Chinese Medicinal Soups for Support During and After Treatment

In Chinese medicine, food is a therapeutic modality. For millennia medicinal soups have been utilized to promote and nourish health, and support restoration and recovery associated with illness. The importance of chemotherapies and radiation are essential treatments for people with cancer. They do however diminish and consume the body’s inherent resources and strength, its essential substances, Qi, Blood, Yin, Yang and Jing. These recipes offer plant based nutrition that can be prepared and offer nutritious soups for digestive support and to help reduce side effects of chemo and radiation. 

Table of Contents:

  1. Congee

  2. Chinese Medicinal Foods Commonly Used in Congee

  3. Bone Marrow Soup - For Chemotherapy/Radiation Suppression of White Blood Cells

  4. Colon Cancer Soup - Can Be Used Post-Chemotherapy for Nausea or Weakness or as an Addition to a Light Meal

  5. Post Radiation Soup

Congee

Congee or Zhou in China, Okayu in Japan and Chao in Vietnam represent a variety of porridge recipes commonly made from long grain white rice. Its texture is commonly silky smooth but is a personal preference and can be tailored to be thick and rich or thin and watery.

Rice is considered the primary ingredient but its neutral flavor allows for the addition of a large variety of enhancements; from proteins to nuts, veggies and flavorings chosen according to liking and taste.See below for suggestions.

It can be a hearty breakfast dish, a late night snack or supper and in many Asian cultures it was considered a comfort food. It is both filling and nutritious and allowed limited resources to be stretched for more meals. This is the grain in Southern China, but in cooler northern climates barley, which contains gluten, and millet are traditional.

Preparation

This recipe is rice based, and uses white long grain types or Jasmine but not sushi or brown. The variety used is personal preference as are the other suggestions presented.

The rice should be rinsed thoroughly to remove outer starch, and to reduce the presence of environmental contaminants. After rinsing,add and mix a tablespoon of oil and ½ teaspoon of salt and let sit for 10-15 minutes to enhance flavor and richness. A slow cooker or dutch oven is used, with a ratio of water to rice being approximately 8-12 cups of water to 1 cup of rice, depending on the level of creamy velvety consistency you desire. Some people prefer using low sodium organic chicken broth in place of water, or even mixing ½ water 1/2 chicken broth. Bring the liquid to a boil before adding the rice then slowly simmer usually for about 60-90 minutes with the lid on the pot but with a slight gap to allow steam to be released. This allows the rice to break down and release its starch into the liquid. Every 10-15 minutes stir well.

The proteins used can be:

  • Tofu, rinsed and cut into chunks fried or directly added

  • Poached or cooked chicken, thighs work best

  • Shredded or minced and cooked pork 

  • Roasted duck 

  • Fish fillets or shrimp, cooked and then for the proteins 

  • Add when the texture is consistency is right 

  • Vegetables

  • Hard veggies added earlier, soft ones later in the cooking

Additions

When choosing the accouterments for your Congee, foods from the Chinese medicine dietetic perspective have energetic effects on various meridian systems that can support a specific focus for restoring and supporting health. The congee is easy to digest and nourishing during treatment and a basis for rejuvenation and recovery with the conclusion of therapy.

Chinese medicine understands that individual foods in the diet can provide vital nutrients and energies and are converted through digestion into Qi, Blood, Yin,Yang, or Essence. Each is then circulated through associated Meridians or Channels. Since foods possess different essences, in Chinese medicine, additions can then be determined that will provide needed supportive resources or restore health and improve recovery. And congee offers that ability, especially in those that are ill.

As an introduction:

  • Spleen/Stomach the digestive organs that separate and transform food 

  • Liver regulates the flow of qi and blood

  • Kidney the core energy in the body

  • Lung distributes the qi energy around the body

  • Heart governs blood and houses the spirit

  • Yin is considered the structural components within the body 

  • Yang is considered function, or the energetic activity within the body

  • Jing is the Essence of our Yang energy, the fire in the body that is stored in the Chinese organ of the Kidney.

  • Qi is considered the vitality of the body, the energy that encompasses the functionality of each organ and cell within the body. It takes multiple forms within the body:

    • Yuan Qi is the source of our Yin and Yang

    • Gu Qi are the nutrients from our foods

    • Zong Qi extracted from the air we breathe

    • Wei Qi or Defensive Qi designed to protect the body

    • Ying Qi or nutritive Qi of the organs of the body.

    • Blood provides nourishment to the body by its flow, inside the blood vessels and acupuncture channels and outside the vessels in the form of body fluids that moisten tissues and joints.

