Tuberculosis is a serious lung disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a chronic infectious disease known as "pulmonary consumption" in traditional Chinese medicine. According to TCM, the external cause of pulmonary consumption is infection by the tuberculosis parasite, while the internal cause is weak vital energy, insufficient qi and blood, and depletion of yin essence. Therefore, in the treatment of tuberculosis, TCM advocates nourishing qi and blood, and the best way to do so is through dietary therapy. Here are several dietary therapies that nourish qi and blood for tuberculosis, which can be effective when tailored to individual symptoms.
【Dietary Therapy 1】
Ingredients: 1 turtle, green onion, Sichuan pepper, soy sauce, salt, vegetable oil
Method: Remove the head of the turtle and blanch it in boiling water. Remove the turtle shell and peel, then rinse clean and cut into small pieces. Heat vegetable oil in a frying pan. Fry the turtle meat until translucent. Add green onion, Sichuan pepper, soy sauce, salt, water, and simmer for half an hour.
Effects: This recipe nourishes yin and clears heat. It is suitable for symptoms such as consumption, chronic cough with blood, and bloody stools. In chronic tuberculosis, when yin fluid is depleted, yin deficiency and excessive fire can cause bone steaming and bleeding. This recipe nourishes yin and clears heat, making it suitable for various symptoms of consumption. Additionally, adding braised pig trotters to this recipe enhances its nourishing effect.
【Dietary Therapy 2】
Ingredients: 500g rehydrated sea cucumber, 60g chicken meat, 60g ham, 60g fresh bamboo shoots, several meatballs, several egg dumplings, a few mushrooms, 60g cooking oil, salt, cooking wine, wet cornstarch
Method: Wash the sea cucumber and cut into slices. Remove the skin from the chicken meat and cut into slices. Cut the ham and bamboo shoots into slices as well. Boil 250g of water in a pot, then add the sea cucumber, a pinch of salt, and a splash of cooking wine. Simmer for a few minutes, then remove the sea cucumber. Discard the original water from the pot, add another 250g of water, a little cooking wine, and a pinch of salt. Simmer for a few minutes, then set aside. Mix the chicken meat and ham with a little wet cornstarch. Heat cooking oil in a pot. Add the ham and chicken meat, stir-fry until slightly changed in color, then remove from the pot. Add the bamboo shoots, meatballs, egg dumplings, salt, and other ingredients into the pot with the sea cucumber soup, simmer together, and finally add the stir-fried ham and chicken meat before serving.
Effects: This recipe nourishes the kidneys and strengthens yang, benefits the stomach, and aids digestion. It can be used for symptoms such as poor appetite and weakness due to weak spleen and stomach, as well as lumbago and weakness caused by kidney deficiency and tuberculosis.
【Dietary Therapy 3】
Ingredients: 250g herring, 5g ham slices, 10g winter bamboo shoots slices, 3g mushrooms, cooking wine, white sugar, salt, shrimp, chicken broth, pepper, monosodium glutamate, lard, green onion, ginger
Method: Wash the scaled herring, remove the blood, and rinse with clean water. Blanche it in boiling water to remove the fishy smell and impurities, then rinse again. Place the herring with the side with scales facing up in a plate, add ham slices, bamboo shoot slices, salt, shrimp, and chicken broth on top of the fish. Place shredded green onion and ginger on top of the lard, then steam on high heat until cooked. Pour out the fish juice, add monosodium glutamate and pepper, stir well, and pour it over the fish. Consume during regular meals, once a day.
Effects: This recipe nourishes qi and blood. It is mainly used as an auxiliary treatment for anemia, malnutrition, tuberculosis, cerebrovascular disease, and gastroenteritis.
【Dietary Therapy 4】
Ingredients: 1000g pear, 1000g white radish, 250g ginger, 250g condensed milk, 250g honey
Method: Wash the pears, white radish, and ginger, and chop them into pieces. Extract the juice from the pears and radishes separately using clean gauze, then pour the juices into a pot. Heat over high heat, then reduce to low heat and simmer until the juices become thick like a paste. Add ginger juice, condensed milk, and honey, stir well, and continue heating until boiling. Remove from heat and let it cool before bottling. Take one tablespoon each time, dissolve in boiling water, or add a little yellow wine, then drink it at once. Take twice a day.
Effects: This recipe is suitable for symptoms such as weakness, low-grade fever in tuberculosis, and persistent coughing. Pear, white radish, condensed milk, and honey all have nourishing effects due to their sweet taste. Pear can nourish yin and clear heat, moisten the lungs, and relieve coughing. White radish has the effects of relieving cough and transforming phlegm, and it has a certain preventive effect on infectious diseases such as colds, flu, meningitis, and diphtheria. Ginger has a warm and pungent property, which can induce sweating and release exterior, warm the lungs, and relieve coughing. Condensed milk has a good therapeutic effect on post-illness deficiency and various weak diseases. Honey can tonify the middle and moisturize dryness. Therefore, making it into a paste can treat chronic weakness diseases.
Note: This recipe is not suitable for those with weak spleen and loose stools.
