Cooking With Chinese Herbs To Stay Healthy During The Winter Months

By Ann Wolman, L.Ac.

In Chinese Medicine, the winter is associated with the water element and with the energetic organ system of the Kidneys. It is the time of maximum yin. These are the cold, quiet, contemplative months. Kidney energy holds our deepest reserves and provides the basis for our constitutional strength. This is a perfect time of year to incorporate nourishing and warming medicinal herbs into your cooking.

Foods and herbs have flavors, temperatures and energetic qualities. The Kidneys are nourished by the flavor of salt and other astringents. The Kidneys benefit from cooling or warming foods depending upon an individual’s constitution, but generally speaking, the Kidneys prefer warm natured herbs and foods. Some foods that nourish Kidney Qi are root vegetables like potatoes, yams, parsnips, and small beans like kidney, aduki and black beans and seeds.

One of the best ways to utilize Chinese dietary and herbal therapy is to cook with Chinese herbs. You can put raw herbs into soups and stews. This is often done with herbs like gou qi zi (lycuim fruit), dang shen (codonopsis), fu Ling (Poria), ren shen (Ginseng) and da zao (Chinese Dates).

It is also traditional to make congee, a kind of grain soup, with herbs. These congees are tasty, nutritious, and cost effective. They are particularly comforting on a cold winter morning. All of the herbal ingredients mentioned are available at the clinic and your practitioner can make more specific recommendations regarding those, which would be most beneficial for you.

Below are a couple of simple congee recipes.

Both of these congees can be varied based upon your taste, and as your practitioner recommends. You can use rice, millet, barley quinoa or amaranth as the base. Spices include cinnamon, bay leaf allspice, rosemary, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and fennel. Try walnuts, almonds or pumpkin seeds, and include different vegetables like sweet potato, pumpkin and squash. Experiment a little and enjoy.

If your practitioner suggests a more Kidney yin nourishing recipe, try the Mulberry Congee Recipe.

Basic Herbal Congee Recipe (warming)

½ cup white rice
8 cups vegetable or chicken stock (5 cups stock to 1 part grain if using a crock-pot)
10 grams astragalus root (huang qi)
6 grams codonopsis root (dang shen)
5 grams pueraria root (ge gen)
5 grams lotus seeds (lian zi)
8 shitake or black mushrooms, slivered
1 carrot, diced
1 strip seaweed

Place the astragalus in a bag or tie with string. Cover the codonopsis and pueraria with boiling water for 20 minutes, and then cut into ¼ inch lengths. Simmer all ingredients except carrot for 60 – 90 minutes, or cook overnight in a crock-pot on a low temperature setting. Add the carrot for the last 12 minutes. When done, remove astragalus and serve. This recipe can be varied using other grains like barley and warming herbs like fennel seed and dried ginger.

Mulberry Congee Recipe (cooling)

30 grams fresh mulberries
20 grams dry mulberries
20 grams dried lycium fruit (gou qi zi)
1 /2 cup walnuts
1 cup rice
4 – 7 cups water (7 cups water if using a crock-pot)

Cook mulberries and rice in water preferably overnight in a crock-pot on low setting. Add lycium fruit and walnuts. Serve warm each morning on an empty stomach.

It is even more important in the winter months to follow the basic principles of Chinese dietary therapy, as this will help to protect us from the bad effects of cold natured foods that tend to predominate the American diet. It is suggested that one avoid raw fruits and vegetables and cold or chilled foods and beverages (especially ice cream). Bon Appetit!

Setting a Good Example through Healthy Eating

By Rachel Nowakowski, L.Ac.

At Thanksgiving dinner, I noticed how some kids are willing to try new foods while others reject anything unfamiliar. Like adults, children develop a natural preference for what they eat most often and enjoy. One way to get kids to make healthy choices is by setting a good example. Because the childhood impulse to imitate is strong, you can encourage your child to eat nutritious foods by being a role model.

