Eating Walnuts Can Treat Coughs
Every spring and autumn, I live in constant anxiety. Even a minor cold can trigger cough lasting two to three months. Initially, I tried cough syrups or Western anti-cough drugs, but they had little effect—mostly psychological comfort. Later, I decided to focus on prevention and began eating yam and Gu Ben Ke Chuan Pills. Daily steaming of yam is inconvenient, and long-term use of Gu Ben Ke Chuan Pills tends to cause internal heat. Just when I was at a loss, a friend shared a folk remedy.
The remedy is simple: Eat two to three walnuts daily starting from the winter solstice until the end of the “Nine Cold Periods.” The friend’s grandmother ate them continuously for three years, and each year her cough improved. By the third year, her cough was completely cured. When the friend told me, I was skeptical but had no alternative, so I tried eating walnuts all winter. Surprisingly, I made it through the following spring without issue.
Professor Yang Guohua from the Wàngjīng Hospital of the China Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine comments: Spring and autumn are peak seasons for respiratory diseases. TCM holds that spring primarily affects the lungs because autumn is dry, and the lungs are delicate organs easily damaged by dryness. Hence, coughs are very common in spring and autumn.
Walnuts are mild in nature, capable of nourishing the lungs, liver, and kidneys, moisturizing the intestines, and promoting bowel movements. Their flesh is fragrant and slightly sweet, the husk slightly astringent, with no strange taste. They are easy to consume—directly as snacks, in soups, or in porridge. Since walnuts are non-toxic, even occasional excess or long-term consumption poses no harm to the body, making them widely acceptable. Because walnuts nourish the lungs and kidneys, long-term consumption can treat chronic lung deficiency coughs, typically characterized by: chronic cough with weak voice, susceptibility to colds, aversion to wind, fatigue, shortness of breath, and thirst. If the patient also suffers from dry, hard stools, walnuts are especially suitable. However, for initial-stage coughs, or those with thick, sticky phlegm, poor appetite, or loose stools, walnuts are not ideal. Patients should choose carefully or consult a physician before use.
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