2020-08-14

URBAN PAIN RELIEF (都市痛症)

The fast-paced lifestyle, overeating habits and lack of physical activity of urbanites can easily cause chronic diseases. Gout, often referred as the “rich man's disease”, is caused by excessive purine metabolism, and it can induce recurrent acute inflammatory arthritis or chronic inflammatory arthritis. Severity of gout can even result in the formation of uric acid stones or in uric acid nephropathy.

Chinese medicine practitioners believe that gout is a result of spleen and kidney deficiency, damp heat, blood stasis, phlegm and other diseases. Bad eating habits are also one of the causes of gout and can aggravate the symptoms. To prevent gout, avoid consuming such foods as animal offal, meat, shellfish, hot pot, beer and thick soup. Drink plenty of water is able to help reduce the accumulation of urate crystals in the body and get enough exercise. In the case of limb pain caused by wind, cold or dampness, consult a registered Chinese medicine practitioner and follow the prescription to take traditional Chinese medicine that expels wind, relaxes sinews, activates the meridian and dispels dampness to relieve the pain.

Hairy Fig Soup with Rice Bean and Barley (赤小豆生熟薏米五指毛桃湯)

Strengthen the spleen, eliminate dampness and swelling, and also support the balance of uric acid formation.

Ingredients:

Rice beans 12g, Corn silk 15g, Raw barley 15g, Cooked barley 15g, Cried tangerine peel 6g, Hairy fig 15g, 1 Carrot

Method:

1. Rinse the above ingredients.

2. Add 1,500ml of water to the soup pot and cook on medium heat for 1.5 hours.

Hairy Fig is often confused with graceful jessamine, which is toxic. Purchase only from reputable retailers and do not attempt to pick it by your own. Avoid eating it if in doubt.