Symptoms of Spleen and Stomach Deficiency Cold include:

1. Abdominal bloating and lack of appetite;

2. Stomach pain, which worsens when fasting;

3. Frequent diarrhea, especially after consuming cold or greasy foods;

4. Sensitivity to cold, with cold extremities during winter;

5. Women often experience blood clots during menstruation.

“All diseases arise from cold”; cold is the root of all troubles. To dispel cold and warm the body, one must start by warming the Spleen and Stomach.

To ensure the body is filled with “yang energy” and warm both internally and externally, the first step is to nourish the Spleen and Stomach, primarily through dietary supplementation. Below, I will introduce four recipes to warm and nourish the Spleen and Stomach.

First Recipe: “Pork Stomach and Cuttlefish Soup”

Pork Stomach and Cuttlefish Soup

In Chinese folklore, there is a saying, “to supplement form with form”; thus, to nourish the Spleen and Stomach, we use pork stomach.

Pork stomach is the stomach of the pig, which provides a rich source of meat for human consumption. Its stomach can be cooked into various delicacies and is also a primary ingredient in food therapy and medicinal cuisine, possessing high health and medicinal value.

Pork Stomach and Cuttlefish Soup

Ingredients: 1 cuttlefish with bones, half a pork stomach, 10 grams of almonds, 3 slices of ginger, and appropriate amounts of salt, peanut oil, and starch.

Preparation: Clean the cuttlefish and set aside. Turn the pork stomach inside out, rub it with peanut oil and starch for about 5 minutes to remove any odor, then rinse. Clean the almonds.

In a clay pot, add an appropriate amount of water, bring to a boil over high heat, then add all the ingredients, reduce to low heat, and simmer for 40 minutes until the cuttlefish and pork stomach are thoroughly cooked. Add salt to taste and simmer for a while before turning off the heat.

Nutritional Benefits: Warms and supplements the Spleen and Stomach, dispels cold.

The nutritional value of cuttlefish is also high, with benefits such as nourishing yin, enriching blood, supplementing the Spleen, benefiting the kidneys, and promoting blood circulation.

Do not remove the bones of the cuttlefish while making the soup, as cuttlefish bones are also a medicinal ingredient with hemostatic and astringent properties.

Second Recipe for Warming the Spleen and Stomach: Pea Glutinous Rice Porridge

Pea Glutinous Rice Porridge

To warm and supplement the Spleen and Stomach, glutinous rice is among the most effective grains. Glutinous rice has the effects of tonifying the middle, benefiting qi, strengthening the Spleen, nourishing the Stomach, and stopping spontaneous sweating. It is particularly effective for conditions caused by Spleen and Stomach deficiency cold, such as nausea, poor appetite, abdominal bloating, diarrhea, and qi deficiency leading to spontaneous sweating and shortness of breath.

Peas also have excellent therapeutic effects on Spleen and Stomach disharmony.

Now, let’s discuss the preparation of Pea Glutinous Rice Porridge:

Ingredients: 60 grams of peas, 15 jujubes, 100 grams of glutinous rice.

Preparation: Wash the glutinous rice and soak it in cold water for about 30 minutes. Wash the peas and soak them in warm water for about 30 minutes. Clean the jujubes and tear them into pieces. In a clay pot, add an appropriate amount of water and the above ingredients. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low heat and simmer until the glutinous rice is soft. Consume once in the morning and evening.

Nutritional Benefits: Warms and supplements the Spleen and Stomach, dispels cold.

This porridge includes jujubes, which have the effects of tonifying the middle, benefiting qi, nourishing blood, and calming the mind, enhancing the health benefits of this porridge.

Note: Glutinous rice is sticky and hard to digest, so it should not be consumed in excess at one time. Elderly individuals, children, or patients should avoid excessive consumption.

Third Recipe for Strengthening the Spleen and Dispelling Cold: Lotus Seed and Black Rice Porridge

Lotus Seed and Black Rice Porridge

We all know that lotus seeds are often used to nourish the heart and calm the mind. In addition to clearing the heart and relieving irritability, lotus seeds have another important function: they supplement the Spleen and benefit the kidneys.

Black rice is a variety of rice that has the effects of nourishing yin, promoting blood circulation, strengthening the Spleen, and warming the Stomach.

Now, let’s discuss the preparation of Lotus Seed and Black Rice Porridge:

Ingredients: 10-15 lotus seeds, 100 grams of black rice, 10 grams of longan meat, 5 jujubes.

Preparation: Wash the black rice and soak it in a small amount of hot water for 1 hour. Remove the core from the lotus seeds, wash them along with the other ingredients. In a clay pot, add an appropriate amount of water, then add the soaked black rice and its soaking water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then add the lotus seeds, jujubes, and longan meat, and simmer on low heat for 40-50 minutes.

Nutritional Benefits: Increases appetite, strengthens the Spleen and Stomach, warms the middle, and dispels cold.

This porridge includes lotus seeds and black rice, and the addition of longan meat and jujubes is to further supplement the Spleen and Stomach, enhancing the porridge’s ability to nourish the Spleen and Stomach. Additionally, the lotus seeds should have their cores removed, as the bitter taste of the lotus seed core has a cooling effect, which would diminish the warming benefits of the Lotus Seed and Black Rice Porridge.

This porridge can also be enhanced by adding brown rice and white rice for a more balanced nutrition.

Fourth Recipe: Ginkgo, Lotus Seed, and Black Chicken Soup

Ginkgo, Lotus Seed, and Black Chicken Soup

This soup contains lotus seeds and glutinous rice, while black chicken has the effects of nourishing yin, clearing heat, supplementing the liver and kidneys, and strengthening the Spleen and Stomach. Ginkgo also has high nutritional value, moistening the lungs and benefiting cardiovascular health.

How to prepare Ginkgo, Lotus Seed, and Black Chicken Soup?

Ingredients: 1 black chicken, 100 grams of lotus seeds, 10 ginkgo nuts per person, 50 grams of glutinous rice, and appropriate amounts of scallions, ginger, and cooking wine.

Preparation: Clean the black chicken, remove feathers and internal organs, blanch it in boiling water, then set aside. Wash the glutinous rice, lotus seeds, and ginkgo, and stuff them into the black chicken. Place the black chicken in a pot, add ginger, scallions, cooking wine, and enough water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low heat and simmer until the chicken is tender. Finally, add salt and other seasonings to taste.

Nutritional Benefits: Benefits qi, strengthens the Spleen, warms the middle, and nourishes the Stomach.