The Common Lung Syndromes

Lungs Energy (Qi) Deficiency

Primary Symptoms: Shortness of breath, wheezing, fatigue, cough with weak voice, common cold.

Individual herbs: Liquorice Root, Thyme, Hyssop, Spearmint, Rosemary, Astragalus, Codonopsis and Schisandra.

Energetic Herbals Formulae: Lung Qi

Foods: Especially beneficial are pumpkin, garlic, goose meat, grapes, sweet rice, white fish and yam

Lungs Yin Deficiency

Primary Symptoms: Dry cough, dry throat, coughing up blood, tidal fever, chronic fatigue, night sweats, insomnia.

Individual herbs: Asparagus root, Schisandra, Coltsfoot, Comfrey leaf, Iceland Moss, Mullein leaf, Borage leaf, Red clover and Rehmannia root.

Energetic Herbals Formulae: Moisten and Soothe

Foods: Choose from the categories “Cooling and Moistening”, “Warming and Moistening” and “Neutral”. Especially beneficial are apple, pork, sweet rice, cantaloupe, cheeses, egg, coconut milk, dates, fig, grapes, honey, lemon, kidney beans, naartjies, milk, kumquat, lard, mango, pineapple, pear, royal jelly, shrimp, tomato, sugar, watermelon, pecan nuts, walnuts and watermelon. Avoid drying food and drink, especially those that are “Warming and Drying.”

Lungs under the Attack of Wind and Cold

Primary Symptoms: Common cold, cough with thin, white phlegm, nasal congestion / discharge.

Individual herbs: Liquorice root, Cinnamon, Spearmint, Rosemary, Ginger root, Peppermint, Prickly Ash, Cayenne, Fennel, Basil and Ma Huang (Ephedra Sinensis).

Energetic Herbals Formulae: Digestion and Absorption.

Foods: Especially favourable are: Millet, pumpkin, strawberry, chives, coconut, black soybeans and buckwheat.

Deficient and Cold Lungs

Primary Symptoms: Acute coughing, cold limbs, plentiful phlegm and saliva.

Individual herbs: Astragalus, Korean Ginseng, Oregano, Aniseed, Prickly Ash, Cinnamon, Clove, Fenugreek and Ginger root.

Energetic Herbals Formulae: Lung Qi and Elixir

Foods: As above, plus warming foods such as caraway, chicken, onion, mustard, nutmeg, pepper, garlic and long-grain polished rice. Avoid cold foods.

Phlegm Dampness Obstructing the Lungs

Primary Symptoms: Coughing up copious whitish phlegm, panting, chest pain and wheezing.

Individual herbs: Black or white pepper, Sage leaf, Bloublomsalie, Myrrh, Thuja and Agrimony.

Energetic Herbals Formulae: Asthma Ease

Foods: Adzuki beans, Asparagus, barley, carp, cucumber, dates, fresh ginger, mustard, mung beans, pear, pepper and seaweed. Avoid in particular: sugar, honey, lard, pork, eggs, fish, milk, shrimp, oranges and mandarin / naartjies.

Wind and Heat Attacking the Lungs

Primary Symptoms: Loud cough with yellowish, sticky phlegm, pink eyes, headache and fever.

Individual herbs: Spearmint, Lobelia, Vervain, Liquorice root, Ephedra and Chinese Skullcap.

Energetic Herbals Formulae: Throat Heal.

Foods: Choose from the categories “Cooling and Moistening” and “Neutral”. Especially beneficial are: Apple, pork, sweet rice, cantaloupe, cheeses, egg, coconut milk, dates, fig, goose meat, grapes, honey, lemon, kidney beans, naartjies, cow’s milk, kumquat, lard, mango, olive, pineapple, pear, royal jelly, shrimp, tofu, tomato, sugar, watermelon, pecan nuts, walnuts and watermelon. Avoid drying food and drink, especially those that are “Warming and Drying.”

Hot Lungs

Primary Symptoms: Coughing up odorous phlegm or blood, sore throat, chest pain, thirst and as above, in A6.

Individual herbs: Yellow Gentian, Boneset, Linden flower, Elder flower, Catnip and Eucalyptus.

Energetic Herbals Formulae: Sinus clear

Foods: Choose from the categories “Cooling and Moistening” and “Neutral”. Especially beneficial are: Apple, Apricot, peach, jackfruit, ham, pork, sweet rice, cantaloupe, cheeses, egg, coconut milk, dates, fig, goose meat, grapes, honey, lemon, kidney beans, naartjies, cow’s milk, kiwi fruit, kumquat, lard, mango, olive, peppermint, pineapple, pear, royal jelly, shrimp, tofu, tomato, sugar, watermelon, pecan nuts, walnuts, watermelon and wheat. Avoid drying food and drink, especially those that are “Warming and Drying.”

Dry Lungs

Primary Symptoms: Dry cough, sometimes with discharge of blood, loss of voice, nosebleed and/or chest pain.

Individual herbs: Solomon’s Seal root, Asparagus root, Chickweed and Marshmallow root.

Energetic Herbals Formulae: Moisten and Soothe

Foods: Identical to that of the above Syndrome, "Hot Lungs”.