Coronavirus Diet

Eastern dietary therapy is one of the most powerful modalities within the Chinese medicine paradigm because you can implement changes on your own, with the correct guidance. In a time of chaos, there are few things that are as powerful as feeling like you have control over something.

In a recent blog post about Coronavirus from a Chinese medicine perspective, we learned that this virus primarily attacks the lung system, and is a damp pathogen in nature. From this information, we can match our diet to combat this pathogen. These dietary suggestions can be used for prevention or treatment of Coronavirus.

The basic dietary suggestions are that we want foods that expel pathogens and boost the immune system, which is our first line of defense; foods that transform dampness to prevent the cloying, sticky nature of COVID-19; and foods that specifically target and benefit the lung system.

Please keep in mind that these are general recommendations, and therefore some of the recommendations may not be beneficial to you. If you would like individualized suggestions, please get in touch.

  • Note: The most beneficial recommendations are bolded.

Vegetables:

  • Alfalfa Sprouts

  • Artichoke

  • Asparagus

  • Burdock Root

  • Carrots

  • Chives

  • Cilantro

  • Collard Greens

  • Cucumber (with peel)

  • Daikon Radish

  • Dandelion Greens — Found to be extremely effective inhibiting bacteria, virus, and fungus

  • Garlic

  • Jerusalem Artichoke

  • Kale

  • Lotus Root

  • Mushroom (Button, Reishi, ganoderma, shiitake, black, white)

  • Mustard Greens

  • Onion, Leek

  • Parsnip

  • Pumpkin, Winter Squash

  • Scallion (Green Onion)

  • Seaweed

  • Spinach

  • Summer Squash, Zucchini

  • Sweet Potato, Yam

  • Turnip

  • Water Chestnut

  • Watercress

  • Winter Melon

Fruits: Good for prevention and recovery phases of Coronavirus; Be cautious about consuming during initial/severe stage of COVID-19.

  • Apple

  • Apricot

  • Avocado

  • Banana

  • Cherry

  • Chinese Dates (Red or black jujube)

  • Chinese Prune (more sour than sweet, regular prunes are also beneficial)

  • Coconut

  • Fig

  • Goji Berry

  • Hawthorn Berry

  • Lemon, Limes

  • Loquat

  • Mango

  • Mulberry

  • Orange

  • Papaya

  • Peach

  • Pear

  • Persimmon

  • Plum

  • Pomegranate

  • Strawberry

  • Tangerine

Grains:

  • Amaranth

  • Barley

  • Rice

  • Spelt

  • Wheat Bran

Beans & Legumes:

  • Azuki Bean (Aduki, Red)

  • Garbanzo Bean (Chickpea)

  • Lima Bean

  • Mung Bean

  • Pinto Bean

  • Soybean

  • Tofu, Soybean Curd

Nuts & Seeds:

  • Almond

  • Cashew

  • Chestnut

  • Pecan

  • Pine Nut

  • Walnut

  • Winter Melon Seed

Meat, Fish, Poultry, & Animal Products:

  • Beef

  • Chicken

  • Chicken Egg

  • Duck

  • Fish

  • Pork

  • Quail Egg

Miscellaneous Foods, Herbs, & Beverages:

  • Basil

  • Black Fungus (Wood Ears)

  • Black Pepper

  • Brown Sugar, Turbinado

  • Cardamom Seed

  • Cinnamon

  • Cloves

  • Coffee

  • Ginger Root (Fresh)

  • Honey

  • Molasses

  • Olive

  • Rice Vinegar

  • Tea

  • White Fungus (Silver Ears)