Lung-tonic Foods & Herbs List: An Ayurveda Perspective

Categories / Herbal-action / Respiratory-Health / lung-tonic

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Reported by John Immel Asheville, NC
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AYURVEDIC PERSPECTIVE ON LUNG-TONIC

Strengthens the lungs. Lung tonics include antifibrotic, vessel tonic, or nourishing herbs with an affinity for the lungs. They aid recovery in acute or chronic lung conditions.

After a respiratory illness, the lungs may take a month or longer to heal. Lung tonics are particularly useful to speed up recovery during this convalescence period. Here is a tincture for convalescence (Source: Stansbury)

15ml Astragalus
15ml Ginseng
15ml Feverfew
8 Ginkgo
7 Garlic

Note: In this selection of lung tonics, herbs that simply moisten or dry the lungs without rebuilding or strengthening are not included.

INGREDIENTS WITH LUNG-TONIC QUALITY

View By: Dosha Herbal Action Biocharacteristics (energetics) Taste System Meal Season

Neutral (Tridoshic)
Fennel Seeds
Reduces
Carrot
Sorghum Flour
Reduces
Basil
Caraway Seeds
Cardamom
Garlic (raw)
Ginger (Fresh)
Stinging Nettles
Thyme (fresh)
Reduces
Daikon Radish

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HERBS & SUPPLEMENTS WITH LUNG-TONIC QUALITY

View By: Dosha Herbal Action Biocharacteristics (energetics) Taste System

OTHER HERB ACTIONS AFFECTING RESPIRATORY-HEALTH

HELPFUL FOR*

'Lung-tonic' may be helpful for these symptoms and causes below.

TYPE: HERBAL_ACTION

Lung-tonic Recipes Listed By Strength

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About the Author

John Immel, the founder of Joyful Belly, teaches people how to have a healthy diet and lifestyle with Ayurveda. His approach to Ayurveda is clinical, yet exudes an ease which many find enjoyable and insightful. John also directs the Joyful Belly College of Ayurveda, offering professional clinical training in Ayurveda for over 15 years.

John's hobbies & specialties include advanced digestive disorders, medieval Catholic philosophy, & botany. He holds a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Harvard University. His wife and family of 7 kids live in Asheville, NC.

Learn More

College of Ayurvedic Diet & Digestion

Lung-tonic - Foods & Herbs ListCLASSIFICATION OF FOOD, HERBS, & LIFESTYLE

AYURVEDIC PERSPECTIVE ON LUNG-TONIC

INGREDIENTS WITH LUNG-TONIC QUALITY

Neutral (Tridoshic)

Reduces

Reduces

Reduces

Internal Detoxicant INTERNAL-DETOXICANT Liquefies, dissolves, decongests or dislodges internal stagnant toxins. Decongests the lymphatic system. SEE ALL 'INTERNAL-DETOXICANT' FOODS / HERBS

INTERNAL-DETOXICANT

Spleen Tonic SPLEEN-TONIC An herb that strengthens spleen function by improving strength of the blood. Spleen tonics Builds agni, brighten the person's appearances & firms up tissues. SEE ALL 'SPLEEN-TONIC' FOODS / HERBS

SPLEEN-TONIC

Alkalizing ALKALIZING An herb or food that makes the urine more alkaline (higher pH). This herbal action can be helpful for a number of inflammatory conditions. SEE ALL 'ALKALIZING' FOODS / HERBS

ALKALIZING

Prana PRANA Prana is the Sanskrit word for vital life energy (Qi in Chinese Medicine, pneuma in Greek). Many herbs stimulate your energy, or improve the flow of prana through your body. Generally, prana needs to be increased in spring after a sleepy winter. SEE ALL 'PRANA' FOODS / HERBS

PRANA

Diuretic DIURETIC Herbs that promote urine formation, thereby flushing the kidneys and urinary tract while eliminating any excess water retention. As diuretics reduce water retention, they are often used to reduce blood pressure. SEE ALL 'DIURETIC' FOODS / HERBS

DIURETIC

Fire FIRE Resembles fire (tejas) in quality - hot, sharp, penetrating, light, dry. SEE ALL 'FIRE' FOODS / HERBS

FIRE

Sattvic SATTVIC Sattvic foods promote awareness and a refreshed mind by nourishing the body without taxing digestion. Sattvic foods do not stimulate desire or nervous energy. They create clarity instead of drowsiness or heaviness. SEE ALL 'SATTVIC' FOODS / HERBS

