The five Zang-organs are the liver, heart, spleen, lung, and kidney within the human body. These five organs maintain the body's normal functions, and nourishing them is essential for our daily health regimen. So, which foods can nourish the five Zang-organs? Today, the editor recommends five dietary therapy recipes that are beneficial for the health of the five Zang-organs when consumed more often…
1. Drink Lotus Seed Soup to Clear Heart Fire
Heart fire often manifests as vexing heat in the five centers (palms, soles, and chest), a dry throat, a parched mouth, and mouth sores. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the heart is associated with fire, hence the name.
Symptoms: There are two types, deficiency and excess. Deficiency fire presents as low-grade fever, night sweats, vexation, and a dry mouth. Excess fire presents as recurrent mouth ulcers, a dry mouth, scanty and dark urine, and irritability.
Dietary Therapy: 30 grams of lotus seeds (with the cores), 15 grams of gardenia fruit (wrapped in gauze), and an appropriate amount of rock sugar. Decoct in water. Eat the lotus seeds and drink the soup. Lotus seeds can tonify the spleen to stop diarrhea, benefit the kidney to secure essence, and nourish the heart to calm the spirit. Gardenia fruit can purge fire, relieve vexation, clear heat and promote urination, and cool the blood to detoxify.
2. Eat Pork Liver to Clear Lung Fire
This is often caused by a sudden change in climate to which the body cannot adapt, or from excessive fatigue that consumes an excessive amount of the body's yin fluids, thereby leading to hyperactivity of lung fire. This is more common in the elderly.
Symptoms: A dry cough with little or no phlegm, tidal fever with night sweats, heat in the palms and soles, insomnia, and a red tongue.
Dietary Therapy: One pork liver and 30 grams of chrysanthemum flowers (wrapped in gauze). Cook together until the liver is done. Eat the liver and drink the soup. Pork liver is rich in iron and phosphorus, which are essential ingredients for blood production. Eating pork liver in the hot summer can clear lung fire.
3. Drink Mung Bean Congee to Clear Stomach Fire
The "fire" caused by improper diet, such as excessive alcohol, spicy food, or rich and heavy foods, is referred to as stomach fire in TCM. During the Spring Festival, many people consume a large amount of sweet and high-calorie foods, which can easily lead to stomach fire.
Symptoms: There are two types, deficiency and excess. Deficiency fire presents as a mild cough, reduced appetite, constipation, abdominal bloating, a red tongue with little coating. Excess fire presents as discomfort in the upper abdomen, a dry and bitter mouth, and hard stools.
Dietary Therapy: 30 grams of gypsum powder, an appropriate amount of japonica rice and mung beans. First, decoct the gypsum in water, then strain to remove the dregs. Use the clear liquid to cook congee with the japonica rice and mung beans. Mung beans are rich in nutrients and can stimulate the appetite, lower blood lipids, and reduce cholesterol. Drinking mung bean congee in the summer can clear stomach fire, but those with a weak and cold constitution should not eat it in large quantities.
4. Drink Pear Water to Clear Liver Fire
In TCM, liver dryness and fire hyperactivity are attributed to problems in the regulation of qi and blood in the internal organs. Improper diet and sleep can overwork the liver, causing liver congestion and compression of the inferior vena cava, resulting in liver fire rising.
Symptoms: Headache, dizziness, tinnitus, dry eyes, a bitter taste and bad breath, and pain in the ribs.
Dietary Therapy: 10 grams of Fritillaria bulb crushed into powder, 2 pears peeled and cut into pieces, an appropriate amount of rock sugar, and an appropriate amount of clear water. Stew and consume. Eating pears regularly can protect the liver, alleviate cirrhosis, aid digestion, and strengthen the spleen and nourish yin. Drinking pear water can also clear liver fire.
5. Eat Pork Kidney to Clear Kidney Fire
The kidneys are generally not described as having "fire hyperactivity." It is usually due to deficiency that leads to fire hyperactivity, which is what we commonly refer to as hyperactivity of ministerial fire. Additionally, an excessive amount of toxins in the body that cannot be excreted and accumulate can also affect kidney function.
Symptoms: Dizziness and vertigo, tinnitus and hearing loss, soreness and weakness of the lower back, tidal fever with night sweats, and vexation in the five centers.
Dietary Therapy: 2 pork kidneys, 15 grams each of goji berries and dogwood fruit. Place them in a clay pot and cook until the kidneys are done. Eat the kidneys and drink the soup. Pork kidney has the effect of tonifying the kidney and strengthening the body. Eating pork kidney can clear kidney fire, but it should not be consumed for long periods because its fat and cholesterol content is extremely high.