Patient's question:
My husband is weak, he sweats at night while sleeping. Traditional Chinese Medicine says it's due to kidney deficiency. What kind of soup can be consumed to nourish the kidneys?Doctor's answer:
Chinese Name: Turtle Soup for Kidney HealthBenefits: Tonifies essence and blood, strengthens the spleen and reinforces the kidneys.
Source: Comprehensive Collection of Health-preserving Soup and Stew Recipes
Reference: Chinese Herbal Soup Recipes
Introduction
Title Introduction Ingredients
One turtle (about 800 grams), goji berries 30 grams, Chinese yam 30 grams, ligustrum 15 grams, prepared rehmannia 15 grams, cooking wine, salt, scallions, ginger slices, lard, and chicken broth in appropriate amounts.
Method
Slaughter the turtle, remove the internal organs, soak in hot water to remove the membrane, remove the back shell, and cut into 6 pieces. Blanch in boiling water to remove blood, then rinse. Wash goji berries, Chinese yam, ligustrum, and prepared rehmannia.
Add chicken broth to a pot, then add turtle pieces, herbs, cooking wine, salt, scallions, and ginger. Simmer until the turtle meat is tender, remove scallions and ginger, and drizzle with lard. Serve.
Usage
One serving per week, taken in divided doses.
Notes
This soup, made with the yin-nourishing and blood-cooling turtle, combined with various Chinese medicinal herbs like goji berries, ligustrum, prepared rehmannia, and Chinese yam, has the effect of nourishing the liver and kidneys, enriching blood, and tonifying essence. It is an excellent dietary remedy for enhancing physical fitness, regulating essence and blood, and strengthening the yang and reinforcing the kidneys. It is suitable for those with insufficient liver and kidneys, deficiency of essence and blood, weak constitution, and chronic consumptive diseases.
Indications: Chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, tuberculosis, and other chronic consumptive diseases.
First Dish:
One pair of pig kidneys, split open, with 10 grams of walnuts, 9 grams of cornus, and 8 grams of psoralea inserted into the kidneys. Sew the incision closed and cook until tender before eating.
Second Dish:
150 grams of lamb, 120 grams of Chinese yam, 100 grams of prepared rehmannia, 150 grams of dodder seeds, 150 grams of walnuts, 10 scallion stalks, and an appropriate amount of glutinous rice to make a soup.
Third Dish:
One pair of sheep kidneys, 12 grams of prepared rehmannia, 10 grams of goji berries, 8 grams of eucommia, and 10 grams of prepared rehmannia, all stewed together until tender. Discard the herbs and eat the meat with the broth, once daily.
Fourth Dish:
50 grams of deer meat, cooked with goji berries and an appropriate amount of polygonum multiflorum, discarding the herbs, and eating the meat with the broth.
Fifth Dish:
10 grams of dog penis, decocted, once nightly.
Sixth Dish:
250 grams of dog meat, 50 grams of black beans, seasoned with salt, ginger, five-spice powder, and a small amount of sugar, all cooked together and eaten.
Seventh Dish:
One rooster, cleaned of internal organs, chopped, stir-fried with oil and salt, then placed in a bowl and steamed with 500 grams of glutinous rice wine until tender.
Eighth Dish:
Two quail, feathers and internal organs removed, cooked with 25 grams of dodder seeds and 25 grams of goji berries, discarding the herbs, and eating the meat with the broth.
Ninth Dish:
Equal parts of fenugreek seeds, dodder seeds, schisandra, ligustrum, Rubus fragrant, and goji berries, ground into a fine powder. Take 10 grams twice daily, with warm water.
Tenth Dish:
One pig kidney, 15 grams of Chinese yam, 15 grams of goji berries, and 12 grams of cornus, placed in a clay pot with an appropriate amount of water to simmer. Eat the meat and drink the broth.
Shrimp:
Shrimp are delicious and have high nutritional and medicinal benefits. Traditional Chinese medicine considers them sweet and salty, warm in nature, with the ability to invigorate yang, reinforce the kidneys, tonify essence, and promote lactation. They are suitable for those with chronic illness, shortness of breath, fatigue, and poor appetite. Regular consumption of shrimp enhances physical fitness.
Clams:
Clams, also known as pearl vegetables or shell vegetables, are rich in protein, iodine, B vitamins, zinc, iron, calcium, and phosphorus. They are salty and warm in nature, with the effects of warming the kidneys, reinforcing essence, and replenishing qi. They are suitable for male sexual dysfunction, spermatorrhea, impotence, overexertion, and diabetes. Regular consumption by men strengthens the body and enhances sexual function.
