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Introduction: Learn the dietary therapy recipes provided by Mr. Cai Fuyang to aid in the treatment and rehabilitation of ear, nose, and throat diseases.

Due to their unique physiological, pathological characteristics, and anatomical locations, most ear, nose, and throat diseases are difficult to cure and prone to recurrence.

In recent years, based on the diagnostic and therapeutic characteristics of otolaryngological diseases, we have developed a series of dietary therapy rehabilitation measures, which have also achieved good results in clinical application.

Tinnitus

1. Medicinal Tea

(1) Cassia seed 30g, decocted to make tea for drinking.

(2) 50 grams of wolfberries, decocted to make tea.

(3) 100 grams of black sesame seeds, decocted to make tea.

II. Medicinal Porridge

(1) Dodder Seed Porridge: 30~60 grams of dodder seeds, crushed, decocted in water to extract the juice, discard the dregs, add 60 grams of japonica rice to cook porridge. When the porridge is nearly done, add sugar, simmer briefly, and consume. One course of treatment lasts 7~10 days, suitable for tinnitus due to kidney essence deficiency.

(2) Divine Immortal Porridge: 60 grams of prepared fleeceflower root, 12 pitted red dates, 60 grams of rice; cook into porridge, season, and consume on an empty stomach. Used for blood deficiency tinnitus.

(3) Acorus Calamus Soup: Finely chop 1 pair of pig kidneys, 60 grams of Acorus tatarinowii (soaked in rice water overnight first, then dried and sliced), 90 grams of japonica rice; cook into porridge, season, and consume.

Used for internal dampness stagnation, with tinnitus sounding like wind and water.

(4) Cistanche Stewed with Sheep Kidney: Each time use 15–30 grams of Cistanche deserticola, 1 pair of sheep kidneys; stew into soup, season, and consume. Used for kidney deficiency tinnitus.

(5) Kidney-Nourishing Walnut Powder: Grind walnut meat into powder, mix with granulated sugar. Take 10g each time, 1-2 times daily. Functions to tonify the kidneys and replenish essence.

(6) Mulberry Porridge: Cook 30g of mulberries (Sangren) with 60g of rice into porridge, add an appropriate amount of white sugar and consume. Used for tinnitus due to liver blood deficiency.

Meniere's Disease

I. Medicinal Teas

(1) Codonopsis pilosula 15-30g, Chinese dates 5-10 pieces, dried tangerine peel 2-3g, decoct and drink as tea. Used for dizziness caused by deficiency of qi and blood.

(2) Green tea 3g, chrysanthemum flowers 3g, pagoda tree flowers 3g, steep in boiling water and drink as tea. Used for dizziness caused by hyperactivity of liver yang.

II. Medicinal Foods

(1) Stewed Squab with Northern Astragalus and Wolfberry: Northern Astragalus 30g, wolfberry 30g, one squab (de-feathered and gutted), place in a stewing pot with an appropriate amount of water, steam over water until cooked, and consume.

Helps nourish kidney qi, promotes essence production, and supports yang functions, suitable for dizziness caused by kidney yang deficiency or insufficient kidney essence.

(2) Gastrodia Stewed with Pig Brain: Take 10 grams of gastrodia (天麻) and one pig brain, add an appropriate amount of water, and steam in a clay pot over water until cooked for consumption.

Helps dispel wind, open the orifices, promote blood circulation, and calm the mind, suitable for dizziness caused by hyperactivity of liver yang.

(3) Wolfberry Stewed with Sheep Brain: Take 30 grams of wolfberry (枸杞子) and one sheep brain, add an appropriate amount of water, steam until cooked, season, and consume.

It has the effect of tonifying the liver and kidneys, replenishing the brain, and calming the mind, and is suitable for dizziness caused by kidney deficiency or deficiency of qi and blood.

(4) Kumquat Root Stewed Pig Stomach: 30g kumquat root, 100–150g pig stomach cut into small pieces, add 4 bowls of water, decoct until 1.5 bowls remain, then consume.

It has the effects of regulating and descending qi, smoothing qi and resolving phlegm, and strengthening the spleen, and is suitable for dizziness caused by blockage of turbid phlegm.

Nasal polyp

(1) Magnolia Flower Lung-Clearing Decoction: Magnolia flower 12g, raw licorice root 9g, anemarrhena rhizome 10g, gardenia fruit 10g, skullcap root 10g, loquat leaf 10g, ophiopogon tuber 10g. Decoct in water and drink as tea. Used for nasal polyps of lung channel heat exuberance type.

