Foods 'n' Herbs

Chinese medicine regards a chronic cough as either due to external evils or an internal functional imbalance.

External factors can be wind cold, wind heat and dry heat. Internal factors can be lung qi deficiency resulting in phlegm dampness, liver fire surging or lung yin deficiency. For a cough associated with fever and common cold, herbs such as ma-huang, aconite, asarum and bupleurum are used to ventilate the lungs, relieve exterior symptoms, stop cough and dispel phlegm. For a chronic cough due to internal injury with wheezing: pinellia, cinnamon, ginger, peony and licorice are used to clear lungs, tonify the spleen, alleviate cough and resolve sputum.

Food cures for cough of the excessive heat type are Chinese pear, radish, sugar cane juice and steamed papaya with honey. They are most effective in lowering heat and relieving cough. Drinking, smoking and spicy foods should be avoided in order not to irritate the throat and intensify the cough. Food promoting digestion and sending energy downwards can relieve phlegm dampness due to spleen deficiency.

Joint Fir Pear Soup 

SYMPTOMS: 

Initially wind-cold type symptoms but turned internal to become heat cough with phlegm and face and ears turning hot and red, dyspenea, hoarse voice, constipation.

THERAPEUTIC EFFECTS:

Open the inhibited lung energy and relieve dyspnea, relieve cough, open the nasal passage, promote duresis and induce sweating, relieve constipation.

2 SERVINGS:

1. Cut each pear into quarters and remove core.
2. Rinse herbs and put all ingredients in a medium size casserole with 3 cups of water and cover with lid.
3. Place the casserole on a stainless steel cooling-stand inside a pot or a wok with enough hot water at the bottom to reach up to the lower third of the casserole. Cover the pot or wok with lid.
4. Place the pot or wok on medium heat and cook for 2-3 hours. Add boiling water to the cooking regularly to maintain the cooking and prevent burning.
5. Eat pear and soup by 2 servings.

USAGE:

No restriction.

ALTERNATIVE METHOD:

Bring the soup to a boil in a pot for about 10 minutes and transfer the cooking to a slow cooker and cook for 4 hours with high heat.