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Get set for some spring energy
By Zhang Qian |
March 9, 2011, Wednesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
SPRING is coming. The temperature is rising, the sun is shining and yang (hot) energy is surging in the universe. It's time for a new health regime - including a new diet.
With all the nasty germs and creatures waking up and starting to sprout, nutritious foods that help boost energy inside the human body are also necessary in this season.
TCM believes that yang energy grows rapidly in spring as the universe revives. And according to the theory of correspondence between human beings and the universe, the energy also expands naturally in the human body. However, people should be alert as it may expand in an imbalanced way.
According to TCM, yang energy in the liver grows more vigorously than in other organs in spring. If it grows too quickly and upsets the balance, the excessive yang energy in the liver will disrupt the normal circulation of energy and blood, and hurt other organs, especially the spleen.
"In that case, reinforcement with food is still recommended in spring, but a different strategy should be adopted -- a mild diet that nourishes the liver while controlling the yang energy in it and reinforces the spleen," says Dr Zhang Zhenxian, director of the Special Medical Care Department of Yueyang Western and TCM Hospital. Yang energy foods such as mutton and hot pot should not be eaten in spring. They are good in winter, but too strong for spring. Milder foods such as pork, carp and weever fish are more suitable.
Too much yang energy without sufficient nutrition will burden the liver itself and cause a weak liver. People may often feel thirsty and find they have dry lips and throat, and sometimes high blood pressure relapses. To restrict the over-active yang energy in the liver, certain pathogenic-heat-repelling foods are recommended as part of the diet during spring. These include pear, pearl barley, eggplant, loquat, chufa, shepherd's purse, spinach and celery.
"Eating less sour foods and more sweet foods is appropriate in spring, as it can help reinforce spleen energy," said Sun Simiao, a famous TCM doctor during the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907) in his masterpiece "Qianjin Yaofang" (Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Gold).
The "sweet food" in TCM does not refer to cuisine with a lot of sugar, but those natural foods that taste a bit sweet and can help benefit spleen and stomach. Yam, jujube and honey are on the top of the list.
Yam is especially effective in reinforcing energy and benefiting the spleen. Eating it often also helps improve immunity. Those who suffer night sweats and frequent colds should include more yam in their diet.
Jujube is not only good for the spleen but also helps perfect skin as it can nourish blood. That makes it an ideal choice for women. Jujube can also be made into a delicious desert together with white fungus and lotus seeds.
Honey, as a reinforcing food for spleen and stomach in TCM, is also nutritionally rich with various mineral substances and vitamins. Eating a cup of water mixed with one to two spoons of honey is especially recommended as it can help improve immunity and bowel movement.
Though most people feel invigorated in warming spring weather, there are people who feel tired and listless. It is a common symptom in spring when the body fails to adjust to the warmer weather, and it happens more often to the elderly, the sub-healthy and those who suffer from chronic ailments.
Fresh vegetables, especially those in red and dark green color, can help accelerate metabolism and thus relieve the fatigue. These include spinach, cleome (spider flower), pumpkin, tomato and carrot.
Vegetables in season are often more recommended, as they are believed to contain the "right" energy for the time. Xiang chun (Chinese toon), bean sprout, pea sprout and lettuce are all good seasonal foods which can help the body adjust to spring.
Seasoning ingredients such as green onion, ginger and garlic are also at their best in spring. They can help improve appetite and assist yang energy expanding in the body. They are also helpful in preventing respiratory inflammation common in spring according to their sterilization function.
As temperatures climb, germs and insects also enter their revival time so more caution should be taken in food storage.
Adding certain herbs to cuisine can usually help reinforcement in spring. There are certain patent medicine cuisine ingredients available in the market and some TCM pharmacies, which make it easier.
Ju huang cha (chrysanthemum king tea)
Ingredients: chrysanthemum, wolfberry fruits, lotus seeds, dried orange peels, liquorice and pang da hai (boat sterculia seed)
Preparations: Pour the ingredients with hot water.
Benefits: The chrysanthemum and wolfberry fruits can help nourish the liver while improving eye condition and relieving dizziness. Pang da hai and liquorice can help move bowels and nourish lungs. And they can also work with chrysanthemum in dispelling pathogenic heat. Both orange peel and lotus seeds can help benefit the spleen.
Yam, wolfberry fruits and duck soup
Ingredients: longan, yam, wolfberry fruits, lily root and dried orange peel, 700-gram duck
Preparations: 1. Bring about 3 liters of water to a quick boil in a saucepan.
2. Put the duck and herbal ingredients in and cook at high heat until the water boils again.
3. Keep cooking on medium heat for 90 minutes and turn to a gentle heat for another 90 minutes.
4. Filter the herbs and add oil and salt to season.
5. Serves about 3-4 people.
Benefits: Help reinforce the spleen, benefit lungs, nourish liver and kidney and perfect skin.
