January 14, Saturday
23rd day of the twelfth lunar month in the Year of the Water Tiger
Today is the Little New Year
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Famous physician Zhu Danxi from the Jin-Yuan dynasty believed that after the age of 60, “both essence and blood are depleted, and in daily life, there are already signs of heat.” He noted that elderly individuals often exhibit symptoms of Yin deficiency and internal heat. The winter climate can lead to dryness, and when the external environment is dry, it affects the internal bodily environment, causing bodily fluids to continuously deplete, leading to insufficient fluids. At this time, middle-aged and elderly individuals, especially those with Yin deficiency and poor spleen and stomach function, are prone to severe constipation, and some may also experience dry cough.
For such individuals, dietary therapy should focus on nourishing Yin during winter, frequently consuming foods that nourish Yin and provide benefits. Foods such as almonds and pine nuts, which are moistening and rich in fats, can be included. Additionally, it is essential to replenish Qi and blood from the root. When constipation becomes unbearable, one might try today’s recipe for a soup that moistens the intestines, promotes bowel movements, nourishes deficiencies, and nourishes the lungs and Yin—Shuang Ren Pork Soup.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients: 15g Huoma Ren (Hemp Seed), 15g Tian Xing Ren (Sweet Almond), 200g Pork Loin.
Supporting Ingredients: 3 slices of Ginger, appropriate amount of Salt.
Put care and love into the pot, following the bubbling broth, experiencing the sweetness and bitterness, allowing the fragrance to permeate as it slowly nourishes over low heat. Each soup has a different aroma, but the rhythm of the bubbling remains unchanged, bubbling like pearls, stirring the clouds with the ladle, showcasing the ingredients from all corners of the world. Let us feel the joy of soup in the video.
Video Tutorial
☝ Click to view the detailed cooking tutorial video
Soup
Message
The oil and fragrance of the dried fruits are overflowing, the salty aroma of the soup reflects a hint of sweetness, and the pork loin is wrapped in tenderness, allowing us to experience a double delight, intoxicating and unforgettable, with endless aftertastes.
♡ Huoma Ren (Hemp Seed): Sweet in flavor, neutral in nature, enters the Spleen, Stomach, and Large Intestine meridians. It can moisten the intestines and promote bowel movements, used for blood deficiency and fluid depletion, and dry constipation. “Bie Lu” states: “It is used for wind stroke with sweating, expelling water, benefiting urination, breaking up stagnant blood, restoring blood vessels, and for postpartum issues in women.” “Ben Cao Shu” states: “Hemp seed is not a blood medicine but has the ability to transform blood fluids; it does not benefit Qi but has the function of moving Qi, thus it is most suitable for wind dryness in the large intestine. The wind treated by hemp seed is the wind in the blood, not a general treatment for wind, and its ability to treat wind is due to its oily nature that moistens and eliminates dryness, transforming from the utmost Yang to the utmost Yin, not merely relying on oil to achieve its effects.”
♡ Tian Xing Ren (Sweet Almond): Sweet and neutral in flavor, enters the Lung and Large Intestine meridians, nourishes Yin and supplements the lungs, commonly used in dietary therapy for dry cough, consumptive cough, moistens the intestines and promotes bowel movements, and nourishes the skin.
♡ Pork Loin: Sweet and salty in flavor, slightly cold in nature, enters the Spleen, Stomach, and Kidney meridians. It supplements the kidneys, nourishes Yin, moistens dryness, benefits Qi, and reduces swelling. Commonly used for kidney deficiency, emaciation, dry blood and fluids, dry cough, thirst, constipation, and deficiency edema.
Tips
Huoma Ren is a laxative and moistening herb, more suitable for those with blood deficiency and constipation, but it is not recommended for the very elderly or frail, as excessive use can lead to toxicity. The typical dietary dosage is generally 10-15g, and the outer shell should be removed before use. Use it until effective, and do not use it long-term, as it may damage the stomach Qi and Zheng Qi. Those with spleen and kidney deficiency leading to loose stools, impotence, nocturnal emissions, or leukorrhea should use it cautiously. It is not recommended for children, pregnant women, menstruating women, or nursing mothers without medical advice.
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Famous physician Zhang Jingyue stated: “If the lower burner is Yin deficient, then essence and blood become dry; if essence and blood are dry, then fluids do not reach the intestines, leading to dryness and constipation. Therefore… to treat Yin deficiency and constipation, one must strengthen the water, and the flow will naturally resume.” He also said: “Elderly individuals with constipation are mostly due to dry blood. When a person reaches forty, the Yin energy is halved, leading to gradual Yin deficiency. Furthermore, as one ages, they become weaker, and essence and blood are consumed daily, thus many exhibit symptoms of dryness and constipation. The method to treat this is simple: nourish the deficient and moisten the dry.”