SATTVIC

Digestive DIGESTIVE Herbs that encourage healthy digestion. SEE ALL 'DIGESTIVE' FOODS / HERBS

DIGESTIVE

Decongestant DECONGESTANT An herb that reduces mucus production often by restricting blood flow to mucus membranes. SEE ALL 'DECONGESTANT' FOODS / HERBS

DECONGESTANT

Bronchodilator BRONCHODILATOR An herb that encourages the widening or opening of the lung airways. They are helpful in wheezing and asthma. SEE ALL 'BRONCHODILATOR' FOODS / HERBS

BRONCHODILATOR

Antispasmodic ANTISPASMODIC Herbs that reduce or inhibit muscle spasms or cramping, such as in asthma, menstruation, heart palpitations, migraine, or IBS. SEE ALL 'ANTISPASMODIC' FOODS / HERBS

ANTISPASMODIC

Burns Toxins BURNS-TOXINS An herb that detoxifies by helping your body metabolize toxins, as opposed to eliminating them. SEE ALL 'BURNS-TOXINS' FOODS / HERBS

BURNS-TOXINS

Stimulates Energy STIMULATES-ENERGY This category groups thyroid and adrenal stimulating herbs. SEE ALL 'STIMULATES-ENERGY' FOODS / HERBS

STIMULATES-ENERGY

Cardiac Stimulant CARDIAC-STIMULANT Herbs that increase the heart rate. Useful in cardiovascular health, blood stagnation, and subjective feeling of heaviness in the chest area. SEE ALL 'CARDIAC-STIMULANT' FOODS / HERBS

CARDIAC-STIMULANT

Nervine NERVINE Balances the nervous system. They can help with stress, memory, early alzheimer's, and even chronic pain. Often they are aromatic in nature. SEE ALL 'NERVINE' FOODS / HERBS

NERVINE

Expectorant EXPECTORANT Expectorants help you eliminate mucus from the lungs. These herbs often work by increasing the quantity of mucus, or thinning the mucus. Expectorants are indicated when phlegm congests the lower respiratory tract. SEE ALL 'EXPECTORANT' FOODS / HERBS

EXPECTORANT

Blood Mover BLOOD-MOVER Blood movers improve circulation through these mechanisms: Cardiac stimulation (usually pungents), vasodilation (usually aromatics), or blood thinning (usually bitters). SEE ALL 'BLOOD-MOVER' FOODS / HERBS

BLOOD-MOVER

Anti Inflammatory ANTI-INFLAMMATORY Reduces inflammation in the body. Different herbs and carriers target different body systems. SEE ALL 'ANTI-INFLAMMATORY' FOODS / HERBS

ANTI-INFLAMMATORY

Blood Tonic BLOOD-TONIC An herb that produces more blood cells in the body, or otherwise improves blood cell quality or hemoglobin content. Helpful for anemia and other types of deficiency. SEE ALL 'BLOOD-TONIC' FOODS / HERBS

BLOOD-TONIC

Antitussive ANTITUSSIVE Cough suppressant, particularly for dry coughs or a tickle in your throat. SEE ALL 'ANTITUSSIVE' FOODS / HERBS

ANTITUSSIVE

Antimicrobial ANTIMICROBIAL An agent that kills microorganisms or inhibits their growth. Antimicrobial is an umbrella term that can be broken down into specific categories of target microorganism, such as anti-bacterials, fungals, and virals. SEE ALL 'ANTIMICROBIAL' FOODS / HERBS

ANTIMICROBIAL

Alterative ALTERATIVE Restores the proper function of the body by cleansing the blood and balancing blood chemistry. In Ayurveda terms, they pacify Pitta in rakta. They were traditionally used to revitalize and detoxify after a long winter. SEE ALL 'ALTERATIVE' FOODS / HERBS

ALTERATIVE

Adaptogen ADAPTOGEN Herbs that promote stabilization of physiological processes and homeostasis. Adaptogens increase the body's ability to resist the damaging effects of stress and promote or restore normal physiological functioning. SEE ALL 'ADAPTOGEN' FOODS / HERBS

ADAPTOGEN

Easy EASY Easy refers to anything easy to digest, or digests quickly. SEE ALL 'EASY' FOODS / HERBS

EASY

Light LIGHT Lightness is identified by reduced weight. SEE ALL 'LIGHT' FOODS / HERBS

LIGHT

Clear CLEAR Clear refers to anything that cleanses or flushes out wastes, or that digests ama. SEE ALL 'CLEAR' FOODS / HERBS

