The subtext of winter tonic is that winter is the best time for maintenance and preservation all year round. In our traditional dietary customs, there is a special word called "winter tonic". The Han people regard the solstice of winter as the beginning of winter replenishment. Generally, every household should kill chickens and ducks or buy mutton to prepare for the winter. Wealthy families even add drugs such as angelica and ginseng to stew in the cooking process to increase the nourishing effect.
Because according to the China lunar calendar, solstice has entered the cold weather since winter. At this time, it is a turning point in the year when the human body is full of yin and yang. Therefore, the theory of traditional Chinese medicine is called "Yang is born in winter". Today, when the solar term runs, the cathode is yang, and the yang in the human body is gradually increasing, so it is easiest to absorb foreign nutrition and make it play a nourishing role.
Traditional Chinese medicine believes that the natural environment in winter is yin flourishing and yang declining, and if the human body wants to adapt to this climatic environment, it must supplement the yang in the body to resist the external cold evil. Moreover, it has been proved that people's appetite is greatly increased in winter, and their spleen and stomach are flourishing. At this time, the absorption rate of tonic is high, and food can better play the role of tonic, with less investment and quick effect.
When it comes to tonic, China's food culture is profound and varied. Han people generally have different habits such as eating glutinous rice balls, tofu, making jiaozi, and drinking mutton soup. Here, I recommend a nourishing therapeutic prescription of "tiger balm": Shiquan Dabu Decoction. The reference formula is as follows:
Codonopsis pilosula 10g, Radix Astragali Preparata 10g, fried atractylodes 10g, Radix Paeoniae Alba preparata 10g, Poria cocos 10g, Cortex Cinnamomi 3g, Radix Angelicae Sinensis 15g, Radix Rehmanniae Preparata 15g, and Radix Paeoniae Rubra.
This recipe comes from Taiping Huimin Hejiju Recipe, also known as Shiquan Drink. The Emperor of the Song Dynasty attached great importance to health and ordered the medical officers of the Imperial Medical Bureau to compile the prescriptions of Taiping Huimin Heji Bureau. Many prescriptions included in this book are still in use today, and Shiquan Dabu Decoction is one of them. It is also very famous in Korea, and it can often be seen in Korean dramas.
Codonopsis pilosula and Astragalus membranaceus have the effects of tonifying middle energizer, strengthening spleen and benefiting lung. Atractylodes macrocephala and Poria have the effects of invigorating spleen, benefiting qi, eliminating dampness and promoting diuresis. White peony root with wine has the effects of nourishing blood, softening liver, relieving pain, astringing yin and sweating. Cinnamon can replenish Yuanyang and warm the spleen and stomach; Angelica has the functions of enriching blood, regulating menstruation and relieving pain, moistening dryness and smoothing intestines; Rehmannia glutinosa nourishes blood and nourishes yin, filling lean marrow; Chuanxiong promotes qi to relieve depression, and promotes blood circulation to replenish blood; Roasted licorice can nourish qi and yin, and activate yang.
Special attention: winter is suitable for tonic, but it does not mean that you can make tonic at will. Too much tonic will also cause a great burden on the body, fail to achieve the purpose of nourishing, and will also affect the balance of yin and yang in the body, which is counterproductive. Therefore, although it is supplemented in winter, it should be appropriate.