The Art of Ginseng: Chicken Soup for all Seasons

These days, chicken soup has exploded far beyond its historic confines of folk medicine and Grandma’s version of natural healing. Entire genres of self-help books promote themselves as supplying chicken soup-quality wisdom for virtually any topic of modern life….. chicken soups made with Chinese herbs are arguably the most delicious illustrations of Chinese medicine’s venerable tradition of “nourishing life” (yang sheng). Arguably the epitome of this tradition is the simple but classic ginseng chicken soup, which provides a delicate flavor and a wonderful boost for both mind and body.   Read more...

 

Using Acupuncture to Eliminate Jet Lag

Jet lag occurs when our body's natural daily circadian rhythm becomes disrupted, due to the crossing of time zones during long airplane flights. The symptoms may last from 1 to 10 days, and range from fatigue, insomnia, headache, edema, nausea, and anorexia, to irrational behavior, mental confusion, and disorientation. Children age five and under do not appear to be as affected as adults.  Read more...

 

Bone Broth for Health Building: Nourishing the Liver and Kidneys

Winter is the ideal time for nourishing the Kidneys, and soup is the perfect winter food. Bone broth is prepared in cultures around the world as both a tasty, healthful soup and an easily digested medicinal food. The prolonged cooking of bones in water results in a broth rich in nutritional constituents that promote strength, tonify blood, nourish in times of sickness and rehabilitation, and help to prevent bone and connective tissue disorders.   Read more...

 

Planting Herbs for Food

Shan Yao, or Chinese wild yam (Dioscorea opposita, Dioscorea oppoistifolia, Dioscorea batata) is both a nutritious food and a medicinal herb, tonifying the Spleen, Lung and Kidney qi. The dried herb can be bought and used in cooking or in raw herb formulas, but you can also find the fresh tubers in many Asian grocery stores. Better yet, grow the hardy, easily propagated perennial in your garden!  Read more...

 

Special Feature: Ju Hua

Ju Hua, or Chrysanthemum, makes a pleasant flower tea that can be consumed daily. It is a frequently used medicinal herb that clears wind and heat and calms the Liver, and is also a common perennial, garden plant, easy to grow with pretty blossoms in the fall. The benefits of long-term consumption of Chrysanthemum tea have been recognized throughout the history of Chinese medicine. It is said to prevent aging and to be a favorite of Taoists and poets, though the benefits are achieved only with drinking the tea over a long period of time.   Read more...

 

Book Review: Treating Illness with Diet

Food is medicine. In ancient China, nutritionists enjoyed the highest status of all medical practitioners. During the Tang Dynasty (608 to 906 CE), Sun Si Miao maintained that diet and lifestyle changes were the best first line of treatment for illness. In a well-known quote, he said that only when dietary treatment is not sufficient to effect a cure should the doctor reach for needles and herbal medicines.   Read more...