Spring Cleaning
In traditional Chinese medicine, Spring is considered a season of dampness. TCM combinations address various Spring issues with complex combinations of herbs that work to regain balance by strengthening digestion, the stomach, spleen/pancreas and by reducing inflammatory discomforts like headaches, joint pain, eye redness, acne, and sinus or tooth allergies.
]]>We awaken to Spring refreshed after a long Winter nap. In North America we prepare for Spring winds, humidity, rains, allergies and the subtle stirring of our body as we welcome song birds, tiny buds on trees, flowers and longer sunshine days. Though Spring has not yet arrived in most places, we feel the excitement of a new season.
In traditional Chinese medicine, Spring is considered a season of dampness. In the body that is expressed as water retention, sinus congestion, sinus headache, and sluggish energy after eating. For some it becomes chronic slow digestion, spare tire, obesity and lethargy. The underlying condition of what TCM doctors call dampness is encouraged by a hypothyroid or phlegmy conditions that threaten vitality and delay wound healing. We feel heavy, sluggish, with bloating and indigestion. We may have swollen joints, slow healing or oozing wounds, nausea, jaundice, sinus headaches. Our body is still napping after Winter.
The heavy feeling, dizziness, and water retention are made worse by eating rich, greasy foods, sugar, and foods that result in blood sugar spikes— sweets, bread, pasta, white rice and processed junk foods. Sodas and chemical sweeteners add to the problems. Also we are sedated by taking long afternoon naps, irregular meals, and sedentary work habits.
Chinese herbal combinations address various Spring issues with complex combinations of herbs that work to regain balance by strengthening digestion, the stomach, spleen/pancreas and by reducing inflammatory discomforts like headaches, joint pain, eye redness, acne, and sinus or tooth allergies. The herbs are chosen for their tonic, cooling or astringent action, their temperature and chosen to affect the location of the symptoms.
That is a major difference from Western allopathic medicine which may advise you to take an aspirin or acetaminophen for your headache. The treatment is not specific and results in bad side effects. But TCM, which understands that surface symptoms like pain or redness originate from inside, for example from an under-functioning organ or a problematic blood chemistry. The headache is treated with herbs or acupuncture to address inflammation or energy congestion where it hurts. For example sharp stabbing pain behind the eyes or temples indicates inflammation or poor circulation affecting the liver meridian, the energy pathway that passes through the liver, chest, neck, eyes and head.
That precision gives us an opportunity to prevent/treat chronic pain and related health issues with diet and herbs. A liver cleansing approach can improve pain under the right ribs, right shoulder, eyes, migraine, as well as improve excess acidity and inflammation affecting nerves, complexion and vision etc.
Below are a few typical headaches and the types of foods/herbs that may help. Many people who have abused their diet and lifestyle will have these Spring ailments year round.
Note: Chinese liver/gallbladder cleansing herbs are very bitter because they encourage the production and thinning of bile which is laxative. Some bitter herbs like lysimachia treat jaundice and stones. They are highly detoxifying, valuable treatments that can be unpleasant. They are best used with professional supervision, but may be gradually added in small amounts to teas or apple sauce. Herbal pills are convenient and effective.
Strong bitter laxative, diuretic or liver cleansing herbs should be avoided during pregnancy and breast feeding.
Overdose of bitter herbs can result in nausea, diarrhea, chills. For that reason they are often combined with warming digestive herbs such as ginger, atractylodes, or others.
Headaches
Liver congestion headache, from poor food combining, drugs or pollution, digestive distress. With Pain in eyes, sides of the head, jaundice, dizziness, weakness, flushed complexion, red eyes, menopausal hot flashes.
Huang Lian Shang Qing Wan --helps clear toxic heat - generally used short-term for inflammatory conditions of the face, mouth, head - sore throat, conjunctivitis, acne, swollen gums. Can be a supportive formula for liver fire conditions resulting in headache, tinnitus, dizziness, vertigo.
Food stagnation headache, from rich hard to digest diet, stress and upset with meals. With Dull headache pain, nausea and cramps, pain under right ribs and chest, possible chest tightness and palpitations, gerd
ShuGan Wan has been recommended for liver discomforts, to regulate liver and spleen/stomach interaction, and for emotional balance, including treatment of frustration, pent-up emotions, and liver pain described as “stuck liver Qi.” Stuck circulation and emotions may eventually increase problems such as palpitations or breast fibroids
Sick headache with indigestion, from food allergies, poor habits, chronic stress, With bloating, emotional upset, hiatal hernia, liver pain, food allergies, jaundice, severe headache or PMS
Xiao Yao Wan pills Supports core vitality with this classic Chinese herbal formula traditionally used to ease digestive and emotional discomforts, including bloating, gas, rib pain, irregular menstruation, and PMS, depression, and anxiety. It is recommended to correct “stagnant liver qi.” Qi energy keeps us alive and well. When Qi circulation becomes stuck, we may feel pain or our digestive organs may not function to their best capacity: Our ability to maintain adequate energy, blood, and a balanced mood may falter. Xiao Yao Wan has been used for thousands of years for “stagnant liver Qi” to support health and comfort.
Stress and liver inflammation headache, from smoking, poor diet. With feverish feeling, hormonal issues, skin blemishes around the mouth, hypertension, irritability, insomnia. PMS headache, dehydration producing thirst and bad breath
Tianqihua Aka Tianqi Flower Tea can lower blood pressure, blood lipids, and help maintain a normal weight. It has been shown to help prevent cancer, pharyngitis, etc., It promotes body fluids and quenches thirst, refreshes energy, improves oxygen supply capacity which enhances the body's immune function. Take 10 to 13 flowers each time, brew in boiling water. It can be steeped repeatedly many times until there is no bitterness and sweetness. Or use 10 to 20 flowers to steep for 20 minutes and add them to cooking. The taste is sweet; It is cooling in nature. This product is the dried flower of the Araliaceae plant Panax notoginseng. It is used to clear away heat and produce fluids; calms the liver and lowers blood pressure. It is used for chronic thirst; sore throat; dull voice; and hypertension.
Liver Cleansing and Supportive Foods that can improve chronic inflammation, headaches, acne, menstrual regularity and comfort
Bitter greens: kale, dandelion, broccoli, spinach, pea greens, chicory, watercress, asparagus, cucumber, celery, lettuce, bok choy, fennel herb aka anise
Nuts, seeds: flaxseed, chia seeds, pumpkin seed, black cumin seed
Cooling cooking spices- cumin, coriander, parsley, mint, dill, turmeric
Detoxifying cooking herbs - garlic, onion, shallot, ginger
Berries, cherries, pineapple, papaya, apple, watermelon, melons
Bitter gourd Balsam Pear tea
Teas: white, jasmine, pu-erh, green, oolong, ginger pu-erh, orange peel, pu-erh, blooming teas
Healthy oils: extra virgin olive oil, walnut oil
With a happy liver, Spring will not seem far away. You may be inspired to begin cleansing, redecorating your home, or starting a new job or project or socializing to meet new people .. Digestive balance brings inner calm, improved sleep and an optimistic future
]]>All about Rock Tea
Do your digestion and mood suffer from seasonal changes? A balanced diet, exercise, and adequate sleep are essential for maintaining health. To secure predictable radiant vitality despite health challenges and seasonal upheaval, we need a hardy tea that assures rock-solid wellness.
]]>
Do your digestion and mood suffer with seasonal changes? The year is often a rollercoaster of unexpected rain, snow, and smoky pollution that may unhinge even the strongest constitution. Chronic stress, unwise habits and aging can also ruin digestion. A balanced diet, exercise, and adequate sleep are essential for maintaining health. To secure predictable radiant vitality despite health challenges and seasonal upheaval, we need a hardy tea that assures rock solid wellness.
Yancha is Rock Tea
Yancha, rock tea, a forefather of oolong, grows in high rock crevices in Wuyi mountains located in China's south-east province of Fujian, which contains the largest intact forest encompassing the diversity of the Chinese Subtropical Forest and the South Chinese Rainforest. Archaeological findings date the first human settlements on the slopes of Mount Wuyi to 2,000 B.C.E. During the Western Han Dynasty, the ancient city of Chengcun served as the capital of the Minyue kingdom. The area’s early inhabitants were Buddhist, Daoist, and Confuscian monks and farmers who lived in peace. Many famous ancient Chinese poems praise the mountain and its Rock Teas.
Rock Tea Named for Mineral Content
The landscape is characterized by beautiful winding river valleys flanked by columnar or dome-shaped cliffs as well as cave systems. Astounding peaks in the western portion of the Wuyi Mountains typically consist of volcanic or plutonic rocks, whereas hills in the eastern area are made up of red sandstone with very steep slopes and flat tops. Bedrock lithology at Wuyi Shan is dominated by tuff, rhyolite and granite in the western part. Red sandstone is common farther east. The elevation ranges from 200 m (656 ft) to 2,158 m (7,080 ft). The rugged terrain with cliffs and high peaks has numerous caves, some of which have been explored and opened to the public. The Wuyi Mountain region has 39 peaks, 99 valleys, and a river with 9 bends. The tea mountain peaks are always shrouded with fog and mist. The moisture gets accumulated on the rocky sides of the mountains and flows down the rocks to nourish the roots of the tea plants, enriching them with minerals and creating a unique Yan Yun (rock rhyme) taste.
Rock Flavor
Rock tea is named for this rocky, mountainous area, but also because it inherits an unmistakable “rocky” taste thanks to the soil known to be rich in minerals. Rock tea, treasured by tea lovers around the world, has richly complex flavor and fragrance with fruity, floral, and mineral notes. Rock teas can be re-steeped over and over again up to 12 x 15 times, becoming sweeter over time, with a long and lingering flavor. Yan Yun describes the mouthwatering sensation we have after sipping the tea. The Rock Rhyme enters us, invites us to drink more of the tea, to absorb all the nutrients it possesses. Rock Rhyme is famous not only for its flavor, steam and moisening qualities but especially its pleasant long lasting aftertaste. After drinking a cup of Wuyi Rock Tea, inhale and exhale, its sweetness lingers, and you may still sense the flavor hours later.
The origin of the term comes from a poem written in the eighteenth century by Emperor Qianlong (乾隆) called “Brewing Tea on a Winter Night” (冬夜烹茶). It is said that the sandy soil in Wuyi gives the tea a “rock bone flower fragrance” (骨花香岩). This video explains how this special tea came about and the Emperor who praised it in his poem. (Video Link)
A Pure and Protected Environment
Zheng Yan, the prime area of Wuyi Shan, where the best and most praised cliff tea is grown, is a National Reserve area where the use of pesticides is prohibited. The area is quite small and allows to grow only a limited amount of tea. Furthermore, the processing that this tea undergoes is a unique craft that takes time to master. Tea makers in Wuyi make up for lost outdoor withering time by roasting rock tea for a long time at low temperatures, bringing out fruity and mineral notes in the tea. The final drying and roasting step for rock tea can last between 48 and 72 hours. All of the above creates a demand that is much higher than the supply.
History of Rock Tea
Oolong tea as we know it originated during 16th century Ming Dynasty. For hundreds of years, the Emperors of China would drink compressed tea in the form of tea cakes which was cultivated and produced in Fujian tea gardens. However, the production of tea cakes became too expensive since it required a lot of labor. The Emperor Qianlong requested that his tea should be in loose leaf form which caused a significant collapse of the well-established tea industry of Fujian. Consequently smaller tea farms popped up higher up in the Wuyi Mountains. These farms were mostly owned and tended to by Buddhist and Taoist monks who in turn discovered that letting the tea lightly oxidize before firing it created a new, darker, flavorful type of tea called Oolong. Compared to other types of Oolong tea, Wuyi Yancha is twisted into strips instead of being rolled. The tea is usually darker and smokier.
