Winter has arrived, and it's time for nourishment. However, there are four taboos for winter nourishment. The first is blind consumption of dog meat
Some people with weak constitutions or suffering from diseases like arthritis can benefit from eating more dog meat in the harsh winter. However, one should not blindly consume dog meat to avoid eating rabies-infected meat and contracting rabies. Do not drink tea after eating dog meat, because the tannic acid in tea combines with the protein in dog meat to form a substance. This substance has a certain astringent effect, which can weaken intestinal peristalsis
and reduce the water in stool. Therefore, toxic and carcinogenic substances in the stool will be easily absorbed by the body due to their prolonged stay in the intestines. The second taboo is failing to distinguish between deficiency and excess
The therapeutic principle of Traditional Chinese Medicine is "tonify the deficient." If you have a deficiency, you should tonify; if not, a normal diet is sufficient. At the same time, one should clarify the properties and scope of application of tonics to see if they are suitable for oneself. Experts believe that the main function of nourishment is "to tonify deficiency and benefit damage," and deficiency is further divided into four types: Qi deficiency, blood deficiency, Yin deficiency, and Yang deficiency, each with different methods of tonification.
First, Qi deficiency. Common symptoms include listlessness, a weak voice, spontaneous sweating, a pale tongue with a white coating, and a weak, forceless pulse. For Qi deficiency, one should replenish Qi. For this condition, one can choose royal jelly ginseng, Buzhong Yiqi Wan, American ginseng, Astragalus root, Codonopsis root, Chinese yam, etc.
Second, blood deficiency. Common symptoms include sallow complexion, pale lips and nails, dizziness and palpitations, forgetfulness and insomnia, numbness in the hands and feet, a pale tongue, and a thin, forceless pulse. For blood deficiency, one should nourish the blood. For this condition, one can choose blood-nourishing liquid, Shiquan Dabu Wan, Guipi Wan, Angelica sinensis, donkey-hide gelatin, longan pulp, etc.[美食中国]
Third, Yin deficiency. Common symptoms include tidal fever and night sweats, sensation of heat in the five centers (palms, soles, chest, abdomen, and head), dry mouth and throat, dry cough with little phlegm, dry eyes, a red tongue with little coating, etc. For Yin deficiency, one should nourish Yin. For this condition, one can choose Dabuyin Wan, Shenqi Royal Jelly Liuwei Dihuang Wan, tremella, soft-shelled turtle shell, Ophiopogon japonicus, Adenophora, black sesame, etc.
Fourth, Yang deficiency. Common symptoms include a deathly pale complexion, cold limbs, impotence and premature ejaculation, poor appetite and loose stools, a pale and tender tongue, and a faint, thin pulse. For Yang deficiency, one should strengthen Yang. For this condition, one can often choose Jinkui Shenqi Wan, velvet antler oral liquid, Guiling paste, velvet antler, placenta, gecko, Cordyceps sinensis, Eucommia, etc. When taking tonics, one must also pay attention to the spleen and stomach's digestive function. If the spleen and stomach are weak, with poor appetite, fullness and oppression in the chest and epigastrium, it is necessary to add herbs that awaken the spleen and strengthen the liver, such as dried tangerine peel, Amomum seeds, Aucklandia root, medicated leaven, and sprouted rice, to strengthen the spleen and aid digestion.
In addition, if the patient has external pathogens (such as a cold), it is generally advisable to clear them first before tonifying, to avoid strengthening or retaining the pathogens. The third taboo is to follow the hype and nourish oneself; chicken
Soup is not suitable for everyone. Chicken soup (including stewed chicken soup and soup boiled with medicinal herbs) is nutritious. The nutrients in chicken soup are small water-soluble molecules dissolved from chicken oil, chicken skin, chicken meat, and chicken bones. Its protein content is only about 7% of that in chicken meat, and most of the chicken oil in the soup belongs to saturated fatty acids. Because of these unique nutrients and stimulating effects in chicken soup, the following types of patients should not drink it:
Patients with biliary diseases, such as those with frequent attacks of cholecystitis and cholelithiasis, should not drink too much chicken soup. Because the digestion of fat in chicken bile requires the participation of bile, drinking chicken soup will stimulate the gallbladder to contract, which can easily trigger an attack of cholecystitis.[美食中国]
Those with excessive stomach acid should not drink chicken soup, because chicken soup stimulates the secretion of gastric acid. Patients with gastric ulcers, excessive stomach acid, or gastric bleeding generally should not drink chicken soup.
Patients with renal insufficiency should not drink chicken soup, because chicken soup contains some small-molecule proteins. Patients with acute nephritis, acute or chronic renal insufficiency, or uremia cannot process protein breakdown products from their liver and kidneys in a timely manner. Drinking too much chicken soup can cause high nitrogenemia and worsen the condition. The fourth taboo is to tonify without illness
Tonifying without illness not only increases expenses but also harms the body. For example, an overdose of cod liver oil can cause poisoning, and long-term use of glucose can lead to weight gain. In addition, tonics are not "the more, the better." Any tonic taken in excess is harmful.