At the bottom of this page, you will find a few recipes that are easily prepared to help you relieve flu (heat-type) symptoms. In TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine), there are a few types of flu and the most common types are the cold and heat types.
It is important to learn how to differentiate between heat or cold flu types so you won’t be eating the wrong foods that worsen your flu recovery.
How to know if you are having heat-type flu
The following information is meant for general reference. If you want to be 100% certain what flu types (heat/cold) you are having, I would recommend you to consult a TCM physician.
There are mainly three symptoms (to determine if it is a heat-type flu) to look out for if you are having flu:
- Sore throat/Pain in the throat – Sore throat or pain in the throat is one obvious signs of heatiness. So if you experience sore throat-like and the following symptoms, most likely you are having heat-type flu.
- Yellow color phlegm– The phlegm (from throat or nose) will be in yellow color if you have heat-type flu.
- Redness in the tip of your tongue – This is the most difficult sign to tell if you do not have the habit of looking at your tongue regularly. When your body has heatiness, the tip of your tongue will look redder than the other parts of your tongue.
Sidenote: If you are having flu but the symptoms are different from what is listed above, then you may want to read the recipe for cold-type flu here.
General food therapy guidelines for flu
Do note that the following general guidelines apply to all types of flu.
- When you start experiencing flu symptoms, begin to eat plainly (porridge, soup noodles, etc). Avoid eating foods that are oily (deep fried), raw, and tonic (ginseng, cordyceps, etc).
- Drink more water, it helps get rid of the virus in your body.
- Eat more vegetables and fruits. They contain vitamins and minerals that your body needs for recovery.
- Avoid drinking wine and strong tea.
Important Note: Please do not just rely on food therapy for treatment! Please consult a TCM physician for proper treatment. The recipes below are meant as boosters or reinforcement to help your body recover faster.
Food recipes for heat-type flu
