Master Wen’s Words Making Traditional Chinese Medicine more beautiful, interesting, and closer to life
Previously, Master Wen mentioned sharing six types of health congee that received 100% positive reviews. Last time, due to space limitations, only four types were shared. Today, Master Wen continues from where he left off and shares the last two types of health congee. In addition to these six types, there is also a surprise at the end of the article, so stay tuned to find out what it is.Blood Stasis Constitution: Millet (小米) Huai Shan (怀山) Red Bean (红豆) Hawthorn (山楂) Safflower (红花) Rose (玫瑰) Jujube (大枣)People with this constitution often have unexplained bruises; experience blood clots during menstruation; have various sharp pains in the body; suffer from various cardiovascular diseases; have dark purple lips and thick, dark veins under the tongue; exhibit all three high conditions (hypertension, hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia); have red thread-like veins on the skin; and have various sequelae from serious injuries. If any of these conditions apply, it indicates blood stasis. Blood deficiency, liver qi stagnation, qi deficiency, phlegm dampness, cold, heat, etc., can all lead to blood stasis. Red beans are red in color, corresponding to the heart among the five organs, which governs blood vessels, making red beans a great food for nourishing blood; hawthorn can help digest food, transform phlegm dampness, and is particularly effective in resolving blood stasis caused by high blood lipids; flowers grow at the top of plants and represent a blooming state, so flowers used in medicine generally have dispersing effects, and safflower, being red and entering the heart, can disperse blood stasis, especially effective for resolving facial blood stasis, which often manifests as spots on the face that women dislike; rose, a favorite among women, is known in TCM to soothe the liver and relieve depression, making it effective for resolving blood stasis caused by liver qi stagnation; jujube can both nourish blood and strengthen the spleen, as the spleen and stomach are the source of qi and blood production, and combined with Huai Shan, which nourishes the spleen and stomach, it benefits all types of blood stasis constitutions.Blood Deficiency Constitution: Millet (小米) Huai Shan (怀山) Red Bean (红豆) Jujube (红枣) Red-skinned Peanut (红皮花生) Goji Berries (枸杞) (optional: with brown sugar) The most obvious manifestation of blood deficiency is a lack of color in the face, appearing pale rather than rosy; the body reacts to external temperature changes, feeling particularly hot in the heat and particularly cold in the cold; easy fatigue and poor memory; palpitations and insomnia with vivid dreams; scanty and light menstruation; pale tongue coating without color. If you identify with several of these characteristics, you likely have a blood deficiency constitution. A superb dietary remedy for blood deficiency is the Five Red Soup (五红汤), which consists of five red ingredients. In TCM, the five colors correspond to the five organs, and red corresponds to the heart, which governs blood vessels, so regularly consuming red foods has a blood-nourishing effect. Red beans can nourish heart blood and drain heart fire, expelling damp heat from the heart. The popular red bean and coix seed tea and the three-bean drink, which cools fever, nourishes yin, and calms the spirit, utilize this property of red beans. Jujube is red on the outside and yellow on the inside, nourishing both heart and spleen blood. Red-skinned peanuts, fragrant and red, nourish the spleen and heart, similar to jujubes, and can also nourish blood and strengthen the spleen. Goji berries are excellent for nourishing the liver and kidneys; in TCM, nourishing blood is equivalent to nourishing the liver and kidneys, as the liver stores blood and the kidneys store essence, with the kidneys being the ‘mother’ of the liver, hence the saying ‘essence and blood share the same source.’ Therefore, nourishing the liver and kidneys with goji berries also nourishes blood. The spleen and stomach are the source of qi and blood production; without a healthy spleen and stomach, even the best ingredients cannot yield good results, so it is also essential to use Huai Shan to nourish the spleen and stomach. When the spleen and stomach function well, qi and blood will flourish. Brown sugar is a standard for all women to nourish blood; if you enjoy sweetness, you can add a piece of brown sugar to the health congee for flavor. Additionally, over 90% of the female friends who come to Master Wen’s place are troubled by insomnia, so at the end, Master Wen will share a congee recipe to aid sleep, hoping that everyone can enjoy good sleep after drinking this congee.Sleep-Aiding Congee: Millet (小米) Huai Shan (怀山) Lotus Seed (莲子) Lily Bulb (百合) Sour Jujube Seed (酸枣仁) Generally speaking, insomnia must be addressed by calming the heart, as the heart houses the spirit in our five organs, and the heart is the palace where our original spirit resides. In the five elements, the heart corresponds to fire, and to sleep at night, it needs to harmonize with kidney water. If this palace is always in a burning state, the spirit cannot stay, and one cannot sleep soundly. Therefore, this congee is primarily aimed at reducing heart fire and nourishing heart yin. Lotus seeds and lily bulbs are a classic combination; the bitter lotus seed heart can calm heart fire and has a sedative effect; lily bulbs can moisten the lungs and nourish lung yin. In the five elements, the lungs correspond to metal and the liver to wood, with metal controlling wood, so nourishing lung yin can help calm excess liver fire. When liver fire is reduced, heart fire is less likely to be strong. Sour jujube seeds are commonly used for sleep aid, known as the ‘Oriental sleeping fruit,’ and are very effective for calming the spirit and aiding sleep, especially for those who feel very tired but cannot sleep. Huai Shan can nourish spleen yin, lung yin, and kidney yin; when kidney yin is nourished, the heart and kidneys harmonize, allowing water and fire to balance, making it easier to sleep. This is the seven types of health congee shared by Master Wen. The specific amounts of ingredients are not clearly stated, so everyone can adjust according to their needs, as they are all food ingredients, and there is no need to worry about the quantity. The saying goes, ‘slow and steady wins the race.’ Everyone should persist in having a good breakfast and consuming whole grains, and surprises will gradually come your way.Author: Master Wen’s Disciple Da QiSpecial Reminder: A beautiful day begins! I hope Master Wen’s article brings you a good mood for the day. If you like the article, don’t forget toclick the “Looking” button at the bottom right of the article or share it with your friends!. The recipes shared by Master Wen should be taken under the guidance of a physician, and any consequences are at your own risk. Due to limited energy and ability, Master Wen cannot reply to all messages, please forgive him. May you become your own divine doctor.Benefits are here!: Open the public account dialogue box and enter “irregular menstruation,” “cold,” “hair loss,” “cold hands and feet,” “stomach pain,” “liver qi stagnation,” “injured essence,” “upper heat and lower cold,” “spleen and stomach,” “insomnia,” “dampness removal,” “qi and blood,” “weight loss,” “constipation,” “diarrhea,” “kidney deficiency,” “acne removal,” “cough,” “nasal inflammation,” “cervical spine,” “depression” to obtain corresponding conditioning recipes.
