08 Traditional Herbs Processing Methods
To protect our kidneys and promote longevity, consuming goji is beneficial. But how much should we eat daily? Generally, about 40 to 50 grams a day, roughly a handful, is appropriate. There are many ways to consume goji, with most people adding it to medicinal soups.
01 Traditional Herbs Processing Methods
Traditional herbal medicine usually comes in one of four forms, arranged by the complexity of the process:
Powder
Pill
Paste
Elixir
Powder is the simplest form, involving minimal processing. The medicinal materials are prepared according to the prescription and then ground into powder.
Pills are made by adding honey to the powder. When taking herbal medicine in powder or pill form, the dosage is relatively large. Examples include Wu-xing-jian-pi-san and Liu-wei-dihuang-wan sold in stores. Larger dosages compensate for the less potent medicinal properties due to the presence of more slags in the original materials.
Paste processing is more complex and is generally used for costly and expensive medicinal materials that need to be administered over a longer period to the patient. To prepare a paste, start as you would for a decoction, but continue boiling until the liquid is very thick. Then, add honey to create a viscous paste. Pastes like donkey-hide gelatin, tortoise jelly, and autumn pear paste are well-known examples.
For instance, Jin-sui-jian, a paste made from goji, is highly purified, containing all active ingredients with no residue. The extraction rate is about 10% to 15%, meaning only 100 to 150 grams of paste can be obtained from one kilogram of goji. After prolonged boiling, the molecular structure becomes smaller, making it more suitable for human absorption.
Elixir is the form with the best health effects. The preparation method is similar to making paste, but no honey is added. Instead, water is added and boiled away repeatedly until it is purified to the extreme and refined into powder. A little honey is then added, and the paste is rolled into a pill, creating the elixir. The medicinal materials are filtered and boiled repeatedly to ensure the purity of the effective ingredients. The extraction rate of the elixir is even lower than that of paste, only a few thousandths. For example, one kilogram of goji can produce only eight or nine grams of elixir powder, making its effect much higher than that of one hundred grams of medicinal materials.
These ancient extraction processes are very wasteful of material. Modern technology has improved the extraction rate and health effects of medicinal materials. Additionally, modern technology and equipment can produce non-bitter, effective medicines for treatment.
Many traditional herbal medicines are used to improve common chronic conditions such as high blood sugar, high blood pressure, and high blood fat. We will discuss some of these as we progress in our discussion.
02 How to Make and Eat Goji Paste
One traditional way to consume goji is in the form of a paste called Jin-sui-jian. The wine soaking method, recorded in the Song Dynasty book “Shou Qin Yang Lao,” can be used to make this paste.
To soak goji in wine, use a ratio of one pound of goji to two pounds of high-quality yellow wine. Soak for two months, then squeeze out the last juice from the goji into the wine and dispose of the dregs. Boil the wine with goji juice in a pot until it becomes thicker than honey. This goji paste, called Jin-sui-jian, should be kept in a sealed glass jar. Consume a spoonful every morning and evening.
09 Brief Summary
The kidney subsystem is crucial for our overall health, and we should devote time to care for it. In case of kidney deficiency, there are remedies such as teeth clenching, anus lifting, and consuming goji. Addressing the issue early can prevent it from becoming a significant problem.
10 What is Next
We have discussed the importance of the kidney subsystem for our health. Next, we will explore various methods to revitalize the spleen-stomach and kidney subsystems.
For more on Huang Yuanyu’s herbal medical theories and his contributions to traditional herbal medicine, and how they help rejuvenate our health, stay tuned for the next episode.
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