🌿 Folk Prescriptions

Traditional Chinese medicine dietary therapy is one of the precious legacies of Chinese medicine, including medicinal porridge, medicinal wine, medicinal rice, and medicinal dishes. Health-promoting medicinal foods should replenish deficiencies in qi, blood, yin, and yang, support vital energy, and assist in treating certain diseases. Modern medical research indicates that such medicinal foods are rich in nutrients, capable of regulating physiological functions and delaying aging.

Below are five commonly used healthful medicinal dishes for the elderly.
1. Astragalus Tea
Astragalus 10–20g, sliced thinly, placed in a thermos, steeped with boiling water for half an hour, then consumed as tea. Add more boiling water when finished, replace herbs the next day, and can be taken continuously for over three months.
Highlight Recommendation: Why did Hu Shi often drink astragalus water?
Astragalus is the top herb for tonifying qi, capable of boosting primordial qi, strengthening the spleen and stomach, treating deficiency, and resisting aging. Nutritional analysis shows astragalus contains sucrose, glucuronic acid, mucilage, and various amino acids. Experimental studies found astragalus significantly enhances immune function, increases resistance to disease, promotes substance metabolism, and reduces lipofuscin levels in cells. Elderly people drinking astragalus water regularly after autumn can prevent winter colds and recurrence of bronchitis.
2. Peanut Porridge
45g peanuts, washed and crushed with skin, added to 100g rice, cooked into porridge. When nearly done, add a little rock sugar. Can be eaten for breakfast or consumed long-term.
The "Treatise on Herbal Medicine" records: "Peanut porridge moistens lungs, stops cough, and harmonizes the spleen," effectively strengthening the spleen and stomach and replenishing qi. Peanuts contain 40%–50% unsaturated fatty acids, proteins, carbohydrates, various vitamins, and effective components like choline.
For those with spleen and stomach qi deficiency, add yam during cooking; for those with dry cough due to lung deficiency, add lily; for those with anemia or low platelets, add red dates to cook together—effects are better. Peanuts have laxative properties; chronic diarrhea patients should avoid them. Moldy peanuts contain aflatoxin, a carcinogen, and must not be cooked or eaten.
3. Red Date Glutinous Rice Porridge
10 red dates, 100g glutinous rice. First, cook glutinous rice with water until eight-tenths done, then add red dates and cook for another 5 minutes before serving.
Red dates are a traditional Chinese herb for nourishing the heart and blood, strengthening the spleen and stomach. They contain protein, fat, sugars, multiple vitamins, and iron. Additionally, red dates contain calcium and phosphorus at levels 2–12 times higher than most fruits, enhancing cardiac contraction, dilating coronary vessels, and inhibiting platelet aggregation. Long-term consumption of red date glutinous rice porridge helps improve health and prevent cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.
4. Longan Meat Porridge
15g longan meat, 3–5 red dates, 100g rice. All cooked into porridge, consumed twice daily or as breakfast.
Longan meat strengthens the spleen and nourishes blood, containing glucose, sucrose, vitamins A and B, proteins, and fats. Combined with red dates, it is suitable for auxiliary treatment of palpitations, insomnia, forgetfulness, anemia, and general weakness due to insufficient heart blood. However, avoid consumption during wind-cold common cold, chills, fever, or thick, greasy tongue coating.
5. Prepared Polygonum Porridge
30g prepared polygonum, decocted to extract concentrated juice, filtered, then combined with 100g rice and 3–5 red dates in a clay pot to cook into porridge. Just before serving, add a little brown sugar or rock sugar for flavor, cook for another one or two boils before eating. Can be consumed as breakfast daily, or once or twice per day, with each course lasting 10 days, followed by a 5-day break before restarting.
Polygonum is an excellent herb for nourishing the liver and kidneys, containing a certain amount of lecithin, which strengthens nerves; it also has anti-lipid peroxidation effects, preventing cellular damage, regulating the immune system, controlling blood pressure, lowering cholesterol and triglycerides, preventing atherosclerosis, and delaying aging.