Snoring — TCM Food Therapy & Dietary Approach
In TCM, snoring involves the lung and is related to the spleen.
Traditional Chinese Medicine Patterns
In TCM, this concern is differentiated into several patterns, each with a classical herbal formula:
Phlegm-Damp Exuberance (Internal Obstruction of Phlegm-Damp)
Formula: Erchen Tang (Two-Cured Decoction) — from *Formulary of the Bureau of the People's Welfare Pharmacies*
Phlegm-Damp Exuberance with Stubborn Phlegm Firmly Retained
Formula: Daotan Tang (Guide Out Phlegm Decoction) — from *Formulas to Aid the Living*
Spleen deficiency with phlegm-dampness and wind-phlegm harassing the upper orifices
Formula: Banxia Baizhu Tianma Tang (Pinellia, Atractylodes Macrocephala and Gastrodia Decoction) — from *Yi Xue Xin Wu*
These formulas are for reference under TCM syndrome differentiation and should only be used under the guidance of a qualified practitioner.
Food Therapy & Diet
Dietary Therapy Recipes
- Chrysanthemum and Coix Seed Porridge: 9 g loquat leaf, 6 g chrysanthemum, 30 g coix seed, 50 g rice.
- Ginkgo and Lily Bulb with Asparagus: 200 g ginkgo nut, 100 g fresh lily bulb, 150 g asparagus.
- Atractylodes and Tangerine Peel Tea: 30 g white atractylodes (baizhu), 10 g tangerine peel. Decoct for half an hour and drink as tea.
- Sichuan Pepper Water: 5–10 Sichuan peppercorns. Steep in boiling water and drink before bedtime.
Dietary Principles
- Favor foods that fortify the spleen, dispel damp and resolve phlegm (coix seed, adzuki bean, white radish, tangerine peel, hawthorn, winter melon, lotus leaf, lily bulb).
- Favor a light diet and control body weight; reduce rich and sweet foods.
- Avoid rich, sweet, greasy and fried foods.
- Avoid phlegm-generating, damp-assisting foods (milk, peanut, jujube, mango, chocolate, shrimp and crab, alcohol).
- Avoid smoking, alcohol and eating a full meal before bed; sleeping on the side is advisable.
Understanding the Condition
In TCM, snoring involves the lung and is related to the spleen. Overeating rich and sweet foods may injure the spleen and stomach, accumulating damp into phlegm; phlegm-damp may then congest the throat and narrow the airway. Spleen-lung qi deficiency is the root, and exuberant phlegm-damp is the branch; obese people tend to have more phlegm-damp.
This content is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.