If you want to live a long life, remember these two herbs. Boil them in water to nourish the liver, kidneys, and essence-blood. Hello everyone, I am Dr. Chen. Traditional Chinese medicine often says that the liver and kidneys share the same origin, and essence and blood are mutually generated. The liver stores blood, the kidneys store essence, and essence-blood is the foundation of the human body. When essence-blood is sufficient, the organs are nourished, qi and blood flow smoothly, energy is abundant, and longevity naturally follows. Conversely, if essence-blood is deficient, symptoms such as dizziness, blurred vision, soreness and weakness in the lower back and knees, insomnia, forgetfulness, and premature graying of hair may occur, and the decline of organ functions will also accelerate.
No need to take complicated prescriptions or expensive herbs. Today, I will share with you two classic Chinese medicinal herbs that can be boiled in water for drinking. Simple and convenient, they can easily nourish the liver and kidneys, replenish essence and blood, and strengthen the body's foundation. With sufficient essence and blood and a solid foundation, longevity naturally follows. These two herbs are goji berries and dodder seeds, both of which are excellent food-medicine dual-purpose products. When combined, they complement each other perfectly—nourishing the liver without causing dryness, tonifying the kidneys without being greasy, and providing gentle nourishment suitable for men, women, and children of all ages. Drinking them boiled in water daily can help cultivate a healthy body.
Two herbs combined tonify both liver and kidney nourish both essence and blood neither can be omitted
Cuscuta seed is a key herb for tonifying the kidney and replenishing essence, warming and nourishing the liver and kidney. With a sweet taste and warm nature, it enters the liver and kidney meridians. As a classic ingredient for tonifying the kidney and replenishing essence, it can moderately tonify the liver and kidney, consolidate essence and nourish marrow. It not only tonifies kidney yang but also benefits kidney yin, achieving yin within yang and yang within yin. Unlike purely warming yang herbs, it does not cause excessive heat, and unlike purely nourishing yin herbs, it does not cause dampness and stagnation. It firmly consolidates kidney essence while nourishing liver blood, addressing issues such as soreness and weakness of the waist and knees, frequent nighttime urination, dizziness, and tinnitus caused by deficiency of essence and blood, thereby strengthening the foundation for the generation of essence and blood.
Lycium barbarum is an excellent product for nourishing the liver and kidneys, benefiting essence and improving eyesight. Lycium barbarum has a sweet taste and neutral nature, also entering the liver and kidney meridians. It excels at nourishing the yin of the liver and kidneys, benefiting essence and nourishing blood. It can directly nourish liver blood, replenish kidney essence, and also improve eyesight and calm the mind, alleviating symptoms such as dry eyes, blurred vision, insomnia, forgetfulness, and premature graying of hair caused by deficiency of essence and blood.
The nourishing effect of goji berries is gentle and long-lasting. Boiling them in water allows the medicinal properties to slowly permeate, nourishing the liver and kidneys. When paired with dodder seeds, one is warming and the other is moistening, creating a combination that is warm without being drying and moist without being greasy, perfectly achieving the simultaneous nourishment of the liver and kidneys and the mutual generation of essence and blood. The core of this pairing is that dodder seeds are slightly warming, primarily tonifying the kidneys and consolidating essence, while goji berries are more moistening, focusing on nourishing the liver and enriching the blood. When combined, the warming and moistening properties are integrated, tonifying the liver without depleting the kidneys and tonifying the kidneys without harming the liver, thereby replenishing both liver blood and kidney essence together.
Essence and blood mutually generate and nourish each other fundamentally nourishing the body and delaying the aging of organs Simple cooking method one pot of boiled water can be drunk by the whole family and effects can be seen with persistence Basic cooking method ingredients 10 grams of dodder seeds 8-10 grams of wolfberries can be adjusted slightly according to constitution
Method:
1. Wrap dodder seeds in gauze to prevent sticking to the pot after boiling, then place them in a pot along with goji berries. Add 500ml of water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Drink after it cools down.
3. It can be boiled 2-3 times repeatedly. Finally, eat the goji berries to avoid wasting their medicinal properties. Flexible combinations can double the effect based on individual constitution.
If cold hands and feet, aversion to cold, and yang deficiency are slightly evident, add 2 slices of ginger to warm yang and dispel cold while also providing gentle tonification.
If dry mouth and throat, obvious dry eyes, and slight yin deficiency are prominent, add 3 grams of Ophiopogon japonicus to nourish yin, promote fluid production, and tonify without causing dryness.
If there is general fatigue and obvious spleen deficiency, add 5 grams of astragalus to strengthen the spleen and replenish qi, ensuring a source for the production of essence and blood.
Drinking suggestion: Brew a pot daily and drink it as a substitute for tea at any time. Persist for 1-2 weeks to noticeably feel increased energy, relief from soreness in the waist and knees, and reduced dryness in the eyes. Long-term adherence can effectively improve various issues caused by deficiency of essence and blood, nourish the liver and kidneys, and delay aging.
Applicable Population: This group experiences the most noticeable effects. Middle-aged and elderly individuals with gradual decline in liver and kidney essence and blood, presenting symptoms such as soreness and weakness in the lower back and knees, dizziness and tinnitus, premature graying of hair, insomnia, and forgetfulness. People who frequently stay up late and are overworked: Staying up late depletes liver blood, and overwork damages kidney essence, leading to symptoms such as dry eyes, blurred vision, lack of energy, soreness in the lower back, and fatigue. Individuals who sit for long periods and overuse their eyes: Severe depletion of liver blood, accompanied by kidney essence deficiency, resulting in blurred vision, soreness and weakness in the lower back and knees, weak constitution, and insufficient essence and blood. Those with essence and blood deficiency: Pale complexion, weakness in the hands and feet, decreased memory, and weakened organ function.
Precautions: These three types of individuals should use with caution or reduce dosage. Those with damp-heat in the body, characterized by bitter taste, bad breath, sticky stools, and a thick, yellow, greasy tongue coating, should first clear and drain damp-heat before consumption to avoid exacerbating damp-heat with greasy substances. During acute inflammatory periods such as colds or fevers, when the body is affected by substantial pathogenic factors, it is necessary to first expel the pathogens and temporarily suspend consumption to prevent trapping the pathogens. For individuals with severe constipation or intense yin deficiency with fire hyperactivity, the dosage of Cuscuta seeds may be appropriately reduced, while increasing the amount of wolfberries or Ophiopogon japonicus to avoid aggravating deficient fire with warm properties.
Finally, Dr. Chen wants to say that the key to longevity lies in nurturing the foundation. Throughout life, what truly matters is one's underlying constitution, and the foundation of the human body is the essence and blood of the liver and kidneys. Only when essence and blood are abundant can the organs be nourished, and the flow of qi and blood can proceed smoothly. As a result, various minor ailments naturally stay away, and lifespan is extended accordingly.
Goji berries paired with dodder seeds, two herbs in one cup of water, simple and convenient. Both are medicinal and edible, gentle and nourishing without spending a lot of money or time. Drinking it daily can nourish the liver and kidneys, replenish essence and blood, and strengthen the body's foundation. Nourishing the liver and kidneys and replenishing essence and blood is never an overnight task; persistence is key. Integrating simple methods into daily life ensures abundant essence and blood, vibrant energy, a strong body, and longevity that naturally follows.
