Spring is the season dominated by liver qi. With the liver qi being exuberant, the liver overcomes the spleen (wood restrains earth), causing the spleen to lose its ability to transform and transport, leading to the accumulation of dampness. In addition, the continuous spring rain and external dampness hinder the spleen yang, resulting in sluggish circulation of qi and blood, and blocked meridians, causing fatigue and sleepiness in the body. Therefore, spleen deficiency and dampness accumulation are the main causes of "spring sleepiness".
To eliminate "spring sleepiness", in addition to getting enough sleep and exercise, it is also important to focus on invigorating the spleen and eliminating dampness through dietary adjustments.
【Adzuki Bean Peanut Chicken Feet Soup】
Ingredients: 80g adzuki beans, 50g peanuts, 4 pairs of chicken feet, 8 dried shiitake mushrooms, 100g lean pork, 3 slices of ginger.
Method: Wash all the ingredients, remove the stems of the shiitake mushrooms; wash the chicken feet and cut them open; wash the lean pork and put it together with ginger into a clay pot, add 2500ml of water, bring to a boil over high heat, then simmer over low heat for about 2 hours.
Efficacy: Invigorates the spleen, dispels dampness, strengthens tendons and bones.
Indications: Adzuki beans have a sweet, neutral, non-toxic nature, with the effects of relieving heat, quenching thirst, invigorating the spleen and stomach, and eliminating dampness and stopping diarrhea; peanuts have a neutral, sweet taste and can nourish the spleen, moisten the lungs, and replenish blood. This soup removes dampness without being cold, and invigorates the spleen and stomach without being greasy. It also has good auxiliary therapeutic effects on athlete's foot, spleen deficiency and weak stomach in children, and other conditions.
【Euryale Ferox Duck Soup】
Ingredients: 100g euryale ferox, one duck.
Method: Clean the duck, stuff it with euryale ferox, add 2500ml of water, bring to a boil over high heat, then simmer over low heat for 2 hours, and add a little salt before serving.
Efficacy: Nourishes yin, invigorates the spleen, dispels dampness.
Indications: Euryale ferox has a sweet, astringent, neutral nature, with the effects of invigorating the spleen, dispelling dampness, and nourishing the kidneys and securing essence; duck has a warm, sweet taste, and enters the spleen, stomach, lung, and kidney meridians, with the functions of nourishing yin and replenishing blood. Therefore, this soup is suitable for those with yin deficiency and dampness, dry throat, virtual heat, restlessness, loose stools, and white and greasy tongue coating.
【Pueraria Lobata Poria Coix Fish Soup】
Ingredients: Approximately 2kg of Pueraria lobata, approximately 1kg of fish, 100g of ginger, 50g of poria cocos, 50g of white atractylodes.
Method: When buying the fish, ask the seller to clean it, then blanch it in boiling water at home, and also clean the scales; peel the Pueraria lobata, cut it into pieces, and add water along with the poria cocos, white atractylodes, and ginger. Bring to a boil over high heat, remove the foam, and simmer over low heat for about 4 hours.
Efficacy: Invigorates the spleen, dispels dampness, relieves lower back pain, especially suitable for rheumatism during spring dampness.
