Colds and coughs are always recurring, and antibiotics cannot be prescribed for viral infections. Many patients will speed up the recovery of the disease by diet or taking some traditional Chinese medicine. Houttuynia cordata, a specialty food in the south, is loved by many people for its good medicinal properties. Is eating Houttuynia cordata useful for colds and coughs? What is the scientific basis?
Houttuynia cordata is widely distributed in the Jiangnan region of China. Because many locals like the smell of mutton, cold Houttuynia cordata, Houttuynia cordata scrambled eggs, and Houttuynia cordata porridge is very common in the southern region. In addition, Houttuynia cordata has been used as a health food.
Houttuynia cordata is acrid in taste, cold in nature, and belongs to the lung meridian. "Southern Yunnan Materia Medica" records Houttuynia cordata: "treatment of lung carbuncle, coughing up pus and blood, phlegm fishy". Wind-heat cough is generally human. Wind-heat cough, caused by unclear lungs. Houttuynia cordata is cold and has the effect of relieving cough. Eating Houttuynia cordata has a good effect on cough caused by wind-heat and cold.
Houttuynia cordata can not only clear heat and detoxify, reduce swelling and treat sores, diuretic and dehumidify, clear heat and stop dysentery, strengthen the stomach and reduce food, but also can be used to treat residual heat, heat toxin, and dampness. Treatment of pathogenic bacteria, lung carbuncle, sore carbuncle swollen poison, etc. Hemorrhoids, blood in the stool, heat accumulation in the spleen and stomach, etc. Modern pharmacological experiments also show that Houttuynia cordata has antibacterial, antiviral, immune-enhancing, diuretic, and other effects.
According to the chemical composition analysis of Houttuynia cordata, Houttuynia cordata contains hundreds of chemical components, including flavonoids, organic acids, vitamins, water-soluble polysaccharides, alkaloids, etc. Most of these components correspond to different pharmacological effects, such as antibacterial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and so on. The upper part of Houttuynia cordata is very high in moisture, soluble sugar, protein, and crude fat, and the lower part is rich in vitamins and fiber.
Although the fishy smell of Houttuynia cordata is unpleasant, the medicinal value of Houttuynia cordata is here. What Houttuynia cordata gives off this smell is a chemical called Houttuynia acid (decanoylacetaldehyde). "Houttuyniacin has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects, can effectively inhibit the growth of pathogenic bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus, Haemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus pneumoniae, etc., and has a certain effect on human health."
Although the Houttuynia cordata in Houttuynia cordata does have some antibacterial ability Houttuynia cordata, in most cases, Houttuynia cordata is only eaten as a vegetable and is not suitable for expanding its use. Because frying and heating will destroy houttuynia acid, there is no antibacterial effect. Therefore, for patients with coughs caused by respiratory tract infections, cold or raw Houttuynia cordata is the best.
Houttuynia cordata in Houttuynia cordata can enhance the phagocytic ability of white blood cells, improve serum properdin, and effectively enhance the body's resistance. Heat-clearing, anti-inflammatory, and anti-viral. It is a natural and safe antibiotic. So, is Houttuynia cordata for everyone?
Precautions for consuming Houttuynia cordata:
1. Houttuynia cordata is mainly used to treat cough caused by wind-heat and cold. If the cough is caused by a cold and flu, Houttuynia cordata has little effect and may be counterproductive.
2. Houttuynia cordata is cold in nature, yin and blood deficiency, febrile diseases, wind-cold, boils, yin-cold, no redness, swelling, heat, pain, cold, and cough, so it is not suitable to take Houttuynia cordata.
3. Although Houttuynia cordata can treat wind-heat cough, it should not be consumed in excess. Excessive consumption may not have a cough suppressant effect, and it will also aggravate cough symptoms.