### **Pantry Staples: Roots, Seeds & Flowers** - **Green Bean (Mung Bean)** - **Nature:** Cold (Unroasted) / Neutral (Roasted) - **Benefits:** Excellent for "clearing fire." It’s a natural diuretic that flushes toxins. - **Purpose:** Use unroasted for intense heat (heatstroke, painful acne). Use **roasted** for a daily tea to clear "damp-heat" without upsetting a sensitive stomach. - **Red Beans (Adzuki)** - **Nature:** Neutral - **Benefits:** Specifically targets the Heart and Small Intestine systems. It helps "drain" dampness. - **Purpose:** Best for when you feel "heavy" or puffy (edema). It helps lean out the body's water weight and supports blood health. - **Dried Lotus Seed** - **Nature:** Neutral - **Benefits:** Known as a "Spleen Tonic." It also has a sedative effect on the heart. - **Purpose:** If you struggle with "racing thoughts" at night or have a weak digestive system (loose stools), this stabilizes your "middle burner." - **Rose** - **Nature:** Slightly Warm - **Benefits:** The ultimate "emotional balancer." It moves **Liver Qi**, which, when stuck, causes irritability and a dull, "greyish" skin tone. - **Purpose:** Drink this to brighten your complexion, lighten dark spots, and ease mood swings. - **Chrysanthemum** - **Nature:** Cool - **Benefits:** Specifically targets the Liver and Lung meridians. It "brightens the eyes." - **Purpose:** Essential for office workers. It relieves dry, itchy eyes from screen time and clears "wind-heat" (the start of a sore throat). - **Goji Berry (Wolfberry)** - **Nature:** Neutral - **Benefits:** Rich in polysaccharides and carotene. It tonifies both "Yin" and "Yang" of the Kidneys. - **Purpose:** Long-term use improves vision and prevents premature aging. It adds a natural "mild" sweetness to any tea blend. - **Red Dates (Jujube)** - **Nature:** Warm - **Benefits:** High in Vitamin C and iron. It is a "Qi" (energy) booster. - **Purpose:** Use this as a base for almost any TCM tea. It protects the stomach from harsher herbs and gives you a "rosy" (healthy) glow. - **Ginger** - **Nature:** Warm - **Benefits:** Increases blood flow and warms the "middle." - **Purpose:** The go-to for cold limbs, menstrual cramps, or nausea. It’s like a "reset" button for your internal heater. - **Lemongrass** - **Nature:** Cooling - **Benefits:** Anti-bacterial and wonderful for digestion. - **Purpose:** Perfect for clearing bloating after a heavy meal and refreshing the mind when you feel mentally "foggy." --- ### **New Additions: Dried Fruits for Tea** - **Dried Apple** - **Nature:** Cool/Neutral - **Benefits:** Moistens the Lungs and generates body fluids. - **Purpose:** Perfect for a dry cough or a dry throat. It adds a lovely tart sweetness that pairs well with Rose. - **Dried Chen Pi (Aged Tangerine/Orange Peel)** - **Nature:** Warm - **Benefits:** One of the most prized TCM ingredients. It "transforms phlegm" and dries dampness. - **Purpose:** Use this if you have a lot of phlegm or feel "clogged up" after eating oily food. It makes the "Qi" move downward, stopping burping or nausea. - **Dried Pear** - **Nature:** Cool - **Benefits:** Specifically for "Lung Heat." It is incredibly hydrating for the respiratory system. - **Purpose:** Use this during dry seasons or if you've been talking a lot. It’s the "internal moisturizer" for your throat and skin. - **Dried Longan (Gui Yuan)** - **Nature:** Warm - **Benefits:** Nourishes the Blood and the Heart. - **Purpose:** Excellent for memory and concentration. If you feel "scatterbrained" or have heart palpitations due to stress, this is very grounding. (Warning: Don't take too much if you already feel "heaty"). ### **Pantry Mix-and-Match Guide** - **Tired & Pale:** Red Dates + Goji + Longan (Boosts energy and face color). - **Stressed/Moody:** Rose + Dried Apple (Relaxes the "Liver Qi"). - **Bloated/Heavy:** Ginger + Chen Pi + Lemongrass (Warms the gut and moves energy). - **Eye Strain:** Chrysanthemum + Goji (The classic "office worker" blend). - **Dry Throat:** Dried Pear + Lotus Seed (Moisturizes and grounds the system). - **The "Glow" Tea:** Rose + Red Dates + Goji (Circulation + Blood building for skin). --- [[Traditional Chinese Medicine]]