Spleen qi is responsible for transforming and transporting food essences and absorbing nutrients. In Chinese medicine theory, children are born with underdeveloped Spleen energy. Considering this theory, we must carefully introduce new foods to children. Overindulging in sweet foods will only lead to further Spleen qi deficiency. Because Spleen qi is associated with the sweet flavor, when it is out of balance, we usually crave sweet foods. (Perhaps this is why so many kids seem to be born with a sweet tooth!)

When your kids ask to taste what you're eating, it helps to have your plate filled with nutritious selections. But healthy eating is not just about what we eat, but also how we eat. Eating while under physical or emotional stress can be harmful to the digestion, even if we are eating a perfect diet. Do you eat while in a hurry? While standing up? While under stress? Stress negatively impacts Liver qi. When this excess energy overacts onto the Spleen, digestion will suffer.

We can teach our children healthy eating habits and take special care to protect Spleen qi if we:

Sit down to eat together. Studies show that children and teens, who eat frequent meals with their families, eat more fruits and vegetables (even dark green ones) and drink fewer soft drinks.

Knowing that dinner is served at about the same time every night and that the family will be sitting down together is comforting, which also enhances appetite and digestion.

Relax. Sitting and taking the time to eat slowly and digest helps Spleen qi to break down food properly. When we eat on the run or rush from the table after eating, it sends qi to other parts of the body when we need the qi in our stomachs for digesting. Taking time to give thanks and enjoy the company of your family and friends during meals also sets a good example for children.

Limit mealtime conversation to pleasant topics. Eating together provides time for your child to share what's on his/her mind. Make mealtime an enjoyable experience by avoiding upsetting topics while at the table.

Chew well. How many times have we heard this? Yet many of us tend to speed through meals, barely chewing our food. Digestion begins with chewing. Chinese medicine says the digestive qi works to break down food into a "100 degree soup". If we chew well, food gets broken down before it reaches the stomach and leaves less work for the digestive qi.

Avoid excess fluids while eating. Don't put out the digestive fire by drinking too many fluids. It is best to drink a little at the beginning and at the end of the meal. Not between each bite. Limiting drinks for kids will also keep them from getting full before they've eaten their vegetables!

Other tips to encourage healthy eating:

Get kids involved. Let them help with the grocery shopping. It's a great time for you to teach them about the nutritional values of different foods, and how to read food labels. Let your child help with dinner by washing or peeling the vegetables. Start a vegetable garden at home so your kids can eat what they grow!

Keep only healthy snacks around. Kids are bombarded by messages that counteract your best efforts. Between peer pressure and junk food advertisements, getting your child to eat well might seem like a lost cause. They may choose poorly when they are out of the house, but you can decide what is available to them at home.

Your children are looking to you for direction on how to eat well. Show them how and help your own health at the same time. Research shows that it takes the average child 8-10 presentations of a new food before he/she willingly accepts it. So don't give up.

Have the kids help with this fun and yummy recipe:

Butternut Squash Fries. Peel and remove seeds from squash. Cut into long, 1/2-inch wide strips. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with sea salt. Toss the fries to make sure they are evenly coated. Spread fries on a baking sheet. Bake 30-45 minutes, turning to ensure they are crispy on all sides. Enjoy!

Sugar, Sugar Everywhere. Not Sure What To Eat?

By Rachel Nowakowski, L.Ac.

Eliminating sugar from the diet isn’t easy. The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that the per capita consumption of sugar is 44.2 lbs per year! Sweetened items on special occasions and in moderation can make life a little more fun, but there are alternatives to refined white sugar and high fructose corn syrup.

In Chinese Medicine, the sweet flavor is associated with the Spleen energy. The Spleen energy benefits from a small amount of the sweet flavor, as found in whole grains and vegetables. In large quantities, sweet foods weaken the Spleen, impeding the digestive function and causing dampness to accumulate in the body. Just because something is “naturally sweetened” does not necessarily mean it is any better for you. As a general rule: the less sweet, the better. When we read labels on natural food products, we see a variety of different sweeteners.

Here are a few:

Grain Malts like rice syrup, barley malt, and amasake are mildly sweet and do not cause a rapid rise in blood sugar. These sweeteners are considered to be among the healthiest sweeteners in the natural food industry.

