'Your lungs play an important role in your immune system. As part of the respiratory system, and they provide a connection between your external and internal worlds through the breath. Inhalation draws in fresh oxygen and Qi, or energy, while exhalation helps you let go of toxins. While breathing exercises and regular movement practices like Yoga and Qi Gong certainly help to support your Lung Qi, there are also some key foods that can strengthen your Lungs and support your immune system overall. #1 Fruit According to Chinese Medicine, all fruits support the Lungs. Compact fruits such as pears, apples, Asian pears, and persimmons are most beneficial to nourish your Lungs. These fruits moisten the Lungs’ Yin to stop a dry cough and increase hydration during the dry season. In fact, drinking a little pear juice before going to bed can help you fall asleep since the Lungs must be nourished to anchor the Wei Qi, or defensive Qi, of the body, to help you fall asleep. Fruits are also generally hydrating but should be consumed in moderation as the sweet nature of fruit can create phlegm and congest the Lungs. Citrus for example in the form of orange juice is overly concentrated in sugar and can cause phlegm or mucus to develop, weakening your Lung Qi. #2 Nuts Like fruits, all nuts have an affinity with the Lungs. The nuts that particular help support Lung Qi are pine nuts and sweet almonds. The only caution here is to eat nuts in moderation and to avoid them if you have skin problems as nuts can generally hyper activate your Wei Qi, or defensive Qi, and lead to allergies, acne and skin irritation. The damp or fungal nature of nuts also warrant caution. It’s best to purchase raw nuts and toast or soak them to make them easier to digest. Roasted nuts can cause the oils in the nuts to become rancid. #3 Root Vegetables & Tubers Root vegetables not only support the Lung’s ability to descend Qi, but they also help fortify your digestive system by supporting the Spleen and Stomach. Especially root vegetables that are high in beta carotene, the precursor to Vitamin A (an important vitamin for immune health as well as the health of your hair, skin and nails) help to strengthen the Lungs. These include carrots, beets and sweet potatoes. Tubers also help the Lungs to descend Qi to support peristalsis. These include parsnips, rutabaga and daikon. Rutabaga and daikon are known for their ability to break up stagnation and clear fire toxins through the colon. In addition, turnips help to break up phlegm and are great to strengthen the Lungs and help clear a cough with mucous. Conclusion While these are general ideas about foods to support the health of your Lungs, this list is certainly not exhaustive and not all of the foods here may be beneficial to everyone. Nutrition is highly personalized, so if you want more specific recommendations, you can work with us by visiting http://www.acenterfornaturalhealing.com/book-an-appointment Remember that Nutrition = Food + Digestion so it’s important to remember that food is only beneficial when it’s properly digested so it’s always essential to support your digestive system to support healthy nutrition.'
Tags: Health , nutrition , immune system , IMMUNITY , health tips , lungs , chinese medicine , immune support
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