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The benefits of traditional Chinese herbs

Here in the U.S., what we eat tastes good. School children attending the school lunch line make decisions based food if the food tastes good or not. Even adults will choose the fast food more nutritious homemade meals from time to time based on taste. Who would not want cake or candy over vegetables?

The Chinese food very different perspective to the U.S. They know that food can have a beneficial effect on healing their bodies by strengthening the immune system and cure diseases.

The people in the U.S. can learn about the concept of using herbs in their diet to benefit their health by reading Secrets Chinese herbal by Stefan Chmelik. This book explains the directors of some of the most common herbs.

Chinese medicine uses herbs that most Americans are familiar, such as:

Sesame seeds are used in salads, as garnish of greens or on toast with black currant jam.

The walnuts in the salad or used in cooking can help those with low energy, low back pain or weak knees.

Women's ginseng (Dang Gui) can be added to the soup those females who suffer from lack of sleep, general weakness, fainting, dizziness or fatigue. In Chinese medicine, these symptoms are known as blood deficiency and frequent in young women who are vegetarian in their dietary choices.

Chinese cooking with herbs called "kitchen medicine" and many mothers and grandmothers have been the health care of family members of their kitchens for centuries.

Soups and stews are common ways of preparing Chinese herbs for medicinal purposes. These foods (meats, vegetables and tonic "Chinese" herbs) were used to increase Qi, collect blood, moisten the Yin, Yang heat, and generally improving physiological functions.

Not only are soups and stews used to promote good health, are also used to help the body recover from surgery childbirth, illness or trauma.

Chinese women also use another way to prepare herbs in food called, congee. This food is served in the breakfast and is a mixture of herbs and rice.

An example of a favorite soup is:

Chicken soup with the following herbs: astragalus, ginseng, cordyceps, and dates. The herbs used are Astragalus Root, Chinese Red Ginseng, American Ginseng, Cordyceps fungus, Dioscorea Root Yan, aged tangerine peel, Chinese Red Date, whether Indian or Green pods Cardomon Cardomon Chinese fungus Poria.

This soup contains these foods and other commodities:

Pressing cold sesame oil
Fresh ginger root
A brown onion
Chopped vegetables (variety usually carrots, turnips, daikon)
Skinless hormone-free (very important) chicken
Dark miso paste
White pepper

There are many websites with recipes and instructions on how to cook soups and stews.

About the Author

Scott Meyers is a staff writer for Its Entirely Natural, a resource for helping you achieve a naturally healthy body, mind, and spirit. You may contact our writers through the web site. Follow this link for more information on Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Lunch Ideas