Smog contains numerous harmful substances that irritate and damage the respiratory tract, increasing susceptibility to upper respiratory infections and other illnesses. So how can we protect our health during smoggy days? China Health Network recommends these lung-cleansing and cancer-fighting foods to support your well-being...
Lily Bulbs
Lily bulbs are sweet in taste and slightly cold in nature, entering the Heart and Lung meridians. They nourish yin and moisten the lungs, clear the heart and calm the spirit, quench thirst, relieve coughing, stop bleeding, and stimulate appetite. They are suitable for symptoms like chronic yin-deficient cough, palpitations, insomnia, frequent dreaming, and mental confusion.
Pears
Pears promote fluid production, moisten dryness, clear heat, and resolve phlegm. They are suitable for treating fluid depletion with thirst due to fever, diabetes, hot coughs, phlegm-heat mania, dysphagia, thirst with voice loss, red and swollen eyes, and indigestion.Pears are the most common lung-cleansing food. They can be steamed, made into soup, or mashed into pear paste. This paste effectively clears the lungs and treats sore throats with excellent results.
Luo Han Guo (Monk Fruit)
Also known as Luo Han Guo or False Bitter Melon, this fruit features thin skin, light weight, large size, and crisp flesh. Brewing Luo Han Guo as tea clears heat and soothes the throat, treating whooping cough, lung-heat cough, pharyngitis, and dry mouth/throat. It serves as an ideal health beverage for actors and teachers.
Sichuan Ginseng
Sichuan ginseng polysaccharides are immune-modulating active ingredients that significantly benefit those with weakened immunity. They effectively improve physical constitution with relatively mild potency, making them suitable for strengthening the spleen and benefiting the lungs. Sichuan ginseng contains eighteen amino acids and multiple vitamins. As a qi-tonifying food, it is most beneficial for those with qi deficiency constitutions or prolonged illness-induced qi depletion.Furthermore, the active components in Ming Shen not only enhance immune function in healthy individuals but are particularly effective for those with compromised immunity. It extends patient survival time, boosts cellular immune function, mitigates the toxic side effects of radiotherapy, accelerates tissue repair, and prevents leukopenia, enabling patients to complete treatment successfully. Ginseng polysaccharides are safe and reliable with no known side effects during use.
White Radish
Clears the lungs and moistens the throat, frequently selected in traditional Chinese dietary therapy. Raw consumption is effective, while juicing yields even better results. Its pungent components inhibit abnormal cell division, thereby preventing cancer onset. Radish also possesses antibacterial properties, stimulates appetite, and inhibits platelet aggregation.Rich in dietary fiber and digestive enzymes like amylase, radishes effectively promote food digestion and absorption.comprehensively regulating organ function and immunity. It strengthens immune defenses, maintains ecological balance among organs, and fundamentally prevents organ dysfunction and internal heat. By harmonizing qi, lungs, and yin-yang energies, it not only alleviates coughing and dryness but also boosts qi, generates fluids, and deeply nourishes the lungs.
Olive
Olives clear the lungs, soothe the throat, generate fluids, and detoxify. Sucking on green olives when experiencing throat pain provides refreshing relief. Combining them with fresh radish in a decoction enhances efficacy. The distilled liquid from olives, known as olive dew, treats sore throat, cough, and irritability.
Loquat
Loquat moistens the lungs, quenches thirst, and descends qi. It treats lung-wasting cough, hemoptysis, and thirsty irritability.Loquat leaves are commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine. Honey-fried loquat leaves clear the lungs, harmonize the stomach, and descend qi to alleviate diseases. They are often processed into loquat syrup, loquat dew, and loquat granules to treat lung-heat coughs.
Silver Ear Mushroom
Nicknamed "poor man's bird's nest," silver ear mushroom resembles bird's nest in color, texture, and efficacy but is far more affordable. It strengthens vitality, nourishes the kidneys, moistens the intestines, benefits the stomach, replenishes qi, harmonizes blood, fortifies the heart, invigorates the body, nourishes the brain, refreshes the mind, beautifies the skin, and promotes longevity.
Fig
Besides being eaten fresh, figs can be processed into dried fruits, candied fruits, or canned goods. Both dried and fresh figs are medicinal. Eating a few figs can alleviate sore throat pain and promote quick recovery. For lung heat or hoarseness, consuming figs boiled in rock sugar water helps clear heat and restore voice.