What is the best way to clear phlegm from the lungs?

In autumn, the weather is relatively dry, and it is easy to get angry, especially for people with poor respiratory immunity. It is easy to cause symptoms of lung phlegm accumulation, which will not only manifest as excessive phlegm, but sometimes there will be symptoms of coughing and being unable to cough up the phlegm. At this time, you should strengthen your diet and eat some foods that can clear away heat, detoxify and moisten the lungs, such as white fungus, tangerine peel, pears, etc., which have a good effect on relieving cough and reducing phlegm.

1. Mint

Mint is spicy and cool in nature, and is good at dispersing exogenous wind-heat. "Compendium of Materia Medica in Southern Yunnan" says that it "cures colds and coughs", but it is actually a cough caused by wind-heat. "Simple Single Prescriptions" also introduces that using mint alone can "clear the body and resolve phlegm, relieve sore throat and diaphragm, and treat wind-heat." Therefore, for those who have wind-heat cold, cough or lung heat cough, it is very suitable to drink mint instead of tea.

9 grams of mint, 3 grams of raw licorice, and appropriate amount of white sugar. Wash the licorice, put it in a casserole, add 500 ml of water, boil for 10 minutes, then add the washed mint, boil for a while, remove the residue and take the juice, add sugar and stir well. Let cool before drinking.

2. Tremella

Tremella contains a variety of amino acids, which can relieve dry and itchy skin. Tremella is mild and non-toxic. It not only has the effects of nourishing the spleen and appetizing, but also has the effects of invigorating qi and clearing the intestines, and can also nourish yin and moisten the lungs. In addition, Tremella can enhance human immunity and increase the tolerance of cancer patients to radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

You can put some white fungus when cooking porridge or stewing pork, so that you can enjoy the delicious food while nourishing your body. Eating more rock sugar and white fungus soup in autumn can moisten the lungs and beautify the skin. Tremella can clear away lung heat, so it should not be used by people suffering from exogenous wind-cold. Eating spoiled Tremella fuciformis can cause poisoning, which can be life-threatening in severe cases.

3. Tangerine peel

Tangerine peel is a traditional Chinese medicine. It can regulate qi and strengthen the spleen, relieve cough and reduce phlegm. It is especially useful for people who suffer from cough due to autumn dryness. Tangerine peel is warm in nature, pungent and bitter in taste, and enters the spleen meridian, stomach meridian, and lung meridian. It can regulate qi and strengthen the spleen, dry dampness and resolve phlegm. Clinically, tangerine peel is mostly used to treat unresolved phlegm and dampness, chest fullness and stuffiness, cough and asthma with excessive sputum, and white and sticky sputum.

Therefore, if you have a cough and phlegm due to a cold or other reasons in autumn, you might as well eat yam and tangerine peel with it. It will help relieve symptoms such as cough and phlegm, and it is more suitable for consumption in the autumn when it is the season to nourish the lungs.

4. Pear

Pears are sweet, cool and slightly sour in nature. They have the effects of clearing away heat, promoting body fluid, moistening the lungs and resolving phlegm. They are a good fruit for preventing and treating autumn dryness. Pears can maintain the health of cell tissues and soften blood vessels.

Eating pears raw has the effects of clearing away heat and detoxifying, promoting fluid and moistening dryness, clearing the heart and reducing fire; decocting pears in water or adding honey to make a paste has the effects of clearing heat and moistening the lungs, resolving phlegm and relieving cough. If taken with water chestnut, honey, sugar cane juice, etc.

5. Water Chestnut

Water chestnut, also known as water chestnut, ground chestnut, and tail pear, is native to India. The ones that are plump, tender and crispy are the best. It can be eaten raw, cooked or used as a dish. It has the effects of clearing away heat and resolving phlegm, promoting fluid and stimulating appetite, improving eyesight and clearing voice, and helping digestion and sobering up. The above-ground stem of water chestnut, known as "Tongtiancao" in traditional Chinese medicine, has the effect of clearing heat and promoting diuresis.

It should be noted that water chestnuts are cold foods. People with weak spleen and stomach and blood deficiency should not eat them. They are also not suitable for long-term consumption in the cold winter, so as to avoid the cold air damaging the body's yang energy. In addition, water chestnuts contain a lot of starch, so diabetics should eat them with caution.