CLEAR

Dry DRY Dry is identified by lack of moisture, lack of fat, or anything that causes diuresis. SEE ALL 'DRY' FOODS / HERBS

DRY

Mobile MOBILE Mobile refers to anything that stimulates the nervous system, muscles, or activity. SEE ALL 'MOBILE' FOODS / HERBS

MOBILE

Hot HOT Hot is identified by increased body temperature, metabolism, or inflammation. SEE ALL 'HOT' FOODS / HERBS

HOT

Liquefied LIQUEFIED Substances that thin fluids (lower viscosity of blood plasma). These may include blood thinners or mucolytic herbs. SEE ALL 'LIQUEFIED' FOODS / HERBS

LIQUEFIED

Cold COLD Cold refers to anything that reduces body temperature, metabolism, and blood flow. SEE ALL 'COLD' FOODS / HERBS

COLD

Gooey GOOEY Gooey is identified by anything gelatinous (such as oatmeal), or by mucus congestion. SEE ALL 'GOOEY' FOODS / HERBS

GOOEY

Pungent PUNGENT Pungency is characterized by irritation, or sharp, spicy foods that irritate the mouth such as black pepper. SEE ALL 'PUNGENT' FOODS / HERBS

PUNGENT

Aromatic AROMATIC Herbs or spices with volatile essential oils that present strong aromas. Aromatic oils shock, refresh and numb tissue, with the end result of relaxing, opening and clearing stagnant fluids in tissues. SEE ALL 'AROMATIC' FOODS / HERBS

AROMATIC

Bitter BITTER Bitter taste has cholagogue action - it is cold, clear, light, and stimulating. It increases digestive enzymes and is laxative, and drying. SEE ALL 'BITTER' FOODS / HERBS

BITTER

Astringent ASTRINGENT Astringency is characterized by constriction, drawing together, or drying. SEE ALL 'ASTRINGENT' FOODS / HERBS

ASTRINGENT

Internal Detoxicant
INTERNAL-DETOXICANT
Liquefies, dissolves, decongests or dislodges internal stagnant toxins. Decongests the lymphatic system.
SEE ALL 'INTERNAL-DETOXICANT' FOODS / HERBS

Spleen Tonic
SPLEEN-TONIC
An herb that strengthens spleen function by improving strength of the blood. Spleen tonics Builds agni, brighten the person's appearances & firms up tissues.
SEE ALL 'SPLEEN-TONIC' FOODS / HERBS

Alkalizing
ALKALIZING
An herb or food that makes the urine more alkaline (higher pH). This herbal action can be helpful for a number of inflammatory conditions.
SEE ALL 'ALKALIZING' FOODS / HERBS

Prana
PRANA
Prana is the Sanskrit word for vital life energy (Qi in Chinese Medicine, pneuma in Greek). Many herbs stimulate your energy, or improve the flow of prana through your body. Generally, prana needs to be increased in spring after a sleepy winter.
SEE ALL 'PRANA' FOODS / HERBS

Diuretic
DIURETIC
Herbs that promote urine formation, thereby flushing the kidneys and urinary tract while eliminating any excess water retention. As diuretics reduce water retention, they are often used to reduce blood pressure.
SEE ALL 'DIURETIC' FOODS / HERBS

Fire
FIRE
Resembles fire (tejas) in quality - hot, sharp, penetrating, light, dry.
SEE ALL 'FIRE' FOODS / HERBS

Sattvic
SATTVIC
Sattvic foods promote awareness and a refreshed mind by nourishing the body without taxing digestion. Sattvic foods do not stimulate desire or nervous energy. They create clarity instead of drowsiness or heaviness.
SEE ALL 'SATTVIC' FOODS / HERBS

Digestive
DIGESTIVE
Herbs that encourage healthy digestion.
SEE ALL 'DIGESTIVE' FOODS / HERBS

Decongestant
DECONGESTANT
An herb that reduces mucus production often by restricting blood flow to mucus membranes.
SEE ALL 'DECONGESTANT' FOODS / HERBS

Bronchodilator
BRONCHODILATOR
An herb that encourages the widening or opening of the lung airways. They are helpful in wheezing and asthma.
SEE ALL 'BRONCHODILATOR' FOODS / HERBS

Antispasmodic
ANTISPASMODIC
Herbs that reduce or inhibit muscle spasms or cramping, such as in asthma, menstruation, heart palpitations, migraine, or IBS.
SEE ALL 'ANTISPASMODIC' FOODS / HERBS