Stevia is an all-natural substance derived from the leaves of a South American shrub. It has virtually no calories, doesn't raise blood sugar levels, and does not appear to have the same dampness-producing quality of other sweeteners when used in moderation. But because it is considered to be 300 times sweeter than sugar, an overconsumption can lead to Spleen weakness.

Molasses is a thick syrup by-product from the processing of the sugarcane or sugar beet. Black Strap Molasses contains significant amounts of vitamins and minerals and is the least sweet of the varieties. It is considered a Blood tonic because of its high iron content.

Honey is as sweet as sugar. Research has found that honey enhances growth of specific strains of Bifidobacteria, beneficial bacteria in the colon. Honey neutralizes toxins, activates the Lung and Spleen meridians, and nourishes Yin.

Sugar Alcohols (Mannitol, Sorbitol, Xylitol) are derived from the fibers of fruits and vegetables. Excess consumption can have a laxative effect and may produce gas, which implies that they do impact on the Spleen qi.

Many people turn to artificial sweeteners in an attempt to cut sugar from their diet. But what are they really made of? Aspartame (NutraSweet, Equal) breaks down in the body and converts to formaldehyde! Saccharin (Sweet n’ Low) is a petroleum-based compound, which was temporarily banned in 1977 when a study suggested saccharine caused bladder cancer. Sucralose (Splenda) is chlorinated and other chlorinated substances are known to contain pesticides. With these sweeteners, you may get more than just a little sweetness.

With all the options readily available to us, why not go for more natural, less sweet foods? The best source of sweetness is whole foods, chewed well to bring out their natural flavors.

Baked Apples

2 red apples, cored
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped walnuts

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place apples in a baking dish.

2. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine all other ingredients.

3. Bring to a boil, and drizzle equally over apples.

4. Cover with foil, and bake for 20 minutes. Remove cover, and continue to bake for 10 minutes, or until apples are tender. Serve warm.

Kitchen Recipes for the Fall: Food & Home Therapy for the Colds & Flu of Fall

By Karen Litton, L.Ac.

As the weather begins to get cooler, and the wind changes its nature and starts to feel more "invasive" to the body, it is important to protect ourselves through proper dress and foods. Making sure we are dressed for the weather is important. Wearing a scarf around the neck or protecting the head keeps that "wind" from invading our bodies.

In Chinese medicine, we call wind the Bearer of "100 diseases." It can help the cold to penetrate our bodies; and if our defenses are weak, we can begin to feel those early signs of an impending cold or flu.

An important part of our body's defenses comes from the food we eat. Eating nourishing squashes, hot cereals, and warming grains will help our defenses stay strong.

One way to cook grains that are easily digested is in the form of a "congee." It is a grain-based porridge that is very strengthening for the digestive system. It is cooked in a crock-pot or simmered over very low heat on the stove.

Any number of grains can be used: rice, millet, quinoa, barley, spelt, etc. You can also add sweet potatoes or squashes, various nuts, spices like cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and the flavorings of molasses, honey, rice milk or maple syrup.

You can get creative!

Suggested Congee Grain Combinations:

1 part grain (1/4 cup)
5 parts water (1 and ¼ cup)
Combine in crock-pot & cook on low overnight
(8 hours)
The proportions of grain and water can be adjusted so that you get the consistency you want.

Another way to be prepared for when that "wind" carries some cold or flu past your defenses, is to have on hand at home a remedy for when you first start to feel those signs that you may be "coming down" with something: runny nose, achiness, slight headache, maybe slight chills or a very mild fever.

Directions for the Early Stages of a Cold:

One of the earliest ways to treat these symptoms at home is to brew some tea using spring onions, or scallions, and prepared (fermented) soybeans, which can be bought at your local health food store.

Use 2-5 stalks of the onion with 12 - 30 grams (about a ¼ cup) of the soybeans. Brew for no longer than 10 minutes and drink up to 6 cups a day.

To increase the effect of this "tea" helping to drive the cold back out of the body, lie down and cover yourself with a blanket to induce sweating. Be sure to get plenty of rest and replenish your fluids through drinking enough plain water and herbal teas.

