In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), it is said that “the lungs govern the body’s qi.” In TCM, qi refers to the vital energy that sustains the entire body. When lung function is strong, oxygen circulates efficiently, and the body feels energized.
TCM describes the body’s immune defense as “wei-defensive qi,” which is closely linked to lung health. When the lungs are weak (lung qi deficiency), wei-defensive qi also declines, making a person more prone to colds, coughs, and runny noses.
“When these signs appear together, they may indicate lung qi deficiency. Even if you experience only three of the following symptoms, it is time to start caring for your lungs,” TCM physician and Epoch Times contributor Hu Naiwen said.
Signs of Lung Qi Deficiency
- A pale complexion, a weak or soft voice, or feeling too tired to speak
- Frequent fatigue, low energy, and shortness of breath after light activity
- Catching colds easily, sensitivity to wind or cold, and cold hands and feet
- A weak cough producing thin, clear phlegm
- A pale tongue with a whitish coating
A Simple Exercise to Strengthen Lung Qi
Hu shared with The Epoch Times a traditional lung-nourishing exercise that has been practiced for hundreds of years.
Method: Sit with your left leg extended and your right knee bent. Lean forward and take five deep breaths.
This exercise helps replenish the lungs’ energy, promote the smooth circulation of qi throughout the body, and dispel pathogenic wind—also known as wind evil—an external factor that can harm the body, Hu said.
In addition to supporting lung health, performing this exercise regularly can help relieve dizziness, blurred vision, and coughing, which are often associated with qi deficiency.
A Key Acupoint for Improving Lung Function
According to TCM, meridians are the channels through which energy flows in the body. The lung’s energy flows along the lung meridian, which runs along the inner side of the arm toward the thumb. Stimulating specific acupoints on this meridian can help improve lung-related conditions.
A randomized, placebo-controlled trial published in JAMA in 2012 found that acupuncture can ease breathlessness in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Compared with those who received sham acupuncture, patients who received real acupuncture showed noticeable improvement in breathing while walking.
If acupuncture is not an option, tapping or massaging acupoints can also serve as an easy self-care method. Hu recommended stimulating the yuji acupoint to help relieve coughing, chest tightness, and vocal cord inflammation.
Method: The yuji acupoint is located on the fleshy mound at the base of the thumb, along the border where the skin of the palm meets the back of the hand—roughly midway along the first metacarpal bone. Gently tap both hands together 30 to 50 times daily.
Rapid Relief From Sore Throat Through Ear Acupoints
TCM offers a simple technique to ease throat discomfort caused by coughing.
Hu recommended massaging two ear acupoints: the pharynx point and the larynx point. The pharynx point is located just above the ear canal at the 12 o’clock position, and the larynx point lies nearby at the 10 to 11 o’clock position.
Gently press or massage these acupoints for one to three minutes. A mild soreness or tenderness indicates correct placement, and gentle massage can help quickly ease throat pain.
Apple-Onion Infusion
For those who tend to cough or experience a dry, itchy throat when the weather changes, a warm drink can help nourish the lungs and soothe the body.
Hu recommended a delicious, lung-nourishing beverage—an apple-onion infusion.
“This drink does not just suppress symptoms,” he said. “It helps regulate lung qi, allowing the body to restore its natural balance.”
Preparation:
- Dice two apples and one onion.
- Place an empty cup upside down in the center of a large bowl, then spread the diced apple and onion evenly around it.
- Set the entire bowl into an electric cooker. Pour about 17 fluid ounces of water into the outer pot. Steam until the switch pops up, or for about 45 minutes.
- The condensed essence will collect inside the cup. Use tongs to remove the apple and onion pieces, then carefully pour out the liquid. The steamed apple and onion can be reused to make Japanese-style curry.
Drinking this infusion daily for a week can help moisten the lungs, relieve coughing, and improve complexion, Hu said.
Research has shown that polyphenols in apples have anti-inflammatory effects, while quercetin—abundant in onions—has anti-inflammatory and immunomodulating properties that may help relieve asthma and allergic rhinitis.
Foods That Nourish the Lungs
Daily diet plays an essential role in supporting overall lung health.
Dr. Jingduan Yang, CEO of Northern Medical Center in New York, an Epoch Times contributor, and a practitioner of TCM, noted that, unlike conventional medicine—which focuses on the nutrient composition of food—TCM emphasizes the energetic properties of food.
These include a food’s color, taste, thermal nature—cold, cool, neutral, warm, or hot. Properties also include a food’s “meridian affinity”—a concept in TCM that describes how the energy of each food is believed to enter specific organ systems through their corresponding meridians.
In TCM theory, the color white corresponds to the energy of the lungs, and many lung-nourishing foods are white.
From a thermal perspective, cold-natured foods help cool the body, while warm-natured foods provide warmth. The goal is to maintain balance in the body by eating foods with complementary thermal properties.
The following foods are believed to enter the lung meridian, meaning they can help replenish and strengthen lung energy:
Chinese Yam
Chinese yam is white in color, mildly sweet in taste, and energetically neutral. It is said to enter the spleen, lung, and kidney meridians.
According to the Five Zang Organs Theory, nourishing the lungs also involves supporting the spleen and kidneys. In TCM, the term “spleen” is not limited to the anatomical organ but also represents the body’s overall digestive function, including that of the pancreas, Yang said.
The lungs rely on the spleen—the digestive system—for nourishment, while the kidneys depend on the lungs for support. When kidney qi is deficient, it can, in turn, deplete lung qi.
Chinese yam is regarded as a valuable food and medicinal herb for replenishing lung qi, as it acts on the meridians of the spleen, lungs, and kidneys.
Snow Fungus
Snow fungus is rich in natural gelatinous compounds that help replenish body fluids, moisten the lungs, and soothe dry coughs—earning it the nickname “moisturizer for the lungs.”
Hu recommended simmering snow fungus until it becomes tender, making a thick and slightly sticky soup, as this helps enhance its lung-nourishing benefits.
White Radish
White radish helps transform phlegm and relieve coughing, making it particularly suitable for people with excessive phlegm or an itchy throat. It can be eaten raw or cooked in soup.
Glutinous Rice
Glutinous rice helps warm and tonify the spleen and lungs, thereby alleviating fatigue. Mildly sweet and warm in nature, it enters the lung, stomach, and spleen meridians. It is beneficial for people who experience tiredness, sensitivity to cold, poor digestion, or excessive sweating.
However, Yang said that although glutinous rice is beneficial in small amounts, it can be difficult to digest when eaten in excess.
Honey
Honey helps moisten dryness, promote bowel movements, and relieve dry cough. Sweet and neutral in nature, it enters the spleen, lung, and large intestine meridians. It is beneficial for people experiencing fatigue, chronic dry cough, or constipation, as well as for those recovering from lung infections and for older adults.
However, people with diabetes should take it only in small amounts.
Duck Meat
Duck meat is cool in nature and salty in taste, and it is said to enter the spleen, lung, and kidney meridians. It is beneficial for people experiencing dry mouth, coughing, heat in the palms and soles, irritability, or night sweating.
Pear
Pear helps moisten dryness, transform phlegm, clear heat, and generate fluid. It is sweet and slightly sour in taste and cool in nature, and it enters the lung and stomach meridians. It is particularly suitable for those experiencing thirst, dry cough, or constipation.
Nourishing the lungs does not require expensive herbs. Simple practices such as acupoint massage, dietary adjustments, and regular exercise can help strengthen lung qi and enhance immunity.
Starting today, try tapping the Yuji acupoint, drinking a cup of apple-onion infusion, or including more white foods in your diet to support overall lung health.
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