Food for promoting digestion. During holidays and gatherings with family and friends, it's inevitable to indulge in eating and drinking, with poultry, duck, and fish being common staples. However, consuming too much meat can often lead to a bloated stomach and a poor appetite. Those who are health-conscious use qi-regulating and digestion-promoting foods to balance this, such as radish and hawthorn.
Kumquat Tea
Kumquat
Can regulate qi, relieve depression, resolve phlegm, reduce bloating, and sober up up. "Compendium of Materia Medica" describes it as "moving qi downward and relieving chest tightness." "Dietary Instructions for a Peaceful Life" also states, "Orange awakens the spleen, repels foul odors, resolves phlegm, and aids digestion." For both qi-stagnation and food-stagnation type bloating, it is suitable to decoct kumquints into a soup or steep them as tea. It is a common folk practice to make kumquat candies, and chewing 1-2 pieces when bloated can help. Fresh kumquats and well-made kumquat candies are more effective than oranges, especially for those with chest and abdominal distension and discomfort.
Buddha's Hand
Can regulate qi, resolve phlegm, and also promote digestion and sober up. "The Original Classic's Encounter with the Source" says it "specifically breaks stagnant qi." "Simple Readings on the Materia Medica" also records: "Buddha's hand, its function is specifically to regulate qi and relieve chest tightness." "Dietary Instructions for a Peaceful Life" also states it can "awaken the stomach, clear phlegm, expel evil, sober up, and relieve pain." Therefore, for anyone with bloating, whether caused by qi stagnation or food stagnation, it is suitable to use 12-15 grams of fresh Buddha's hand or 6 grams of the dried product, steeped in boiling water as a tea substitute.
Areca Nut
Can move qi downward, reduce bloating, and also aid digestion and sober up. "The Heart of Medical Use" says: "Areca nut, its bitterness breaks stagnation, and its pungency disperses pathogens; it specifically moves stagnant qi downward." "Hanlin Jade Dew" once pointed out: "People in the Lingnan region drink areca nut as tea; it can sober the drunk. Chewing it after drinking relieves qi, disperses phlegm, and instantly resolves the aftereffects. It can make the full feel hungry; eating it after a meal makes the food digest easily and comfortably." It is suitable for those with bloating due to qi or food stagnation. However, areca nut is ultimately a substance that breaks and consumes qi, making it suitable only for healthy individuals for short-term consumption.
Radish
Can strengthen the stomach, promote digestion, and move qi to relieve chest tightness. "The Four-Character Herbal Classic" records: "For anyone who has overeaten, chewing it raw and swallowing will aid digestion." "Compendium of Materia Medica" also states: Radish "is very effective for treating acid regurgitation, resolving stagnation, and detoxifying alcohol." This shows that radish is especially suitable for those with food-stagnation bloating. It can be taken as a juice or a decoction. Besides fresh radish, radish seeds, radish leaves, and old radish roots, when decocted in water, are also suitable for those with food-stagnation bloating.
Coriander
Has the effect of promoting digestion and moving qi downward. Traditional Chinese medicine often uses it to treat food stagnation. Cui Yuxi's "Classic of Diet" calls it "regulating digestion and moving qi downward." "Materia Medica for Dietotherapy" says it "greatly aids digestion, increases appetite, treats intestinal wind, and can be eaten with hot cakes." "Daily Use Materia Medica" also believes coriander "promotes digestion and moves qi, and relieves stagnation in the large and small intestines." Therefore, it is especially suitable for those with food stagnation and bloating.
Snow Red Fruit
Beer
Some people like to drink when angry, which can easily lead to illness, as alcohol and food trap qi and can also generate heat, easily causing a sudden rise in blood pressure or bleeding. Beer, on the other hand, not only lacks these side effects but can also move qi, stimulate the appetite, and relieve irritability. Remember to drink it in moderation; do not overindulge.
Rose
Adding a few petals of rose to your tea can help move qi. Those who don't have the habit of drinking tea can steep roses alone; or, you can place fragrant roses in a vase in your living room, and breathing in the floral scent can also help move qi and calm the mind.
Lotus Root
Lotus root can move qi, and also strengthen the spleen and stomach, nourish the heart, and calm the spirit. It is also an excellent product for moving qi. Taking it boiled in water or congee yields the best results, while fried or stir-fried lotus root is less effective.
Hawthorn
Hawthorn is good at moving qi to relieve pain, transforming food, and resolving stagnation. It is suitable for chest and abdominal fullness and pain caused by qi trapping food. It also has a certain therapeutic effect on tachycardia and arrhythmia caused by anger. All methods of consumption are effective, whether eaten raw, cooked, steeped in water, or made into a paste.
kumquat tea
Xuehongguo