Herbs That Relieve Food Stagnation

The herbs in this category will reduce, dissolve or guide out stagnated food in the middle burner and digestive tract.  Food and other accumulations represents themselves as abdominal masses, abdominal distention with possible abdominal pain.  There are both hot type and cold type of stagnation.  Hot type of stagnation will have halitosis and a distended abdomen aggravated by heat.  Cold type stagnation will not have halitosis and the abdominal pain will be relieved or ameliorated by heat.

Shan Zha

Properties: SWEET, SOUR  – WARM

Dosage: 9 – 15g.

Hawthorn

Meridian: LIVER, SPLEEN, STOMACH

Fruit

-reduces & guides out food stagnation

-transforms blood stasis – dissipates clumps

-hypertension

Mai Ya

Properties: SWEET  – NEUTRAL

Dosage: 6 – 15g.

Barley Sprout

Meridian: LIVER, SPLEEN, STOMACH

Malt

-reduce food stagnation, strengthen stomach

-inhibit lactation (30g raw + 30g cooked = 60g decoction)

-regulates liver Qi

Gu Ya

Properties: SWEET  – NEUTRAL

Dosage: 9 – 15g.

Rice Sprout

Meridian: SPLEEN, STOMACH

-reduce food stagnation, strengthen stomach

-stagnation caused by starchy food

Shen Gu

Properties: SWEET, PUNGENT  – WARM

Dosage: 6 – 15g.

Medicated

Meridian: SPLEEN, STOMACH

Leaven

-reduce food stagnation, strengthen stomach

-aids in mineral digestion and absorption

-excess alcohol / wheat ingestion causing stagnation

Lai Fu Zi

Properties: PUNGENT, SWEET  – NEUTRAL

Dosage: 6 – 12g.

Radish/Turnip

Meridian: LUNG, SPLEEN, STOMACH

Seeds

-reduce food stagnation, transform accumulations (raw)

-caused lung Qi to descend, cough with damp phlegm (dry-fried)

Ji Nei Jin

Properties: SWEET  – NEUTRAL

Dosage: 3 – 9g.

Chicken Gizzard

Meridian: BLADDER, SMALL INTESTINE, SPLEEN, STOMACH

(stomach lining)  -strongly reduce food stagnation, improves spleen transport

-Malnutrition in children

-secures kidney essence, stop enuresis

-transform hardness – gallbladder/bladder/kidney STONES

Must Read: Formulas that relieve interior-exterior