Chinese Medicinal Foods Commonly Used in Congee

Fish supports the production of Qi and Blood and Blood’s source Yin

  • Salmon is considered sweet and warm and enters the Spleen and Stomach channels and tonifies Qi and Blood.

  • Shrimp is also sweet and warm and enters the Spleen, Stomach, Liver and kidney channels and tonifies Qi and its source,Yang and circulates Blood, resolves phlegm and warms the body. Some people use dried shrimp.

  • Whitefish is sweet but neutral, tonifies Yin and enters the Spleen and Stomach channels.

Meat is warming and very nourishing for depleted bodies but should be used in small amounts, a few ounces for a meal as too much creates heat (inflammation). So it is warming and helps replace Blood.

  • Beef is sweet and warm and enters the Stomach, Spleen, Liver and Large Intestine channels and tonifies Qi, Blood, and Yin.

  • Chicken is warm and sweet and enters the Spleen, Stomach and Kidney channels and builds Qi, Blood and Jing or Essence. It reduces cold and helps circulation of Blood

  • Pork is neutral and salty and enters the Kidney, Spleen, Stomach and Liver channels and tonifies Yin, Blood and Qi.

  • Duck is sweet and salty and enters the Spleen, Stomach, Lung and Kidney channels and tonifies Qi, Blood and Yin and helps remove dampness or moisture in the body.

  • Turkey is warm and sweet enters the Liver and Kidney and tonifies Qi and Yang.

Dairy is nourishing but if excessive will create phlegm and dampness.

Eggs, especially jammy eggs are a rich addition to the top of the completed congee

  • Chicken eggs are sweet and neutral and enter the Heart, Kidney Lung, Liver, Stomach and Spleen channels and tonifies Yin, Blood and Jing and assists Blood circulation.

  • Duck eggs are sweet and cool and enter the Lung, Heart and Stomach channels and tonify Yin and Jing.

Nuts and Seeds are important to nourish Yin but over consumption can cause dampness in the system or excess fluid.

  • Peanuts are neutral and sweet and tonify Qi and Yin, entering the Lung and Spleen channels and helps resolve phlegm but at the same time are moistening.

  • Chia seeds are sweet and neutral, and enter the Stomach and Large Intestine channels and tonify Qi. They also calm the mind.

  • Sesame seeds, both black and white are neutral and sweet and enter the Small and Large Intestines, and tonify the Blood, Yin and Jing.

Mushrooms are a source of uncommon important minerals and assist in immune support and reduce inflammation. They have the ability to balance both excess and deficient immune activity 

  • Shiitake are neutral and sweet, nourish the Qi and Blood and enter the Stomach, Spleen and Liver channels.

  • Oyster Mushrooms are warm and sweet and enter the Spleen, Stomach and Liver Channels. 

  • Reishi enter the Spleen,Stomach and Liver channels and strengthen the Qi and Blood

  • White Mushrooms are cold and sweet, enter the stomach channel and help detoxify the body.

Oils and Other Flavorings

  • Sesame Oil is cool and sweet and enters the Stomach and Heart channel and supports Yin.

  • Sesame Oil Is cool and sweet, enters the Stomach channel and tonifies Yin, and can reduce inflammation.

  • Soy sauce or Tamari is cool and salty and enters the Stomach, Spleen and Kidney channels

  • Vinegar is warm and bitter and sour and enters the Stomach and Liver channels.

Vegetables - can be cooked in the soup 

  • Scallions are warm, bitter and pungent, and enter the Stomach, Lung, L. Intestine and Heart channels and strengthen Yang.

  • Leeks are warm, sweet and pungent, and enter Stomach, Spleen Liver and Lung tonifies Qi and helps Blood circulation and warms the body.

  • Sweet Potato is sweet and neutral, enters the Stomach, Spleen, L. Intestine and Kidney channels. They Tonify Qi, Blood, and Yin.

  • Bok Choy is sweet, sour and cool and enters the Stomach and L. Intestines channels and helps remove excess fluids and inflammation.

  • Mung Bean Sprouts are sweet and cold and enter the L.intestine channels and tonifies Yin.

  • Lotus Root needs to be peeled and sliced thin for soup. It tastes like potato but stays crisp even when cooked. It is sweet and cool and enters the L. and S. Intestine, Urinary Bladder, Lung and Stomach channels and tonifies Qi.

  • Cilantro is also used as a garnish for flavor.

  • Onions are pungent and warm, enter the Lung, L. Intestine, Stomach and Liver channels and help remove excess fluids and phlegm and help Blood circulation.

