Dietary Therapy Options for Bronchitis: Nourishing the Lungs and Kidneys

Bronchitis is characterized by cough, sputum production, and wheezing as the main symptoms. It includes chronic bronchitis and acute bronchitis. According to traditional Chinese medicine, the root cause of bronchitis is in the lungs, but the fundamental issue lies in the kidneys. Although coughing appears to be a lung disease, its essence is kidney deficiency. The lungs govern exhalation, while the kidneys govern inhalation. The lungs are responsible for disseminating and dispersing, while the kidneys are responsible for receiving and retaining Qi. When the condition is acute, the treatment focuses on clearing heat, relieving wheezing, and resolving phlegm. When the condition improves, the treatment focuses on nourishing the kidneys, replenishing Qi, nourishing essence, and enhancing Qi. In addition to medication, bronchitis patients can also benefit from dietary therapy. The following are a few dietary therapy options that patients can choose according to their needs.

1. Loquat Leaf and Glutinous Rice Porridge

Ingredients: 5-10g of loquat leaves, 100g of glutinous rice, 50g of rock sugar.
Indications: Suitable for cough caused by phlegm-heat accumulation (cough with yellow sputum or accompanied by fever).
Preparation: Wash the loquat leaves, wrap them in a clean gauze, add 200ml of water, simmer until the volume reduces to about 100ml, remove the residue, then add glutinous rice and 600ml of water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then simmer over low heat until it becomes a thin porridge.
Usage: Take it once in the morning and once in the evening, consume it while warm. 3-5 days make up one course of treatment.


2. Radish Honey Juice

Ingredients: Honey, white-skinned radish.
Effects: Moistens the lungs, transforms phlegm, and stops coughing.
Preparation: Wash the radish and remove the center. Fill the radish with honey and place it in a large bowl. Steam it with water.
Usage: Take it twice daily.


3. Almond Porridge

Ingredients: 15g of almonds, 50g of white rice.
Effects: Stops coughing and asthma, suitable for acute bronchitis.
Preparation: Peel and sharpen the almonds, grind them and filter the juice. Cook the juice with white rice to make porridge.
Usage: Consume it for breakfast and dinner, served warm.

4. Pork Lung Porridge

Ingredients: 500g of pork lungs, 100g of rice, 50g of coix seed, appropriate amount of cooking wine, scallion, ginger, salt, and MSG.
Effects: Tonifies the spleen and lungs, stops coughing, suitable for chronic bronchitis.
Preparation:
1. Wash the pork lungs, add an appropriate amount of water and cooking wine, cook until 70% done, remove and cut into small pieces.
2. Add the lung pieces, rice, and coix seed to the pot, add scallion, ginger, salt, MSG, and cooking wine, bring to a boil over high heat, then simmer over low heat until the rice is cooked and soft.
Usage: Can be eaten as a meal. Regular consumption has significant effects.


5. Olive Radish Drink

Ingredients: 400g of olives, 500-1000g of radish.
Effects: Clears heat, detoxifies, stops coughing, transforms phlegm, and promotes digestion.
Preparation: Boil olives and radish together to make a soup.
Usage: Drink it as a substitute for tea, consume it as desired.


6. Radish Almond Stewed Beef Lungs

Ingredients: 500g of radish, 15g of bitter almonds, 250g of beef lungs (or pork lungs), ginger juice, cooking wine.
Indications: Suitable for lung deficiency and weak constitution, chronic bronchitis, etc. Especially suitable for winter and spring.
Preparation: Cut the radish into pieces, peel and sharpen the bitter almonds. Blanch the beef lungs with boiling water, then stir-fry them with ginger juice and cooking wine. Add an appropriate amount of water to a clay pot, put in the beef lungs, radish, and bitter almonds, cook until done. Eat the beef lungs and drink the soup.
Usage: 2-3 times per week. The effects are tonifying the lungs, clearing the lungs, relieving Qi, and eliminating phlegm.


7. Almond and Walnut Drink

Ingredients: 9g-12g of ginger, 15g of southern almonds, 30g of walnut meat, appropriate amount of rock sugar.
Indications: The effects are dispelling cold, resolving stasis, tonifying the kidneys, and replenishing Qi. Suitable for chronic bronchitis of the cold type.
Preparation: Crush the first three ingredients, then add rock sugar and stew them in a pot.
Usage: Once daily, continue for 15-20 days.