Dietary Therapies for Elderly Coronary Heart Disease: Traditional Chinese Medicine Approach

In recent years, coronary heart disease has become the number one killer of elderly people. The onset of coronary heart disease is often related to seasonal changes, emotional stress, increased physical activity, overeating, excessive smoking and drinking, etc. Once detected, it should be treated promptly. Traditional Chinese medicine diet therapy can be used as an adjuvant treatment along with medication. Below are some recommended diet therapies for elderly coronary heart disease for reference. Medicated Diet 1: Kaiyuan Longevity Noodles Ingredients: 500g white noodles, 250g bean sprouts, 30g rehydrated shiitake mushrooms, 15g dried yellow flower vegetables, 3g young ginger, 6g celery, 25ml vegetable oil, 15ml soy sauce, 5g MSG. Method: Slice the shiitake mushrooms and young ginger. Blanch the celery in boiling water, then chop it. Rinse the bean sprouts and remove the roots. Cut the dried yellow flower vegetables into small pieces. Soak the noodles in boiling water until fully cooked, then drain and spread them out. Drizzle 15ml of heated vegetable oil over the noodles and mix well. Heat the remaining vegetable oil in a pan until smoking, then remove half of it. Add the ginger slices to the remaining oil and stir-fry with shiitake mushrooms and dried yellow flower vegetables. Add soy sauce, MSG, and 250ml of water. Stir in the noodles and bean sprouts, cover and cook until dry and fully cooked. Mix in the reserved cooked oil and garnish with celery on top of the noodles. Effects: Tonifies the spleen and qi, nourishes the deficiency and essence. Suitable for elderly patients with coronary heart disease and hypertension caused by spleen and stomach qi deficiency. Note: The noodles should be fully cooked but not overcooked. Medicated Diet 2: Chrysanthemum Celery Ingredients: 200g fresh celery leaves, 50g golden needle mushrooms, 5g chrysanthemum flowers, 5g flaxseeds, 5g garlic, salt and MSG to taste. Method: Boil the flaxseeds and chrysanthemum flowers separately for 10 minutes, then strain and collect 5ml of each extract. Blanch the celery leaves in boiling water, then drain and mix with the flaxseeds, chrysanthemum extract, salt and MSG. Effects: Clears liver heat. Suitable for elderly patients with coronary heart disease presenting symptoms such as chest tightness or pain, irritability, dizziness, headache, dry and itchy eyes. Note: Not suitable for those with weak spleen and stomach and deficiency of qi and cold. Medicated Diet 3: Fragrant Chives Egg Fried Rice Ingredients: 500g cooked rice, 250g fragrant chives, 4 eggs, 150ml peanut oil, 8g salt, 15g spring onions, 2.5g pepper, 1.5g MSG. Method: Blanch the fragrant chives in boiling water for 1-2 minutes until they turn bright green. Remove and soak in cold water to cool. Drain and chop into small pieces. Beat the eggs in a bowl, add a pinch of salt and mix well. Heat half of the oil in a pan until 70% hot, then pour in the beaten eggs and stir continuously until the eggs solidify into small pieces. Add the chopped fragrant chives and stir-fry briefly. Heat the remaining oil in the same pan until 60-70% hot, add the spring onion and stir-fry until fragrant. Add the rice and stir-fry over medium heat for 5 minutes until the rice is fully cooked and separated. Mix in the remaining salt, pepper, MSG, and the stir-fried fragrant chives and eggs. Stir quickly and evenly before serving. Effects: Tonifies the spleen and essence, relieves chest pain. Suitable for elderly patients with coronary heart disease and chest pain caused by deficiency of qi and yin. Note: The quantity of ingredients can be reduced proportionally for individual consumption. Medicated Diet 4: Steamed Lean Pork with Sanqi Ingredients: 10g Sanqi (Panax notoginseng), 125g lean pork. Method: Grind the Sanqi into fine powder. Place the lean pork in a bowl and sprinkle with the Sanqi powder. Steam over boiling water until cooked. Effects: Nourishes yin and kidney, promotes blood circulation. Suitable for elderly patients with coronary heart disease who experience chest pain, palpitations, chest tightness, dull complexion, dry mouth and constipation. Note: Not suitable for patients without signs of blood stasis. Medicated Diet 5: Sichuan Peppercorn Tender Chicken Ingredients: 1 chicken (about 300g), 5ml soy sauce, 0.04g MSG, 0.4g Sichuan peppercorn, 5ml sesame oil, 5g ginger, 0.1g salt, vinegar and spring onions as needed. Method: Rinse and slice the ginger. Remove the feathers and internal organs from the chicken. Blanch the chicken in boiling water until partially cooked, then chop it into small rectangular pieces and arrange them neatly in a bowl with the skin facing down. Cut the chicken head in half and place it on top of the chicken pieces. Heat the sesame oil in a pan until hot, then add the Sichuan peppercorn and fry until it turns black. Pour the oil and peppercorn over the chicken in the bowl. Mix soy sauce, vinegar, salt, and MSG together and pour into the bowl. Sprinkle ginger shreds on top. Steam over high heat for half an hour or until the chicken is fully cooked. Invert the bowl onto a large plate before serving. Effects: Warms the middle, supplements qi, nourishes essence. Suitable for elderly patients with coronary heart disease, hypertension, and cerebrovascular disease. Medicated Diet 6: Fried Tofu with Oil Vegetables Ingredients: 200g oil vegetables, 50g fried tofu, 10ml soy sauce, 10g salt, 2g cornstarch, 3g sugar, 3ml cooking wine. Method: Cut the oil vegetables into 3cm sections, separating the stems and leaves. Cut the fried tofu into pieces. Heat oil in a wok, stir-fry the stems of oil vegetables with salt, then add the leaves and stir-fry briefly. Add the fried tofu and stir-fry a few more times. Pour in soy sauce and a small amount of water, bring to a boil, then add sugar. Mix cornstarch with water, pour into the wok, and stir until the sauce thickens. Effects: Generates fluids, moistens dryness, clears heat, dispels toxins, stops bleeding, and reduces swelling. Suitable for elderly patients with coronary heart disease, hypertension, obesity, and cerebrovascular disease. Translation by: [Your Name]