1. Chrysanthemum: Pungent, sweet, and bitter in taste, slightly cold in nature. It dispels wind, clears heat, detoxifies, and improves vision. For dizziness, headaches, red and swollen eyes caused by heat-induced colds or excessive liver fire, steep one cup of chrysanthemum tea and drink.
2. Honeysuckle: Sweet and cold in nature, it clears heat and detoxifies. For sore throat or heat-toxin diarrhea, drink honeysuckle decoction as tea; effects appear within a day. For infant heat rashes, apply cotton balls soaked in concentrated honeysuckle decoction to affected areas; results show within a day.
3. Goji Berries: Sweet and neutral in nature, they nourish the kidneys, moisten the lungs, tonify the liver, and improve vision.For chronic atrophic gastritis, take an appropriate amount of Ningxia goji berries, wash with clean water, dry, crush, and portion. Consume 20 grams daily in two divided doses on an empty stomach. One treatment cycle lasts two months; discontinue other Chinese or Western medications during this period. For elderly individuals with nighttime dry mouth, take 30 grams of goji berries,Wash with clean water and chew before bedtime. Effects are typically noticeable after 10 days. For male infertility, take 15 grams of goji berries, washed with clean water. Chew thoroughly and swallow each night. One treatment course lasts two months. Abstain from sexual activity during treatment.
4. Job's tears: Sweet and bland in taste, slightly cold in nature. It promotes diuresis, drains dampness, strengthens the spleen, clears heat, and expels pus. During humid seasons or in damp regions, boil Job's tears into soup for consumption. Due to its slightly cold and cooling nature, individuals with yang deficiency who are prone to cold sensitivity should avoid prolonged use.
5. American Ginseng: Bitter and slightly sweet in taste, cold in nature. It replenishes qi, nourishes yin, clears fire, and generates fluids. After staying up late, many experience dry mouth, dizziness, sore throat, and coughing. Drinking a cup of American ginseng tea can restore oral moisture. Due to its cold nature, those with weak spleen and stomach should avoid excessive consumption.
6. Salvia miltiorrhiza (Danshen): Bitter and slightly cold in nature, it promotes blood circulation, dissipates blood stasis, cools the blood, eliminates abscesses, nourishes blood, and calms the spirit. Grind an appropriate amount into powder and take with a small cup of warm wine or lightly salted water before bed. It is effective for various menstrual irregularities but should be avoided by pregnant women and those menstruating.
7. Mugwort Leaf: Bitter and pungent in taste, warm in nature. It warms meridians to stop bleeding, dispels cold to relieve pain, removes dampness to alleviate itching, and stabilizes pregnancy.For wind-cold induced cough, fumigate feet with mugwort leaves. For skin boils, ignite one end of a mugwort stick and fumigate the affected area from 3–5 cm away, once daily for 10 minutes. For stomach pain, mix an appropriate amount of mugwort leaves with an egg, stir well, stir-fry until half-cooked, add water, boil, and consume both residue and liquid three times daily.
8. Malt: Sweet and neutral in nature, it aids digestion and harmonizes the middle burner. For children's indigestion, drink malt water as a tea substitute; for women weaning, take malt water decoction.
9. Luo Han Guo (Monk Fruit): Sweet and sour, cool in nature, it clears heat, cools blood, generates fluids to relieve cough, lubricates intestines to eliminate toxins, softens skin for beauty, and moistens lungs to resolve phlegm.Luo Han Guo can be decocted, steeped as tea, or chewed directly. Take 10 grams twice daily.
10. Dried Tangerine Peel: Pungent and bitter in taste, warm in nature. It regulates qi, harmonizes the middle burner, dispels dampness, and transforms phlegm. For persistent cough with thin, white phlegm, steep dried tangerine peel in water for consumption.
11. Pomegranate Peel: Sour and astringent in taste, warm in nature. It has effects of astringing the intestines to stop diarrhea, and arresting diarrhea and consolidating collapse. After eating pomegranates, wash, dry, and collect the peels. When family members experience diarrhea symptoms, boil the pomegranate peels with brown sugar in water for drinking, which yields good therapeutic results.
12. Corn Silk: Sweet and neutral in nature, it promotes urination, clears heat, and regulates liver and gallbladder functions. For chronic nephritis patients, take 50g of dried corn silk, add 600ml of warm water, and simmer over low heat for 20–30 minutes. Once reduced to 300–400ml, strain and consume once daily or in divided doses.For gum bleeding, steep 50g of corn silk in a thermos with boiling water, cover and steep for about 10 minutes. Drink in divided doses throughout the day. One dose per day, with a 7-day course. For diabetes, decoct 30g of corn silk daily. Take one dose divided into morning and evening servings. Effects are typically noticeable within 2–4 months.
13.Chicken Gizzard Lining: Sweet and neutral in nature, it aids digestion, eliminates food stagnation, expels stones, and reduces urinary frequency. For abdominal distension, constipation, or childhood indigestion, roast sun-dried chicken gizzard lining, crush it, add hawthorn berries, and boil into a decoction. Alternatively, grind chicken gizzard lining and Chinese yam into a fine powder, then cook with japonica rice into porridge.