Health Benefits
Rock Tea is a treasure that harks back to our ancient past. Wuyi oolong tea is not only delicious, but it also has many health benefits. Rich in antioxidants and polyphenols, it can help to improve cardiovascular health and reduce inflammation throughout the body. Additionally, it can help to boost cognitive function and memory recall. Regular enjoyment of oolong tea may offer various health benefits including, reducing body weight and fat, lowering bad cholesterol levels, and increasing endurance.
Brewing Rock Tea
Rock Tea is different from other oolong teas. The brewing is precise. Use pure water that is 100 degrees, do not steep the tea longer than 10 seconds each time. The color will be clear, dark and the tea fragrant with a long complex aftertaste. Here are directions: Click Here!
Hawthorn: A Miracle Berry
If you could find a tart, tasty berry that is low in sugar and fat and extremely healthy for the heart, brain, and nervous system, it would be a miracle. You would enjoy it daily for the prevention of diabetes, and heart trouble and for smart weight loss.
]]>If you could find a tart, tasty berry that is low in sugar and fat and extremely healthy for the heart, brain and nervous system, it would be a miracle. You would enjoy it daily for prevention of diabetes, heart trouble and for smart weight loss. Wing Hop Fung introduces Chinese Hawthorn Berry, (shan zha, 山楂), a tasty snack, dried slices used to make tea, a savory addition to soups or salad dressing and it can be steeped in brandy or gin as a medicinal heart tonic liquor. Used in moderation as a food, this powerful berry is a safe energy snack even for people taking heart or diabetes medicines.
Native to temperate regions of Europe, North America and Asia, hawthorn (Crataegus Monogyna) is a plant recognized for its many beneficial health properties. Also known as whitethorn or maythorn, it belongs to the Rosaceae family and has been used in traditional Chinese medicine since at least 659 AD..
Hawthorn Nutrition
Hawthorn flowers, leaves, and especially its semi-sweet, tart, reddish berries are rich in beneficial flavonoids, triterpenes, and proanthocyanidins which are powerful antioxidants that help combat oxidative stress, a key factor in various diseases, including cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases. In addition, hawthorn contains a high concentration of vitamins B and C which are beneficial for the immune system and help protect the nervous system. The use of hawthorn in herbal medicine is validated by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA). Numerous studies have confirmed the positive effects of hawthorn on the cardiovascular and nervous system.
Rich in amino acids, minerals, pectin, vitamin C, chlorogenic acid, epicatechol, and choline, hawthorn berry has a highly therapeutic health value. Many studies have shown that hawthorn has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, anti-cardiovascular disease, and digestive enhancing properties. Hawthorn berry is especially used to help protect against heart disease and help control high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Human studies prove that hawthorn increases coronary artery blood flow, improves circulation, and lowers blood pressure. It may be helpful for heart failure patients because it has been shown effective in enhancing blood flow to strengthen muscles.
Hawthorn and Diabetes
Hawthorn berry has a sugar content and nutritional profile similar to cranberry, but its effects are strikingly important for reducing blood sugar and supporting heart health. Studies from the last twenty years suggest that hawthorn has the following health benefits for diabetes and its complications:
decrease triglycerides (fats in the blood) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol,
increase the antioxidant activity of necessary enzymes.
In addition, a combined treatment of metformin and Hawthorn could significantly reduce body weight, insulin resistance, and hs-CRP levels, and regulate glucolipid metabolism the combination is more effective in treating patients with prediabetes complicated by NAFLD non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
Hawthorn and the Liver Protection
Hawthorn possesses a wide range of biological actions for the treatment of toxic hepatitis, alcoholic liver disease, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Accordingly, hawthorn extracts can be developed as a major source of therapeutic agents for liver diseases.
Hawthorn Supports the Nervous System and Memory
Hawthorn is known for its beneficial effects on the nervous system and mental health due to the significant presence of flavonoids. Some researchers suggest that hawthorn may help reduce blood pressure by helping to relax blood vessels. The glycosides found in hawthorn may act as vasodilators, helping to relax and widen blood vessels, which may help reduce blood pressure.
Hawthorn helps improve cognitive functions. Studies suggest that increasing blood flow to the brain helps improve concentration, memory and other vital cognitive functions and could be particularly beneficial for people who suffer from cognitive impairment or dementia. However, as with any herbal treatment or supplement, it is important to consult a healthcare professional especially if you are taking other medications.
Hawthorn has a range of beneficial properties for the heart, giving it a considerable place in the championship of cardiotonic medicinal plants. First of all, it is widely recognized for its regulatory action on heart rhythm disorders. In addition, its ability to dilate blood vessels allows for better circulation and more efficient distribution of oxygen and nutrients throughout the body. This dilation of blood vessels is also felt in the heart, helping to reduce blood pressure. This is an undeniable asset for anyone suffering from hypertension and other related cardiovascular disorders.
Flavonoids in hawthorn relax blood vessels, allowing better blood circulation and helping to lower blood pressure as well as play an antioxidant role. They help fight free radicals, unstable molecules that can cause damage to cells. By neutralizing these free radicals, antioxidants help prevent damage to the heart and blood vessels.
A systematic review of 14 clinical studies found that hawthorn improved symptoms of chronic heart failure, and research is ongoing. It is important to note that the use of hawthorn does not replace conventional medical advice for heart disease: For optimal cardiovascular health, it is essential to maintain a healthy balanced diet and regular exercise regime, in addition to individual testing and review of medications prescribed by a healthcare professional.
Cautions
Hawthorn may interact with certain medications, particularly with heart medications, beta blockers, calcium blockers and medications used to regulate blood pressure. If you are on medication, it is advised to consult your doctor before incorporating a hawthorn supplement into your routine. In most cases, hawthorn as a tea or snack is quite safe and it has been used for generations. Finally, if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, it is best not to consume a concentrated hawthorn supplement, because the effects of this plant on the unborn child or newborn are not sufficiently known. If you have any doubts or questions, consult a healthcare professional.
Hawthorn Berry Tea
Soak a handful of sliced, dried hawthorn berries for 10 minutes in warm water, pour off the water and simmer the berries for 30 minutes. Enjoy the tea hot or cold, unsweetened, without milk. If you must sweeten it, use monk fruit which is safe for diabetes.
Hawthorn Berry Liquor
The sour flavors and rich antioxidants of hawthorn berry work well with brandy or 80 proof liquor. The liquor must be at least 40 proof so that germs cannot live in the mix. Since hawthorn benefits digestion, it can be used as an aperitif.
Rince ¼ cup dried, sliced, seeded hawthorn berries with cold water. Allow them to dry or wipe with a dry clean cloth. Add the berries to a liter of liquor. Gin works better for blood sugar balance than vodka. It might be a tart addition to a martini, or taken alone one teaspoon added to water. Brandy will yield a sweeter drink. Steep the berry liquor in a dark, cool corner away from direct sunlight for at least two weeks before consuming. Enjoy good health.
Dragon Foods: Longan Fruit 龍眼
In honor of the Year of the Dragon, we are celebrating Dragon themed foods and medicines. The Chinese Dragon is known for Power, Energy, Resilience and Nobility. Dragon foods build strength, immunity and beauty. A star among Chinese fruits is Longan.
]]>In honor of the Year of the Dragon, we are celebrating Dragon themed foods and medicines. The Chinese Dragon is known for Power, Energy, Resilience and Nobility. Dragon foods build strength, immunity and beauty. A star among Chinese fruits is Longan.
The longan (from Cantonese lùhng-ngáahn 龍眼, literally 'dragon eye'), resembles an eyeball when its fruit is shelled (the black seed shows through the translucent flesh like a pupil and iris. Longan is a tropical fruit of the soapberry family similar to lychee. It is less aromatic and has a hint of musky flavor.
Longan fruits are native to China and regions of Southeast Asia, where the fruit trees have been growing wild for thousands of years. The ancient fruits were first found in the regions of Guangxi, Fujian, Sichuan, and Guandong, China, and were also reported to have been found in lowland and mountainous areas spanning from India to China. Experts believe the earliest record of Longan can be traced back to 200 BCE. The record indicated that the emperor had requested Longan and lychee trees to be planted in the Shaanxi Palace gardens during the Han dynasty. Longan fruits were extensively grown and produced throughout China, later spreading along trade routes and merchant ships into Europe in the late 1700s and Australia in the mid-1800s.
Longan’s Vitamin C
Longan is a source of vitamin C. When that cut on your finger finally heals, you can thank vitamin C which is vital for tissue health and promotes healing of cuts and wounds. It also helps the body to create collagen that is part of muscles, cartilage, skin, bones, and almost every other part of the body. Vitamin C helps teeth and gums stay healthy too.
Longan and Heart Health
Studies suggest that because vitamin C is an antioxidant, it can contribute to heart health. It may reduce stiffening of the arteries. Vitamin C supplements do not seem to have this effect. So getting vitamin C from plant sources like longan, appears to be a better path to heart health. Longan also contains a good amount of potassium, which helps control blood pressure. Many nutritionists consider potassium an under-consumed nutrient, with most Americans getting only about half the recommended amount. Ancient humans consumed about 16 times more potassium than sodium, but Americans today take in twice as much sodium as potassium. Some scientists believe this imbalance is one reason so many people have high blood pressure. Because elevated blood pressure is a risk factor for stroke, those with adequate potassium in their diet have a lowered risk of stroke.
Longan contains small amounts of several vitamins and minerals and is a valuable source of:
Vitamin C
Potassium
Riboflavin (vitamin B2 )
Longan fruit is known for its potential to boost the immune system, improve skin health due to its antioxidant properties, aid in digestion, and provide a natural energy boost.
Long Yan Rou in TCM
Longan (Euphoria longan) is more than a delicious dried fruit. It is used in Chinese medicine as a blood tonic, to build energy (Qi), calm the mind, strengthen the Spleen, tonify the Qi of the heart, and to add luster and beauty to the skin. Its Chinese name is Long Yan Rou.
How Much to Eat
Ten longans a day is a good amount to eat most of the time. If your body temperature is high, you should avoid excess consumption. But, since it's a good source of vitamin C and iron, most people can eat it every day, but not too excess. People with diabetes and women who are pregnant need to be more careful.
Apart from being eaten fresh and raw, longan fruit is also often used in Asian soups, snacks, desserts, and sweet-and-sour foods, either fresh or dried, and sometimes preserved and canned in syrup. Since longan is available fresh, dried, or canned, it is almost like three different ingredients. For best preservation of nutrients, choose fresh fruit and use it uncooked. Use canned and dried longan to add complex flavors to a variety of dishes. Dried longan may need soaking for some dishes. Canned longan is often packed in sweetened syrup. Rinsing will remove excess sugar.
Here are some ways to use longan:
Add to a salad along with citrus and mint for a refreshing side dish.
Place unshelled longan in the freezer. Remove and peel for a frosty treat.
Mix with other diced fruit for a tasty fruit salad. Add nuts or coconut if you like.
Blend the fruit of longan with coconut milk and a banana to make a delicious smoothie.
Add canned longan to curries and other hearty dishes.
Dice dried longan and cook it with oatmeal or use it in overnight oats.
Make a traditional Asian tea using red dates and dried longan.
Cook dried longan with goji berry and white fungus for a healthful sweet desert that enhances collagen.
Turn dried longan into jam, jelly, or preserves.
You can have the sharp eye and noble heart of a Dragon.
