Hawthorn and Wood Ear Soup
Ingredients
- Dried hawthorn slices 10g
- Black wood ear (dried) 5g
- Rock sugar to taste (optional)
Principle
Hawthorn activates blood, resolves stasis, aids digestion, and resolves accumulation; black wood ear contains polysaccharides cited for anticoagulant effects and reducing blood viscosity. The pairing activates blood and lowers viscosity—suited when cerebral blood supply is insufficient with blood stasis predominating (syndrome differentiation required).
Effects & uses
Suitable for blood-stasis pattern of insufficient cerebral blood supply—dizziness, fixed headache, purple tongue or stasis spots; also as gentle daily cerebrovascular care (syndrome differentiation required). “Insufficient cerebral blood supply” is a lay term—underlying causes must be evaluated. Does not replace standard treatment.
Method
- Soak wood ear and tear into small pieces; wash hawthorn; simmer with adequate water 20–30 minutes until wood ear is soft; rock sugar optional.
How to use
- Eat warm; drink soup and eat wood ear; 2–3 times per week.
Caution
Not suitable for excess stomach acid or gastric ulcer. Use wood ear with caution if taking anticoagulants (e.g., warfarin). Not suitable in pregnancy. Daily dietary food care is not a substitute for medication.
Source
Compiled from blood-activating ingredient popular science on CCTV / Beijing Youth Daily. To be manually verified.