Cassia Seed Hawthorn Stevia Slimming Tea

The effectiveness of this home made weight loss tea recipe, lipid-lowering dietary weight loss herbal drink by using Cassia Seed (Jue Ming Zhi) , Hawthorn (Shan Zha), and Sweet Stevia Leaves. It has diuresis and laxative effect to improve constipation problem, remove toxins to improve intestinal health and lower blood pressure.

Alternative Herbal Soup for Postpartum Abnormal Bleeding

After child birth some women may face the lochia problem. Lochia discharge is postpartum virginal discharge commonly continues for 4 to 6 week after childbirth.

What is Lochia

Mugwort Lemon Grass Red Dates Wine

Herbs in culinary can be medicine and it also add tastes to our cooking. Other than that used of herbal to make herbal wine, enzymes or vinegar, making mugwort wine is quite an easy job. Again, herbal wine in holistic healing, more and more women are now become awaken on using herbal wine, tonic and herbal vinegar in rejuvenating, and give warming effect to promote the energy flow, and boost blood circulation to improve their beauty care ~ “the inner health and outer beauty”, to maintaining and strengthen our body immunity in keeping good health. 

Mugwort is one of the famous women’s herbs. Do it yourself a herbal wine with mugwort is the best feminine food. Mugwort is commonly use as herbal infusion, in cooking for confinement food, making into herbal and fruit enzymes, or air dried the mugwort leaves, it can be air-dried as tea leaves or making into powder form as healthy drinks for convenient in keeping.

Mugwort benefits and nutrients:

Mugwort besides content of chlorophyll, it also rich in fiber, simultaneously have the massive vitamins and mineral substance, like vitamin A, B1, B2, C and the mineral substance iron, calcium, Phosphorus and other micro nutritive elements which enable the chlorophyll or other ingredient multiplication effect, therefore mugwort is most ideal food for natural healing, as a sedative herbs traditional to nervous system, medicinal usage to balance hormones to improve the woman’s menstrual pain and menstruation cycle health problem, as well as in treating infertility. It is a digestive stimulant herb, even good for treating malaria. 

Mugwort ~ Women health

Since mugwort is the best remedy for women health, adding red dates and lemongrass to immerse with rice wine gives the warming effect especially good for cold feet and hands, the mugwort is famous Chinese medicinal plant which has the close relationship to women health. Especially to confinement women help to get rid of blood stasis in the womb, help to improves of blood circulation, reduces menstrual pain, also to regulate the menstruation cycles for those having irregular menstrual problem. After giving birth, taking this healthy mild tonic will strengthen the nervous system and boost potent energy.

Lemongrass

By adding few stalks of Lemongrass to release its mild taste of lemony fragrance and citrus flavor, this therapeutic and versatile herb gives the stimulant effect to treat cold, anti-depressant, and expels excessive body wind, it works wonderfully to skin and nail, get rid of water retention during confinement, alleviates indigestion, reduces stomach fat after birth.

The ingredients, Red Dates, rich in Magnesium and Iron, its boost energy metabolism, as blood tonic ingredient adds medicinal effect to mugwort, and lemongrass, using the rice wine starter which allow the ingredients or herbal properties to draw out by the alcohol solution. Rice wine starter are mixed up and the immersion process to certain period, it becomes a healthy herbal wine which can be taking it solely as wine to drink. It is a slightly sweet bitter tonic, after 3 weeks or a month of immersion in the rice wine; it turns into sweet bitter herbal wine.

I reckon its therapeutic benefits are imparted from the herbs, or to those confinement women. Something for a change; mixing some of this aromatic taste of herbal rice wine to cook with chicken or chicken feet, or use the concentrated herbal wine to steam with chicken. Other than the taste is refreshing and makes the confinement food much more nutritious, for which strengthen the immunity system and help to regulate the menstrual cycle back to normal after birth.

Now ready to make your homemade herbal wine.

Ingredients you need:

• Mugwort dried herb 30g
• 10 dried Red dates
• Lemongrass 5 to 6 stalks
• Rice wine starter 1000ml
• Brown rock sugar 100g

Preparation:

Wash and air dry the mugwort, red dates and lemongrass, let it totally air dried first before use.

Method:

1. Place all the ingredients into a glass jar
2. Pour in the rice wine over it
3. Cover lid.
4. Let it immerse for at least 10 to 15 days. 