Longan in Chinese Myth and Culture
One legend retells the tale of a dragon terrorizing a coastal town of southern China. The dragon would come into the village with the ocean’s tide each August and would cause the villagers to flee and hide in caves in fear while the dragon ransacked the town. A man named Longan saw the dragon’s destruction and vowed to kill the dragon the following year. When August came, Longan prepared a meal of wine-soaked pork and mutton for the dragon, causing the dragon to become drunk once he ate the meat. Longan leaped onto the dragon and stabbed his left eye, but when he popped the eye out of the socket, a fruit came out instead. Another fruit popped out of the dragon’s right eye and fell to the ground. Longan and the dragon fought to the death, with Longan victorious. However he eventually died from battle wounds. The villagers, relieved the dragon was gone, carefully buried Longan’s body with the fruits that sprang from the dragon’s eyes. The following year, two fruit trees bearing clusters of small eye-like fruits grew from the burial site. The villagers named the fruits Longan in honor of their fallen hero.
Happy Lantern Festival 元宵節
Lantern Festival, also called Yuan Xiao Festival 元宵節. People enjoy time together with family and friends on this day. There are many activities include lighting lanterns, lion dances & eating rice balls.
]]>
Lantern Festival, also called Yuan Xiao Festival 元宵節, celebrated in China and other Asian countries honors deceased ancestors on the 15th day of the first month (Yuan) of the lunar calendar February 24, 2024. The Lantern Festival aims to promote reconciliation, peace, and forgiveness and marks the first full moon of the new lunar year. During the festival, houses are decorated with colorful lanterns, some with riddles written on them; if the riddle is answered correctly, the solver earns a small gift. Festival celebrations also include lion and dragon dances, parades, and fireworks. Small glutinous rice balls filled with fruits and nuts, called yuanxiao or tangyuan, are eaten during the festival. The round shape of the balls symbolizes wholeness and unity within the family. The Lantern Festival may originate as far back as the Han dynasty (206 bce to 220 ce), when Buddhist monks would light lanterns on the 15th day of the lunar year in honor of the Buddha. The rite was later adopted by the general population and spread throughout China and other parts of Asia.
A legend concerning the festival’s origin tells the tale of the Jade Emperor (You Di), who became angered at a town for killing his goose. He planned to destroy the town with fire, but he was thwarted by a fairy who advised the people to light lanterns across the town on the appointed day of destruction. The emperor, fooled by all the light, assumed the town was already engulfed in flames. The town was spared, and in gratitude the people continued to commemorate the event annually by carrying colorful lanterns throughout the town.
WingHopFung is celebrating Lantern Festival with delicious teas from ancient tea trees. Tea has been a good many things to innumerable people, whether a remedy for illness, a ritual for royals, or a morning pick-me-up. Tea comes to us in many forms and brings with it a variety of perks, cleaning & detoxing our bodies, mind, and soul. Pick your favorite today and stock up your tea cabinet.
Ancient Trees Golden Dianhong Black Tea #1185
This is black tea produced from older wild style trees.
Sweet red potatoes aroma, savory cocoa, and black pepper flavors. Smooth and full-bodied, slightly sweet
Kunlushan Wild Tree Pu’er Dark Tea #1500
Kunlushan ancient tree tea is particularly outstanding and unique in its aroma; its tea fragrance is elegant, sharp, long-lasting, and unique in flavor.
Da Xue Shan Old Tree Pu’er Tea Cake 2013
Bangwei 2017YR Old Trees Pu’er Tea #1078
Wild Old Tree Dianhong Black Tea #1501
Dianhong, black tea from Yunnan province is generally called Dianhong Tea.
Sweet red potatoes aroma, savory cocoa, and black pepper flavors. Smooth and full-bodied, slightly sweet
Yunnan Old Tree 1990YR Pu’er Tea #1092
Pu-Er Dark Tea is unique in that it gets better with age, much like wine. It initially starts as a green tea but is not fully fired. Instead, the moist leaves are loosely stacked on top of each other to allow them to dry and age. The result is a color change from green to a deep burgundy. Supreme Pu-Er has a more fragrant earthy aroma than other Pu-Er.
Bulang Old Trees Raw Pu’er Tea 2017YR #1077
The bright golden liquor has an initial bite of cooling bitterness, followed by complex and nuanced whiskey, bay leaf, smoked wood, and honey notes that linger delightfully with a long-lasting smooth and sweet finish.
元宵節,又稱上元節、小正月、元夕或燈節,時間為每年農曆正月十五。
正月是農曆的元月,古人稱“夜”為“宵”,正月十五是一年中第一個月圓之夜,所以稱正月十五為“元宵節”。根據道教“三元”的説法,正月十五又稱為“上元節”。元宵節習俗自古以來就以熱烈喜慶的觀燈習俗為主。
元宵節的形成有一個較長的過程,根源於民間開燈祈福古俗。據一般的資料與民俗傳説,正月十五在西漢已經受到重視,不過正月十五元宵節真正作為全國民俗節日是在漢魏之後。正月十五燃燈習俗的興起也與佛教東傳有關,唐朝時佛教大興,仕官百姓普遍在正月十五這一天“燃燈供佛”,佛家燈火於是遍佈民間,從唐代起,元宵張燈即成為法定之事。
元宵節主要有賞花燈、吃湯圓、猜燈謎、放煙花等一系列傳統民俗活動。此外,不少地方元宵節還增加了游龍燈、舞獅子、踩高蹺、劃旱船、扭秧歌、打太平鼓等傳統民俗表演。
*圖文信息來自網絡*
]]>Longjing Dragon Well Teas 龍井茶
Longjing Tea (Dragon Well Tea) is known for its connection to dragons due to its name and the shape of its tea leaves. It symbolizes authority, auspiciousness, and good luck.
]]>
Longjing or Dragon Well Tea received its name from a small village located at West Lake (Xi Hu) surrounded by tea mountains: Phoenix Mountain, Dragon Mountain and Lion Peak Mountain in Hangzhou. During the Three Kingdoms Period (221-280) residents of this area believed that a dragon lived in their village well and protected their crops by bringing abundant rainfall.
Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) made a point of visiting the area to enjoy the local Dragon Well Teas each named for the mountain where they grew. During one of his visits while the Emperor was picking tea shoots, he received word that his mother, the Empress Dowager, was seriously ill, and he was requested to immediately return to Beijing. Alarmed, the Emperor Qianlong put the young tea shoots on his sleeve, and immediately sped back to the capital. Upon his return, while talking to her son, the Empress Dowager smelled the beautiful aroma of dry tea leaves coming from his sleeve and asked for the brewed tea. After drinking that tea her health was completely restored. Overjoyed by his mother’s recovery he designated 18 of the village's teas as producers of "Imperial Tea". This ensured Dragon Well Tea's famous reputation. The ancient tea trees are still alive today and have turned West Lake into a major tourist destination for tea lovers.
A Very Rare Tea
West Lake Dragon Well Tea is extremely rare. Zhejiang Province produces 15,000 tons of tea each year, and only 6% comes from West Lake. This is one reason for the high price of Dragon Well Tea. Another reason is the elaborate growing and processing necessary to produce the tea. Dragon Well Tea is made from tender tea shoots, not leaves like other teas. They are very small, no larger than 2 cm. One Kilogram of tea can have over 80,000 shoots.
The best Dragon Well Tea is picked very early in the spring. There is only a 6-week window to harvest them. The first two weeks of harvest are considered high grade, while the remaining four weeks are considered lower grade. Harvesting Dragon Well tea is much more complicated than simply plucking a few leaves from the tea plants. Timing, cultural techniques, and finesse are all key to the harvest and cultivation of Dragon Well tea. To ensure the best quality and flavor, this type of green tea is harvested before April 5th when the Qingming festival takes place. These teas are known as pre-Qingming or Ming Qian. The early harvest ensures that the tea is made only of the youngest and freshest tea leaves.
Since the tea mountains are covered with rain and fog in early spring, Dragon Well has the same healing benefits as other shade-grown teas such as Sencha and Matcha. Dragon Well green tea has higher concentrations of antioxidants and chlorophyll that boost healthy properties and flavor. In addition to higher levels of catechins, polyphenols, and amino acids, the tea also contains more caffeine than standard green teas.
Plucking, Withering, Roasting
The best Dragon Well tea is picked and processed by hand. A good tea picker can harvest only 2 kilograms of fresh leaves in a 10-hour day. Once the tea shoots are harvested, they must be roasted the same day. After picking the tea is "Withered". The tea is spread thinly to dry for 8 to ten hours. Doing this removes moisture and reduces any grassy, or bitter flavor. Once the tea is sufficiently dried, it is "Roasted". Roasting is done using bare hands to allow the roaster to feel his hands. It takes a novice many years to harden their hands so they do not suffer from the heat. It takes over 5 years to master the special hand movements required to dry the tea. A master roaster can only fry 1 kilogram of high-grade Longjing tea each day. After roasting the freshly processed Dragon Well tea is ready to drink.
Dragon Well Tea Taste
Because Dragon Well Tea is pan-fried it has a delicious chestnut aroma which should be high and lasting. The brewed tea is floral with an exceptionally long sweet aftertaste. The tea is often described as having vegetal base notes similar to spinach, enhanced by other flavors including chestnut and rich cream. Lesser teas often taste weak, grassy, or bitter. High-quality Dragon Well Tea will never have these features.
Types of Dragon Well Tea
There are three main types of Dragon Well tea and two additional varieties that are sometimes still classified as Longjing. The first three teas are known as Xihu Longjing teas — those that are grown in the West Lake area. The latter two are cultivated in the same province, but in Anji rather than Xihu, so traditional tea classifiers don't always consider them true Dragon Well teas even though they share many of the same flavor characteristics.
Meijiawu Dragon Well Tea. Nestled in the mountains of Xihu, more than 500 farmers cultivate an exquisite form of Dragon Well tea known as Mejiawu. What sets this Longjing tea apart from others is its rich jade green hue. The tea steeps a bright pale green liquor and offers nutty notes with a mildly floral aftertaste.
Shi Feng Longjing Tea. This Dragon Well tea is named after the mountain on which its tea leaves are harvested. Shi Feng (Lion Peak) one of five large mountains in this region of China. Its mild and foggy climate creates the perfect conditions for developing exquisite and expensive teas. This type of Longjing tea is the type historically enjoyed by emperors and is considered the highest quality Dragon Well tea. The tea brews into a light yellow hue and has a crisp flavor.
Tiger Spring Dragon Well Tea. Tiger Spring is another famous green tea from the West Lake region. This loose leaf tea is cultivated near the clear, refreshing Tiger spring. It is an expensive Dragon Well tea that can be infused numerous times without a decrease in flavor quality. It tends to be more mellow than Shi Feng with higher vegetal notes.
Bai Longjing. Bai Longjing is not a true Dragon Well tea as it is produced in Anji. In addition, this type of tea is actually made from a special type of white tea plant, although it is processed and sold as a green tea. The tea boasts a full body with grassy notes and is more affordable compared to the true Dragon Well teas.
Qiantang Longjing. This type of Dragon Well tea is cultivated outside of the West Lake region and is largely produced by the popular Chinese brand Shi, or Lion. A popular Longjing tea, it is more affordable and has nutty aromas and an aftertaste that is similar to sweet, juicy grapes. The tea leaves are an emerald green hue and brew into a rich green color when infused in hot water.
Dragon Well Tea Brewing Tips. For the best flavor, it's better to use filtered water or spring water instead of tap water. Like most green teas, Dragon Well tea should be brewed at lower temperatures than black tea or oolong tea, which can tolerate more heat. This type of green tea should be brewed with a water temperature between 170 and 180 degrees Fahrenheit (76 to 82 degrees Celsius). Bring water to a simmering boil and then let it cool for 2 minutes before pouring into your teapot for steeping. Dragon Well tea leaves can be infused 3 to 5 or more times before losing flavor. Set the leaves aside to brew multiple infusions, just make sure to increase the steeping time with each infusion by about 30 seconds.
