Raw malt is something I often use, and my old friends often hear me mention it. I have to admit, it really plays a significant role.Today I want to share with you how I helped a patient avoid severe dysplasia using half a pound of raw maltThis medicinal herb is also the key method for nourishing the stomach that my mentor taught me back in the day, and I have been using it for almost 50 years.
When my mentor retired, he was a well-known local traditional Chinese medicine practitioner specializing in liver, gallbladder, spleen, and stomach diseases. He once told me, "Treating illnesses should be based on conscience, not performance; patients come to you for saving their lives, not for giving you money."
When I was young, I didn't understand the weight of these words until I ended up in the hospital myself. Then I realized: the walls of the hospital are white, the medical records are white, but some diagnoses leave you feeling gray inside. It was clearly just bloating and poor digestion, yet they only prescribed a bunch of acid-suppressing medication. It was clearly possible to reverse gastric mucosal damage through traditional Chinese medicine, yet they always advised "regular check-ups and waiting for surgery," even frightening patients with talk of precancerous conditions—all just to prescribe a few more boxes of medicine...
I see himthin white tongue coating, dark red tongue body, wiry and thin pulseThen, hearing him say, "After meals, my stomach feels bloated as if blocked by a stone, I can't belch, occasionally have a bitter taste in my mouth, and my stool is not well-formed," I diagnosed this as a typicalLiver depression and spleen deficiency, stomach collateral stasis and obstruction
Actually, in our traditional Chinese medicine, there is no term for "atrophic gastritis"; we refer to it as "stomach fullness" or "stomach pain."To put it plainly, when liver qi is stagnant, stomach motility slows down; when spleen qi is weak, it's like soil losing nutrients, causing the glands on the gastric mucosa to "wither." When the glands wither, the stomach loses its ability to digest, and in severe cases, it can lead to dysplasia.
Mr. Li's condition does not require immediate surgery—simply by smoothing out the "stagnant qi" and revitalizing the "withered glands," the stomach can naturally regain its vitality.
How are the results
He drank it for 1 month, and post-meal stomach bloating was reduced by more than half, and belching became smoother; after adjusting the prescription, he continued to drink it for 3 months and went for a follow-up gastroscopy.Pathology shows reduced atrophy and disappearance of intestinal metaplasiaThe doctor said, "No need to cut it, just keep it as it is."
Mr. Li came to thank me with the report, saying, "If I had known traditional Chinese medicine was so effective, I wouldn't have lost sleep those few days!"
We often say "to cure a disease, one must grasp the root." What is the root of atrophic gastritis? It is "qi stagnation + yin deficiency + stasis toxin."
This medicine is a good remedy for soothing the liver and strengthening the spleen, and I use it in nine out of ten prescriptions for regulating the stomach.
Raw malt is sweet in taste and neutral in nature, entering the spleen and stomach meridians, like a little broomIt can clear out the accumulated old substances in the stomach, restoring a sense of hunger; it also helps the spleen and stomach "loosen the soil," promoting the descent of stomach qi and allowing new glands to grow.
Having only raw malt is not enough; it needs "helpers":
Astragalus, Atractylodes, Dendrobium are the "Nourishing Earth Team"Astragalus replenishes middle qi, Atractylodes strengthens the spleen and dries dampness, Dendrobium nourishes stomach yin. Atrophic gastritis most fears the exhaustion of stomach yin; these three together "water and fertilize" the gastric mucosa, allowing the withered glands to become plump again.
Danshen, Yujin, Yanhusuo are the "Tongluo Team"Long-term illness inevitably leads to blood stasis. Salvia miltiorrhiza can unblock both the heart vessels and the stomach collaterals. Curcuma promotes qi flow and relieves depression. Corydalis yanhusuo specifically treats stomach pain. Together, these three herbs dissolve the stagnant blood obstructing the stomach wall, allowing qi and blood to nourish every gland.
Hedyotis diffusa and Scutellaria barbata are the "detoxification team"Modern medicine refers to intestinal metaplasia and dysplasia, which in traditional Chinese medicine is seen as "heat toxin." These two herbs can clear heat and detoxify, "reduce inflammation" in the stomach lining, and prevent the condition from progressing in an unfavorable direction.
Magnolia officinalis and raw malt are the "transportation and transformation team"Magnolia officinalis promotes qi circulation and relieves fullness, while raw malt promotes digestion and harmonizes the stomach. Stomach qi should descend smoothly; these two herbs ensure that ingested food can be processed smoothly and does not become stuck in the chest.
The prescription also contains ataste licoriceHarmonize all the medicines to prevent the cold and cool medicines from damaging the vitality of the spleen and stomach.
The entire prescription, in essence, is: soothing liver qi, nourishing stomach yin, resolving stasis and toxins, and restoring glandular function, allowing the "withered wood" in the gastric mucosa to rejuvenate and enabling the stomach to regain its digestive function, naturally eliminating the need for gastrectomy.
My mentor taught me how to use raw malt back in the day, saying:This medicine is not expensive, but it is a life-sustaining remedy for the common people—do not underestimate it just because it is cheap. Helping patients avoid an extra surgery is more valuable than anything else.
Over the years, I have seen too many people frightened by the term "precancerous lesions," and too many people whose wallets have been emptied by the hospital's talk of "lifelong medication." I cannot control others, but I can assure myself: I will not subject patients to unnecessary overtreatment, I will not prescribe unnecessary medications, and I will never advise patients who can be treated with adjustments to undergo organ removal.