Loach:
Loaches contain high-quality protein, fat, vitamin A, thiamine, niacin, iron, phosphorus, and calcium. They are sweet and neutral in nature, with the effects of replenishing the middle, invigorating qi, nourishing the kidneys, and generating essence. They are effective in regulating sexual function. Loaches contain a special protein that promotes sperm formation. Regular consumption by adult men strengthens the body.
Donkey Meat:
As the saying goes, "Fowl in the sky, donkey meat on earth." Donkey meat is delicious, high in protein, low in fat and cholesterol. Traditional Chinese medicine considers donkey meat sweet and cool, with the effects of replenishing qi, nourishing blood, moistening yin, invigorating yang, calming the mind, and dispelling anxiety. Donkey kidneys are sweet and warm, beneficial for reinforcing the kidneys, invigorating yang, strengthening muscles and bones, and treating impotence and sore knees.
Oysters:
Oysters, also known as clams or mussels, are rich in zinc, iron, phosphorus, calcium, high-quality protein, and various vitamins. They are salty and slightly cold in nature, with the effects of nourishing yin, subduing yang, reinforcing the kidneys, and astringing essence. Regular consumption by men enhances sexual function and sperm quality, with good effects on spermatorrhea, chronic fatigue, and impotence.
Quail:
As the saying goes, "Of all flying game, quail are the best." Quail meat is tender and fragrant, not greasy, and has long been considered a premium wild game. Quail meat is not only delicious and nutritious but also contains various inorganic salts, lecithin, hormones, and essential amino acids for the human body. Both quail meat and eggs are excellent tonics, with the effects of nourishing the five organs, enriching essence and blood, and warming the kidneys to assist yang. Regular consumption by men enhances sexual function, increases strength, and strengthens muscles and bones.
Eggs:
Eggs are the nutritional carrier of human sexual function and the best "reducer" for restoring vitality after sexual activity. Arabians, a few days before weddings, primarily consume scallion-fried eggs to ensure a satisfying night of love. Indian doctors recommend that couples drink a rice porridge made from eggs, milk, and honey before sexual activity. In Chinese folk tradition, it is customary to serve fried eggs for the wedding banquet. Newlyweds, with frequent sexual activity and high physical consumption, benefit from eating eggs to quickly restore their strength.
Snake Meat:
In recent years, eating snake meat has become a trend. When two snakes mate, the duration can be very long (up to 6–24 hours for vipers), and consuming snake meat can effectively prolong sexual activity.
Pigeon Meat:
White pigeons have strong reproductive abilities and extremely high libido, with frequent mating due to their particularly secretion of sex hormones. Therefore, they are considered an excellent food for invigorating yang and reinforcing the body. They are believed to tonify kidney qi and strengthen sexual function. The nutritional value of white pigeon eggs is even higher than that of the meat, as they are rich in protein, vitamins, and iron.
The following dietary remedies have good effects on invigorating essence and reinforcing the kidneys.
(1) Take half a white pigeon, 10 grams of eucommia, 10 grams of Chinese yam, and 10 grams of goji berries, stew and drink the broth while eating the meat. Alternatively, use one young pigeon with the herbs, but if it causes dryness, add an appropriate amount of white fungus to stew the young pigeon, making it nourishing without dryness.
(2) Take two white pigeon eggs, 10 grams of goji berries, and 5 grams of longan, stew the eggs, and drink the broth while eating the eggs. A small amount of rock sugar can be added when eating, or a pinch of fine salt for those who dislike sweetness, which can also serve as an herbal decoction for the kidneys.
Dog Meat:
Dog meat is sweet and salty, warm in nature, with the effects of benefiting the spleen and stomach, tonifying yang, and nourishing the body. The Compendium of Materia Medica states that dog meat "calms the five organs, lightens the body, replenishes qi, invigorates the kidneys and stomach, warms the waist and knees, strengthens strength, and treats five types of fatigue and seven injuries, as well as replenishing blood vessels." Cooking dog meat with black beans and drinking the broth can treat impotence and premature ejaculation. Roasting dog meat with prepared aconite and ginger can warm the kidneys, invigorate yang, dispel cold, and relieve pain. Dog meat is warm and hot in nature, and excessive consumption can cause internal heat. Those with hot sores or excessive yang and fire should avoid eating it.