In summer, both the natural world and the human body have a strong Yang energy. In order to rely on strength, traditional Chinese medicine advocates "treating winter diseases in summer". This "winter disease" includes both diseases that occur or worsen in winter, as well as deficiency cold constitution.
The so-called deficiency cold constitution, also known as "lack of firepower" as the saying goes, is the result of deficiency cold. This type of person gets wet due to cold and gains weight due to weakness, so summer is also a good opportunity to get rid of dampness and gain weight.
The "Shen Ling Bai Shu San" recorded in the "Tai Ping Hui Min He Ji Ju Fang" of the Song Dynasty is precisely helpful. Among them, Codonopsis pilosula, Atractylodes macrocephala, white hyacinth beans, yam, and lotus seeds have the effect of invigorating the spleen, while Job's tears, Poria cocos, sand kernel, and Platycodon grandiflorus are responsible for dispelling dampness. It can be seen that the power of invigorating the spleen is significantly greater than that of dispelling dampness, because the spleen is responsible for transforming water and dampness. After the spleen is invigorated, the dampness will be naturally pushed out by the body. Even if dampness is not deliberately dispelled, there is no place for dampness to exist.
In summer, the air humidity is high, and in many places, the humidity can reach 60% -80%, while the moisture content of the human body is 70%. What does it mean?
You can understand that the humidity inside the body is 70%. When the humidity inside and outside the body is equal, it is difficult to expel the moisture inside the body. In order to dispel dampness, one must work overtime. Therefore, summer is the hardest season for temper throughout the year. Especially for people in the southern regions, their temper is generally more prone to dampness and becoming weak than those in the north.
Southerners have their own ways of invigorating the spleen
In order to better strengthen the spleen and dispel dampness, southerners have also explored a set of high-frequency spleen strengthening methods that are suitable for themselves. In other words, southerners are forced by moisture to develop a set of high-frequency spleen strengthening life wisdom, which helps to boost their hardworking temper.
This way is to drink Congee. As we all know, people in Guangdong and Fujian like to cook porridge, even in summer, because Congee is mushy, which is made by fully soaking and blending water and grain. When Chinese medicine describes the characteristics of the spleen, it happens to be that "the middle coke is like a retting." This "retting" is the state of food being fully soaked and integrated by water, so Congee is the most suitable state for the spleen and can strengthen the spleen.
But it should be noted that Congee containing spleen invigorating and dampness removing drugs has a higher "gold content" than ordinary rice porridge, vegetable Congee and meat porridge. Especially now, there are more people with high blood sugar and obesity, and they need to moderately limit their carbohydrate intake to avoid rising sugar due to excessive intake.
Fortunately, yam, Poria cocos, white hyacinth beans, lotus seeds, and Job's tears in "Shen Ling Bai Zhu San" are ingredients that have the same medicinal and edible properties, and are rich in fiber. After being ground into powder, they are mixed into a paste, which not only retains the effect of invigorating the spleen and removing dampness, but also replaces grains to give a feeling of fullness.
Whether from the perspective of removing dampness and obesity in traditional Chinese medicine or from the perspective of controlling sugar in Western medicine, the dietary version of "Shen Ling Bai Zhu San" can be competent, and can even be said to be a fully effective and integrated dietary formula.
A diet without adding rice
Following ancient formulas can replace meals
Tong Dao added Huangqi to "Shen Ling Bai Lian Powder" on the basis of "Shen Ling Bai Zhu San", removing Atractylodes macrocephala. The combination of Astragalus membranaceus and Codonopsis pilosula has increased the strength of tonifying qi, improved fatigue, laziness, and heaviness of the body during spleen deficiency and dampness, and increased metabolic rate to promote fat consumption.
As long as you are easily tired in summer, your body is bloated and heavy, your face is not tight, your stool is not formed, your tongue has tooth marks or even white moss, your appetite is not good, and you don't want to drink water. After drinking water, you always feel like it is in your stomach, which can improve spleen deficiency and dampness.
More importantly, if you carefully look at the ingredient list of "Shen Ling Bai Lian Fen", you will find that not a single grain of rice has been added! It is a product that is completely transformed from "Shen Ling Bai Zhu San" and has the same medicinal and edible properties. It is ground into powder.
The reason for such a simple ingredient is firstly because the recipe itself can be eaten as a meal. Secondly, it aims to maximize the effect of invigorating the spleen and dispelling dampness, without allowing any additional ingredients to interfere with this health preservation theme. At the same time, it can also meet the demanding meal replacement needs of those who limit carbon and water and avoid sugar.