One of the most important aspects of my clinical practice is teaching patients the importance of food therapy for both prevention of and recovery from health challenges. Chinese medicine in particular has unique perspectives on food therapy, which can help inspire patients to see the kitchen as a sacred space for cultivating health.
With that said, let’s discuss four foods I use to help patients prevent lung issues and stimulate recovery from lung issues when infections resulted in antibiotic use, which damaged the spleen.
Adzuki Beans (Chi Xiao Dou)
The adzuki bean, a staple of the more contemporary macrobiotic diet, is one of the most nutritious and diverse foods to use for health and vitality on all levels. Having a neutral nature and sweet / sour flavor, adzuki beans target the Heart, Small Intestine and Spleen channels. Adzuki beans have the actions of draining damp, promoting urination, reducing swelling, supporting detoxification, boosting spleen qi, and nourishing / invigorating the blood.
Adzuki beans can be simply prepared as any bean, ideally soaked overnight. Pressure cooking can maximize nutrients; however, it is not necessary. The beans can be cooked with ginger and cumin to more effectively boost spleen qi, and can also be pureed after cooking and eaten as a soup, adding spices such as cinnamon and ginger to provide a more warming nature.
Boosting the spleen to nourish the lungs follows the concept of “nurturing earth to support metal.” An extremely effective addition is to add huang qi to the puree or basic beans in powder form along with ginger. This addition helps boost the spleen to prevent seasonal lung issues, and helps the spleen and stomach recover from antibiotic damage often seen after lung issues.
Carrots
Carrots have a neutral nature, a sweet flavor, and target the Spleen, Lung, Liver, and Stomach channels. Carrots have the actions of boosting the spleen qi, clearing heat, benefiting the lungs, supporting detoxification, benefiting the vision, and nourishing liver blood.
Ideally, carrots should be lightly steamed, cooked or baked and paired with warming spices such as ginger, cinnamon or cardamon. Once steamed or cooked, carrots can easily be pureed and made into an easy-to-digest warm, spleen-friendly meal. (Again, the herb huang qi can be added in powder form for more spleen / lung nourishment.)
Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes have an appropriately sweet flavor, warming nature, and target the Spleen and Stomach channels. Sweet potatoes (both orange and purple) have the actions of boosting the spleen qi, gently nourishing the stomach, nourishing qi (typically orange), nourishing blood and yin (typically purple), reducing edema, and clearing toxins.
Sweet potatoes are ideally steamed or baked and can be perfectly complemented with ginger or cinnamon. High-quality butter or ghee can also be added to maximize nourishment of yin and lung health.
Sweet potatoes can of course be combined with carrot dishes and adzuki beans to make a highly nutritious meal which targets the lungs and spleen, supporting prevention of health challenges and recovery from respiratory issues and/or antibiotic use.
Apples
Apples have a slightly cool nature, sweet flavor, and target the Spleen, Stomach, and Lung channels. Apples have the actions of boosting the spleen / stomach, moistening the lungs, generating fluids, clearing heat, and supporting detoxification.
Although often considered a folk remedy, the research on apples consumption and lung health is substantial and impressive. Apples can of course easily be eaten raw, but can also be stewed or baked, and warming spices such as ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg can added to boost digestion and overall warmth. I often recommend patients stew apples with cinnamon, ginger, Chinese dates (da zao), and huang qi to create a deeply nourishing and healing recipe targeting the spleen and lungs.
Clinical Pearls
It is important to teach patients that food therapy can be easy and highly effective in both prevention and treatment of lung and digestive issues post-antibiotic use. Patients tend to focus on expensive supplements and forget the simple, yet powerful effects of targeted food therapy. Always remember and teach: It does not have to be complicated to transform the kitchen into a sacred space for cultivating health!
