The COVID-19 pandemic has shifted the way in which we live and work. With more free time spending at home and intrigued by thoughts of boosting immunity against COVID, Channel 823 invited Steven Ng, a registered Chinese medicine practitioner at Athena Dispensary in Po Lam Shopping Centre, to share two healing soup recipes that can enhance immune system and provide three more tips of keeping doctor away.
“Prevention is always better than cure”, as the saying goes. As Hong Kong is in the midst of its worst COVID-19 wave to date, practicing proper hygiene and strengthening immune system can protect ourselves from infections. From the perspective of Chinese medicine, Steven said that COVID is a type of seasonal febrile disease. As people are usually susceptible to spleen dampness and lung discomfort, especially during spring, he recommends to have arrowroot with rice beans soup to strengthen our spleens and lungs, and enhance immunity. He explains that arrowroot could clear heat and resolve toxin, and relieve bone pain and dampness all over the body; rice beans and lentils could eliminate dampness and strengthen the spleen. Straight ladybell root (shashen) can clear heat and enrich yin. Fragrant Landpick (yuzhu) and Lilii Bulbus (baihe) can moisten and invigorate the lungs respectively, while whelk head can nourish yin and enhance flavour.
Arrowroot – 1 catty
Lean meat – 1 catty
Rice beans – 1 tael
Lentils – 1 tael
Straight ladybell root (shashen) – 1 tael
Fragrant landpick (yuzhu) – 1 tael
Lilii Bulbus (baihe) – 1 tael
Whelk head – 1 tael
Tangerine peel (chenpi) – 1 piece
Candied dates – 3 pieces
Water – 12 bowls
For those who are recovering from an illness, Steven recommends purple jasmine root and smilax glabra (tufuling) soup, which helps resolve toxins from the body and strengthen our spleen and stomach. Both help detoxify, purple jasmine root is the root of the purple jasmine which can clear away heat, while smilax glabra (tufuling) can remove dampness. Lotus seeds are often cooked with Chinese yam rhizome for tonifying kidneys and spleens. This soup can be prepared for toning the body after illness and removing heat.
Ingredients
Purple jasmine root – 1 tael
Smilax glabra (tufuling) – 1 tael
Lean meat – 1 catty
Lotus seeds – 1 tael
Chinese yam rhizome – 1 tael
Codonopsis pilosula (dangshen) – 1 tael
Dried raw barley – 1 tael
Lycopus lucidus turcz (decan)– 1 tael
Whelk head – 1 tael
Tangerine peel – 1 tael
Candied dates – 3 pieces
Water – 12 bowls
Recipe
The above two soup recipes are mild and suitable for all ages, much enough for three to six people. You may have it daily, but three times a week is recommended. Last but not least, Steven shares three more tips for disease prevention, in the hope that everyone can maintain a healthy lifestyle and stay safe from all kinds of diseases!