Burns Toxins
BURNS-TOXINS
An herb that detoxifies by helping your body metabolize toxins, as opposed to eliminating them.
SEE ALL 'BURNS-TOXINS' FOODS / HERBS

Stimulates Energy
STIMULATES-ENERGY
This category groups thyroid and adrenal stimulating herbs.
SEE ALL 'STIMULATES-ENERGY' FOODS / HERBS

Cardiac Stimulant
CARDIAC-STIMULANT
Herbs that increase the heart rate. Useful in cardiovascular health, blood stagnation, and subjective feeling of heaviness in the chest area.
SEE ALL 'CARDIAC-STIMULANT' FOODS / HERBS

Nervine
NERVINE
Balances the nervous system. They can help with stress, memory, early alzheimer's, and even chronic pain. Often they are aromatic in nature.
SEE ALL 'NERVINE' FOODS / HERBS

Expectorant
EXPECTORANT
Expectorants help you eliminate mucus from the lungs. These herbs often work by increasing the quantity of mucus, or thinning the mucus. Expectorants are indicated when phlegm congests the lower respiratory tract.
SEE ALL 'EXPECTORANT' FOODS / HERBS

Blood Mover
BLOOD-MOVER
Blood movers improve circulation through these mechanisms: Cardiac stimulation (usually pungents), vasodilation (usually aromatics), or blood thinning (usually bitters).
SEE ALL 'BLOOD-MOVER' FOODS / HERBS

Anti Inflammatory
ANTI-INFLAMMATORY
Reduces inflammation in the body. Different herbs and carriers target different body systems.
SEE ALL 'ANTI-INFLAMMATORY' FOODS / HERBS

Blood Tonic
BLOOD-TONIC
An herb that produces more blood cells in the body, or otherwise improves blood cell quality or hemoglobin content. Helpful for anemia and other types of deficiency.
SEE ALL 'BLOOD-TONIC' FOODS / HERBS

Antitussive
ANTITUSSIVE
Cough suppressant, particularly for dry coughs or a tickle in your throat.
SEE ALL 'ANTITUSSIVE' FOODS / HERBS

Antimicrobial
ANTIMICROBIAL
An agent that kills microorganisms or inhibits their growth. Antimicrobial is an umbrella term that can be broken down into specific categories of target microorganism, such as anti-bacterials, fungals, and virals.
SEE ALL 'ANTIMICROBIAL' FOODS / HERBS

Alterative
ALTERATIVE
Restores the proper function of the body by cleansing the blood and balancing blood chemistry. In Ayurveda terms, they pacify Pitta in rakta. They were traditionally used to revitalize and detoxify after a long winter.
SEE ALL 'ALTERATIVE' FOODS / HERBS

Adaptogen
ADAPTOGEN
Herbs that promote stabilization of physiological processes and homeostasis. Adaptogens increase the body's ability to resist the damaging effects of stress and promote or restore normal physiological functioning.
SEE ALL 'ADAPTOGEN' FOODS / HERBS

Easy
EASY
Easy refers to anything easy to digest, or digests quickly.
SEE ALL 'EASY' FOODS / HERBS

Light
LIGHT
Lightness is identified by reduced weight.
SEE ALL 'LIGHT' FOODS / HERBS

Clear
CLEAR
Clear refers to anything that cleanses or flushes out wastes, or that digests ama.
SEE ALL 'CLEAR' FOODS / HERBS

Dry
DRY
Dry is identified by lack of moisture, lack of fat, or anything that causes diuresis.
SEE ALL 'DRY' FOODS / HERBS

Mobile
MOBILE
Mobile refers to anything that stimulates the nervous system, muscles, or activity.
SEE ALL 'MOBILE' FOODS / HERBS

Hot
HOT
Hot is identified by increased body temperature, metabolism, or inflammation.
SEE ALL 'HOT' FOODS / HERBS

Liquefied
LIQUEFIED
Substances that thin fluids (lower viscosity of blood plasma). These may include blood thinners or mucolytic herbs.
SEE ALL 'LIQUEFIED' FOODS / HERBS

Cold
COLD
Cold refers to anything that reduces body temperature, metabolism, and blood flow.
SEE ALL 'COLD' FOODS / HERBS

Gooey
GOOEY
Gooey is identified by anything gelatinous (such as oatmeal), or by mucus congestion.
SEE ALL 'GOOEY' FOODS / HERBS

Pungent
PUNGENT
Pungency is characterized by irritation, or sharp, spicy foods that irritate the mouth such as black pepper.
SEE ALL 'PUNGENT' FOODS / HERBS

