Traditional Chinese medicine believes that the spleen and stomach are the foundation of postnatal health. In order to have abundant qi and blood, the first thing to do is to regulate the health of the spleen and stomach. Chinese medicinal diet therapy is the best method to regulate the spleen and stomach and is popular among the general public. Below, I will recommend several dietary therapy recipes for nourishing the stomach and invigorating the spleen.
Herbal Recipe 1: Ginseng and Poria Congee
Composition: Ginseng (or Codonopsis pilosula), Poria cocos, ginger, glutinous rice.
Method: First, slice the ginseng (or Codonopsis pilosula) and ginger into thin slices. Crush the Poria cocos and soak for half an hour. Boil and extract the herbal juice, then boil and extract the juice again. Combine the two extractions and cook with glutinous rice to make congee. Take it twice a day, in the morning and evening.
Efficacy: Tonifies qi, strengthens the spleen, and nourishes the stomach. It is suitable for symptoms such as weak qi and body, insufficient spleen and stomach, fatigue, pale complexion, reduced appetite, nausea and vomiting, and loose stools.
Herbal Recipe 2: Yam and Meat Congee
Ingredients: 500g of lamb, 25g of ginger, 100g of sliced yam, 500ml of milk, 25g of spring onion.
Method: Wash the lamb and ginger, and simmer them over low heat for half a day. Take a bowl of lamb and soup, add peeled and washed yam slices to the pot and cook until soft. Then add 500ml of milk and a little salt, bring to a boil, and it is ready to serve.
Efficacy: Regular consumption can replenish deficiencies. This recipe is from the "Imperial Diet Recipes" of the Qing Dynasty. Lamb is sweet and warm in nature, tonifies qi, warms the middle, and nourishes the stomach; yam is sweet and neutral in nature, invigorates the spleen, nourishes the lungs, nourishes essence, and strengthens the kidneys; milk is sweet and neutral in nature, replenishes deficiencies, nourishes the lungs and stomach, and generates fluid. The combination of these ingredients makes the dish nourishing without being greasy, suitable for the elderly with deficiency, fatigue, and shortness of breath.
Herbal Recipe 3: Coix Seed and Hawthorn Congee
Ingredients: 30g of coix seed, 100g of glutinous rice, 5g of hawthorn, and sugar to taste.
Method: Wash the coix seed and glutinous rice, then put them in a pot. Add 1000ml of water and bring to a boil. Then add hawthorn and simmer slowly to make congee. Add sugar to taste before serving.
Efficacy: Invigorates the spleen, stops diarrhea, aids digestion, and resolves food stagnation. It is suitable for those with weak spleen and stomach, poor digestion, distension and fullness in the epigastrium, belching, acid regurgitation, abdominal pain, and loose stools.
Herbal Recipe 4: Yam and Lamb Congee
Ingredients: 500g of yam, 500g of lamb, ginger slices as needed.
Method: Stew the ingredients until they are soft and tender, add salt to taste. Divide into 10 portions. Take one portion and cook it with 50g of glutinous rice to make congee. Take it continuously for 10 days as a course of treatment.
Efficacy: Warms yang, tonifies deficiencies, invigorates the spleen, and strengthens the kidneys. It is effective for those with cold limbs, lumbago, poor appetite, loose stools, and prolapse of the uterus, especially suitable for consumption in winter.
Herbal Recipe 5: Chestnut Congee
Ingredients: 300g of yam, 100g of cooked chestnuts, 40g of rice, 60g of glutinous rice, 10g of wolfberry, and 7 red dates.
Method: Peel the yam, wash the red dates, and peel the chestnuts. Cut the yam into uniform pieces. Put water in a pot and add the rice and glutinous rice after washing. Add the yam and red dates. Cook for 40 minutes, then add the chestnuts and wolfberry and continue cooking for another 10 minutes until it is cooked.
Efficacy: This recipe has the effect of invigorating the spleen and tonifying the kidneys.
Herbal Recipe 6: Spleen-strengthening and Diuretic Tea
Ingredients: Poria cocos, Alisma orientalis, Codonopsis pilosula, Atractylodes macrocephala, Carica papaya, Saussurea costus, Areca catechu, Perilla frutescens, Citrus reticulata, Poria cocos, and Cinnamomum cassia.
Method: Grind the ingredients into coarse powder according to the original recipe. Take 50-70g daily and put it in a thermos bottle. Brew it with boiling water and cover it for 20-30 minutes. Drink it frequently as a substitute for tea.
Efficacy: Invigorates the spleen, warms yang, promotes diuresis, and regulates the middle and lowers qi. It is used to treat chronic nephritis, spleen deficiency with water swelling, abdominal distension, difficult urination, poor digestion, general heaviness, fatigue, pale complexion, lumbago and weakness, poor appetite, loose and thin stools, white and slippery tongue coating, and slow pulse.
