Autumn is the most humid time of the year, more prone to spleen and stomach problems, and cowpeas are just the right tonic for the spleen and stomach. Cowpeas, also known as yardlong beans, are a common vegetable in our daily lives. They are rich in minerals such as potassium, calcium, manganese, as well as vitamin C, high-quality protein, and dietary fiber. They can neutralize the body’s acid-base balance, invigorate the spleen and stomach, nourish the kidneys and are suitable for those with poor digestion, bloating, diarrhea, weak spleen and stomach, and poor appetite.
For those with kidney deficiency, back pain, frequent urination, nocturnal emission in men, and vaginal discharge in women, cowpeas also have therapeutic effects and are particularly suitable for those with deficiency of qi and yang. Cowpeas are also rich in dietary fiber, which can lower cholesterol, reduce the incidence of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, promote intestinal peristalsis, and effectively prevent constipation.
Today, I recommend a dish cooked with cowpeas called “Chaos Stick Beat Dead.”
Method: First, wash the yardlong beans and break them into short pieces. Cut the pork into slices, add half a spoon of soy sauce, a spoon of cornstarch, mix well, marinate for five minutes, then put in a heated bowl. Add the meat, stir-fry until the meat turns white, then quickly scoop it up. Heat oil again, add salt. Put in the yardlong beans, stir-fry over high heat for five minutes, add two tbsps of water to avoid sticking to the pan, stir again, add soy sauce, stir-fry a few more times, and it’s ready to serve.
We can also reduce dampness in our bodies by eating some good ingredients that help remove dampness from our bodies.
Red beans and coix seeds are recognized as the best dampness-expelling foods. Not only can they remove dampness but also clear the mind, invigorate the spleen and kidneys. Eating red beans and coix seed regularly can also help with weight loss and eliminate a large belly. The good thing about red bean and coix seed porridge is that no matter how long you cook it, it won’t become sticky. The bottom is always a mixture of cooked red beans, coix seeds, and other coarse grains, and the top is a light red soup, where most of the effective components of red beans and coix seeds are found. When cooking porridge, adding more water will provide enough soup to drink for half a day, which can be used as tea. Boiling red bean and coix seed porridge and drinking it three times a week can eliminate dampness.
Vinegar-soaked young ginger
Ginger is an essential condiment in households, besides flavoring, it also has medicinal value. Ginger soaked in vinegar has many benefits, such as warming the stomach, expelling internal dampness. When feeling discomfort in the spleen and stomach, eating some vinegar-soaked ginger can invigorate the spleen, expel dampness and cold. Eating a little every day can eliminate dampness inside the body.
Poria
Poria has the effects of invigorating the spleen and stomach, strengthening the brain and body, promoting diuresis and removing dampness, calming the mind and soothing the nerves, and is one of the “Eight Treasures” of traditional Chinese medicine. Poria’s characteristic is nourishing without being overly aggressive, promoting without being forceful. It has a balanced medicinal nature, able to tonify the body, expel pathogenic factors, making it an indispensable traditional Chinese medicine for those with spleen deficiency and dampness accumulation.
Of course, sweating more is essential. Sweating during exercise can help remove some of the dampness from our bodies, making us feel lighter.