Tea connoisseurs love the vegital notes, nutty undertones, and stunning green hues of Dragon Well tea. They also appreciate the layered flavor profile of this Chinese green tea and the rich history of the growing region that makes these authentic and rare teas. By far the highest quality Dragon Well teas come from the West Lake area (Xihu) of Zhejiang..
Hangzhou is famous for its gorgeous scenery, stunning sites, Dragon Well Tea and unique culture. The most famous attraction in Hangzhou is the West Lake, an area of over 60 square kilometers, surrounded by stunning scenery and plenty of cultural relics. West Lake is surrounded on three sides by tea mountains. Many classical poems have been written to praise the beauty and serenity of West Lake. Here is one:
Now spring is here the lake seems a painted picture,
Unruly peaks all round the edge, the water spread out flat.
Pines in ranks on the face of the hills, a thousand layers of green:
The moon centered ion the heart of the waves, just one pearl.
Threads of an emerald-green rug, the extruding tea shoots:
Sash of a blue damask skirt, the expanse of new reeds.
If I cannot bring myself yet to put Hangzhou behind me,
Half of what holds me here is on this lake.
2024 the Year of the DRAGON
Wing Hop Fung honors all that is Dragon: Vibrant health, enthusiastic energy and happiness, ambition to achieve utmost personal growth and family harmony, and the stability of a huge, peaceful sea of wisdom.
]]>
February 10, 2024 begins the Year of the Wood Dragon. Past Dragon years include 2012, 2000, 1988, 1976, 1964, and 1952.
The Dragon is especially revered in traditional Chinese culture. He symbolizes the Emperor, a mighty Yang energy and ruler of the universe. Dragons breathe the clouds, move the ebb and flow of tides and bring the seasons.
Dragons are noble and mystical. Their power is more than strength. It is all-knowing. Their greatness comes from introspection and self-knowledge. They rule with dignity and grace. Their ambition is driven by benevolence and the fire of creation.
Expect success in a Dragon year. The forces of Nature coalesce to create combustion as the Dragon breathes into the future clearing a pathway for a better life, a better world. The Wood Element fires the Dragon in 2024. It can be a time of new beginnings and the fruition of long time projects, an end to pointless struggle and reward for work well-done.
Wing Hop Fung honors all that is Dragon: Vibrant health, enthusiastic energy and happiness, ambition to achieve utmost personal growth and family harmony, and the stability of a huge, peaceful sea of wisdom.
Join us to celebrate the New Year with Prosperity Gift Boxes filled with sweet, healthy treats for loved ones. Delicious ginger candy warms digestion and jujube red date enhances heart health.
Express your wishes for happiness and success in 2024.
]]>
Marvelous Manuka
Manuka honey has natural antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antiviral properties that have been shown to help support wound healing, improve oral health, and soothe a sore throat.
]]>
New Zealand natives have enjoyed Manuka honey for many years, and recent international research proves its many health benefits. The taste is herbaceous and slightly bitter which adds to its medicinal mystique. None the less countless people add a teaspoon of Manuka honey daily to warm water or tea with lemon juice for a beverage that boosts immunity and offers a cheery energy lift.
Manuka Immunity
Manuka honey has natural antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antiviral properties that have been shown to help support wound healing, improve oral health, and soothe a sore throat. Manuka honey famously offers cough relief. Some research shows that it improves oral health by inhibiting harmful bacteria and improving dental health. The active constituents in Manuka are high in volatile oils, tannins, flavonoids and triterpenes. Its chemical makeup has been found to be anti fungal, anti microbial, and anxiolytic (anxiety reducing). In other words, Manuka honey helps keep you safe, well and happy during cold/flu season and exciting for your taste buds any time.
Although it is a natural sugar that should be limited by people with diabetes, pure Manuka honey and lemon water support our body's natural detox process. The cleansing boost of Manuka honey combined with lemon, which contains vitamin C, make this combination a beneficial daily detox drink. Some people combine cloves of raw garlic to age with the honey and create an exciting natural anti microbial that can be added to tea.
When and How to Use
Although you can add Manuka honey to smoothies, oatmeal, toast or yoghurt, the best way to take Manuka Honey in order to boost immunity is straight from the jar or in warm not boiling beverages. It is recommended to take it once in the morning and once at night. It is safe to have up to 2 to 4 teaspoons (10 to 20 mL) of Manuka Honey daily. You should avoid refrigerating your Manuka honey. It is best stored in a cool, dark place like a cupboard or pantry. Refrigeration of any honey can cause crystallization.
Manuka and Digestion
Manuka honey helps create a healthy gut environment. By lining our digestive system, it provides immediate relief to ailments like acid reflux, while also creating a long-term barrier to keep out harmful bacteria. By lining the digestive tract, Manuka honey also supports healthy and regular bowel movements and helps to treat constipation. That improves our skin quality, digestive comfort and mood.
The significant levels of antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory bioactivity found in high, medicinal-grade Manuka honey have the ability to markedly improve digestion and protect your gut health, making this natural superfood a significant probiotic. Raw honey is also a potent prebiotic, nourishing good bacteria in the intestines which facilitate healthy digestion. Honey contains non-digestive oligosaccharides which can't be absorbed by the digestive tract. Instead, these oligosaccharides pass on to the colon where they're able to ferment. Research suggests that Manuka honey can benefit the digestion by helping to prevent ulcers and managing infections including H-pylori.
Manuka and Sleep
Manuka honey has been shown to promote restful deep sleep by slowly releasing the glycogen needed for essential bodily functions during sleep. Add honey to warm low fat milk before sleep to help naturally release melatonin into the brain, which is necessary for deep sleep; a delicious way to ensure sweet dreams and overall improved brain health.
Manuka Energy
For an energizing pre-workout snack, consume manuka honey around 30 minutes before exercise. Its carbohydrates provide sustained energy, while its anti-inflammatory properties help reduce exercise-induced inflammation and burn out.
Wound Healing
Manuka honey’s anti microbial, anti inflammatory properties are so advanced that the FDA American Food and Drug Administration approves Manuka honey in wound dressings.
Honey Research
Laboratory research of Manuka and honey in general have shown exciting results for specific conditions including:
Cardiovascular disease. Antioxidants in honey might be associated with reduced risk of heart disease.
Cough. Studies suggest that honey can act as a reliable cough suppressant for some people with upper respiratory infections and acute nighttime cough.
Gastrointestinal disease. Evidence suggests honey might help relieve gastrointestinal tract conditions such as diarrhea associated with gastroenteritis. Honey might also be effective as part of oral rehydration therapy.
Neurological disease. Studies suggest that honey might offer antidepressant, anticonvulsant and anti-anxiety benefits. In some studies, honey has been shown to help prevent memory disorders.
Wound care. Topical use of medical-grade honey has been shown to promote wound healing, particularly in burns.
Drug-resistant infections. Currently Manuka honey is being considered as part of a protocol useful for curbing drug-resistant infections, which are a growing concern due to antibiotic drug overuse.
Manuka Grades
New Zealand Manuka honey is graded according to its potent medicinal quality, the higher the number, the more medicinal effects it has. MGO stands for methylglyoxal, a naturally-occuring compound found in raw honey, and is the main factor associated with its beneficial antibacterial and antioxidant properties. The MGO rating on a jar of Manuka honey indicates its content; the higher the rating, the more methylglyoxal in that batch. MGO 30+ and 100+ - A maintenance grade honey for those with a healthy immune system. It is recommended as an entry point Manuka honey for anyone who wants to take some prevention against infections. It should be taken every day to help keep your immune system topped up.
Note: children under the age of one year should not be given honey.
Manuka is a fantastic premium honey, fit for an active worker or queen bee, that will keep your hive buzzing with vitality and health.
]]>Winter Treasures: Cordyceps
Winter is a Yin season in the northern hemisphere. Days are shorter and temperatures are colder. Our energy draws inward to protect vital organs and endurance. It is a time to eat time-honored Chinese medicinal herbs to ensure health, happiness, and long life.
]]>
Winter is a Yin season in the northern hemisphere. Days are shorter and temperatures colder. We enjoy staying in bed during chilly mornings, curling up with a good book or beloved pet and listening to soothing music. Our loved ones gather for winter celebrations featuring revitalizing slow cooked soups and super-nutritious ingredients. Our energy draws inward to protect vital organs and endurance. It is a time to eat time-honored Chinese medicinal herbs to insure health, happiness and long life.
Cordyceps sinensis (Cordyceps, Dong Chong Xia Cao)
This rare, precious herbal medicine is also known as Chinese caterpillar fungus, one of the most commonly used ingredients in traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of people with chronic kidney disease (CKD). It is a fabulous overall tonic due to its anti-aging properties that enhance physical endurance and brain health.
Cordyceps is probably the strongest energy tonic of all the mushrooms. It originates in the high Himalayas and is able to stimulate our immune system and resistance against viruses, bacteria, parasites, and stress. A powerful adaptogen, it supports the kidneys, their essence and yang and facilitates production of testosterone.
Cordyceps History
Cordyceps, a legendary Taoist tonic, originating in the Qing Dynasty, has been used for over 2000 years. Wild Cordyceps was so highly prized by the emperor that it was illegal to possess unless you were a member of the ruling class. Cordyceps mushroom is traditionally renowned as a potent kidney and adrenal tonic. In Taoism and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the kidneys are one of the most important organ systems for being the house of “Jing” the foundational energy that nourishes and supports all organ systems. Jing has been compared to our sexual hormones.
The West first noticed Cordyceps during the 1993 Chinese National games. During the competition, the Chinese broke numerous world records, dazzling the media. After being negatively tested for steroids and other banned substances, it was revealed that the coach of the athletics team had their athletes supplementing with Cordyceps. The team attributed their incredible success and historical athletic accomplishments to this powerful medicinal mushroom.
Cordyceps, the Science
Studies show that Cordyceps may enhance aerobic capacity, strength, stamina, physical performance, promote fast recovery, support the lungs, help lower cholesterol, boost libido and fertility. As a potent antioxidant and immunomodulatory agent, Cordyceps lowers inflammation and fights free radicals.
Webmd Reports Cordyceps Uses:
This powerful medicinal mushroom improves many aspects of our health and overall wellbeing. Its anti inflammatory benefits help elevate our energy and performance levels to new heights.
Uses in Cooking
Add cordyceps to simmer in soups or steam a small amount in a double boiler as a tonic. Its flavor is mild and pleasant.
Cautions
It has been recommended to avoid cordyceps with autoimmune illness, including lupus, multiple sclerosis, and rheumatoid arthritis. Avoid use during pregnancy and breast feeding. Avoid use with blood thinning medicines, bleeding disease, and prior to surgery because it may increase bleeding from surgery. Avoid use for young children.
Pu-erh Tea for supreme taste and health
Pu-erh, a fermented tea, enhances digestion and reduces unwanted side effects of a rich diet and stressful lifestyle: indigestion and unhealthy cholesterol. The tea can be enjoyed hot or cold and is suitable for any season.
]]>
The winter holidays are upon us when we enjoy family feasts and rich foods with friends. A digestive tea rich in antioxidants comforts us and promotes deep, lasting health and beauty. Pu-erh, a fermented tea, enhances digestion and reduces unwanted side effects of a rich diet and stressful lifestyle: indigestion and unhealthy cholesterol. The tea can be enjoyed hot or cold and is suitable for any season. Pu-erh tea is an ancient Chinese treasure once enjoyed only by royalty. It grows in the misty valleys of Yunnan in south China.
The tea leaves of Pu-erh, from a tea base of about 1800 meters, mature slowly in mild, humid climatic conditions protected by the mountainous environment that makes this a garden shrouded by clouds all year round. Nourished with abundant rainfall, the tea leaves remain tender and fresh for a long time with a rich color and luster as well as a vibrant taste.
