Lo Han Guo Soup

The pandemic H1N1 outbreak is a scare to everyone including my family. Day and night, we practice our best hygiene an eat healthily. But that alone is not making me at ease. Perhaps if I practice an additional alernative, I would feel better. Least I have done what I can to promote a better and healthy lifestyle. The influenza affetcs the function of lungs and respiratory system, attacking mainly of those who suffers from asthma, pneumonia, diabetes, and obesity. Not to mention those with very low immunity system.

So, I have turned to chinese medicinal herbs to help ease my jittery and help boost the immunity system. One of the chinese soups that I believe might help is Luo Han Guo Herbal Soup. This soup helps relieve cough and invigorate the function of lungs.

I went to the local supermarket and found this ready packed packet of the soup.

The packet included the above. There are two herbs that I could not identify. (If you can, do let me know!)

• Luo Han Guo has cooling properties and are widely used as sweetener in many soups and drinks. It is good to relieve cough. It also has antioxidant properties that helps prevent cancer. For more info click here.
• Solomon's seal or yu zhu is believed to be excellent to alleviate a host of ills including throats and lung ailments. It is also used in the lowering of blood sugar levels and prevention of hardening of arteries.
• Lotus seeds are said to alleviate heatiness. They also benefit the heart, spleen, and kidneys. However, lotus seeds should not be consumed by people who are constipated.
• Red Dates isknown as the "living vitamin pill' by the Chinese. Scientists found that cyclic adenosin monophosophate found in the red dates can slow down the growth of cancer cells.
• Gou ji zhi are high in antioxidants and contain 6 essential vitamins, beta-carotene, potassium, calcium, and zinc. It is also known to be beneficial to the liver.

There are two ways of preparing the above.

1. Boil ingredients with 10 rice bowls of water and add in rock sugar. Bring to boil for about 1 hour. (Serve warm or chilled)
2. Boil ingredients with 10 rice bowls of water and add in 300g of ribs chicken. Bring to boil for about 1-2 hours or until chicken is cooked. (Serve hot)

Note: This soup is not pescribed by any chinese medicinal practitioner. If you need more information, do consult at your nearest chinese herbs practitioner. Also, do not simply consume chinese herbs without doing some research on the herbs or without consultation as some herbs might yield side effects.