Herbs for the Heart - Shu Di （熟地）

Di huang is being used as a blood tonic, usually for treating weakness caused by tuberculosis, vomiting blood, nose bleeding, coughing blood, bleeding in the uterus. Medium dosages of di huang may strengthen function of the heart, while large doses could be toxic. It could also increases blood pressure, other medical functions include: small doses constrict the blood vessels and large doses dilate the blood vessel; diuretics; decreases blood sugar and inhibits carbohydrates to convert into blood sugar.

Shu Di and Shin of Pork Soup （四物补血汤）

Ingredients:
19 of Shu Di (熟地）
8g of Dang Gui （当归）
8g of Bai Shao （白芍）
8g of Chuan Xiong （川芎）
225g of Pork Shin （猪腱）

Instructions:
1. Wash all the ingredients. Place pork shin for 1 minute in the boiling water and later rinse it.
2. Place all the ingredients into a pot. Add water and bring to the boil. Reduce to low heat and cook for 1.5 hours. Season with salt and serve.

Benefits:
1. It tonifies and invigorates the blood. It is especially good for women who have menoxenia and lower back pain due to blood-asthenia. It helps ease all general symptoms related to blood-asthenia.

Other Cooking Practices:
1. For women with blood-asthenia, abdominal pain, excessive menstruation, signs of insecure carriage or vaginal bleeding after delivery: add E Jiao, Ai Ye and fried liquorice root.

2. Add Huang Qi and ginseng to the recipe for treating Qi-asthenia, poor circulation, mental and physical exhaustion.

3. Those who have cold limbs on top of the basic symptoms should add cinnamon and Pao ginger.

Warning:
People who have poor appetite, indigestion should not drink this soup. Also, those with phlegm and dampness should not drink drink as Di Huang encourages dampness to accumulate.