Pu-erh tea can be fresh green (sheng) which resembles green tea or aged to a deep golden brown (shou) which is warmly grounding and earthy. The steam rising from the cup is soothing like a walk in a dense forest after rainfall. A true delight!
During the Ming Dynasty, a tiny clay teapot was invented to enhance the flavor of the brewed tea. The clay absorbed some of the heavenly flavors and, therefore, the pot was never washed with detergent, only rinsed with clean water. Tea merchants in Yunnan sent their Pu-erh to far corners of the middle kingdom so that Pu-erh aged slowly adding beneficial digestive bacteria naturally fermenting the tea. Today Pu-erh growers use scientifically proven methods to enhance ripening. Aged Pu-erh teas, some costing a fortune, are collected and sold like fine wines. This is the healing miracle of Chinese tradition: It values the ancient, rich, and delicious healing comforts of our past.
]]>
Sea Treasures
Seafood has been recommended to prevent and treat depression, is useful for maintaining a healthy weight, contains valuable nutrients. It is abundant, convenient, easy to cook and delicious.
]]>Sea Treasures
Seafood has been recommended to prevent and treat depression, is useful for maintaining a healthy weight, contains valuable nutrients. It is abundant, convenient, easy to cook and delicious. Seafood is filled with omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins such as D and B2 (riboflavin) as well as calcium, phosphorus and a great source of vital minerals, such as iron, zinc, iodine, magnesium, and potassium. The American Heart Association recommends eating fish and sea foods at least two times per week as part of a healthy diet program. The healthiest seafood includes fatty fish, shrimp, scallops, fish maw and abalone. Many recipes for seafood originate in South China where sea treasures abound.
For convenience and added flavor boost, Chinese cooks utilize the concentrated taste and aroma of dried sea foods. Much of the weight of seafood is water. When it is removed in drying, the flavor shock is more intense and the nutritional benefits amplified. Here is a closer look at some popular Chinese dried sea foods.
Abalone (marine snail) is precious, rare, delicious, and nutritious, known as the "soft gold of the ocean” and "the crown of sea treasures." When reconstituted by soaking in water until soft, the meat is tender and high in protein 24%, and low fat 0.44% with many vitamins and trace elements that are very beneficial to our body. Abalone is rich in glutamic acid, which has been used to
Abalone in TCM
Abalone is considered a yin nourishing food which means it supports the health of internal organs. It moisturizes lungs, which improves breathing and complexion. It clears inflammation and nourishes the liver and can improve eyesight. Long-term consumption has been shown to help prevent cancer.
The most recent research has found abalone provides a good source of:
When compared to other animal protein sources such as beef, tuna, salmon or eggs, abalone protein content is higher than all sources. Sea snail contains high levels of magnesium. Magnesium is lost when we suffer stress. Magnesium plays important roles in the body and is needed for more than 325 enzymatic reactions, including involved in the synthesis of fats, proteins and nucleic acids, neural activity, muscle contraction and relaxation, cardiac activity and bone metabolism.
Chinese cooks add dried and canned abalone to soups and stir fries along with pork, dried scallops, mushrooms, chicken or goose meat or prepared sea cucumber. Here is information on several more sea treasures and a simple recipe.
Dried Scallops
Yuanbei produced in Qingdao, China, is light in color, sweet, mils, salty and chewy. It is usually used for stewing soup or porridge.
Why cook with dried scallops (Yuanbei)? They are flavorful and extra nutritious. In TCM, they are said to enrich our blood, nourish the kidney, calm the liver, reduce heat and improve spleen health. In every 100 grams of dried scallop, there are 65.7 grams of protein, which is 2-3 times more than found in chicken, beef or shrimp. According to the USDA, one 3-ounce serving of plain, steamed scallops contains 94 calories. They are low in fats — all types of fats. It is very valuable for initial recovery after illness or postpartum weakness.
Summer is a great time to enjoy the invigorating, moistening benefits of sea foods. We love the taste of grilled large shrimp. Dried shrimp (prawns) also has a smoky intense flavor that can enliven a soup, stew, congee or stir fry. Prawns are a rich source of selenium, one of the most effective antioxidants at maintaining healthy cells. They also contain high levels of zinc, which is important to develop a healthy immune system. Eating prawns helps build strong bones because they contain phosphorous, copper and magnesium. Dried shrimp is sweet, salty and warm in nature. Its concentrated nutrition supports kidney/adrenal energy, strengthens yang, and regulates qi.
A Seafood Stew or Congee
Ingredients:
6-12 dried abalone
10 dried scallops
8 dried shrimp
minced garlic
minced ginger
1 Tbsp. light soy sauce
1 Tbsp. oyster sauce
1/2 Tbsp. bean paste (Doubanjiang for umami flavor)
salt, white pepper
sugar
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup cooking wine
starch to thicken
Rinse with cold water and Soak the dried sea foods in water until tender. When softer they can be kept in the refrigerator overnight to increase tenderness.
Simmer the sea foods, garlic, ginger, oyster sauce, bean paste and soy sauce in white wine for 15 – 20 minutes until the wine has been absorbed. Add the Chicken stock and simmer on low heat for another 10 minutes. Correct the seasons with salt, pepper and sugar. Add starch to thicken as desired.
Congee
Congee is Chinese comfort food, breakfast, convalescent food, and a children’s dish that adults love. It is basically a thin rice soup that can be slow cooked in a crock pot overnight to provide a nourishing, satisfying warm meal. We can enhance protein and flavor the congee with dried sea foods that may include abalone, shrimp, scallops, or others.
Ingredients:
Rinse the dried sea food with cold water. Rinse the rice until the water runs clear in order to remove excess starch. Put the rice, sea food, ginger, salt and cooking liquid into the crock pot. Stir it to prevent rice from sticking to the bottom. Cook it on low heat overnight.
Serve congee warm topped with sliced scallion, soy sauce and a few drops of sesame oil. (optional) In a bowl, top the congee with a fried egg and soy sauce. Or for a delicate treat, add dash of white wine.
]]>Honey in TCM
Honey is more than a sweet treat or the nickname you call the one you love. In traditional Chinese medicine, honey is an important ingredient chosen for its energetic effects when used in herbal combinations.
Honey in TCM
Honey is more than a sweet treat or the nickname you call the one you love. In traditional Chinese medicine, honey is an important ingredient chosen for it energetic effects when used in herbal combinations. In TCM, honey is known as Feng Mi and has the ability to nourish yin energy. That means it soothes, moistens and nourishes lungs, large intestine, spleen and stomach, helps restore qi energy and prevents dryness.
Honey is considered sweet, neutral (not too hot or cold, but just right) and can be added to herbal preparations to make them taste better. Apart from its widely recognized nutritional value, honey is considered “scattering” which means it moves qi energy outward. For that reason it is useful to help clear mucus congestion in lungs and improve breathing. It spreads the effects of other herbs in an herbal combination.
Honey Nutrition
The January 2015 edition of “Natural News”, documents honey’s ability to heal wounds when applied topically and treat infections. Honey is known for its antioxidant, antibiotic and antiviral capabilities. Specifically, “honey contains monosaccharides glucose and fructose and vitamins A, B-complex, C, D, E, K and beta-carotene, as well as minerals and enzymes. Raw, unprocessed honey has the most medicinal and nutritional value. (The fructose in raw honey does not, in any way, have the same negative effect as fructose from corn syrup.)”
Honey an herbal ingredient in TCM
Honey is a very important and valuable component of Traditional Chinese Medicine. In the “Compendium of Materia Medica,” the TCM classic by pharmacist Li Shizhen written during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), “Honey can help dispel pathogenic heat, clear away toxins, relieve pain and combat dehydration.” Li Shizhen suggested that eating raw honey regularly resulted in clear sight and rosy cheeks. He also wrote that eating honey every morning can help prevent constipation and it is a good choice for those who suffer chronic cough. It’s moistening and nourishing.
Honey vs Cane Sugar
The March, 2016 “Serious Eats,” recommends drinking a cup of warm honey water is good for the body and will keep you warm. But everyone’s body condition is different, so you need to choose the most suitable honey for yourself.” What that means is not agonizing over which honey to buy –organic, unfiltered, or a myriad of flower and herb honey selections--but choosing a honey that suits your energy needs. Honey is considered more warming and “scattering” than cane sugar. Cane sugar is used in anti-inflammatory, antibiotic and liver cleansing herbal combinations such as Banlangan –Isatis cold/flu remedy. Isatis treats infections, headache, dizziness etc. Whereas honey is used when a moistening, nourishing herb is required so that honey’s energetic action ties together and coordinates the actions of other herbs. Honey may be added to remedies that soothe a smoker’s cough, enhance digestion and act as laxative.
Raw vs. Cooked Honey
Raw honey is pure, unheated, unpasteurized and unprocessed. It provides the best health benefits because the final product contains all of the natural vitamins and enzymes and other nutritional elements. It is composed of roughly 200 substances such as amino acids, flavonoids, minerals, and enzymes that make it an energy-packed nutrient bomb. Honey has been scientifically linked to help with certain allergies, sleep problems, and poor nutrition. Some people have enthusiastically used raw honey with raw apple cider vinegar and hot water as a pre-breakfast drink to ease chronic aches. The sour fermented vinegar is a liver and blood cleanser and the honey, a laxative, augments the cleansing action.
Honey Improves Health Tonics
Sometimes herbs like licorice, which has side-effects, are roasted in honey which changes the character of the original herb. Honey, used as an adjuvant, enhances the efficacy and reduces the toxicity of crude drugs and herbal ingredients. For example, when tonic herbs like astragalus are processed in honey, good things happen. The immune-enhancing action of astragalus is increased and spread throughout the body.
Properties of Honey In TCM
Honey is used in TCM herbal processing to achieve these functions:
Most of the honey we see on store shelves is pasteurized, i.e., heated to the point where no microorganisms, beneficial or otherwise, can survive. In essence, cooking honey leaves us with a sugar syrup void of enzymes and vitamins, no matter how pretty the packaging. Wing Hop Fung pays special attention to quality ingredients and careful processing at the source.
WING HOP FUNG has lots of Honey varieties to suit your tastes and needs. Here are some of our most popular brands. Comvita honey, propolis and related products insure the highest quality and natural processing to preserve health benefits. Po Sang Yuen Honey includes the honey comb, which is as natural as it gets.
https://winghopfung.com/products/comvita-multiflora-honey-1kg?_pos=1&_sid=8d880bf58&_ss=r#
Comvita Multiflora Honey (1000g)
Multiflora Honey is a distinctive blend of pure honey from New Zealand's forests and pastures. Comvita Multiflora Honey is created using our world-renowned 'creamed' honey process to create honey with a beautiful smooth texture and superb spreadability. Studies suggest that honey might offer antidepressant, anticonvulsant and anti-anxiety benefits. In some studies, honey has been shown to help prevent memory disorders. (mayoclinic.org)
Comvita Multiflora Honey (1000g)
Comvita
$35.00
WHF Kamahi Honey - Liquid (500g)
Wing Hop Fung
$18.99
WHF Rewarewa Honey - Liquid (500g)
Wing Hop Fung
$18.99
WHF Tawari Honey - Liquid (500g)
Wing Hop Fung
$18.99
WHF Manuka Honey - Creamed (500g)
Wing Hop Fung
$35.99
Wing Hop Fung
$42.00
WHF Clover Honey - Creamed (500g)
Wing Hop Fung
$18.99
WHF Clover Honey - Liquid (500g)
Wing Hop Fung
$18.99
WHF Rewarewa Honey - Creamed (500g)
Wing Hop Fung
$18.99
Po Sang Yuen Acacia Honey (500g)
Po Sang Yuen
$11.99
Po Sang Yuen Lychee Honey (500g)
Po Sang Yuen
$11.99
Po Sang Yuen Longyan Honey (500g)
Po Sang Yuen
$11.99
Po Sang Yuen
$22.99
WHF Manuka Honey UMF 20+ (250g)
Wing Hop Fung
$178.00
Po Sang Yuen Mixed Honey (500g)
Po Sang Yuen
$11.99
Po Sang Yuen Winter Honey (500g)
Po Sang Yuen
$11.99
Dried Honey Dates/ Mi Zao 16oz
Wing Hop Fung
$4.99
Comvita UMF 5+ Manuka Honey (1000 g)
Comvita
$77.99
Comvita® UMF ® 10+ Manuka Honey (500g)
Comvita
$55.00
Comvita® UMF ® 5+ Manuka Honey (500g)
Comvita
$39.99
]]>Fabulous Fish Maw
Dried fish maw is one of the most expensive parts of the fish, traditionally consumed as an anti-aging health food due to its high collagen content. Fish maw contains rich proteins and nutrients such as phosphor and calcium.