Sip a glass of herbal wine before bed time, in additional, this Mugwort Lemongrass Red Dates wine may help to eliminate halitosis or unpleasant odor exhaled in breathing caused by digestive system problem. Have a good try.

Enjoy this herbal wine.

Homemade Fermented Olive Black Vinegar & Recipe

Black vinegar is commonly used by Chinese traditional healthy diet for confinement in flavor boost. There are variety of black vinegars in the market. Black vinegar is made from whole grains like barley, wheat, millet and sorghum.

Drinking vinegar is beneficial to health. For easy to drink combined black vinegar with honey. It is recommend diluting vinegar and water with ratio of 1: 3 parts of water. What about adding some fruit flavor into black vinegar? Fresh Olive Black Vinegar is the best choice for you.... harvest season is the right moment for preparing pickle and ferment of raw Black Olives. Try to make your own homemade Olive Black Vinegar now. 

Olive has the monounsaturated fats, polyphenols and vitamin E that help to nourishing the skin to support for healthy skin and mucus membrane, the olive black vinegar is good source of health foods and drink to women going through menopause, it helps to reduce hot flashes, also a beauty maintenance and healthy diet drink.

My home made fermented Olive Black Vinegar has the rich taste of black olive in sweet vinegar. I love the fermented Olive Black Vinegar added in my cooking series also my favorite seasonings, and thereafter, the fermented black olive is the healthy dietary snack. It is also widely used in traditional confinement recipe particularly Chinese cuisine, like pork leg or chicken feet serve in black vinegar with ginger. The acetic acid of black vinegar beneficial in improves blood circulation to remove stagnate blood in uterus after birth, it has blood thinning properties, to lower cholesterol level, that also increase energy level help in recovery and build and restore the energy in post-natal delicious healthy diet. 

 

Simply Senz fermented Olive Black Vinegar

As raw or fresh olives can not be eaten right away and it is slightly bitter in taste. Fresh olives contain active phytonutrient compounds - oleuropein and phenol compound which also known as carbolic acid and organic acid. Oleuropein has the antioxidant effect. Olive is rich in Vitamin E, it also has the anti-inflammatory properties, which help to lower the risk of inflammation, and help in healing the damage wounds especially after birth delivery. It contains the nutrients of iron, dietary fiber, copper, fatty acids, amino acids and more nutrients to maintain good health for good energy source. 

Although I am a Hakka heritage, and mixed with Teochew was my upbringing, at least I learned a few of other varieties of Teochew pickles, raw Olives are used as pickle or fermented olives black vinegar for the traditional postnatal confinement food in Teochew style too.

My previous blog topic of how to cure fresh olives with salt-curing, the simple recipe of making healthy Olive snack, simply add in soy sauce and brown sugar to accelerate the process in few minutes to turn raw Olives into delicious food (read here). 

Making of fermented from the fresh olives into sweetened black vinegar, instead of using brown rice vinegar is quite simple to make it your own. Which is aged, fermented for at least 3 months, but I prefer to keep them for longer period of 6 months or longer. It produces excellent sweet aroma flavor in my home made Olive black vinegar. Ideal for cooking pork leg, chicken and dipping sauce for dumplings, a sweet and sour snack of fermented olive black vinegar for an extra dash of flavor, pickle olives or fermentation make the fresh olives more palatable.

How to make Fresh Olive Black Vinegar

Ingredients:

1 kg of Fresh Olives
1 bottle Black Vinegar
1 cup of brown rice vinegar
½ cup of malt sugar
3 tbs. of salt (for salt-curing purpose)

The preparation:

1. Wash fresh olives with running water thoroughly.

2. Soak fresh olives in the cold water with 3 tbs. of salt till it is slightly soften. (do not soak too long, approx. about 5 to 10 minutes, if not, the fresh olives will be too soft), throw away the salt water, rinse well.

3. Let it totally air dried.

4. Place all salt-cured fresh olives into a sterilize glass jar and fill with sweetened black vinegar, brown rice vinegar, malt sugar or honey to cover the whole olives.

5. Keep the lid closed.

6. Period of fermentation at least 3 months for making vinegar. The longer the ferment period is much better.

Take Note:

During fermentation process the lid need to be opened once a week at the start, to allow the oxygen to flow to enable the gases of fermentation should be able to escape. 

