Read this if you’re planning to overindulge this holiday season. Take note: Bloating is caused by more than just overeating; racing to finish your work before going on vacation won’t help either.
As we’re high in the midst of The Lunar New Year festivities, the New Year’s atmosphere is becoming increasingly spirited. Over-eating is one of the most significant problems of the New Year. For the New Year, every home will prepare a significant amount of delicious food, and many people will get into “New Year mode” of overeating, but this can quickly lead to health problems. Is there a TCM solution if we eat too much, get too bloated, or become “heaty” by accident?
How to Resolve Bloatedness
The main reason for feeling bloated is due to overeating, simply because there are so many meals to eat throughout the New Year. Overeating can result in stomach pains, flatulence, acid reflux, and hiccups, as well as more serious nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, and other symptoms. What can we do about these manifestations, all of which are brought on by a build-up of food? Read on for a couple of TCM recipes to help with digestion:
TCM recipes to help with digestion
1. Food accumulation – for digestion and reducing stagnation
Hawthorn Malt Tea
Source: “Chinese Medicinal Diet” 《中国药膳》
Composition: Hawthorn 10g, Raw Malt 10g
Method of preparation: Wash the hawthorn, slice it, place it in a cup with the malt, pour boiling water over it, cover and steep for 30 minutes, then consume it as a tea substitute.
Recipe: Hawthorn and raw malt are commonly used medicines for digestion and stagnation, and they are also foods. Hawthorn is commonly known as “Shanlihong”, “Hongguo”, etc. It is the dried and mature fruit of the Rosaceae plant aka Shanlihong Hawthorn. The taste of Hawthorn is sour and slightly sweet and it contains a lot of vitamin C and other nutritional value.
Benefits of Hawthorn – Digestion of Fat
Hawthorn contains lipase, which aids fat digestion, and the sweet and sour flavor stimulates gastric acid release, which aids dairy and meat digestion. Proteolytic enzymes and B vitamins are found in raw malt, and they are utilized to break down rice noodles, potato food buildup, and food stagnation. With hawthorn and raw malt, this perfect drink is ideal for promoting digestion and reducing stomach stagnation.
This medicinal diet is brewed with hawthorn and raw malt has the effect of strengthening the stomach and digesting food, and resolving the accumulation of stagnation symptoms such as vomiting. It is often used in therapeutic settings to treat appetite loss, nausea, and stomach fullness induced by consuming too much meat and dairy items. And because the taste is sweet and sour, it is more suitable for the tastes of the elderly, children and other people, and more palatable.
2. For Weak spleen and stomach-invigorate the spleen and promote digestion
Steamed Egg for stomach and digestion
Source: “Clinical Prescriptions Collection” 《临床验方集锦》
Composition: Chinese yam, Poria Mushrooms (Fu-Ling), lotus seeds, hawthorn, malt, dried chicken stomach, tangerine peel, one egg, salt, and soy sauce.
Method of preparation: Ground the 7 ingredients into a 5g powder, add to the egg, beat and steam them, season with salt and soy sauce to taste, and consume.
Recipe: Chinese yam, tuckahoe and lotus seeds all have the effect of invigorating Qi and invigorating the body. At the same time, these three are sweet and mild, which not only nourishes the spleen and stomach but can also reduce excess dampness and stop diarrhoea. and other symptoms. Eggs have the functions of invigorating the spleen and stomach, nourishing blood and calming the nerves, nourishing jin and replenishing fluids when dry. it can regulate the spleen and qi, strengthen the stomach and improve food digestion. For people with weak spleen and stomach, it can relieve gastrointestinal discomfort caused by improper eating.
Ulcers, Inflammation, Feverish, Heatiness during the New Year
In addition to food accumulation, many people experience “heaty” situations during the Chinese New Year, usually as a result of eating too much New Year’s goods during the New Year, such as New Year’s biscuits, New Year’s bak kwa, and so on; this, combined with staying up late, usually manifests itself as heatiness. To rid out heat and detoxify, try the following teas for sore throats, gum inflammation, mouth ulcers, constipation, yellow urine, and more:
Teas for sore throats, ulcers and inflammation
1. A cup of chrysanthemum & Pu’er to clear the heat and remove the oily residue.
When it comes to dispelling heatiness, “chrysanthemum tea” definitely comes to mind, especially when the tea is brewed with the best Pu’er tea, which not only removes heat and toxins, but also cleanses the liver, improves eyesight, and calms the nerves. If you are heaty by overeating and overdrinking, chrysanthemum Pu’er is a good option: chrysanthemum can help to dispel heat and put out fires; Pu’er can help you get rid of fat and grease.
2. Mint leaves and green tea go well together
Mint leaves are a kind of Chinese medicine with a cool and pleasant taste. It has the effects of dispelling wind and heat, clearing the head and reducing fire. It has a good relieving effect on fever and gum swelling and pain. Green tea also has the effect of reducing heat and reducing fire. Combining the two with honey or sugar, it can be said to be a delicious and unique heat reducing weapon.
Although the above-medicated diet can help solve the problem of bloatedness, food accumulation or getting heaty, the most important thing for everyone in the New Year is to eat a reasonable diet, not to overeating, and to get enough rest, so that it will not be a burden on the body and lead to health problems appear.
The Importance of Consulting Your Practitioner
There are certain precautions that should be observed when taking any medicine – even herbs. Chrysanthemum, for example, is not recommended for bloated patients with certain Stomach conditions or particular kinds of deficiency because it is cold. And Hawthorn, which can be cloying, should not be used by those with Spleen and Stomach deficiencies or excess conditions and caution should be taken during pregnancy, as it can stimulate uterine contractions.
If your heatiness or bloatedness persists, we suggest that you consult a professional TCM practitioner to assess your body’s condition and provide you with advice tailored to your situation.