]]>
Dried fish maw is one of the most expensive parts of the fish, traditionally consumed as an anti-aging health food due to its high collagen content. Fish maw contains rich proteins and nutrients such as phosphor and calcium. It contains 84.4% protein, 0.2% fat. The swim bladder is an internal organ that puffs up to keep the fish afloat. It is cleansed and sun-dried. Fish maw, a precious traditional Chinese ingredient, is one of the four valuable seafood products namely: abalone, sea cucumber, shark's fin and fish maw.
According to traditional Chinese medicine practice, fish maw nourishes our yin energy and strengthens and nourishes lung and kidney health. This unique delicacy is the dried swim bladder of a fish that is commonly found in Asian markets. Dried fish maw or 黃花膠 usually comes from croaker which has higher nutritional value and is better than fried maw for nourishing soups.
Fish Maw for Skin Beauty and Joint Comfort
Though most people are not aware of it, fish maw actually contains more protein than meat and is very high in collagen, making it excellent for skin health. Furthermore, fish maw does not contain cholesterol and is a very valuable health-enhancing ingredient suitable for long time consumption.
Fish Maw Preparation and Recipes
Usually, fish maw is added into soup or stews to give the soup better slippery mouth-feel and increase thickness. Unexpected considering its status as a delicacy, fish maw has an extremely mild to flavorless taste. Yet the texture, health considerations, and traditional prestige lead to it being extremely prized and expensive.
Soak fish maw in fresh water for 6-18 hours or until it becomes soft and its gel content gets softened. Refresh water from time to time and rinse with cool water each time to eliminate its fishy smell. Put ginger and shallot into a pot of fresh water and boil. Turn off the heat after the water is boiled. When soft it can be cut into pieces and added to soups, stews or stir fries. Or you can slow cook it until it is soft.
A Simple Fish Maw Soup
Ingredients
Fish maw
Dried shrimp
Rice
Ginger
Scallion
Seasoning: white or black salt, white pepper, soy sauce, lemon
Rinse 1 or 2 pieces of dried fish maw in cold water. Rinse rice (white, black, red or brown rice) until the water is clear. Rinse a few pieces of dried shrimp. Peel and chop a piece of raw ginger.
Add the fish maw, shrimp, rice and ginger into your slow cooker. Cover the ingredients with water and cook with low heat for several hours or overnight until the ingredients are soft. Adjust the flavor adding white pepper, lemon juice, chopped scallion and a little soy sauce.
The Double Nine Festival for Vibrant Health
Wing Hop Fung celebrates Chinese festivals by inviting everyone to enjoy the many health and wellness benefits of our ancient medicine that is highly valued to this day.
]]>The Double Nine Festival October 23, 2023
In the I-Ching, the number nine is considered a “yang”, ie. masculine, integer. The first two characters of the festival, “Chung Yeung” (重陽), literally translate as “double masculinity”. The Festival falls on the ninth day of the ninth month in the lunar calendar and is named the Chung Yeung Festival or Double Nine.
Why do we celebrate yang in the Fall? The air is light, dry, invigorating and positive. In the body our yang energy rises, spreads outward toward the muscles and skin, strengthens bone, nerves and brain. We love the fresh air, cool mornings and deeper sleep at night. The origin of the festival is an ancient myth which features two important chinese herbal medicines that promote healthy yang energy: chrysanthemum flower and cornelian cherry.
Upward and Outward
Chrysanthemum flower tea is deliciously sweet and moves Qi outward to ward off fever, heat stroke, migraine headaches, cloudy vision— it works to refresh the body by removing excess heat without sedating the body or mind in any way. It is a popular summer drink served hot or cold. Chrysanthemum blooming season is now during October. Chinese people visit botanical gardens to view the colorful flowers and drink the healing tea.
Cornelian cherry is the fruit of the dogwood tree. The dried herb is tasteless and added to yang tonic formulas to enhance adrenal energy, reduce low back weakness and knee pains that often accompany aging or over-exercising. It is a high source of vitamin C.
A tea made by brewing the cornelian cherry and chrysanthemum flower strengthens vital energy Qi and yang a movement that is upward and outward. This is useful to build immunity during cold/flu season, help prevent the pains of aging and refresh and invigorate us for the season.
The Myth
In the Eastern Han dynasty (25 – 220 CE), a demonic presence from a nearby river brought illness and death to villagers in Runan country. (today’s central Chinese province of Henan.) One of the villagers was a young man named Heng Jing. As Heng Jing had lost his parents to the disease, he vowed to slay the demon. To achieve that, he sought the help of an old sage named Fei Chang-fang who lived high up in the mountains, Heng left his village and began his journey uphill.
The sage gifted Heng with a magical sword that had demon-vanquishing powers and taught him how to use the weapon. Heng became a skilled swordsman. One day, Fei told young Heng that the demon was going to return on the ninth day of the ninth month, and advised him to return home to lead his people to safety. Fei armed Heng with a bag of dogwood fruit and chrysanthemum wine, and Heng set off.
When the fateful day arrived, Heng led his fellow villages up a nearby mountain. To shield them against the demon, he equipped everyone with dogwood, and gave everyone some chrysanthemum wine to drink, as both had protective powers. The horrible demon emerged from the river, But Heng swiftly killed it with Fei’s magical sword. From then onwards, the ninth day of the ninth month became a day to commemorate this victory over illness and death. This story is why chrysanthemum tea and dogwood are still part of the Double Ninth Festival’s celebrations today. The festival celebrates the power of Chinese herbs and honors our elders by protecting their health and longevity.
Wing Hop Fung celebrates Chinese festivals by inviting everyone to enjoy the many health and wellness benefits of our ancient medicine that is highly valued to this day.
Fresh American Ginseng 新鮮花旗參
Fresh American Ginseng effectively regulates our immune response and hormonal changes due to stress, thus maintaining homeostasis. In addition to suppressing the occurrence of psychological diseases such as anxiety and depression, it also prevents stress-associated physiological diseases.
]]>The beautiful white American ginseng is on harvest. Its roots have been growing in calcium rich soil on the eastern slope of a hill under poplar trees near wild ginger, bloodroot and green ferns. There are prongs spreading outward from the central taproot each prong with five green leaves. Bright red berries shine from the center prong like jewels in sunshine.
The white, moist and lightly fragrant roots are protected by law. To insure the precious species, it is illegal to harvest American ginseng before five years growth or not at all in certain states including Tennessee. If the taproot is picked the plant dies, but separate roots are taken usually after seven or eight years of growth. Harvesting mature ginseng is relatively easy and done with a trowel. It is illegal to dig up the taproot until a plant has 3 or 4 prongs. Harvesting younger plants prevents them from producing seed to reproduce themselves.
American Ginseng: A natural health Tonic
The medicinal properties of wild American ginseng are awe-inspiring. Both American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius, L.) and Asian ginseng (Panax Ginseng) may boost energy, lower blood sugar and cholesterol levels, reduce stress, promote relaxation, treat diabetes, and manage stress and sexual dysfunction. But American ginseng is especially recommended to ease common discomforts of diabetes:
The Yin and Yang of Ginsengs
Whereas Asian ginseng, (aka red Korean ginseng, Chinese ginseng, Panax ginseng,) is warming and stimulating, TCM classifies American ginseng as a “yin” tonic that is moistening, adaptogenic and rejuvenating. It helps to balance physical and mental functions. It is cool, calming, and non-stimulating—making it ideal for today's busy, fast-paced, stressful lifestyles.
American Ginseng and Beauty
Fresh or dried American ginseng supports rehydration to not only reduce chronic thirst and dry mouth but dry skin and wrinkles. Our natural fluids released by yin foods and herbs underlie strong, healthy hair, lustrous skin and firm nails. Youth is juicy, bold, and resilient like the hearty white root that soaks up valuable minerals such as calcium from the soil, slowly matures in warmth and sunshine through summer and is harvested in September.
American Ginseng and the Brain
Panax quinquefolium fresh American Ginseng effectively regulates our immune response and hormonal changes due to stress, thus maintaining homeostasis. In addition to suppressing the occurrence of psychological diseases such as anxiety and depression, it also prevents stress-associated physiological diseases. Experiments have shown that it improves cognitive function. Studies on American ginseng published by NIH national institutes of health report::
How to Eat Fresh American Ginseng
Wing Hop Fung has received its annual large shipment of American ginseng from Wisconsin, which has the best terrain, climate and rich soil for growing it. The roots are carefully packed to preserve tender freshness and flavor. The entire root can be cooked in soups, made into tea or medicinal liquor, or eaten raw.
To make a tea, grate or slice the root, steep it in boiling water for 5-10 minutes as you would any tea. It contains no caffeine.
There are many ways to enjoy the wonderful benefits of fresh American ginseng the revitalizing panacea known and loved for centuries.
Chinese Herbs for PTSD
Wing Hop Fung stands with the community amidst the recent mass shootings. May we grieve, mourn, and more importantly advocate for our health, well-being, and support one another as we advocate for change. We will continue to be a source of trusted Asian health products for our community.
]]>May we grieve, mourn, and more importantly advocate for our health, well-being, and support one another as we advocate for change. We will continue to be a source of trusted Asian health products for our community.
Chinese Herbs for PTSD
March 11, 2011, the horrific East Japan earthquake and tsunami claimed 20,000 lives in a flash. Within two years people were able to move from shelters to temporary housing, while heaps of rubble and radioactive pollution prevented the rehabilitation of many areas. The lasting impact was emotional as well as physical. Reaching for their traditional natural remedies, Japanese doctors used highly effective Chinese herbs, shared by both cultures, to help heal the emotional scars by regulating liver and kidney—our detox and defense mechanisms.
In America since the beginning of the year, just three weeks, there have been 39 mass shootings, several in Asian communities in California and elderly Chinese people beaten up on the streets of New York. That is cause for PTSD posttraumatic stress disorder.
Chinese/Japanese herbs for PTSD
Researchers have used a Chinese herbal formula that was reported effective for patients with PTSD after the Sichuan earthquake in 2008. The Japanese name is Saikokeishikankyoto (SKK) and Chaihu-Guizhi-Ganjiang-Tang in Chinese. Variations of the formula have long been used to treat ulcers and chronic liver diseases. It is a traditional Japanese-Chinese herbal formula that has shown a marked positive effect for some PTSD patients. Corresponding Chinese herbal formulas sold by WING HOP FUNG may help you to overcome chest discomfort and anxiety that result from living with chronic stress.
Chaihu Guizhi Ganjiang, a 1,850 year-old formula, first appeared in Zhang Zhongjing’s classical formula primer, Treatise on Disorders Caused by Cold (Shanghan lun). It originates from two parent formulas, Xiao Chai hu Tang and Guizhi Tang. In Japan, it is prescribed for a wide variety of disorders primarily indicated for patients with weak constitutions. More specifically, it is suitable for shaoyang conditions complicated by damage to both body fluids and yang qi.
