What kind of tea should one drink to cleanse the lungs after long-term smoking?
Nov 25, 2024
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Yang Ziqi
Introduction
Under normal circumstances, long-term smoking may lead to poor lung health. Drinking green tea, monk fruit tea, chrysanthemum tea, honeysuckle tea, and tremella tea may help cleanse the lungs. Drinking these teas might aid in detoxifying the lungs but cannot completely replace medical treatment. To protect lung health, the best approach remains quitting smoking and maintaining a healthy lifestyle with regular作息 (作息 should be translated as "routine" or "lifestyle habits" depending on context; since it's in a medical context, "routine" fits better).
Generally, long-term smoking may lead to poor lung health. Drinking certain teas such as green tea, monk fruit tea, chrysanthemum tea, honeysuckle tea, and tremella tea may help cleanse the lungs. The details are as follows:
1. Green Tea
Green tea contains abundant antioxidants such as polyphenols and catechins, which can effectively remove free radicals in the body and reduce oxidative damage. Regular consumption of green tea by smokers may help alleviate oxidative stress in the lungs and reduce damage to lung cells caused by smoking.
2. Monk Fruit Tea
Monk fruit tea has effects of clearing heat, moistening the lungs, relieving cough, and soothing the throat. Smoking can cause excessive internal heat in the lungs, leading to symptoms such as coughing and dry throat. Monk fruit tea can help moisturize the lungs and alleviate these discomforts.
3. Chrysanthemum Tea
Chrysanthemum helps clear liver heat, improves vision, and has detoxifying properties. It can help relieve lung dryness and excessive liver fire caused by smoking. The flavonoids in chrysanthemum have antioxidant effects that may reduce lung damage caused by smoking. In addition, chrysanthemum tea may also relieve dry eye symptoms caused by smoking.
4. Honeysuckle Tea
Honeysuckle has effects of clearing heat and detoxifying. Long-term smoking can damage the lungs and cause heat toxicity to accumulate in the lungs, resulting in symptoms such as coughing and thick phlegm. Drinking honeysuckle tea can help clear heat from the lungs, improve breathing, and relieve chest tightness and shortness of breath caused by wind-heat affecting the lungs.
5. Tremella Tea
Tremella tea nourishes the yin, reduces internal heat, and moistens the lungs to relieve coughing. It can also enhance the detoxification ability of the liver and lungs, offering multiple benefits for individuals who smoke.
Drinking tea may help cleanse and detoxify the lungs, but it cannot fully replace medical treatment. To protect lung health, the best approach is to quit smoking and maintain a healthy lifestyle and routine.
