【Health and Wellness】Pumpkin and This Ingredient Are Unbeatable: Nourishing Lungs, Strengthening Stomach, and Tonifying Kidneys!

The unbearable heat of the three dog days is finally coming to an end.

Summer is approaching its end, and the footsteps of autumn are slowly drawing near.

It is often said that "autumn melons harm the stomach," as melons are generally cooling in nature, and it is not recommended to eat them excessively during this season.

However, there is one exception: pumpkin.

According to traditional Chinese medicine, pumpkin has a warm nature and a sweet taste. It enters the spleen and stomach meridians and has the effects of nourishing the lungs, benefiting qi, treating coughs and asthma, promoting bowel movements, and facilitating urination. It is a great health food that shouldn't be missed at the end of summer and the beginning of autumn.

Moreover, pumpkin is also a "master" in nourishing the stomach. It can protect the gastric mucosa and has a certain preventive effect against ulcers.

Pumpkin is a great ingredient on its own, but when paired with another "excellent" ingredient, its health benefits can be doubled!

Next, I will introduce a great combination to everyone~

Pumpkin paired with Chinese yam: Nourishing the lungs, strengthening the stomach, and tonifying the kidneys.

Chinese yam is often called the "affordable ginseng." Let's see how traditional Chinese medicine praises it:

"It can nourish the lungs, strengthen the spleen, and tonify the kidneys. It nourishes without causing stagnation, it nourishes without being greasy, and it warms without causing dryness."

Chinese yam can tonify the kidneys and nourish deficiencies. "Shen Nong's Herbal Classic" recorded that Chinese yam can "nourish the middle, invigorate the qi, promote muscle growth, improve hearing and vision, make the body feel light, prevent hunger, and prolong life."

Chinese yam also nourishes the spleen and stomach, making it suitable for those with weak spleen and stomach, and poor appetite. It also has an astringent effect, which can be used to improve diarrhea and thin stools.

Traditional Chinese medicine believes that "summer heat harms the spleen." After the hot summer, the spleen and stomach are inevitably affected. Eating some Chinese yam at this time can not only nourish the spleen and stomach but also tonify deficiencies and enhance disease resistance, making it suitable for consumption in early autumn.

Pairing pumpkin with Chinese yam can nourish the "postnatal foundation" of the spleen and the "prenatal foundation" of the kidneys, providing comprehensive nourishment for the entire body.

So, when it comes to pumpkin and Chinese yam, how can we make them delicious?

Here are two recipes:

1. Steamed Pumpkin and Chinese Yam Cup:

Ingredients: One pumpkin, 30g of Chinese yam (adjust according to the size of the pumpkin).

Method:① Cook the Chinese yam until soft and mash it into a paste. Cut off the top of the pumpkin and place it in a bowl;

② Fill the pumpkin with the Chinese yam paste, steam over water for 30 minutes, and season according to personal taste with salt or sugar.

Benefits:

This is one of the health recipes favored by the renowned Chinese medicine master Deng Tietao. This dish can nourish the spleen, nourish the stomach, moisturize the lungs, nourish the kidneys, and has a soft and mild taste. It is convenient for elderly people with poor dental health to consume.

Note:

There is no special requirement for the choice of pumpkin variety. For ease of preparation, it is recommended to choose a smaller pumpkin that is easier to handle.

2. Stir-Fried Chinese Yam and Pumpkin:

Ingredients: 200g of fresh Chinese yam, 100g of pumpkin, a pinch of salt, cooking oil, and chopped scallions.

Method:① Peel and slice the pumpkin and Chinese yam separately;

② Heat the pan with oil, stir-fry the pumpkin until cooked, then add the Chinese yam;

③ Season with salt and sprinkle with scallions, stir-fry until well mixed.

Benefits:

This dish nourishes the spleen and stomach, nourishes the kidneys, and moisturizes the lungs. It nourishes yin and tonifies deficiencies.

Is there a way to avoid itching when peeling Chinese yam?

When using Chinese yam for cooking, it often causes itching. Is there a way to avoid this?

Here's a trick - either wear gloves or blanch the Chinese yam before peeling it. High temperatures can destroy the substances that cause itching.

If your skin becomes itchy when peeling Chinese yam, you can wash your hands with soap, then place your hands over a low flame or expose them to the sun. This helps break down saponins and alkaloids that may have penetrated your hands, alleviating allergies.

In addition, vinegar can be used to relieve itching:

Apply rice vinegar evenly to the itchy skin (including the gaps between the nails). Shortly after applying the vinegar, the itching sensation on the arms will gradually disappear.