Dietary Therapy for Chronic Bronchitis ("Old Chronic Bronchitis")
Acute phase of chronic bronchitis: Typically due to heat-phlegm, so cool-natured expectorant and cough-relieving foods are recommended.
1. 30–60 grams of Houttuynia cordata, decocted in water, used as tea.
2. Fresh fennel greens, 30 grams, decocted, filtered, add appropriate amount of rock sugar, divided into two doses and consumed.
3. Select 2–3 types from radish seeds, spinach seeds, winter melon seeds, white eggplant seeds, and loquat kernels, 6 grams each, stir-fried until yellow over low heat, ground into fine powder and taken orally.
After acute phase of chronic bronchitis has passed: Sputum has cleared, but coughing, shortness of breath, and excessive phlegm persist. At this stage, the following remedies may be used:
1. Half spoonful of ginger juice, one spoonful of maltose, mixed and taken orally, twice to three times daily.
2. One pomelo, peel off the rind, remove the inner white membrane, chop finely, place in a covered bowl, add appropriate amount of maltose, steam until soft, consume half spoonful twice daily, mixed with warm water.
3. Equal parts of ginkgo nuts and sweet apricot kernels, two parts each of walnut kernels and peanut kernels, grind into uniform powder. Take 20 grams every morning with one egg, boil into a small bowl of porridge, continue for six months.
4. Before winter, chew 1–3 raw walnut meats and 1–3 slices of ginger thoroughly before bedtime each night, swallow after chewing, continue for three months.
5. 250 grams of fresh radish, 250 grams of fresh lotus root, two pears, chopped and juiced, mix with 250 grams of honey. Take twice daily, one spoonful each time, diluted with hot water.
6. 5 grams of Fritillaria cirrhosa, 15 grams of rock sugar or 30 grams of lily, one spoonful of honey, steam together with pear, consume both the pear and juice.
Elderly people with chronic bronchitis should avoid smoking, alcohol, bamboo shoots, chili peppers, orange peels, curry. Those with wheezing should limit intake of seafood and strong-smelling foods such as eel, yellow croaker, shrimp, crab, and cuttlefish.