Got a Barking Cough with Yellow Phlegm? It Could Be Lung-Heat.

What is "Lung-Heat"?

"Lung-Heat" is an interior condition. This means an external influence (like a Wind-Cold or Wind-Heat) was not fully resolved and has moved deeper into the body, transforming into a pocket of intense heat that has become "stuck" in the Lungs themselves. It can also develop from long-term smoking or consumption of hot, spicy foods.

Think of it like this: an external "invasion" is like a brief skirmish at the castle gates. Lung-Heat is when the invaders have gotten inside, barricaded themselves in one of the main towers (the Lungs), and set a fire.

This internal fire scorches the Lungs and boils the body's fluids, leading to a very specific set of symptoms:

  • The Cough: A loud, barking cough is a primary symptom.
  • The Phlegm: This is a key sign. The phlegm is thick, sticky, and distinctly yellow or green in colour. It may even be blood-streaked.
  • Heat Signs: A high fever, a feeling of heat in the chest, and a flushed, red face.
  • Thirst: A strong thirst for cold drinks.
  • Breathlessness: A feeling of oppression or fullness in the chest and shortness of breath.

This is a more serious condition than a common cold because the pathogen is no longer on the surface of the body but has lodged deep within an organ.

Your acupressure treatment was designed to strongly clear this heat from the Lungs, transform the phlegm, and restore the Lungs' natural cooling and descending function.

Lifestyle Advice: Douse the Flames

Your entire focus must be on cooling your system and avoiding anything that could add more fuel to the fire.

1. Your Diet Must Be Cooling and Clearing:
This is non-negotiable for resolving Lung-Heat.

  • Strictly AVOID all Heating Foods:
    • All spicy foods: Chilli, curry, hot sauce, raw garlic, ginger.
    • Alcohol and cigarettes.
    • Greasy, fried foods.
    • Sugar: It creates more phlegm and heat.
  • Eat Cooling, Phlegm-Resolving Foods:
    • Pears: The number one food for clearing heat from the Lungs. Eat them raw or lightly steamed.
    • Radishes: Daikon radish is particularly good at transforming hot phlegm.
    • Watermelon and Cucumber: Very cooling and hydrating.
    • Mung Beans: Excellent for clearing heat throughout the body.
  • Drink Cooling Fluids: Sip on cool water, peppermint tea, or chrysanthemum tea.

2. Rest is Essential:

  • Fighting an internal heat condition with a fever takes an immense amount of energy. You must rest to allow your body's resources to focus on clearing the pathogen.
  • Avoid strenuous activity, which generates more heat and can worsen the condition.

3. Keep Your Environment Cool:

  • Dress in light, breathable clothing to allow heat to dissipate from your body.
  • Ensure your room is well-ventilated and not overly heated.

4. Acupressure at Home:
This combination is a powerful prescription for clearing Lung-Heat.

  • Lung 5 (Chize - "Cubit Marsh"): A master point for clearing all types of heat from the Lungs. It is especially good for a cough with yellow phlegm.
    • Location: On the inside of your elbow crease, just to the thumb side of the large biceps tendon.
    • How to: Bend your arm slightly and press firmly into this point for 1-2 minutes.
  • Lung 10 (Yuji - "Fish Border"): Another excellent point for clearing Lung-Heat, especially when there is a very sore throat.
    • Location: On the palm of your hand, at the midpoint of the fleshy muscle at the base of your thumb (the thenar eminence), where the skin colour changes from reddish to white.
    • How to: Press firmly into this fleshy mound for 1-2 minutes.
  • Large Intestine 11 (Quchi - "Pool at the Crook"): A major point for clearing heat from the entire body and reducing fever.
    • Location: At the outer end of your elbow crease when your arm is bent.
    • How to: Press deeply into this point for 1-2 minutes.

By diligently following a cooling diet and resting, you can support your body's efforts to extinguish this internal fire and prevent it from causing further damage.