Drinking Olive Black Vinegar:

Take about 1/3 cup of fermented Olive Black Vinegar, diluted with water. Drink it. If you prefer to add sweet taste, just add honey into it.

Teochow style of Cooking Olive Black Vinegar ginger chicken

Ingredients: 

• 1 chicken drumstick - chopped
• 2 cups of Olive black vinegar
• 10 fermented olives
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
• 2 tbs. honey
• 2 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 100g ginger slice
• 3 pips garlic clove, minced
• 1 tbs of olive oil
• 2 tbs of rice wine

Preparation: 

1. Wash Clean chicken drumstick, remove skin. Chopped in small pieces.

2. Remove skin of ginger and cut in thin slices.

Cooking Method: 

1. Heat pot; add 4 tablespoons cooking oil to preheat.

2. When oil is hot, add in minced garlic and ginger slices, stir-fry for 15 seconds til light brown in color;

3. Add in the chicken, stir fry for 3 minutes.

4. Add in light soy sauce, olive black vinegar, fermented olives, salt and sugar, stir and cook till the sauce lightly reduced.

5. Simmer in low heat cooking until the chicken is cooked.

6. Stir in rice wine and cook for 1 minute. 

7. Remove from heat. Done and serve. 

Outer Beauty is Inner Organs Balancing

When our skin complexion shows healthy luster on face, it reflexes our body organs is healthy with strong immunity system, and well functioning of the eternal body, blood and energy flows. 

Although the good quality of skincare is a necessity in maintaining a healthy skin complexion, but the psychological factors like stress and accumulated toxins that inside our body can be harmful to our skin. I always believe Inner organs balancing will achieve outer beauty, firstly is to take care of your body internal organs.








Our face is like mirror image that can reveals how healthy our body internal organs, blood and Qi in healthy condition. Even the face reading it involve in reading the fortune, health and its energies. When you notice the signs of uneven skin tone texture, appearances of pigmentation and dark spot, skin disorders breakout like pimples, acnes and rashes, broken capillaries obviously shown on your face, it is also significance the accumulated toxins that start to build up in our bodies, the transformer points has been malfunction or congested. When the body system getting weakens, this is the effect that manifest on our face, which the attempt of our skin try to expel the accumulated toxins from our body system. So as the skin disorder and sign of dark spots may show on the face as warning sign.

Beauty Herbs for women ~ Mugwort

The Woman’s Herb "Mugwort"

Why mugwort (Ai Cao) is woman's herb?

~ Mugwort's generic name is from that of the Greek moon goddess Artemis, a patron of women.

It acts as an emmenagogue, an agent that increases blood circulation to the pelvic area and uterus and stimulates menstruation. Mugwort is ingested to stop excessive or inappropriate menstrual bleeding.

It is an useful remedy for painful and irregular menstruation. Therefore mugwort is great natural healing herbs for women’s reproductive system.


Mugwort in chinese known as "Ai Cao".

What I know mugwort is widely used in Malalysia for making soup for regulates menstruation, used for stomach troubles, vomiting, and intestinal problems, cure worms, promoting and calming nervousness. Also it purifies blood and prevents getting cancer diseases.

The Benefits of Mugwort:

• This herb also help in speed up curing and healing for cancer and hepatitis C.
• It also widely used for the treatment of diabetes and depression.
• For most organic eaters used Mugwort mashed into liquid form and mixed into their home made bread, cake and noodle for healthy food.
• Used with Mugwort in tea as a remedy for liver problems, depression, jaundice, and stimulate menstruation.
• Good anti-aging and natural skin alternative treatment for skin rashes and pimples. It increase skin's radiance and decrease inflammation.

Mugwort has great anti fungal, expectorant, uterine stimulant, haemostatic and anti-asthmatic properties. You will be amazed for its wonderful and hidden power.

Mugwort leaf and stem are used medicinally. The volatile oil includes "thujone, linalool, borneol, pinene, and other constituents". It contains rich enzyme, chlorophyll and minerals.

Note: Taking mugwort with caution and it should not be taken internally for extended periods of time due to its toxin levels call "Thujone".

What is Thujone?

Thujone is a natural chemical compound found in many different plants and flowers. It is especially known in many spices, herbs and essential oils. It has good aroma in smell and slightly bitter in taste.