Aromatic
AROMATIC
Herbs or spices with volatile essential oils that present strong aromas. Aromatic oils shock, refresh and numb tissue, with the end result of relaxing, opening and clearing stagnant fluids in tissues.
SEE ALL 'AROMATIC' FOODS / HERBS

Bitter
BITTER
Bitter taste has cholagogue action - it is cold, clear, light, and stimulating. It increases digestive enzymes and is laxative, and drying.
SEE ALL 'BITTER' FOODS / HERBS

Astringent
ASTRINGENT
Astringency is characterized by constriction, drawing together, or drying.
SEE ALL 'ASTRINGENT' FOODS / HERBS

Sweet
SWEET
Sweet refers to anything builds tissue, including macronutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins and fats.
SEE ALL 'SWEET' FOODS / HERBS

Acrid
ACRID
Acrid taste is a combination of bitter and pungent tastes. Example include radish, turnip, and coffee.
SEE ALL 'ACRID' FOODS / HERBS

Salty
SALTY
Salty refers to anything with salt, or high mineral content.
SEE ALL 'SALTY' FOODS / HERBS

Musky
MUSKY
Have an earthy smell to them, such as mushrooms.
SEE ALL 'MUSKY' FOODS / HERBS

Bland Negative Calorie
BLAND-NEGATIVE-CALORIE
The term "bland taste" refers, in Chinese medicine, to food containing few macronutrients, such as cabbage, radish or bok choy. These may be compared to negative calorie foods.
SEE ALL 'BLAND-NEGATIVE-CALORIE' FOODS / HERBS

Skin Care
SKIN-CARE
Includes skin care, and anything that nourishes epithelial membranes (of digestive, respiratory, urinary tract, blood vessels, etc).
SEE ALL 'SKIN-CARE' FOODS / HERBS

Energy Vitality
ENERGY-VITALITY
Includes vitality improving foods, herbs, and exercises by dosha.
SEE ALL 'ENERGY-VITALITY' FOODS / HERBS

Anti Aging
ANTI-AGING
Geriatric conditions typically involve low agni / metabolism, poor circulation, weakness & debility, muscle weakening, poor digestion, a drop in sex hormones, and connective tissue degradation in bones & skin.
SEE ALL 'ANTI-AGING' FOODS / HERBS

Expectorant
EXPECTORANT
Expectorants help you eliminate mucus from the lungs. These herbs often work by increasing the quantity of mucus, or thinning the mucus. Expectorants are indicated when phlegm congests the lower respiratory tract.
SEE ALL 'EXPECTORANT' FOODS / HERBS

Nervine
NERVINE
Balances the nervous system. They can help with stress, memory, early alzheimer's, and even chronic pain. Often they are aromatic in nature.
SEE ALL 'NERVINE' FOODS / HERBS

Bronchodilator
BRONCHODILATOR
An herb that encourages the widening or opening of the lung airways. They are helpful in wheezing and asthma.
SEE ALL 'BRONCHODILATOR' FOODS / HERBS

Anti Inflammatory
ANTI-INFLAMMATORY
Reduces inflammation in the body. Different herbs and carriers target different body systems.
SEE ALL 'ANTI-INFLAMMATORY' FOODS / HERBS

Cardiac Stimulant
CARDIAC-STIMULANT
Herbs that increase the heart rate. Useful in cardiovascular health, blood stagnation, and subjective feeling of heaviness in the chest area.
SEE ALL 'CARDIAC-STIMULANT' FOODS / HERBS

Antispasmodic
ANTISPASMODIC
Herbs that reduce or inhibit muscle spasms or cramping, such as in asthma, menstruation, heart palpitations, migraine, or IBS.
SEE ALL 'ANTISPASMODIC' FOODS / HERBS

Decongestant
DECONGESTANT
An herb that reduces mucus production often by restricting blood flow to mucus membranes.
SEE ALL 'DECONGESTANT' FOODS / HERBS

Alterative
ALTERATIVE
Restores the proper function of the body by cleansing the blood and balancing blood chemistry. In Ayurveda terms, they pacify Pitta in rakta. They were traditionally used to revitalize and detoxify after a long winter.
SEE ALL 'ALTERATIVE' FOODS / HERBS

Adaptogen
ADAPTOGEN
Herbs that promote stabilization of physiological processes and homeostasis. Adaptogens increase the body's ability to resist the damaging effects of stress and promote or restore normal physiological functioning.
SEE ALL 'ADAPTOGEN' FOODS / HERBS