Seven Chinese Medicinal Herbs for Women's Health
1. Ba Zhen
Ba Zhen soup is made from a combination of eight medicinal herbs, including ginseng, white atractylodes, white poria, angelica, ligusticum, white peony, cooked rehmannia, and baked licorice. The ginseng, white atractylodes, poria, and licorice nourish qi (energy), while the angelica, ligusticum, peony, and cooked rehmannia nourish blood. The combination of nourishing blood and qi helps to balance and improve overall health.
2. Si Wei
Si Wei soup is made with lamb as the main ingredient. The "four flavors" refer to four medicinal herbs, namely angelica head, white peony, cooked rehmannia, and astragalus. This soup is known for its ability to nourish qi and blood, making it beneficial for both overall health and treating specific ailments.
3. Black Goji Berry
Black goji berry is a type of Chinese medicinal herb, as well as a food ingredient and a tea. It is rich in anthocyanins, which can enhance immunity, delay aging, nourish the kidneys and essence, prevent cancer, relieve thirst, improve circulation, nourish blood, calm the mind, improve sleep, and benefit vision, among other functions.
4. Ginseng
Ginseng is a Chinese medicinal herb that nourishes qi and blood. It contains amino acids, various vitamins, carbohydrates, ginsenosides, ginsenic acid, and choline, which have the effects of replenishing vital energy, moistening the body, and regulating stomach function. Ginseng is commonly used for symptoms such as weak breathing, cold limbs, weak pulse, and low blood pressure in conditions like shock. Additionally, ginseng's tonifying and strengthening properties make it suitable for anti-aging and treating conditions such as chronic illness with weakness, palpitations, cold limbs, shortness of breath, collapse, heart failure, and neurasthenia.
5. Angelica
In traditional Chinese medicine, angelica is known for its sweet taste and thick nature, which nourishes the spleen and enriches blood. It has the ability to replenish blood. According to "Compendium of Materia Medica," angelica has a sweet and heavy taste, making it especially effective at replenishing blood. It can nourish blood while promoting its circulation. It is truly a precious herb for nourishing blood.
6. Astragalus
Astragalus has a mild and warm nature and a sweet taste. It functions to replenish qi, raise yang energy, invigorate qi, solidify the exterior, eliminate toxins, promote tissue regeneration, and promote diuresis and reduce swelling. It is suitable for conditions such as spontaneous sweating, night sweats, blood stasis, edema, unhealed ulcers, internal injury fatigue, spleen deficiency diarrhea, prolapse, and all conditions of qi deficiency and blood deficiency.
7. Donkey-hide Gelatin
Donkey-hide gelatin, made from donkey skin, can significantly increase hemoglobin levels and red and white blood cells. Animal experiments have shown that it has a better blood-nourishing effect than iron supplements. The use of a blood-nourishing pill (composed of placenta powder, alum, seahorse, cinnamon, and donkey-hide gelatin) to treat anemia and aplastic anemia has shown an overall effective rate of 86% in 100 cases. Donkey-hide gelatin can also be combined with angelica, cooked rehmannia, codonopsis, yam, black goji berries, and eggs for daily consumption. In practice, it has been found to be effective in treating liver and kidney deficiency anemia and women's blood and qi deficiency.
How Women Can Maintain Their Health
1. Blood Nourishment
Because women have their monthly menstrual cycle, those with poor health may have pale or dull complexion, indicating blood deficiency. Symptoms such as headaches and fatigue may also occur. To nourish blood, it is recommended to consume fruits such as pineapple, cherries, grapes, and apples, which are rich in iron. Pregnant women can also benefit from these fruits. Other foods that are good for blood nourishment include jujubes, peanuts, milk, fish, eggs, soybeans, and soy-based products. Soups like donkey-hide gelatin red date black chicken soup, Codonopsis simmered red dates, malt simmered red dates, black goji berry simmered eggs, and lotus seed porridge are all suitable for women when they need to nourish their blood.
2. Kidney Nourishment
Most kidney problems in women are caused by poor lifestyle and dietary habits. Avoid consuming raw, cold, and spicy foods. Keep warm and consider eating fruits and vegetables such as mangosteen, lotus root, coix seed, cucumber, and melon. Incorporating black-colored foods into the diet, such as black jujubes, black fungus, black chicken, seaweed, chestnuts, sea cucumber, shiitake mushrooms, kelp, black grapes, black rice, black sesame seeds, and black beans, is also beneficial for kidney nourishment. Other foods that nourish the kidneys include Chinese yam, lotus seeds, goji berries, pigeon meat, and clams, which can be added to soups.
3. Pay Attention to Keeping Warm
During cold weather, it is important to regularly drink hot soups that nourish blood and qi. Protect the uterus and avoid feeling cold. Some individuals may have a cold uterus and feel cold frequently. In this case, consuming hot porridge and paying attention to diet are important.
As more and more people begin to pay attention to health preservation, there are increasingly more methods available. However, sometimes choosing unscientific methods can have the opposite effect. Do not blindly consume tonics in the name of health preservation. Although herbs such as black goji berries, ginseng, and bird's nest are good for the body, they also have contraindications and may harm the body if consumed excessively. Therefore, it is important to understand whether these tonics are suitable for you before incorporating them into your health regimen.
