Have you all tried loofah? But did you know that it also contains a medicinal herb?
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The “Good Medicine” Hidden in Dried Loofah
After the harvesting period, dried loofah, when peeled and seeded, becomes loofah fibers. It is not just a cleaning tool that the younger generation overlooks but is also a genuine medicinal material.
Loofah fibers can expel wind, invigorate blood, and promote lactation, and can also “cleanse” our internal meridians. Today, Dr. Liang will share the magical uses of loofah fibers.
Effects of Loofah Fibers
According to the “Compendium of Materia Medica”: “Dried loofah, when aged, has fibers that connect and penetrate the meridians and organs, thus it can unblock the meridians, eliminate toxins, reduce swelling, resolve phlegm, relieve pain, kill parasites, and treat various blood diseases.”
As noted in the “Materia Medica Simplified”: “Loofah fibers enter the meridians and dispel evil heat.” This means that loofah fibers can expel wind, unblock meridians, invigorate blood, and relieve heat.
One significant difference between TCM and Western medicine is the TCM concept of “taking images and comparing categories”. Ancient people understood the world by “observing the transformations of heaven and earth, and clarifying the natural principles of all things”.
Looking at loofah fibers, their winding and twisting pathways resemble the blood vessels and meridians of the human body, right?
Thus, it is very skilled at unblocking meridians, and has excellent regulating effects on various symptoms caused by stagnation of qi and blood, such as distension and pain, rheumatic pain, and numbness in the limbs.
Why are Loofah Fibers Essential for Chronic Illness?
In TCM, it is said: “Chronic illness enters the meridians.” Chronic diseases generally have a long course, are prolonged and difficult to cure, and not only gradually show symptoms of qi and blood deficiency and weak righteous qi, but the condition also penetrates into the meridians.
Loofah fibers focus on unblocking wind and dampness in the meridians, achieving the goal of unblocking meridians and invigorating blood, and are thus commonly used for regulating various chronic diseases.
Loofah Fibers in Combination Can Regulate Five Types of Illness
1. Loofah Fibers + Chai Hu (Bupleurum) — Chest and Rib Distension
Loofah fibers enter the liver meridian, and can invigorate blood and unblock meridians. When combined with Chai Hu, which soothes the liver and relieves depression, it can be used for distension and pain in the ribs caused by qi and blood stagnation.
We say the liver governs the smooth flow of qi; once liver qi is stagnant, the flow of blood is also affected, as stated in “Shou Shi Bao Yuan”: “When qi flows, blood flows; when qi stops, blood stops.”
Such individuals often present with chest and rib distension, wandering pain, irritability, or depression.
[Dosage]
Loofah fibers 9g, Chai Hu 9g, decoct in water for oral administration.
2. Loofah Fibers + Qin Jiao (Gentiana) — Rheumatic Pain
As people age, they are more prone to rheumatism, and the most common cause of rheumatism is blocked meridians, preventing yang qi from reaching the area, making it unable to resist the invasion of wind and dampness.
Loofah fibers can unblock the meridians, opening the pathway for qi and blood, and when combined with Qin Jiao, which can expel wind-damp and relieve pain, the effect is excellent.
[Dosage]
Loofah fibers 12g, Qin Jiao 9g, decoct in water for oral administration.
3. Loofah Fibers + Pu Gong Ying (Dandelion) — Mastitis
Postpartum women often experience “blocked milk” due to emotional reasons such as anger, which can develop into mastitis.
When angry, qi and blood become blocked, leading to pain; this stagnation can also transform into heat, and phlegm-heat can block the meridians, resulting in what is known as mastitis.
Loofah fibers can unblock the meridians, and when combined with Pu Gong Ying, which can clear heat and reduce swelling, it is most suitable for friends with mastitis.
[Dosage]
Loofah fibers 12g, Pu Gong Ying 12g, decoct in water for oral administration.
4. Loofah Fibers + Wang Bu Liu Xing (Vaccaria) — Insufficient Milk Postpartum
Childbirth is a process that consumes a lot of qi and blood, often accompanied by emotional changes.
With qi and blood already weak and stagnant, many women often encounter insufficient milk postpartum.
At this time, using loofah fibers, which are light and effective in unblocking the milk meridians is most appropriate, combined with Wang Bu Liu Xing, which invigorates blood and promotes lactation, can help remove stagnation and promote milk flow.
[Dosage]
Loofah fibers 6g, Wang Bu Liu Xing 6g, decoct in water for oral administration.
Appendix: Loofah Fiber and Carp Soup
[Ingredients]
Loofah fibers 30g, carp 500g, ginger, scallions, garlic, wine, and a little salt.
[Method]
Scale and gut the fish, wash it, and fry until both sides are golden. Add 800ml of water, bring to a boil, then add the washed and cut loofah fibers. Cook until the soup turns a milky white color, then turn off the heat.
[Dosage]
200ml each time, twice a day, for three to four days.
[Effects]
This soup has the function of unblocking meridians and promoting lactation, suitable for postpartum women with insufficient milk or blocked milk flow, nourishing without being greasy, and unblocking in moderation.
