🌿 Folk Prescriptions

“When I was young, my constitution was weak—I frequently caught colds and suffered from diarrhea, making medicine a constant companion. After marriage, I also experienced ‘yang deficiency’—unable to perform sexually. I tried countless tonics, but none worked. I truly felt ashamed toward my wife.”
“One day, while hiking in the mountains, I got caught in a sudden downpour. Soon after, my nose ran, throat felt dry, and I shivered all over. A few sneezes signaled the start of a cold. I rushed into a mountain villager’s home for shelter. Kindly, the host saw my pale face and trembling legs, and prepared ginger tea for me. Grateful, I vented my troubles. Unexpectedly, he immediately shared a secret recipe: wash and chop dandelion and Chinese chives, mix with salt, vinegar, pure ginger powder, chili flakes, and eat raw. Regular consumption prevents colds and diarrhea, and enhances sexual function.”
“After returning home, I gathered dandelion and bought Chinese chives, preparing them exactly as instructed. Tasting it, I found it quite delicious. After eating regularly, I even enjoyed a lingering fragrance. From then on, I ate this dish at least once daily. After a year, colds stopped bothering me. Most pleasantly, I regained confidence in sexual performance. After living so long, I finally understood what it truly means to be a strong man!”
This friend had poor constitution as a child, prone to colds and diarrhea, and after marriage experienced ‘yang deficiency’ and inability to perform sexually—indicating spleen and kidney deficiency. According to TCM, the spleen governs transformation and transportation, closely related to digestion and absorption. When the spleen is strong throughout the seasons, resistance to infection and disease is high. If spleen deficiency leads to impaired transformation and transportation, and weakened spleen qi, one becomes susceptible to wind-cold colds and diarrhea. Kidney deficiency relates to congenital insufficiency and postnatal imbalance. The kidneys store essence; deficiency leads to premature ejaculation and impotence.
The mountain villager’s secret recipe is intriguing. Dandelion is a heat-clearing and detoxifying herb, effective against various bacteria, useful for respiratory and gastrointestinal infections. Chinese chives are pungent and warm, warming the center and moving qi. Their sulfur compounds have antibacterial and stimulating effects, as well as cold-dispelling properties. Vinegar, ginger, and chili all remove dampness and cold, relieve exterior symptoms, and warm the body. When combined with dandelion and Chinese chives, they complement each other, strengthening the body and preventing colds.
Most noteworthy is Chinese chives. Folk wisdom often uses them to treat impotence. Ancient texts record: “Treats yang deficiency and cold kidney, fails to arouse yang.” Yuan Dynasty poets even praised Chinese chives as “more fragrant than meaty vegetables, with greater benefits than meat.” Modern research shows Chinese chives contain anti-free radical substances, beneficial to health.
However, this dish should be consumed according to individual constitution. Those with severe yin deficiency and internal heat or ulcer disease should avoid it. For enhancing yang and sexual function, Chinese chive seeds are more effective than the leaves. For example, grind 30 grams of roasted walnuts and 5 grams of roasted Chinese chive seeds, mix with sugar, take daily, continuing for one month—this also yields good results in strengthening yang.