People often experience "internal heat" symptoms such as red, swollen, and painful eyes, or a sore throat, swollen gums, painful mouth ulcers, and a sore, eroded tongue tip. "Internal heat" can be regulated through diet, and "food therapy" has unique effects.
I. Drink lotus seed soup to clear heart fire
Manifestations: There are two types, deficiency and excess. Deficiency fire presents as low-grade fever, night sweats, vexation, and dry mouth. Excess fire presents as recurrent mouth ulcers, dry mouth, scanty and dark urine, and irritability.
Food therapy: 30g of lotus seeds (with the heart removed), 15g of gardenia fruit (wrapped in gauze), and an appropriate amount of rock sugar. Decoct in water, then eat the lotus seeds and drink the soup.
II. Eat pork liver to clear lung fire
Manifestations: Dry cough with little or no phlegm, tidal fever and night sweats, hot palms and soles, insomnia, and a red tongue.
Food therapy: 1 set of pork liver, 30g of chrysanthemum flowers (wrapped in gauze). Cook together until the liver is done, then eat the liver and drink the soup.
III. Drink mung bean congee to clear stomach fire
Manifestations: There are two types, deficiency and excess. Deficiency fire presents as a slight 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, dry stools.
Food therapy: 30g of gypsum powder, an appropriate amount of japonica rice and mung beans. First, decoct the gypsum in water, then filter out the dregs. Use the clear liquid to cook with japonica rice and mung beans to make a congee.
IV. Drink pear water to clear liver fire
Manifestations: Headache, dizziness, tinnitus, dry eyes, a bitter taste and bad breath, and pain in the two ribs.
Food therapy: 10g of Fritillaria bulb, crushed into a powder. 2 pears, peeled and cut into pieces. Add an appropriate amount of rock sugar and clear water, then stew and consume.
V. Eat pork kidneys to clear kidney fire
Manifestations: Dizziness and blurred vision, tinnitus and hearing loss, soreness and weakness of the lower back, tidal fever and night sweats, vexation with heat in the five centers (palms, soles, chest, abdomen, and head).
Food therapy: 2 pork kidneys, 15g each of goji berries and Cornus officinalis fruit. Place all in a clay pot and cook until the kidneys are done, then eat the kidneys and drink the soup.