|
Lecture on Therapeutic Nutrition by Dr. Song (pharmacist)
There are many herbs in Chinese medicine, all coming from remote high mountainous areas, all very good for the body. These are the most commonly used in China.
Huang Chi, for Liver and Kidney tonification, for people with poor health, poor stamina, weak back, legs, knees - put some of this in the soup. This also enhances the immune system and can be drunk as a tea.
Dang Gui, uterine tonic for poor health, fatigue, anemia, blood problems - either eat it or put it in soup. Very good female herb. Somewhat bitter. Also good for men because it tonifies the blood - heart condition, high blood pressure.
Dang Shen, very similar to ginseng, good for Blood and Qi, much cheaper than American etc ginseng with the same effect. Good with fish and soup.
Xiang Gu, fragrant mushroom, good anti-oxidant, good to prevent cancer. Good with vegetables and meat. Soak in hot water 5 minutes, then cook.
Gou Ji Zi -- Fructus Lycium, Liver and Kidney tonification, good for aches and pains, very good for the eyes. Can also be soaked in wine.
Yi Ren Mi - Barley - cooling, diuretic, good in the summertime. Good for arthritis, bones and joints.
Shou Wu - good for Liver and Kidney, good for white hair, cook with it (soup 5 per batch).
Yin Er - good to keep ourselves young and beautiful, soak and put in soup - mushroom.
Mai Dong - good for voice, sore throat
Hei Mu Er - mushroom - good for heart disease, atherosclerosis - we had it in one of our dishes today, sautee with vegetables, or soup - soak in water.
Hong Hua - for blood, looks like saffron, soak in wine and take for joint pain, swelling, inflammation, and use topically (compress for sprained ankles etc).
Shan Yao - good for Kidney, cook with vegetables - root, can be farm raised.
Hong Zao - red dates - for fatigue and blood, anemia, also for beautifying - eat 5-10 per day. Put in soup. Older people get younger, younger people get even younger.
Lian Zhi - lotus seed, for blood heart, and insomnia. Put it in soup, cook it with rice, sometimes
Bai He - good for lung, cough, put it in soup or congee, tonifies the lung. Dried petal of a flower. Sautee with vegetables.
Gan Jiang Pian - for digestive system, nausea, creates heat in the system. Tastes exactly like ginger. (Dried up ginger slice).
Vegetables:
Yu Mi -- Corn - good nutritional value - good for cardiovascular system, HTN, cardiac disease, arteriosclerosis.
Huang Dou -- Soybeans - yellow beans - lots of anti-oxidants. They swell when cooking, use the liquid as soy milk. Good for high cholesterol, especially the elderly should drink this liquid. Use it in the form of tofu as well. Makes you urinate a lot, if you drink soy milk before going to sleep.
Lu Dou -- Mung beans - cooling, good when the weather is hot, good for heat exhaustion. Put in soup or cook by itself. Also good for HTN. Also good for detoxifying, don't use when taking medicine because it will decrease the effectiveness.
Xiao Mi - little rice, good nutritional value, make into porridge, good for the digestion. (looks like millet to me)
Hei Mi -- Black rice - good for the Blood.
Suan miao, the stem of the garlic flower - good anti-oxidant.
Xiang Cai -- Lettuce - drains fire, cooling - good for constipation and heat. (Green leaf lettuce). Can be eaten raw or cooked, sautéed quickly.
Shi Zi Jiao -- Green pepper - increases the appetite, cut and sautee quickly.
Xi Hong Shi -- Tomato - for beautification
Chinese cabbage - Bai Cai - good to prevent breast cancer, has anti-oxidants and many nutrients. (kind of like Napa cabbage but more headlike and less round). Put it in soup and cook it a little longer to avoid gas.
Qie Zi -- Eggplant - good for Blood. Anything dark in color is good for Blood. Also good for heart and blood vessels. Peeled, cut in pieces, and fried quickly.
Huang Gua -- Cucumber - cooling, eat in the summertime. Eat raw, good for weight loss, beautification, put it on the skin, eyes.
Qin Cai -- Chinese celery - Gan Cin Wei - lower blood pressure, cut, sauté and eat. Also good for constipation.
Xiang Cai -- Chinese Parsley - cilantro - to improve the taste of everything, put into soup. Also good for constipation.
Cong -- Leek - has a little spicy taste, use as an anti-bacterial when eaten raw, or cut in pieces and put into food to enhance the taste. Use white and green parts. They mostly eat it raw, or chopped and used as a garnish.
Suan -- Garlic - good for cholesterol and for weight problems. Good for digestion, for too much flatus. Increases the immune system. Best eaten raw. Good for lung, bronchitis, pneumonia. You can always brush your teeth afterwards.
Hu Luo Bo -- Carrots - good for eyes - vitamin A - good for skin, dry skin. Sautee with oil.
Dou Jiao -- Snow peas - good for the elderly, constipation.
Cai Hua -- Cauliflower - lots of vitamins, also good for dry hard stool, skin. Can cut the florets off, pour hot water over to soften slightly, and then eat while still crunchy. Good with seafood, dried shrimp.
Tou Dou -- Potato - starch converts to sugar, glucose, not as nutritious as all the other things above. If we eat a lot of potato chips, we increase the fire (fried).
Hong La Jiao -- Red pepper - improves the appetite - good nutritional value.
She uses peanut oil for sautéing. Most people in China use peanut oil because it makes the food taste better.
When they cook rice, they wash it once, otherwise too many nutrients are washed away. Vitamin A and B will be lost if it is washed too many times.
Most of the herbs are grown in their own gardens, or they go to the mountains and collect them and prepare them, but they generally buy vegetables.
She recommends 250 cc of dairy (1 cup), 120 gm of meat (3-4 oz). Good for sleep (calcium is the controlling element for Liver - Wood). Goat's milk is harder to digest, and is also hot quality.
For vegetarians, she suggests milk, red dates, ginger, ginseng (Fan Qi), tofu.
Beer as part of the diet - the elderly should not drink too much beer, not good for blood pressure, and also it gives you a beer belly. (Over 60).
|