What does this mean? The shaoyang is our energetic layer of defense against invading disease, attack, injury and pain. When the shaoyang becomes vulnerable, through inherited or lifestyle health abuse, we can develop a wide variety of uncomfortable symptoms such as recurrent shifting pains, fever, sweats, chills, spasms, insomnia, depression and chronic anxiety.
Chaihu Guizhi Ganjiang and similar formulas regulate both inflammatory (feverish, excess) as well as cold (chill, weakness, deficiency) discomforts. Such imbalance can aggravate typical PTSD discomforts.
A study of the formula SKK and Chaihu Guizhi Ganjiang was done with survivors of the Japan earthquake and tsunami who were older than 20 years and diagnosed with PTSD, but were not under medical care for mental disorders such as psychosis or dementia, anti-anxiety drugs or physical disease such as acute inflammation. The formula has also been laboratory tested for its liver-protective effects. The results showed improved liver function for chronic hepatitis and reduced PTSD symptoms.
PTSD Study participants were asked to consider the following 22 questions. Bringing the body back into balance, reducing extreme physical symptoms often helps to relieve emotional upset and long term organ damage.
Do any of these apply to you?
(1) |
Any reminder brought back feelings about it. |
(2) |
I had trouble staying asleep. |
(3) |
Other things kept making me think about it. |
(4) |
I felt irritable and angry. |
(5) |
I avoided letting myself get upset when I thought about it or was reminded. |
(6) |
I thought about it when I did not mean to. |
(7) |
I felt as if it had not happened or was not real. |
(8) |
I stayed away from reminders of it. |
(9) |
Pictures about it popped into my mind. |
(10) |
I was jumpy and easily startled. |
(11) |
I tried not to think about it. |
(12) |
I was aware I had a lot of feelings about it, but I did not deal with them. |
(13) |
My feelings about it were kind of numb. |
(14) |
I found myself acting or feeling like I was back at that time. |
(15) |
I had trouble falling asleep. |
(16) |
I had waves of strong feelings about it. |
(17) |
I tried to remove it from my memory. |
(18) |
I had trouble concentrating. |
(19) |
Reminders of it caused me to have physical reactions, such as sweating, trouble breathing, nausea, or a pounding heart. |
(20) |
I had dreams about it. |
(21) |
I felt watchful and on-guard. |
(22) |
I tried not to talk about it. |
Chaihu Guizhi Ganjiang Tang aka Bupleurum, Cinnamon Twig, and Ginger Decoction 柴胡桂枝乾薑湯 supports: Chronic Digestive, Metabolic, Anti-Mass, Respiratory, Mental-Emotional, Cognitive, and Urinary issues. It is simultaneously warming for deficient Yang Qi, while clearing toxic heat, and moving stuck energy with the main ingredient Bupleurum.
WING HOP FUNG sells two similar herbal formulas that contain main ingredients of Chaihu Guizhi Ganjiang Tang and are better suited for chronic stress, chest discomfort, loss of appetite and other PTSD type discomforts.
Xiao Chi Hu Tang (Minor Bupleurum Formula)
These pills used for shaoyang imbalance improve dry throat, a bitter taste in the mouth, alternate attacks of chills and fever, feeling of fullness and discomfort in chest and the upper abdomen, irritability, restlessness, loss of appetite and dizziness. Xiao Chi Hu Tang is a famous herbal formula used to enhance digestive function, strengthens immunity and reduce trapped heat in the body. It is said to “clear and dispel constrained heat in the Shao Yang, tonify the Qi, and harmonize interior and exterior.”
Xiao Chi Hu Tang can be used as a supplement to help nourish the kidney and liver. It has traditionally been used to treat chronic hepatitis B and recently used for lingering organ debility resulting from Long Covid. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6513413/
Ingredients:
Bupleurum, Dangshen, Chinese Jujube, Chinese Skullcap, Pinellia, Licorice, Ginger
The ingredients indicate that it may also help soothe common nervous indigestion, irregular menstruation, PMS, depression, chronic stress and insomnia for some people.
https://winghopfung.com/products/xiao-chai-hu-tang-wan200-pills-bottle?_pos=1&_sid=1db594864&_ss=r#
小柴胡 Thorowax Bupleurm Root Soup
Relaxing, Detoxifying, Balancing
Another formula is a decoction that is slow cooked with water.
This herbal soup is used for reducing intense internal heat, relaxing, detoxifying, balancing the body and helping to soothe the mind.
Bupleurum is a stringy looking twig aka thorowax known for thousands of years in Chinese medicine and used all over China today.
When our resistance is low or our body struggles against a cold or flu, we may feel alternating chills and fever. We may have a bitter taste in our mouth because digestion, especially the liver/gallbladder, is stressed. We may have upset stomach, vertigo, dizziness, aggravation or irritability, or tightness in the chest. Some people may feel these discomforts worse as a result of poor diet, emotional upset, or poor sleep habits. Bupleurum lowers fever and enhances our protection against stress.
Ingredients:
Bupleurum root, scutellaria root, ginger, pinellia tuber, apricot kernel, cardamom, semen coicis, bamboo leaf, talc, smilax glabra rhizorne, licorice root, tangerine peels, ginseng root, kombu, honeysuckle flower, chrysanthemum flower.
How can we protect ourselves from violence that surrounds us?
We need to honor our body, mind and spirit, protect vital energy and mood, nourish our blood and body systems, and move stuck circulation.
Full Moon Rituals
The Moon Festival is a wonderful time to align our healing and loving energy with positive planetary influences. Gather family and friends, share Moon Cakes, and drink delicious teas.
]]>Our Moon exerts a strong gravitational pull that causes the ebb and flow of tides in our oceans and seas. This gravitational pull is at its strongest during the New Moon and Full Moon, so that here on Earth we experience the highest and lowest tides. During the full moon, it reflects the most light from the sun. The sky is brighter. Since ancient times, lovers have gazed at the moon and connected their deepest emotions. The lovely moon has been associated with romantic love, the soul, and Chang-E the goddess who lives in the moon.
The Moon Festival is a wonderful time to align our healing and loving energy with positive planetary influences. Gather family and friends, share Moon Cakes, and drink delicious teas. They are filled with the pure, concentrated positive energy of green-growing earth. Early picked spring teas harvested before April 4th contain the vitality of springtime bursting forth with new life. The rich earthy fermented teas, like our sacred elders, hold the perfect wisdom that comes from ripened experience. Sharing tea is a long-time ritual that shows love, admiration, and deep heartfelt connection. We can be grateful that the Moon Festival gives us the opportunity to admire what is moonlike in us: We may be changeable or sensitive to light and darkness in our lives, but we remain constant in our affection.
Get some healthy food and nice tea to keep the body and mind well. Stock up now and enjoy up to 30% OFF.
精選海味, 藥材優惠折扣達7折
]]>
Mid-Autumn Festival 歡慶中秋節
The annual Mid-Autumn Festival also known as the Moon Festival is celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month. “May we live long and share the beauty of the moon together, even if we are hundreds of miles apart.” -Su Shi (Song Dynasty Poem)
]]>
The Mid-Autumn Moon Festival celebrates the moon, a beautiful Goddess and the blessings of health, happiness and life’s renewal. Before becoming a Goddess, Chang’e was a woman renowned throughout China for her beauty. She had pale, milky skin, hair as black as night, and lips like cherry blossoms. In art, Chang’e is depicted as a graceful young lady wearing stylish hair ornaments and long, flowing robes. She is sometimes shown holding an elegant white rabbit.
Little is known about her background except that Chang’e was married to the legendary archer hero Hou Yi. In some versions of her myth, Chang’e served the Jade Emperor, the ruler of Heaven, before being condemned to live as a mortal for accidentally breaking a porcelain pot.
The Elixir of Immortality
Here is how Chang’e became the Goddess of the Moon.
When the earth was still young, there were ten suns in the sky. It was extremely hot all the time and there was no night. The extreme heat made it hard to farm crops and endangered entire populations.
One day, the skilled archer named Hou Yi decided that enough was enough. He raised his bow to the heavens and shot down nine of the ten suns. To reward him for his heroic deeds, the goddess Xiwangmu, who tended the peaches of immortality in Heaven, gave him an elixir of immortality, a prize typically reserved for immortals who had achieved enlightenment. While Hou Yi was grateful for the gift, he felt conflicted. Xiwangmu had only given him enough elixir for one person, and he did not wish to be immortal if his wife Chang’e could not live at his side for eternity. Hou Yi decided to remain mortal and hide the elixir under their bed.
Chang’e soon discovered her husband’s gift and found the elixir and drank every last drop. Realizing that his wife was not in bed with him, Hou Yi ran outside to find her slowly drifting into the night sky. Hou Yi was so angry that he grabbed his bow and tried to shoot Chang’e down. But as time went by, Hou Yi’s anger subsided and he missed his wife. He would often stare up at the moon and imagine how lonely Chang’e must be. In appreciation of her beauty, Hou Yi left her favorite desserts and fruits out every night. He continued this loving gift until the day he died. This tradition continues today, as many people make Mooncake offerings on alters celebrating love and beauty during the Mid-Autumn Festival. Delicious Mooncakes are a great treat that everyone enjoys during the holiday. Resembling the shape of the full moon, Chinese mooncakes symbolize beauty, unity and harmony and are enjoyed with tea during family reunions.
MEI-XIN Mooncakes
We are thrilled to carry a series of 2023 MEI-XIN Mooncake
Traditionally referred to as the Mid-Autumn Festival, it is an annual celebration on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month. The story of Chang'E and the Jade Rabbit is the most renowned tale of its origin. Chang’E drank the Elixir of Immortality, ascended to Heaven and became the Goddess of the Moon.
Today, this 3,500 year old tradition is observed all over the world to celebrate the beautiful Goddess, blessings of an abundant harvest, and life’s cycles turning between old and new. Resembling the shape of the full moon, mooncakes symbolize unity and harmony, and are enjoyed with tea during family reunions.
We wish you happiness, prosperity, health and many shared memories.
“May we live long and share the beauty of the moon together, even if we are hundreds of miles apart.” -Su Shi (Song Dynasty Poem)
]]>
Pu-erh Tea for Moon Festival
The Goddess Chang’E sips her immortal tea elixir and floats up to the moon. We celebrate her beauty and vibrant health during the Moon Festival. However, beauty and health are long-lasting when we enjoy delicious Chinese teas.
]]>
Pu-erh Tea for Gods and Goddesses
In early Autumn the air is fresh with a breeze from the north. The Goddess Chang’E sips her immortal tea elixir and floats up to the moon. We celebrate her beauty and vibrant health during the Moon Festival. However beauty and health are long-lasting when we enjoy delicious Chinese teas.
Pu-erh Tea
Pu'er or Pu-erh is a famous variety of fermented tea produced in Yunnan province, China. The town of Pu'er is named after the tea that is produced close by. The tea trees at Bangdong Daxue Mountain and Mengku Daxue Mountain are hundreds of years old with roots that reach deep into fertile life-giving soil. The tea flavors achieved from mature trees are nutrient-rich and concentrated but not bitter. The first sip is light and is quickly layered with rich, strong tea flavor. The soup is soft, and the aftertaste is delicate and complex. It has a strong lasting sweetness and body and a refined fragrance. Pu-erh teas are collected like fine wines.
A Healthy Heart
Healthy circulation gives vitality and strength. The skin has a natural glow, refined texture and brightness. This comes from a healthy heart system.
In China, Pu-erh tea has long been sipped to achieve a variety of health benefits, including heart health and natural reduction in cholesterol levels with a natural lovastatin. Medical Lovastatin is used together with a proper diet to lower cholesterol and triglyceride (fat) levels in the blood. The medicine may also help prevent medical problems (eg, chest pain, heart attack, stroke) caused by fat clogging the blood vessels. The natural statin found in Pu-erh tea, achieved by a fermentation process, is mild and without side-effects. Improved circulation also has other benefits including, enhanced eyesight, less chronic pain.