  • Fried Shallots are a crispy treat that are finicky and must be done to perfection, but worth it. Peel and thinly slice the shallots. They can be prepared in a wok but using 3-4 shallots in a bowl covered with oil and cooked in the microwave works great, but watch the cooking closely. If they are not done enough, they become limp with an aftertaste that makes them inedible. In the microwave, cook at 2 minute intervals 2-3 times, stirring after each time period. Then go to 30-40 second time intervals stirring frequently until brown and crisp. In the wok, also cook until brown but in either case, remove and immediately drain on paper towels to remove excess oil and lightly salt. Sprinkle on the congee.

  • Winter squash is sweet and warm, enters the Spleen and Stomach, Lung and L. Intestine channels and balances inner temperature, when too hot or too cold, and helps Blood circulation and removes excess fluid accumulation.

  • Seaweed, cold and salty, tonifies Yin and enters the Kidney and Stomach channel and is considered important to reduce tumor size by reducing congealed phlegm and inflammation which is how Chinese medicine describes tumors. Remove Kombu but the other seaweeds can be eaten.

Grains

  • Millet is cool and astringent, and enters the Spleen/Stomach meridians. It tonifies Yin and clears heat and is moistening. 

  • Rice is sweet and neutral and tonifies Blood, Qi and Yin and enters the Stomach and Spleen.

  • Barley is sweet, salty and cool and enters the Stomach, Spleen, and Gallbladder channels and tonifies Yin, Blood, and Qi

Fruit

  • Jujubee, Chinese Dates enter the Spleen and Stomach channels and are warm and sweet and tonify Qi and Blood.

  • Lychee is sweet and astringent enters the Stomach, Spleen, Heart and Liver channels and tonifies the Blood. Prior to using, peel the skin and remove the seeds.

Bone Marrow Soup - For Chemotherapy/Radiation Suppression of White Blood Cells

3 Cups/Day, and leftover can be refrigerated for 3 days 

Organic Beef Broth can be substituted for convenience, or using organic beef bones cut into 1–2-inch pieces, baked for 30-40 minutes at 400°F to brown the bones and melt the fat. Remove any leftover fat. 

If using bones, in 3 quarts of water, if using beef broth the same amount. Cook for 1 hour covered, along with: 

  • 8 pieces Shitake mushroom, sliced thin

  • 1 onion minced

  • 2 carrots minced

  • 2 potatoes cut in ½ inch pieces

At the end of cooking remove bones.

With the meal adding the herbal formula, Ginseng Tang-Kuei 8, Ba Zheng Tang, will assist in building the Qi and Blood impacted by therapy.

Colon Cancer Soup - Can Be Used Post-Chemotherapy for Nausea or Weakness or as an Addition to a Light Meal

1 cup three times daily

  • Organic Chicken Broth, 3 quarts

  • 1 oz. Wakame seaweed cut into 1 inch pieces.

  • 1 oz. Kombu seaweed, broken into 1 inch pieces,removed at the end of cooking. Reduces inflammation.

  • Chinese sweet yam, wear gloves as peel can stain the skin, add 3-4 pieces

  • Shitake mushrooms 8-10 sliced thin

  • Barley (unless gluten intolerant),1 oz for diarrhea and digestive weakness

Cook for 1 hr, then add white organic miso. For 3 quarts, add 12 tbsps, Depending on your flavor profile BUT add broth to the miso in a separate bowl and stir until all lumps are gone then add it back into the soup. If added directly it will break down the miso and not add flavor.

During the last 15 minutes

  • 2 Scallions sliced thin

  • Lotus root, available at Chinese groceries, 3-4 thin slices, helps energy and reduces gut inflammation. Soak first in water to soften with a dash of vinegar, and cook in the soup. 

  • Roast peeled ginger in a fry pan on low heat and add to broth

  • Szechuan pepper corns, add a tsp of red ones, which reduce pain and improve peristalsis, optional.

Post Radiation Soup

1 cup two to three times daily, can be refrigerated for 3 days

  • 3 quarts of water, add

  • 8 thinly sliced shitake mushrooms

  • Tofu, ½ to 1 package, firm organic, rinsed well in water and cubed

  • 1 onion and 2 carrots minced

  • 2 oz. Kombu seaweed break into 1 inch pieces. Reduces inflammation, remove at the end of cooking

  • 2oz. Wakame seaweed break into 1 inch pieces

  • 4 minced scallions

  • Can add ½ oz barley, (has gluten)

Simmer for 30-45 minutes 

Then add organic miso, red is considered Yang or energy enhancing but it has gluten, otherwise use white

For 3 quarts add 12 tbsps, Depending on your flavor profile BUT add broth to the miso in a separate bowl and stir until all lumps are gone then add it back into the soup. If added directly it will break down the miso and not add flavor.

Add Mung bean sprouts before serving as it helps detox radiation