This tells us that as middle-aged and elderly individuals age, their bodies gradually decline, and Yin deficiency increases, often leading to dry constipation, mostly caused by the consumption of essence and blood leading to blood deficiency. At this time, one should not directly use overly purgative medicines, as this often leads to further deficiency. The focus should be on fundamentally replenishing Qi and blood. Middle-aged and elderly individuals should regularly consume foods that replenish Qi and blood. In cases of severe constipation, Huoma Ren, as a food and medicinal substance (both food and medicinal material), when used in moderation, can moisten without overdoing it, not only promoting bowel movements but also having the ability to nourish and replenish deficiencies, can be used in this dietary soup to moisten. The details of ingredient preparation for this soup will be explained in the following steps.
Step One
Wash the sweet almonds and soak them for a while.
Step Two
Whether using shelled Huoma Ren or unshelled Huoma Ren purchased from the pharmacy, lightly stir-fry them over low heat to enhance the oil’s fragrance. If using unshelled Huoma Ren, stir-frying makes it easier to crush and remove the toxic outer shell. After removing the shell, add them to the soup bag.
Step Three
Add the whole piece of pork loin to cold water, add ginger slices and cooking wine to remove the fishy smell, blanch to remove blood, and wash with warm water.
Step Four
Add the processed pork loin, Huoma Ren, sweet almonds, and ginger slices to the soup pot, add about 5 bowls of water, bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low heat, cover, and simmer for 1.5-2 hours.
Step Five
Finally, add an appropriate amount of salt.
Common Questions
Q
What is the difference between sweet almonds and bitter almonds?
A
Bitter almonds, also known as (North Almond), are bitter in taste, warm in nature, and slightly toxic, mainly used for medicinal purposes. They enter the Lung and Large Intestine meridians, can descend Lung Qi, clear and open the airways, and stop coughs and wheezing. They can be used for all types of coughs, regardless of duration, cold or heat, deficiency or excess, and whether there is an external pathogen. Due to their high oil content, they can also descend Qi, moisten the intestines, and promote bowel movements, commonly used for dry constipation. However, bitter almonds should not be used in large quantities at once; they must be peeled and cooked, with a recommended dosage not exceeding 9g at a time.
Sweet almonds, also known as (South Almond), are sweet and neutral in flavor, non-toxic, and mainly used for food. They are more moistening, with medicinal properties similar to bitter almonds, but their medicinal potency is weaker and acts more gently, leaning towards moistening the lungs and stopping coughs, with slightly weaker ability to relieve constipation.
Q
Can bitter almonds be used instead of sweet almonds?
A
In this soup, Huoma Ren has a relatively strong effect on moistening the intestines and promoting bowel movements, hence the choice of the milder sweet almonds. If constipation is severe and there are also cough symptoms, bitter almonds can be used, but the dosage should be controlled to within 9g.
Q
How can vegetarians substitute?
A
Vegetarians can omit the pork loin from this soup; they can also use 15g of Huoma Ren (stir-fried and shelled) and add it to glutinous rice to make porridge. Follow the dietary restrictions for Huoma Ren mentioned in the tips.
Q
How to determine blood deficiency and constipation?
A
In cases of constipation, there are three types of deficiency: Qi deficiency, Yang deficiency, and blood deficiency. The most straightforward method is to seek medical consultation for targeted treatment and supplementation. Elderly individuals often experience constipation due to dry blood, Yin deficiency, poor spleen and stomach function, and environmental factors, leading to Qi stagnation and constipation. Blood deficiency constipation may also present with pale complexion, pale lips, palpitations, insomnia, lower back pain, fatigue, pale tongue, cold hands and feet, overall coldness, dry skin, and a tendency to be quiet.
Q
Can this soup be consumed continuously?
A
This soup is used to relieve constipation caused by blood deficiency; use it until effective, and do not consume it long-term to avoid damaging the spleen and stomach Qi and creating dependency. After constipation is relieved, dietary therapy should focus on addressing the root cause of Qi and blood deficiency, emphasizing the consumption of foods that replenish Qi and blood.
Have you learned it?
Zi
Qing
Heart Words
Those who can perceive the essence are few, while many are deceived by appearances. Things are often recognized by their appearances rather than their essence. Traditional Chinese Medicine emphasizes “treating the symptoms urgently, but addressing the root cause slowly” and also states, “the foundation of health must rely on food; the speed of disease relief must depend on medicine.” We should apply this thinking to dietary therapy and health maintenance. Currently, using slightly “stronger” substances can alleviate urgent issues, while in the future, we should nourish and replenish what is deficient.
This issue ends here. In the next issue, Zi Qing will guide everyone in making a soup that is very suitable for winter, especially during grand festivals when the diet is heavy and Yin deficiency and internal heat are exacerbated, as well as for those who often stay up late, nourishing liver blood and kidney Yin with cuttlefish soup. Let us nourish Yin while savoring the taste of the sea; you must not miss it. Goodbye.
— THE END —
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