(2) Tonifying Deficiency and Strengthening Qi Congee: Astragalus root 30g, ginseng 10g, polished round-grained rice 100g, white sugar appropriate amount.

Slice the astragalus root and ginseng, soak in cold water for half an hour, then bring to a boil in an earthenware pot. After decocting to obtain a concentrated liquid, remove the dregs. Add the dregs to cold water again and decoct to obtain another portion of liquid. Combine the medicinal liquids, then cook with the polished rice and water to make congee. Take on an empty stomach in the morning and evening.

Function: Strengthens the spleen and supplements qi. Used for nasal polyps of lung-spleen qi deficiency type.

Pharyngitis

I. Herbal Teas

(1) Boat-fruited Sterculia Seed Drink: Take 5 pieces of boat-fruited sterculia seeds and an appropriate amount of white sugar. Brew with boiling water and drink as a tea.

Function: Clears the lungs and benefits the throat, used for dry throat, swelling, pain, and hoarseness caused by lung heat.

(2) Throat-Relief Tea: 15g honeysuckle flowers, 12g chrysanthemum flowers, 10g each of platycodon root, ophiopogon root, and scrophularia root, 3g oxalis seeds, 6g licorice root, and 3 dried boat-fruited sterculia seeds. Simmer gently over low heat or steep in boiling water, and drink as a tea.

Function: Nourishes yin, promotes fluid production, soothes the throat, and moistens the larynx. Used for chronic pharyngitis due to lung yin deficiency.

(1) Rehmannia Flower Congee: A suitable amount of rehmannia flowers and 100g millet.

Usage: First, dry the Dihuang flowers in the shade, crush them into powder, and use 3 grams each time. Then cook millet into porridge; when it is almost done, add the Dihuang flower powder, stir well, and bring to a boil again. Serve as desired for breakfast or dinner.

(2) Yuzhu Porridge: 15–20 grams of Yuzhu (Polygonatum odoratum) (30–60 grams for fresh), 100 grams of japonica rice, a small amount of rock sugar.

Usage: First, wash fresh Yuzhu, remove the fibrous roots, chop finely, and decoct to obtain a concentrated juice before discarding the dregs; or decoct dried Yuzhu in water and discard the dregs. Add japonica rice and an appropriate amount of water to cook into a thin porridge. Once the porridge is done, add rock sugar and simmer for a moment until it boils once or twice. Consume in portions.

Three. Medicinal Diets

Steamed Tea Crucian Carp: 30g green tea, 500g crucian carp.

Preparation Method: Remove the gills, intestines, and internal organs from the crucian carp, leaving the scales on, and clean it; stuff the fish cavity with green tea, place it on a plate, and steam in a pot for 8–10 minutes until thoroughly cooked. Eat the fish meat plain.

Otitis Media

I. Medicinal Porridges

Yam and Coix Seed Porridge: 30 grams each of yam and coix seed, 15 grams of lotus seeds (with core removed), 10 large red dates, 50–100 grams of millet, and an appropriate amount of white sugar. Cook together into porridge and consume on an empty stomach.

Function: Dampness elimination and spleen strengthening. Suitable for otitis media of the spleen deficiency with dampness encumbrance type.

II. Medicinal Dishes

(1) Carp Soup: 1000g carp, 15g Sichuan peppercorns, appropriate amounts of coriander, long pepper, ginger, green onion, cooking wine, MSG, etc.

Remove scales, gills and internal organs from the carp, wash and cut into 3cm cubes. Cut the green onion into sections, smash the ginger, then put them together with long pepper and carp into a pot. Add appropriate amount of water, bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low heat and simmer for about 40 minutes. When serving, add coriander, cooking wine, vinegar and MSG to taste. Drink the soup and eat the fish.

Function: Fortify the spleen and drain dampness, suitable for otitis media of spleen deficiency with dampness exuberance pattern.

(2) Loach Stewed with Tofu: Loach 500g, tofu 250g, a small amount of salt.

Remove the gills, intestines, and internal organs of the loach, wash thoroughly, place in a pot, add a small amount of salt and appropriate amount of water, and stew until half-cooked. Wash the tofu, cut into large square pieces, add to the loach soup, and continue stewing until the fish is thoroughly cooked and tender.

Function: Clear heat and drain dampness, suitable for otitis media of damp-heat accumulation pattern.