Mugwort contain thujone (toxin) level too. Though thujone reportedly stimulates the immune system, too much of Thujone caution of its doses use can easily be abused and may cause addiction. it also cause nausea, liver damage if overdosed.

Do not over doses and Precaution when taking Mugwort

Over doses may interfere with the brain and nervous system functions. As it is good stimulant and regulates for woman’s menstrual, for pregnant women should avoid taking too much mugwort due to its affect on menstruation maintenance and other reproductive system functions. It used to help promote labor and assist with expulsion of the afterbirth. Do not take during pregnancy and lactation.


My favorite Mugwort Recipe

Rice wine Mugwort Egg soup

Ingredients:

• Mugwort leaves
• 2 - 3 tbs. Sesame oil
• 3 eggs (beaten and ready for use)
  
• 2 ginger
  
• 1 cup of rice wine and 1/2 cup of water
• salt

Method:

1. Remove Mugwort stem and keep the young leaves.



















Chop and mashed mugwort leaves (excluding the stem) and chop ginger into tiny pieces.
















2. Heat the wok at medium high, drizzle in the sesame oil.











3. Add and stir-fry chopped ginger. Stir-fry until it is almost brown.




4. Stir in the mashed mugwort leaves until it is nearly half cooked. Do not overcooked to maintain its enzyme contains.









5. Add the beaten eggs. Combined well with the mugwort and then stir-fry the mixed eggs and mugwort slightly browned.
















6. Add in Water or rice wine and a bit of salt.














7. Serve the Rice wine mugwort soup. Enjoy!


It's ideal for confinement mummy after birth with mugwort







Rice wine is a rich-flavored liquid that is made from fermented glutinous rice, there are a few Chinese dishes, such as Drunken Chicken, we use either quality sesame oil and Chinese wine or Rice wine. This mugwort cooking with rice wind is quite similar to Drunken Chicken Chinese confinement dishes for the confinement period is the “Pui Yuet” for Chinese confinement mummy after birth, taking of this dish is to nurture the mother's health back to its pre-natal state.

There are many taboos to most of us Chinese women, but recipes and taboos vary from region to region. Even though educated, we may feel obliged to toe the line. There is a minority of women who do not regard the confinement tradition seriously. But to believe it better than none, since it is good for women. Choosing mugwort instead of chicken for Chinese traditional culture cooking in confinement period for new mom. It is great food for vegetarian eaters. So I believe it is good to take it before or after menstruation, also good for women in pre-menopause stage.


Usually, after cooking the Mugwort rice wine dish, I used the leftover Mugwort stem or fresh Mugwort leaves in making ~ Senz's Mugwort PMS Herbs Tea.


Senz's Mugwort PMS Herbs Tea (Mugwort combined with Motherwort)


Ingredients:

• Mugwort stem or fresh Mugwort - 1 plate (shown in picture)
• Yi Mu Cao ~ Dried Motherwort
• Black sugar 3 tbs. spoons (depends on individual taste)
• 15 slices Ginger (without peeling skin)
• 12 Red dates (cut into small pieces)

Why add ginger

It works as stimulant and aids in the circulation of blood throughout the body, treating wounds, aid in digestion to expel wind, provides stimulation, and creates hormone. Very good for Women suffering from painful menstruation, they can take ginger to ease the symptoms. Its also an antiseptic, which means it is effective in killing the bacteria that causes acne. I like the aromatic, pungent and spicy and medicinal properties of ginger, and prefer to cook it without removes the skin as it will deliver a more pungent taste.

What is Yi Mu Cao ~ Motherwort



Its taste slightly bitter, cold and pungent herbs like Mugwort. As in Chinese Medicine it is used for premenstrual abdominal pain, infertility, post partum abdominal pain with lochioschesis (discharge in post delivery), cardiac symptoms of neurosis, cardiac insufficiency, fast heart rate or other arrhythmias, and hyperthyroidism.

Meridian: Heart, bladder and Liver

Alternative healing usage: it is being used to cool the liver., aid as invigorate blood flows, regulate menstruation, induce urination and reduce swelling.

Note: Not to use in case of blood deficient and in cases of without blood stasis or during pregnancy (Do not use for pregnancy woman).



