Qi deficiency and yin deficiency are perhaps the most common patterns encountered when treating any long-standing disease. In most cases, these patterns are deeply connected and must be treated simultaneously over a lengthy period of time. Complicating matters is that patients often are not compliant with regular dosing or perceived high dosing of herbal medicine; therefore, treatments can work too slowly.
One of the most important factors in treating any type of long-term disease is teaching patients how to cook with herbs and add herbs to their meals on a daily basis. With that said, let’s discuss two important herbs I frequently teach patients to use with meals to more effectively stimulate transformation and healing.
Xi Yang Shen (American Ginseng)
I use ren shen, dang shen and xi yang shen extensively in my practice; however, I tend to use xi yang shen more frequently due to its unique nature. Xi yang shen has the actions of supplementing the qi, nourishing yin, clearing fire, and engendering fluid. American ginseng targets the Kidney, Heart and Lung Channels (some sources add the Spleen).
Having a practice in an extremely hot climate, I tend to see patients with qi and yin deficiency due to loss of fluids and constant heat exposure. I of course use complex formulas to target the unique combination of both patterns; however, I teach patients how to utilize high-quality, powdered American ginseng in meals as well.
The most common method is to add powdered American ginseng to rice or quinoa as it is cooked. The dose can be one teaspoon per two cups of rice or quinoa. I highly recommend using purple rice, as it has the unique qualities of being neutral / warm, targets the Spleen, Stomach, and Liver Meridians, nourishes qi, replenishes jing / essence, tonifies blood, and invigorates blood. The rice should be soaked for 4-5 hours or overnight to maximize the friendliness to the spleen.
I also suggest adding cumin, as cumin is warm / pungent, targets the spleen, stomach and heart, warms the spleen, tonifies qi, and nourishes blood. This creates a tasty, extremely nutrient-dense meal, especially with the addition of American ginseng. This one simple food targets qi, blood, and yin deficiency, in addition to addressing blood stasis and clearing heat.
I also encourage patients to steep high-quality American ginseng in basic teabag form overnight and consume at room temperature throughout the day.
While American ginseng can at times be pricey, the results are extremely effective and once patients experience a shift, it is typically not an issue.
Gou Qi Zi (Lycium Berry)
Gou qi zi is sweet in flavor and targets the liver and kidneys (some sources say the spleen as well). Gou qi zi deeply nourishes liver and kidney yin; nourishes the eyes; and its gentle moistening nature also makes it highly effective for lung yin deficiency syndromes.
Gou qi zi can also easily be added to rice and quinoa as it is being cooked, and works extremely well when cooked with purple rice to deeply restore yin and jing. The berries can of course be eaten raw and I encourage patients to combine with hu tao ren (walnuts) to create a deeply nourishing snack.
Walnuts target the kidneys and lungs, nourish yin, and gently lubricate the intestines. When combined with gou qi zi, this is very effective for kidney issues such as long back pain and weak knees, as well as dry coughs and constipation.
For some, gou qi zi can be hard to chew, but this can easily be avoided by cooking the berries with quinoa or rice. I also suggest patients soak a handful of berries overnight to consume the next morning. Simply soak overnight, drain the water and add to any breakfast meal or eat alone, adding high-quality cinnamon as a spice.
Practical Takeaway
Over time, adding xi yang shen and gou qi zi to meals provides an additional therapy for patients to easily add to their lifestyle, along with appropriately dosed herbal formulas / teas for each patient’s nuanced presentation. I have seen this simple addition of basic herbal food therapy stimulate deep transformation in both energy levels and sleep quality for patients suffering from underlying qi and yin deficiency so common in long disease.
I hope these examples inspire you to experiment with unique ways to combine herbal medicines with food for patients facing long-term paths to resolution of their health challenges.