With all the nasty germs and creatures waking up and starting to sprout, nutritious foods that help boost energy inside the human body are also necessary in this season.
TCM believes that yang energy grows rapidly in spring as the universe revives. And according to the theory of correspondence between human beings and the universe, the energy also expands naturally in the human body. However, people should be alert as it may expand in an imbalanced way.
According to TCM, yang energy in the liver grows more vigorously than in other organs in spring. If it grows too quickly and upsets the balance, the excessive yang energy in the liver will disrupt the normal circulation of energy and blood, and hurt other organs, especially the spleen.
"In that case, reinforcement with food is still recommended in spring, but a different strategy should be adopted -- a mild diet that nourishes the liver while controlling the yang energy in it and reinforces the spleen," says Dr Zhang Zhenxian, director of the Special Medical Care Department of Yueyang Western and TCM Hospital. Yang energy foods such as mutton and hot pot should not be eaten in spring. They are good in winter, but too strong for spring. Milder foods such as pork, carp and weever fish are more suitable.
Too much yang energy without sufficient nutrition will burden the liver itself and cause a weak liver. People may often feel thirsty and find they have dry lips and throat, and sometimes high blood pressure relapses. To restrict the over-active yang energy in the liver, certain pathogenic-heat-repelling foods are recommended as part of the diet during spring. These include pear, pearl barley, eggplant, loquat, chufa, shepherd's purse, spinach and celery.
"Eating less sour foods and more sweet foods is appropriate in spring, as it can help reinforce spleen energy," said Sun Simiao, a famous TCM doctor during the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907) in his masterpiece "Qianjin Yaofang" (Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Gold).
The "sweet food" in TCM does not refer to cuisine with a lot of sugar, but those natural foods that taste a bit sweet and can help benefit spleen and stomach. Yam, jujube and honey are on the top of the list.
Yam is especially effective in reinforcing energy and benefiting the spleen. Eating it often also helps improve immunity. Those who suffer night sweats and frequent colds should include more yam in their diet.
Jujube is not only good for the spleen but also helps perfect skin as it can nourish blood. That makes it an ideal choice for women. Jujube can also be made into a delicious desert together with white fungus and lotus seeds.
Honey, as a reinforcing food for spleen and stomach in TCM, is also nutritionally rich with various mineral substances and vitamins. Eating a cup of water mixed with one to two spoons of honey is especially recommended as it can help improve immunity and bowel movement.
Though most people feel invigorated in warming spring weather, there are people who feel tired and listless. It is a common symptom in spring when the body fails to adjust to the warmer weather, and it happens more often to the elderly, the sub-healthy and those who suffer from chronic ailments.
Fresh vegetables, especially those in red and dark green color, can help accelerate metabolism and thus relieve the fatigue. These include spinach, cleome (spider flower), pumpkin, tomato and carrot.
Vegetables in season are often more recommended, as they are believed to contain the "right" energy for the time. Xiang chun (Chinese toon), bean sprout, pea sprout and lettuce are all good seasonal foods which can help the body adjust to spring.
Seasoning ingredients such as green onion, ginger and garlic are also at their best in spring. They can help improve appetite and assist yang energy expanding in the body. They are also helpful in preventing respiratory inflammation common in spring according to their sterilization function.
As temperatures climb, germs and insects also enter their revival time so more caution should be taken in food storage.
Adding certain herbs to cuisine can usually help reinforcement in spring. There are certain patent medicine cuisine ingredients available in the market and some TCM pharmacies, which make it easier.
Ju huang cha (chrysanthemum king tea)
Ingredients: chrysanthemum, wolfberry fruits, lotus seeds, dried orange peels, liquorice and pang da hai (boat sterculia seed)
Preparations: Pour the ingredients with hot water.
Benefits: The chrysanthemum and wolfberry fruits can help nourish the liver while improving eye condition and relieving dizziness. Pang da hai and liquorice can help move bowels and nourish lungs. And they can also work with chrysanthemum in dispelling pathogenic heat. Both orange peel and lotus seeds can help benefit the spleen.
Yam, wolfberry fruits and duck soup
Ingredients: longan, yam, wolfberry fruits, lily root and dried orange peel, 700-gram duck
Preparations: 1. Bring about 3 liters of water to a quick boil in a saucepan.
2. Put the duck and herbal ingredients in and cook at high heat until the water boils again.
3. Keep cooking on medium heat for 90 minutes and turn to a gentle heat for another 90 minutes.
4. Filter the herbs and add oil and salt to season.
5. Serves about 3-4 people.
Benefits: Help reinforce the spleen, benefit lungs, nourish liver and kidney and perfect skin.
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