This is dried Motherwort (Yi Mu Cao)





This herb tea is very good for Pre-menopause women, abdominal pain after childbirth and retention of afterbirth to regulating menstruation and promoting blood circulation.





Take caution in taking Motherwort for long term usage as it can be toxic to the kidneys.

Preparation:

1. Cut Mugwort in pieces, put in the leftover mugwort stems.

2. Wash and clean dried Motherwort (Yi Mu Cao) and ready for use.

3. Bring one pot of water to boil. Add in the Red dates and ginger slices and mugwort leaves and stems, Motherwort and to cook for 30 minutes or more.

4. Add in black sugar. Simmer for 10 minutes, removes the mugwort, ginger and red dates residues. Pour out the tea and serve warm.






Mugwort has slightly bitter in taste it makes a great appetizer too. This tea may relieve flatulence and bloating. It helps clean toxins from the blood and restores menstruation cycle delays caused by stress.

Note: Remember when drinking any herbs tea you should not be taken it more than 3 glasses a day or more than 3 days.






External usage for skin

For skin disease mash mugwort leaves and place it to the wound, best is to boiling a big pot of mugwort and take the water, soak your body in the bathtub for at least 1/2 hour. This is great home spa for skin problem.



Preparation for Mugwort and Epsom salt bath

1. Bring a big pot of water and mugworts to boil.

2. Boil it for at least half an hour. Turn off using a strainer to pour the mugwort liquid into a bath tub.

3. Add 5 tbs. of Epsom salt with lukewarm water in bathtub.

4. Bath your body and soak in tub at least 15 to 20 minutes. Then dried off, the result is good for detoxify reducing the skin rashes

The beauty and healing with Mugwort moxibustion

In traditional and beauty treatments, Mugwort then it is shaped into a cigar-like roll placed into a special instrument like a roller to roll on the affected areas for healing therapy, this method of heating specific acupuncture points on the body to treat physical conditions. We called it “Moxibustion” or “Moxi”.

This "moxa" stick is then burned and inserted into specific roller and burned close to the skin to heat the specific pressure points. To alleviate rheumatic pains aggravated by cold and damp circumstances. The traditional ways of using mugwort stick for moxibused to relief of gout. It is good to do this step prior to meridian massage for better flow of "qi" and lymphatic drainage circulation.

Menstrual cramps home remedy

 




Since young we were taught how to use home remedy method to ease menstrual cramps. 

A natural, easy and no side effect way of using ginger, red dates and black brown sugar tea is reputed to have some value in treating menstrual cramps, herbal or nutritional herbs during acute menstrual cramps or pain, this alternative natural healing drinks provide effective pain relief, as ginger is great pain killer and it help in blood circulation, for abdominal bloating it helps to expel wind too.



Ginger and red dates increases blood circulation as the Yang energy, which can relieve blood clots in the uterus, as well as benefit woman after her child birth. This Ginger red dates drink may be safe and effective for nausea and vomiting of pregnancy when used at recommended doses for short periods of time.

Brown sugar is either an unrefined or partially refined which contains lots of nutrients and minerals.

The effect on menstrual cramps would be psychological rather than physiological. Researchers have found that sugar increases the amount of certain brain neurotransmitters that control moods. It tranquilize the nervous system and thus to relieve pain Heat pad is also one good way of relief the cramps and pains, just placing the heat pad to the stomach where it hurts for 10 to 15 minutes, till you feel the pain is gone.

Method of cooking this home remedy drinks is very simple.

Ingredients:

• 6 slices of ginger with skin
• 10 red dates (cut into small pieces)
• 1-2 tbs. black brown sugar
• 3 glasses of water

1. Bring water to boil. Put some ginger slices without peeling off the skin and cook in boiling water.


2. Add some red dates into it and then boil it with low heat for 20 minutes.\


3. Add brown sugar till dissolve, Simmer for about half an hour in pot, strain the tea to a mug and then drink it.



That really works when you have cramps. Which is also widely used by Chinese women as one of the home remedy for women after birth before or during menstruation period, woman’s body is often depleted of these important nutrients during menstruation, cramps are caused by the contraction of the uterus during menstruation. 


I often encourage women with more severe menstrual pain should try to start doing so a few days before her menstrual period until it ends, or even avoid cold food and drink as much as possible. So far I found it is quite effective for me.