helps the five organs, invigorates muscles and bones, improves willpower and calms the mind, and is mainly indicated for spermatorrhea and forgetfulness." "The Compendium of Materia Medica" believes that Chinese yam can "benefit kidney qi, strengthen the spleen and stomach, stop diarrhea and dysentery, transform phlegm, and moisten the skin."
In recent years, research has shown that Chinese yam can induce the production of interferon and enhance the human body's immune function. The choline and lecithin it contains help improve human memory. Regular consumption can strengthen the body and delay aging, making it a popular health food. Imitation foods made mainly from Chinese yam and supplemented with konjac are rich in nutrition, nourishing and fitness, and beautifying the skin, making them rare healthy and nutritious delicacies. Moreover, Chinese yam contains saponins and mucilage, which have lubricating and moisturizing effects. Therefore, it can benefit lung qi, nourish lung yin, and treat symptoms of lung deficiency with persistent cough due to phlegm; it has a good therapeutic effect on respiratory diseases.
Chinese Yam and Rose Cake
5. Cauliflower
The nutritional value of cauliflower is richer than that of ordinary vegetables. It contains protein, fat, carbohydrates, dietary fiber, vitamins A, B, C, E, P, U, and minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, and iron. The texture of cauliflower is tender, its taste is sweet and delicious, and it is easily digested and absorbed after eating. Its tender stalk fibers are soft and palatable after cooking, making it suitable for the elderly, children, and people with weak spleen and stomach and poor digestive function. Eating more cauliflower can also strengthen the blood vessel walls, making them less likely to rupture. The rich vitamin C content in cauliflower can enhance the liver's detoxification ability and improve the body's immunity, preventing colds and scurvy. Cauliflower also contains an active compound called "sulforaphane," which helps the immune system clear harmful bacteria that accumulate in the lungs. It helps to "sweep out" the debris and bacteria that accumulate in the lungs and cause infections.
Walnuts and Cauliflower Stir-fry