Every day, we consume food and substances that greatly impacts our health, good and bad. A lot of us even spend a ton of money on man-made supplements or treatments that promise beauty benefits, increased energy, better sleep; the list goes on. Sometimes these treatments work, or you trade the benefit for a list of dangerous side effects. What if I told you that incorporating natural chinese herbs into your lifestyle could significantly improve your overall health, mental well-being, and appearance? Look no further, I've compiled a list of my absolute favorite Chinese Medicine herbs that are affordable, easily accessible, and fun to consume!
What is Traditional Chinese Medicine?
Traditional Chinese Medicine, also shortened to TCM, is an ancient and comprehensive form of medicine that has been delicately nurturing health for over 2,000 years. Like Western Medicine, it has been used to diagnose, treat, and prevent illness. What sets TCM apart is that it is based on the concept of yin and yang, which are defined as opposing energies. Some examples of yin and yang are winter and summer or happiness and sadness. Yin represents the dark and feminine characteristics such as intuition, water, and sensitivity. Yang represents the light and masculine characteristics such as being active, rational, and enthusiastic. When yin and yang are in balance, you will feel relaxed and energized. If they are out of balance, your health can be negatively affected.
It is also believed that there is life force energy (Qi) in every physical body, and that this energy should always be balanced and flowing freely. When Qi is blocked or if there is too little or too much in the meridians, illness creeps in.
In TCM, disease is thought to have three major causes: external or environmental factors, your emotions, and lifestyle factors such as diet. There are several components of TCM treatment including acupuncture or acupressure, herbal medicine, and exercises such as Tai chi or Qigong. We will focus on the herbal medicine aspect of Traditional Chinese Medicine, but first let's go over some of it's basic principles:
In TCM, foods and herbs are categorized as either warming, cooling, or neutral. This is based on the principles of yin and yang, which are believed to govern the balance of the body. Imbalances in yin and yang can lead to health problems, and consuming the right types of foods can help to restore this balance. For example, warming foods are thought to increase yang energy and cooling foods are thought to increase yin energy.
TCM divides the year into five seasons, each with its own unique characteristics that can influence the mind, body, and spirit. This also includes eating according to the season.
- -Spring: associated with new growth and upward-moving energy. Focus on fresh, leafy greens such as sprouts, kale, spinach, and collards; sweet and pungent foods such as garlic, ginger, onion, honey, grains, legumes, young beets, baby carrots, plums, dates, and apples. Avoid overly salty or heavy foods.
- -Summer: the season of full expansion and activity. Focus on light and colorful vegetables/fruits and consume cooling foods (watermelon, kiwi, mung beans, mint, cucumber, fish, tomato) to help your body adjust to the hot temperatures. Ironically, ice cream and frozen desserts are popular during this time, but it is advised to limit these. Summer heat combined with excessive cold food can weaken the digestive system and cause contraction. This causes your body to hold in sweat and heat.
- -Late Summer: this is considered the last month of summer and you should consume bitter foods to relieve "dampness" in the body. Bitter foods such as chinese pearl barley, corn, red beans, and winter melon can clear heat and dry dampness.
- -Autumn: the season of introspection and preparation for the approaching stillness of winter. Eat more sour food and less pungent food. According to TCM, sour flavor contracts and pungent food expands. Autumn season is when we need to begin the process of contraction, which is why sour food is preferred. Consume sourdough bread, sauerkraut, vinegar, pickles, olives, yogurt, lemons, limes, and grapefruit. Since this season can be quite dry, eating moistening foods will also help relieve symptoms such as dry hair or skin. This includes chinese yam, white fungus, goji berry, seafood, dairy, soy products (including tofu), eggs, almonds and honey.
- -Winter: the season of going inward and getting plenty of rest. "Slow living" during winter isn't about being stagnant and doing nothing at all; it's about living in accordance of the rhythm of the universe and not overexerting yourself. Gentle exercises like Qigong, Tai chi, and yoga are recommended rather than intense exercise. As we all know, warm foods are popular during this season so be sure to fill up on soups, stews, and porridges. Salty and bitter foods like miso, seaweed, and quinoa are also recommended. If you want to take things up a notch, you can even incorporate black colored foods into your diet. In Chinese Five Element Theory, winter corresponds to the color black. Some delicious choices would be black sesame, black rice and beans, and dried black fungus.
Lastly, before we move on to my top five TCM herbs, let's cover one more topic to limit any confusion. In western medicine, the body's organs are explained in terms of their anatomical structure and physiological functions. However, in Traditional Chinese Medicine the approach is different. Organs are considered functional units of the body. Therefore, what is typically thought of as an organ (heart, liver, stomach, etc) has a broader meaning in TCM. For example, in western medicine the spleen is considered a non-vital organ; whereas in TCM, the spleen is an extremely vital organ that is central to digestion and has several other functions not recognized in western medicine. These functions include controlling the muscles and limbs, housing our thoughts, managing our blood, and controlling the Upright Qi. So, if you see phrases such as "TCM liver" or "TCM kidney", it doesn't necessarily correlate to the liver and kidney in normal western terminology.