If you are not feeling better, come see us! In the meantime, keep yourself healthy through your food choices and having on hand at home a response to those initial cold symptoms.

Beat The Heat With Cool Herbs

By Rachel Nowakowski, L.Ac.

During the hot weather, we automatically reach for an iced cold beverage to cool us down and quench our thirst. But is it the best thing for us?

Drinking iced cold fluids only lowers the body temperature temporarily. The stomach then has to work twice as hard to produce enough heat for digestion which makes you hotter. And more thirsty.

It may sound crazy, but a cup of hot tea in the hot weather can actually cool you down. Drinking warmer fluids dilates the blood vessels which makes you sweat and the sweat evaporation cools you down.

Two popular Chinese herbs for clearing heat from the body are field mint, Herba Mentha Haplocalycis (Bo He) and chrysanthemum flowers, Chrysanthemum Moriflorii, (Ju Hua).

Both of these herbs are classified as cool, acrid herbs which relieve heat of the upper body, i.e. head and chest. They are beneficial to the Liver energy and are helpful for eye and skin conditions.

These herbs are available at health food stores or from your Chinese medicine practitioner.

Cooling Peppermint & Chrysanthemum Tea

1 handful of dried mint
1 small handful of dried chrysanthemum flowers
3 quarts of water
Honey to taste

Instructions:
1. Put herbs into a cooking pot.
2. Pour in 3 quarts of water and bring to a boil.
3. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
4. Add honey.
5. Strain out the herbs and refrigerate.
6. Drink cooled or at room temperature.

Enjoy!

Medicinal Herbs in Your Backyard

By Rachel Nowakowski, L.Ac.

Some people think of Chinese herbs as exotic plants grown only in faraway Asia. But many of the plants used in Chinese Herbal Medicine can easily be grown in Western North Carolina, because the climate is so similar to parts of China.

Many common medicinal plants are as beautiful as they are useful. Examples include Balloon flower (Platycodon), Peony, Buddleia (butterfly bush), and Forsythia.

Balloon flower root (Jie Geng) is traditionally used in prescriptions for lung afflictions including cough, excessive phlegm, and sore throat. We use Peony root (Bai Shao Yao/Chi Shao Yao) to move and nourish blood to treat conditions like skin rashes and menstrual disorders. Buddleia flower (Mi Meng Hua) is helpful for eye conditions including red, painful eyes, excessive tearing, and light sensitivity. Forsythia seed capsule (Lian Qiao) is used to treat heat conditions especially fevers, and swollen lymph nodes.

Of course, some medicinal plants are not as pleasing to have in our yards and gardens. Honeysuckle, dandelion, and kudzu can cause gardeners much misery, but even the most annoying plants have their purposes.

Honeysuckle flowers (Jin Yin Hua) are used to clear heat for fever and infections and is commonly used with Forsythia (Lian Qiao) in cold/flu formulas like Yin Qiao Jie Du Pian. The Honeysuckle leaf and vine (Ren Dong Teng) is used for arthritic joint pain. Dandelion (Pu Gong Yin) is another heat and toxin clearing herb that is used to treat eye conditions and mastitis. Kudzu root (Ge Gen) is an excellent herb for headaches and upper body pain, thirst caused by fever, and diarrhea. The kudzu flowers (Ge Gen Hua) can reduce alcohol cravings and minimize hangovers.

So the next time you are admiring your garden ornamentals or pulling out the weeds, remember their healing energies. When we think of the countless patients helped by these plants over thousands of years of use in Chinese Herbal Medicine, these herbs can be appreciated even more.

Spring Herbal Garden Tea

1 cup lemon balm leaves
1 cup mint leaves
4 tablespoons orange peel – grated

Mix the herbs and store in a glass jar.
For each cup of tea, steep 1 tablespoon of herbal tea mixture in boiling water.

There are a number of varieties of each plant, not all of them are used medicinally. Some medicinal plants need to be processed to reduce toxicity and give them their individual energetics. As with any herbal substance, it is best to consult your practitioner.