Men's Health: Three Dietary Therapies to Strengthen the Spleen and Kidneys, Including Chestnut Stew with Cabbage

Braised Cabbage with Chestnuts

Ingredients and Uses: Chestnuts, also known as Chinese chestnuts, are mainly divided into three types: flat chestnuts, cone chestnuts, and thatch chestnuts. They are known as the "King of Dried Fruits" and are a highly nutritious tonic. Chestnuts are very rich in nutrients, containing 5.7-10.7% protein, 2.7% fat, and 60-70.1% sugar and starch. They also contain certain amounts of vitamins A, B₁, B₂, C, D, and carotene, as well as lipase, calcium, phosphorus, iron, and potassium. They can be eaten fresh, boiled, or used in cooking. They can also be made into chestnut flour, candied fruit, wine, chestnut sauce, chestnut soup, chestnut cake, as filling for pastries, and canned chestnut chicken.

Chestnuts are also a good medicinal herb for nourishing the body and treating ailments. According to traditional Chinese medicine clinical experience, chestnuts are considered sweet and warm in nature, entering the spleen, stomach, and kidney meridians. They have the effects of nourishing the stomach, strengthening the spleen, tonifying the kidneys, strengthening the waist, strengthening muscles and tendons, promoting blood circulation, stopping bleeding, and reducing swelling. They are suitable for symptoms such as lower back and knee weakness, leg weakness, frequent urination caused by kidney deficiency, chronic diarrhea caused by spleen and stomach deficiency, as well as external fractures, bruises, swelling and pain, skin sores, and muscle and bone pain. According to traditional Chinese medicine theory, "The kidneys govern the bones, and the waist is the residence of the kidneys." Therefore, weakness in the lower back and legs is mainly caused by kidney deficiency. Chestnuts are considered a fruit of the kidneys and can benefit them, so eating them is naturally effective. Because raw chestnuts are difficult to digest, and cooked chestnuts can easily cause bloating, it is not advisable to eat too many at once.

Those with spleen deficiency and poor digestion, or those with excessive internal heat, should not eat chestnuts.

To treat illness with chestnuts, they must be eaten raw. The general method, as described by Li Shizhen, is: "Place raw chestnuts in a bag, hang them to air dry, and eat ten or so each morning, followed by pork kidney porridge. With continued use, they will strengthen the body." When eating, they should be chewed thoroughly until they are smooth and pulpy, then swallowed little by little to achieve the desired effect.

Chinese cabbage, also known as bok choy, is one of the most widely cultivated vegetables in my country. It contains abundant vitamins A, B, and C, especially C, and is considered a health food. Eating it can benefit the intestines and stomach, clear heat, promote urination and defecation, and prevent skin diseases. The juice can nourish infants. Besides eating fresh Chinese cabbage, it can also be dried into dried cabbage, a common food. Drying also provides preservation, disinfection, and absorption of ultraviolet rays from sunlight. Furthermore, its rich vitamin C content helps prevent scurvy and other skin diseases.

Ingredients: 200g chestnuts, 500g cabbage, 25g each of scallions and ginger, 500g soybean oil, 50g lard, 10g soy sauce, 2.5g salt, 2.5g MSG, 200g broth.

Preparation Method: Wash the cabbage thoroughly with clean water and cut it into 1cm thick and 5cm long sections. Make a small slit in each chestnut, boil them in a pot, then remove them, peel them, and halve the chestnut kernels. Heat the soybean oil to 60% hot, then fry the cabbage sections until golden brown and remove. Heat another spoonful of lard until boiling, add the scallions and ginger, then add the cabbage, pour in the broth, add the seasonings, and finally add the chestnuts. Simmer until tender.

Dosage: Take 1-2 times daily.

Effects: Strengthens the spleen, nourishes the stomach, strengthens the lower back, tonifies the kidneys, promotes blood circulation, and reduces swelling. Suitable for elderly people with physical weakness and limb weakness.

Spleen-Strengthening and Kidney-Nourishing Porridge

Ingredients and Uses: Lotus seeds can be eaten fresh, or used in soups, desserts, pastries, or candied fruits. They have a fragrant aroma and are rich in nutrients. Dried lotus seeds contain up to 62% carbohydrates and 16.6% protein. They are also rich in calcium, phosphorus, iron, vitamins B₁ and B₂, and carotene, making them a suitable food for all ages.

