Pumpkin is a common ingredient and also a health food. Using pumpkin to cook some simple therapeutic medicinal diets is suitable for conditioning.
Li Peiwen, Director of the Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Oncology at the China-Japan Friendship Hospital, stated that pumpkin tonifies the middle jiao, replenishes qi, strengthens the spleen and warms the stomach, detoxifies and relieves pain. It is used for symptoms such as fatigue and lassitude caused by prolonged illness and body weakness, or spleen and stomach deficiency-cold, including stomach cold, poor appetite, reduced food intake, abdominal bloating, and oliguria with edema.
Li Peiwen recommended several therapeutic medicinal diets containing pumpkin:
Spleen-Strengthening and Qi-Replenishing Formula: Stew 500 grams of pork ribs until eight-tenths cooked. Add 500 grams of diced pumpkin and 200 grams of peeled chestnuts, and simmer over low heat until cooked. This is used for body weakness and fatigue caused by spleen and stomach deficiency-cold and insufficient middle qi, as well as systemic weakness caused by radiotherapy and chemotherapy.
Spleen-Strengthening and Dampness-Draining Formula: Soak 100 grams of raw Job's tears and 100 grams of mung beans for half a day, then cook them into a porridge until done. Add 200 grams of diced pumpkin and a few red dates, and simmer over low heat until cooked. This is used for internal dampness retention due to spleen deficiency, failure to transform phlegm-fluids, reduced food intake with abdominal bloating, and oliguria with edema.
Deficiency-Replenishing and Stomach-Nourishing Formula: Take a mature pumpkin of about 500 grams, wash it, and cut off the top to use as a lid. Scoop out the pulp from the top. Mix two raw duck eggs, a little minced meat with rice, salt, monosodium glutamate, and other seasonings. Fill the pumpkin with this mixture to two-thirds full, then add more water to fill it. Steam in a steamer until cooked, then cover with the pumpkin top before serving. The entire pumpkin and the rice are edible. This is used for poor appetite, lassitude and fatigue, and sallow complexion caused by prolonged illness or tumors.