#1 : Chinese Red Date/Jujube Date/Hong Zao
- Contains Vitamins A, B1, B2, C, Iron, Calcium, and Protein
- Enriches and replenishes blood
- Has the ability to tonify Qi. By boosting Qi, our energy levels are increased and sustained throughout the day
- Has a calming effect on the spirit and relieves stress and anxiety
- Promotes good sleep
- Has anti-aging properties. There is a saying in Chinese, “一日食仨棗，百歲不顯老” (If you eat three red dates a day, even when you're 100 years old you will still look pretty young)
- Aids in digestion by tonifying the TCM Spleen and Stomach
- Add it to your favorite teas for natural sweetness, eat it by itself as a snack, or add it to oatmeal, porridge or baked goods. Can also be added to herbal soup or savory dishes for a touch of sweetness
- TCM thermal property: warm
Note: Red dates are naturally sweet and warming in nature. If you are prone to excessive heat in the body (which may show up as anxiety, dermatitis or skin issues, headache, fever, dry stools) you may want to limit your consumption, start slow by consuming one and gauging how you feel. You can also reduce the warming nature of red dates by removing the pits before consuming or cooking.
#2 Goji Berry/Gou Qi Zi
- Rich in carotene, vitamin A, B1, B2, C, and calcium
- It can increase the skin's ability to absorb nutrients and has anti-aging, anti-wrinkle, and brightening properties
- Nourishes our Yin energy and supports our reproductive system
- Nourishes and tonifies the TCM Liver and Kidneys, which are associated with vision. This can enhance visual acuity, relieve dry eyes, and support overall eye health
- Helps to nourish hair from the inside out
- Can be added to your favorite teas or herbal soup, sprinkled on top of yogurt and oatmeal, or added to smoothies
- TCM thermal property: neutral
#3 Job's Tears Seed/Yi Yi Ren/Chinese Pearl Barley
- Naturally gluten-free
- Promotes radiant skin and helps diminish dark spots
- Contains high amounts of vitamin E
- Strengthens the TCM Spleen and resolves dampness, reduces water retention, and improves weak digestion
- Clears heat from the body and restores the body's natural equilibrium
- Ideal for drinking during hot, humid months
- Has a mild, chewy texture. Can be cooked as a soup or porridge, added into smoothies, or enjoyed as a cool beverage or tea
- TCM thermal property: slightly cold
Note: Job's Tears Seed is also known as Coix seeds, Adlay, Chinese Pearl Barley.
#4 Tangerine Peel/Chen Pi
- Li Shizhen, Ming Dynasty herbalist of the 1500s, touted tangerine peels as "a cure for a hundred illnesses"
- Classified as a Qi regulating tonic and can help move your Qi when you feel stuck or stagnant
- Supports digestion and alleviates bloating or indigestion
- Clears dampness and excess phlegm from the body
- Can be used in herbal tea to help with cough or phlegm stuck in your chest or throat
- Can be used in meat dishes to cut the greasiness of the meat, added to bean soups to reduce the heaviness and reduce bloating caused by the beans, or added to desserts to cut the sweetness and add a citrusy touch
- TCM thermal property: warm
#5: A variety of dried mushroom and fungus
- These are a staple in TCM and Chinese cuisine
- Snow fungus/Snow mushroom (pictured left): A yin tonic that nourishes our yin energy and alleviates dry hair and skin. Contains protein, 16 types of amino acids, calcium and collagen
- Black fungus (pictured second to left): Has a neutral taste but packed with many benefits such as: nourishing the lungs, clearing heat in the body, tonifying yin energy, regulating blood circulation, protecting the brain, and healing the gut
- Lion's mane: contains zinc, potassium, and compounds that support brain health
- Reishi (also known as Lingzhi): promotes longevity and referred to as "the mushroom of immortality". Has the ability to calm the mind, tonify Qi, strengthen cardiac function, and improve memory. Note: Reishi and Lion's mane stimulate the immune system and should not be taken by those who are on immunosuppressant drugs
- All of the mushrooms/fungus listed can be made as an herbal soup, or added to dishes you'd normally enjoy
Some final takeaways:
- When cooking chinese herbs please refrain from using copper, aluminum, or cast iron pots as these metals can cause a chemical reaction that change the medicinal properties of the herbs. Instead, opt for stainless steel, glass, ceramic, or clay pots since these materials are more stable.
- I recommend to purchase herbs from your local Asian grocery store or International supermarket. If not, they can usually be found online.
- When trying any of the herbs for the first time, start slow. I suggest trying one over a few days and seeing how you feel. At that point you can incorporate another herb and so on. Chinese medicine encourages us to pay attention to how our bodies respond and adjust accordingly.
- It is important to strike a balance when consuming herbs and to adapt your herbal intake based on the changing seasons. For example, Job's Tears Seeds are great for humid days, but not suitable for dry or colder weather due to its mild diuretic nature. Another example is consuming "cooling" herbs every day for an extended period of time. This can disrupt the vital life force energy of those who are elderly, have weak digestion, or who aren't exhibiting heat signs. Be mindful when consuming herbs, gauge how your body is responding over time, and don't overdo it.
- Lastly, feel free to visit a licensed Traditional Chinese Medicine doctor, herbalist, or acupuncturist for an evaluation and personalized herbal concoction.
As we near the end of this article, I want to leave you with a few gentle reminders: Our bodies are truly a temple. There are thousands of cells working hard to keep us alive every day, so we must honor our bodies and treat it with the upmost respect. What we consume (internally and visually) and how we think or speak about ourselves influences our overall well-being. Thankfully, it's never too late to take steps toward a healthier lifestyle and chinese herbs are a great way to start! Start slow to learn what works for you, experiment with different recipes, and remember to have fun in the process. Thank you for reading and happy healing!