Lotus seeds are also a valuable traditional Chinese medicine, a precious tonic for vital energy. When used medicinally, the skin and core are removed, hence the name "lotus meat" in traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions. They have the effects of tonifying the spleen, benefiting the lungs, nourishing the heart, benefiting the kidneys, and strengthening the intestines. Raw lotus seeds can nourish the heart and spleen, while cooked lotus seeds can strengthen the stomach and intestines. Suitable for palpitations, insomnia, physical weakness, seminal emission, excessive vaginal discharge, and chronic diarrhea. Its characteristic is that it can both tonify and strengthen, thus it can tonify the middle jiao (digestive system) to stop diarrhea and stabilize the essence. If stuffed into a pig's stomach, boiled, dried, and ground into powder for internal use, it can replenish deficiencies and strengthen the stomach and intestines.

The green embryo in the center of the lotus seed is called the lotus heart, which tastes very bitter and is removed before eating. However, this "bitter heart" has brought benefits to humankind. The lotus heart contains lotusine, nuciferine, luteolin, and hyperoside, which have the effects of clearing heat, consolidating essence, calming the mind, strengthening the heart, and lowering blood pressure. It can treat restlessness, confusion, and nocturnal emission caused by high fever. Clinically, it is used to treat hypertension, dizziness, palpitations, and insomnia. A dose of 2 grams of lotus heart steeped in boiling water and drunk as tea is effective.

Besides lotus seeds, there is also a type called "stone lotus seed," also known as sweet stone lotus. These are lotus seeds that, after maturing in the lotus pod, fall into the mud and harden into a black, stone-like substance over time, hence the name. Ancient prescriptions often used it to treat dysentery with aphthous stomatitis. It has the effect of clearing the mind and relieving irritability. Clinically, it is often used to treat symptoms such as bitter taste in the mouth, dry throat, fever, chronic gonorrhea, and dysentery. It also has the function of relieving depression and clearing heart fire.

The "house" where lotus seeds live is called lotus pod, also known as lotus seedpod shell. It is a special medicine for dispersing blood stasis and treating leukorrhea. It can treat postpartum retained placenta, abdominal pain due to blood stasis, metrorrhagia, leukorrhea, uterine bleeding, etc. It has been reported that lotus pod also has the effect of inhibiting the growth of Staphylococcus aureus. It can be applied externally to treat eczema, impetigo, etc.

Ingredients: (1) 150g lotus seeds, 3 jujubes, 50g white rice, a little sugar.

(2) 20 chestnuts, 3 goji berries, 5 walnuts, a little sugar.

Preparation method: (1) Cook the lotus seeds until soft, then add the white rice. When the soup is reduced, add the jujubes and cook together into porridge. After cooking, you can add sugar (those who do not like sweets can omit the sugar). It is then ready to eat. (2) Peel the chestnuts and cook them with goji berries, walnuts, and white rice into a porridge.

Dosage: Once daily, can be taken continuously.

Efficacy: Strengthens the spleen, harmonizes the stomach and aids digestion, and has a qi-tonifying effect. It can consolidate kidney qi, replenish essence and marrow, and warm and tonify kidney yang, thereby preventing premature aging and achieving the health benefits of longevity.

Vinegar Egg

Ingredients and Uses: Poultry eggs are an excellent source of protein and vitamins, and are highly nutritious. Commonly consumed poultry eggs include chicken eggs, duck eggs, goose eggs, pigeon eggs, and quail eggs.

Vinegar is used for seasoning, has a deodorizing effect, and can stimulate the sense of taste, enhancing appetite. It is even better when used as a dipping sauce.

Ingredients: 180 ml rice vinegar, one fresh egg, honey to taste.

Preparation Method: Wash fresh eggs and soak them in rice vinegar (preferably in a covered teacup) until the shells dissolve (about 30 hours). The inner membrane can be crushed with chopsticks. Add honey and mix well before consuming.

Dosage: Take one fresh egg three times a day. This can be taken long-term.

Efficacy: Calms the nerves and soothes the mind; calms liver yang and is suitable for those with kidney deficiency and weakness. Suitable for patients with high blood lipids, arteriosclerosis, hypertension, coronary heart disease, and diabetes.