Disclaimer: All Chinese herbal teas, Chinese herbal soup, herbal decoctions, TCM dietary therapies, acupuncture, and Tui Na massage featured in this article serve solely as auxiliary wellness support. They fall under the category of dietary and traditional wellness practices rather than formal medical treatment, and cannot substitute for professional medical diagnosis, prescription medication, or clinical therapy. If you have received a diagnosis of colds, coughs, bronchitis, asthma, tuberculosis, or any other physical ailment, you must adhere to treatment plans from licensed medical practitioners. Pregnant, breastfeeding, medication-taking or chronically unwell individuals are required to consult a qualified healthcare provider prior to use.
TCM Culture Disclaimer：Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) boasts a development history spanning thousands of years in China. Over 2,000 years ago, during the Warring States to Qin and Han dynasties, Huangdi Neijing (The Yellow Emperor’s Internal Classic) was compiled, establishing a comprehensive traditional theoretical framework for TCM. All TCM terminology, traditional wellness concepts for balancing bodily functions and historical health philosophies mentioned in this article are presented solely for the inheritance, popularization and cultural exchange of traditional Chinese medicine culture. This content shall not be regarded as clinical diagnosis or medical treatment guidance of any kind. Read more
Occasional respiratory discomfort, sometimes referred to as wheezing, is a condition that may impact overall well-being. This occasional discomfort can occur at any age, but many notice it beginning before age 12. It may be more common in autumn and winter, then spring, with summer having the least occurrence.
Before an episode, some individuals may experience signs such as sneezing, nasal discharge, cough, and chest tightness. If not addressed, it may become more noticeable with wheezing sounds during breathing, labored breathing, dry cough or expectoration of white frothy sputum, and even temporary bluish discoloration. Scattered or diffuse wheezing sounds, predominantly during the expiratory phase, may be heard in the chest. If an acute episode lasts more than 24 hours without usual care, it is termed a prolonged respiratory episode.
The factors that may contribute to occasional respiratory discomfort are quite complex. It is generally believed that individuals may have a natural sensitivity, which can be triggered by certain internal and external factors such as allergies, infections, overexertion, and emotional factors.
Traditional Chinese Medicine holds that while both wheezing and labored breathing are conditions characterized by rapid breathing, they differ in their features: wheezing is marked by rapid breathing accompanied by a wheezing sound in the throat, whereas labored breathing is characterized by rapid, effortful breathing, even with the mouth open and shoulders raised. Clinically, wheezing often involves labored breathing, but labored breathing does not necessarily involve wheezing.
Wheezing patterns are divided into active and resting phases. During the active phase, it is further differentiated into cool-type and warm-type wheezing; during the resting phase, there may be imbalances in the lung, spleen, and kidney. Labored breathing patterns are categorized into excessive and deficient types. Excessive labored breathing includes wind-cold, lung heat, and phlegm-turbidity influences, while deficient labored breathing involves lung and kidney deficiency. However, in clinical practice, labored breathing patterns often present with complexity. Therefore, the principle often used in Chinese medicine is: during wheezing condition’s active phase, focus on supporting the body’s natural defenses; during the resting phase, focus on nourishing overall vitality. For labored breathing patterns, both supporting natural defenses and nourishing vitality should be considered, with emphasis varying according to the individual’s needs.
1.Dried Ginger and Poria Tea
Ingredients: Ganjiang (Zingiberis Rhizoma, dried ginger) 5g, Fuling (Poria, poria cocos) 10g, Gancao (Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma, licorice root) 5g.
Preparation: Grind the above three ingredients together into a coarse powder. Place into a cup and pour in boiling water. Allow to cool until warm, then drink as a tea. One dose daily.
Actions: Help support respiratory warmth and comfort, help maintain clear respiratory passages. May help promote comfort during times of occasional cool-type respiratory imbalance, presenting with frequent panting, wheezing sounds, thin clear frothy sputum, chest stuffiness, cool extremities, and absence of thirst or thirst for warm fluids.
2. Fuzi Ginger Scallion Tea (Aconiti lateralis radix praeparata, Zingiber officinale, Allium fistulosum, Camellia sinensis)
Ingredients: Processed Aconite (Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata) 10g, Dried Ginger (Zingiberis Rhizoma) 5g, Scallion White (Allii Fistulosi Bulbus) 2 pieces, Brown Sugar 20g.
Preparation: Combine the processed aconite root (Radix Aconiti Lateralis Preparata), dried ginger (Rhizoma Zingiberis), and scallion white (white part of Allium fistulosum) into a coarse powder. Place this mixture together with brown sugar into a thermos. Pour in boiling water, cover, and steep for 30 minutes. Drink as a tea.
Actions: Help support warmth and a sense of comfort, help maintain respiratory ease. May help promote comfort during times of occasional cool-type respiratory imbalance.
3.Bamboo Sap Tea (Succus Bambusae)
Ingredients: 30 g each of Bamboo Sap (Zhuli) and Honey.
Preparation: Place Bamboo Sap (Succus Bambusae) and Honey (Mel) together in a cup, mix well, and drink as tea.
Actions: Help support the body’s ability to maintain a cool and clear respiratory environment, and help promote a sense of calm. May help promote comfort during times of occasional warm-type respiratory imbalance, presenting with rapid and coarse breathing, chest heaving, wheezing sounds, paroxysmal coughing, yellow and sticky sputum, thirst, chest oppression, and occasional digestive sluggishness.
4. Ginseng and Poria Tea (Panax ginseng, Poria cocos)
Interesting read! I’ve been using ginger tea during flare-ups, but never thought about combining it with other herbs. Has anyone tried the astragalus blend? Would love to hear if it actually helps cut down on inhaler use during winter. Definitely bookmarking this for my next grocery run.
ReplySuch a helpful list! I’ve struggled with asthma since childhood, and autumn always triggers flare-ups for me. I’m excited to try some of these herbal teas—especially ones that target seasonal changes. Thanks for sharing these natural options!
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I’ve been dealing with asthma since childhood, and autumn is always the toughest. I never thought to try herbal teas—this list is super helpful! Does anyone have personal experience with the mulberry leaf or licorice root teas? Would love to know if they actually help during flare-ups. Thanks for sharing this!