Now let’s talk about yimi [1] (薏米). You will find yimi the best helper, if your body has wet: accumulated fluid, swell, eczema, cysts - all problems related to the turbid water of the body. “Yiren (薏仁) is the best at eliminating water, and it does not consume the qi of real yin. It is the best for removing excess wet of the lower body.” Yimi is a bit cool, and so it is not suitable for people with very cold and weak stomach and spleen or people who have very cold four limbs. Li Shizhen (李时珍) said pregnant women should not use yimi; he might worry that yimi would also drain the amniotic fluid. However, in practice yimi was found not dangerous to pregnant women at all. Actually, it seems to be helpful. Nevertheless, for the sake of safety, let’s listen to the old gentleman. Yimi’s main function is to promote the spleen and eliminate wet. Promoting the spleen can help the lungs [2], and eliminating water can resolve phlegm [3]. Thus, this herb can be used in treating lung heat, lung abscesses, and lung collapse. When used together with shanyao, they complement each other and have synergistic effects. “Shanyao and yimi both promote lungs and spleen without causing turbidity. However, if used alone for a long time, shanyao is a bit sticky and yimi is a bit draining. When used together in equal amount, shanyao and yimi can be used for a long time without side effects.” Modern TCM doctors reported that daily intake of a porridge consisting of 50 grams of shanyao and 50 grams of yimi had an obvious effect on the draining of water accumulated in the abdominal cavities of patients of cirrhosis. Now, why would we wait until the disease becomes so serious to eat the porridge? Isn’t it a good idea for us to pulverize shanyao and yimi, cook them together as porridge, and eat it often? It is very tasty, and one would never get tired of eating it. There are people who say that the porridge tastes like medicine, sour and bitter and hard to swallow. This is probably because the material they had is of low quality. Certain variety of shanyao has a slight sour flavor, but that does not affect the wonderful taste of the porridge.
Finally, let us talk about qianshi (芡实). Have I exhausted all the praises for shanyao and yimi? Not really. Qianshi has an unparalleled special use. If you have tuo symptom (脱症) or lou symptom (漏症) [4], qianshi can be like a pair of strong hands to hold you and keep your qi and blood from being wasted away. There are people who have prolonged diarrhea, so severe that the food they eat goes straight to the toilet. There are people who are troubled by unstoppable seminal emission. There are also people who urinate so frequently at night that they cannot sleep well. Qianshi can do wonder dealing with all these problems. TCM doctor Chen Shize (陈士择) of the Qing Dynasty did the best job summing it up: “Qianshi can stop pains of the back or the knees, and sharpen vision and improve hearing; if taken regularly, it can prolong life. It is plain to sight, but very beneficial to use. Qianshi does not just stop seminal emission, it promotes essence [5] production. It eliminates wet and phlegm of the stomach and spleen, thus producing the real and pure water [6] in the kidney.” Based on this, I would say qianshi is the first choice for promoting spleen and strengthening kidney. The results will be even better, if it is used in conjunction with shanyao. (to be continued)
[2] According to TCM theory Wuxinglun (五行论), promoting the spleen can help the lungs,
[5] Essence in TCM is the original force/vitality that starts and sustains life. It is stored in the kidney.
[6] Real and pure water of the kidney means the essence of the kidney. It is completely different from “wet” that is to be eliminated.
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| Qianshi (芡实） |
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| Qianshi in soup (popcorn like) |
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