Weight Loss, Energy, Mood
Pu-erh tea is recommended for people who have a rich diet and stressful lifestyle. Its digestive qualities enhance metabolism and help promote weight loss. (verywellhealth.com) Thanks to the caffeine in Pu-erh tea, drinking a cup a day can increase energy levels and promote mental focus.
The rich, earthy flavor of Pu-erh feels deeply satisfying and calming for prolonged health and long life.
Research shows that Pu-Erh Tea:
The Unique History of Pu’erh Teas
During the days of the Tang Dynasty (618 to 907 CE), teas from Xishuangbanna in the south of Yunnan were being traded northwards through Yunnan province and then, via Sichuan, up to Tibet. High up, at 13,000 feet in Lhasa on the Tibetan plateau, the local people wanted to drink tea but could not grow their own and so were dependent on supplies arriving from China. What the Tibetans could produce, however, were strong, tough fast mountain ponies that China wanted for its armies. The trade increased and gradually more and more tea was transported up to Tibet along the winding, rocky, narrow Tea Horse Road to be exchanged each year for hundreds of ponies. The city of Pu-erh in Yunnan province became the center of the local trade so that the teas became known as Pu-erh teas.
The journey to Tibet took six to eight months through rain and mist, warm sun and cold winds. During the long journey, the tea often absorbed humidity, and this activated the health-giving microorganisms in the tea and provoked a slow fermentation. The richly diverse microorganisms from the forests of southern Yunnan settled on the leaves of the tea trees and were, therefore, captured during processing. Over time, during its journey from Yunnan and while in storage in Lhasa, the natural fermentation process continued, changing the character of the tea, mellowing the astringent green grassy flavor of the young tea to the smoother, fruitier flavor of the aged, fermented teas.
Shou vs. Sheng Pu-erh Teas
In 1975, in order to speed the fermentation process and make more tea available, a method of wet piling the tea was adapted from Guangxi province (where it had been used since the 18th century) to start making what is today known as shu or shou (cooked, ripened, and ripe) Pu-erh, whereas the traditional compressed and aged green tea is referred to as sheng (raw) Pu-erh.
Sheng Pu-erh (Green, Semi-fermented)
Bright, Fresh, Smooth, Vegetal, Clear Bright Liquor, Lasting Aftertaste
To make sheng Pu-erh, tea buds and leaves are picked, from ancient semi-wild trees, withered in the shade for a few hours, panned at a low temperature to remove some of the water content, rolled by hand on bamboo baskets, and dried in the sun. Because the panning process does not kill the enzymes in the green leaf to prevent oxidation, the tea dries slowly over a number of hours, and some oxidation does take place in the leaves and buds and turns them brown. The finished tea is called maocha, rough or unrefined tea. The longer sheng Pu-erh tea is stored, the sweeter and smoother it becomes.
Shou Pu-erh (Brown, Fully Fermented)
Woody, Sweet, Honey-rich flavor, Clear Bright Liquor
Aged pu’er tea is an earthy tea elixir that enhances digestion, vitality and longevity. The tea undergoes 10-year storage in a unique traditional warehouse, where the temperature and humidity are kept the same all year round, in order to enrich the tea's taste and fragrance. Much like its dry scent, the flavor of this tea is delightfully mild. Take a sip and you will immediately get the long-lasting fragrance of this aged Pu-erh.
Wing Hop Fung has a wide variety of exceptional teas, including varieties of Pu-erh, some in round discs, some loose tea, some with orange peel etc.
We recommend steeping Pu-erh at least 3 or more times in order to get the full benefit of this rich tea. The mellow taste intensifies gradually, while at the same time the sweet notes get more noticeable with each subsequent infusion.
Summer Coolers
As the summer heat beats down withering plants, pets, and people, keeping many inside with air conditioning, here are tasty treats to keep you naturally cool, calm and beautiful.
]]>COOL DRINKS
These lovely dried flowers open in hot water to make a sweet, refreshing tea. In Chinese medicine the tea, served warm or cold, is recommended to prevent migraine headaches, heat stroke, dizziness and cloudy vision. The tea lifts our spirits as it cools a hot head and hot temper. The yellow flowers bloom in a clear glass teapot. No sugar is required to sweeten this lovely tea which can be enjoyed all summer long and by anyone who suffers from fevers and stress from the weather, hormonal changes and excess spicy foods.
Wing Hop Fung has blooming teas! You can find delightful, beautiful flower teas that bloom in your glass teapot and offer the joyful aroma and flavors of the garden. In our blooming tea selections you will find small red rose buds for a tea that can ease tension and chest pains and a large variety of flowers perfect for happy afternoon sipping.. They make great gifts.
Japanese Matcha tea powder adds a natural boost of chlorophyll to fresh green tea because the tea plants are protected in shade during the final weeks of growing and the entire leaf is ground to make the powder. Add a tablespoon of the powder to your blender when whipping up fresh kale, celery, carrot, onion, apple and sweeten as you like with honey. Matcha has energizing vitamins, antioxidants and healthy catechins found in other teas along with a fresh, crisp flavor and bright green color.
Chill a tall glass, add ice, condensed milk, cool brewed Matcha and cold water or coffee. Or serve the milky jade green icy punch in a large glass bowl for your party guests.
TCM for Summer
Traditional Chinese medicine aims to keep the body and mind well and help prevent disease by reducing the damaging effects of daily stress, extreme temperatures and unwise lifestyle. Tai chi and qigong keep us limber and strong. A balanced diet that is appropriate for our age and health as well as the season is important. During summer we increase fresh sweet fruits such as in season berries and melons which increase water content, green leafy vegetables, nourishing nuts, seeds and fish products which are considered more cooling than meat, eggs and dairy.
Congee is a popular go-to breakfast food that is often recommended for children, the elderly or people with weak digestion who may be recovering from illness. It is a soft soupy rice dish that can be flavored with chopped scallion, soy sauce and enriched with fish or other foods. By using dried fish products we enhance the flavor and nutrition of a soup or stir fry meal. Most fresh fish products are made up of at least 80% water. By drying dehydrated shrimp, oysters or scallops, we reduce the water content which increases flavor, protein content and other vital nutrients.
To make stovetop congee, thoroughly rinse white rice several times in order to reduce the starch content and glycemic index. Rinse the dried seafood such as scallops, oysters or shrimp in cold water and add it to cook with medium to low heat until the rice is soft and seafood is cooked. You can save time by using a slow cooker aka crockpot set on low heat for 8 hours overnight. Your breakfast will be ready and nourishing in the morning.
Wing Hop Fung specializes in top quality ginsengs both cultivated in Asia and wildcrafted in America. Wild American ginseng aka white ginseng grown in Wisconsin is the best cooling, rejuvenating and moistening ginseng available. It is recommended for prevention and treatment of chronic thirst, hunger, diabetes, dry skin, general weakness and signs of aging. It may offer a good way to reduce menopausal discomforts. American ginseng root can be eaten fresh or brewed as a tea. It is especially helpful for people who smoke, eat spicy rich foods, people who may have hypertension, anxiety and insomnia. During hot weather it helps to prevent heat exhaustion and heat stroke which is dangerous.
The dried bitter flowers of tienchi ginseng can be brewed to make a cooling, relaxing tea recommended to reduce/prevent migraine headaches, stiff jaw, hypertension, irritability and skin blemishes around the mouth and cheeks. It has liver-protective effects and contains no caffeine or other stimulants.
Wing Hop Fung can keep you cool and happy this summer. Anti inflammatory teas and cooling refreshing American ginseng gently detoxify and protect the body, improve digestion, energy and help regulate sleep patterns.
]]>The Story of Matcha
We all know that drinking tea benefits body, mind and spirit. A soothing tea with fragrant steam rising from the cup enlivens our senses and offers a prayer for the health and wellness of ourselves and others. Did you know that teas reduce stress while they increase energy and immunity?
]]>The Story of Matcha
We all know that drinking tea benefits body, mind and spirit. A soothing tea with fragrant steam rising from the cup enlivens our senses and offers a prayer for the health and wellness of ourselves and others. Did you know that teas reduce stress while they increase energy and immunity?
Matcha powder
Matcha, the vibrant, bright green-colored tea powder, is used in the famous traditional Japanese tea ceremony, but you can also use it in recipes or add milk and sugar for a refreshing latte. Matcha originated in the Sui Dynasty in China. At the end of the ninth century (the mid-Heian period of Japan), matcha entered Japan with the Japanese envoys sent to the Tang Dynasty. It was respected by the Japanese people and developed into today's Japanese tea ceremony.
Matcha Tea Chemicals
Lately matcha tea has become popular among health enthusiasts because of its rich L-theanine content, a non-protein amino acid with powerful stress-relieving properties. Matcha is a better source of this amino acid than other types of green tea because it is made from green tea leaves grown in shade. This process increases its content of certain compounds, including L-theanine and chlorophyll. Farmers grow matcha by covering their tea plants 20–30 days before harvest to avoid direct sunlight which increases chlorophyll production, boosts the amino acid content, and gives the plant a darker green hue. Once the tea leaves are harvested, the stems and veins are removed and the leaves are ground up into a fine powder known as matcha.
Matcha Science
Both human and animal studies show that matcha may reduce stress if its L-theanine content is high enough and its caffeine is low. For example, in a 15-day study, 36 people ate cookies containing 4.5 grams of matcha powder each day. They experienced significantly reduced activity of the stress marker salivary alpha-amylase, compared with a placebo group. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6512570/
Growing/Processing Effects of Matcha
Since the leaves are ground into powder, you end up consuming the whole leaf. For this reason, matcha may have even more benefits than regular tea. The raw material of matcha is the tea leaves that are steamed and dried without kneading. The raw materials used in the high-quality matcha tea used in tea ceremony are traditional materials such as reed curtains and straws, or materials such as zhuluo yarn to cover the tea garden and block the sunlight. The characteristic result is that the tea has less astringency. The taste is rich in layers, with a unique scent similar to green seaweed.
Caffeine in Matcha
If you are sensitive to caffeine, make sure not to consume more than 2 cups (474 ml) per day.
Long-Term Benefits
Studies of matcha and its components have unearthed a variety of benefits. It is high in antioxidant and can help protect the liver, promote heart health and brain function and even aid in weight loss. (healthline.com)
How to Brew Matcha
For this unique powdered tea you need special equipment and method of brewing.
Note: The method above is to make usucha, or thin tea. The way to prepare matcha for the tea ceremony is known as koicha, or thick tea.
Matcha in soups, cookies, cakes and pancakes
Fortify your recipes with the benefits of matcha. The powder is easy to add to recipes. Here are a few quick recipes:
Matcha Vegetable Soup
Warming, soothing and energizing a healthy green soup.
Ingredients:
Do not overcook the vegetables. Roughly chop carrots, squash, celery, yam, onion, spinach, the herbs and oil with your favorite vegetables. Add the water and bring the soup to a boil then quickly remove the pot, add the lid and allow the soup to steam for 5-10 minutes. Whip the matcha powder with water to make a foam and add it to the warm soup.
Or for a cooling, refreshing summer soup, use chopped raw vegetables and add cold matcha!
Green Pancakes
Who ever heard of green pancakes? It’s fun for St. Patrick’s Day or a recipe to make with the kids.
Ingredients:
For convenience, use a ready made pancake mix such as Bob’s buttermilk pancakes or a Korean pancake mix. Just add matcha as a dry ingredient. Use an amount that suits your color and taste palate. You may have to sweeten the mix if the matcha makes the mix bitter. To protect blood sugar balance for diabetes, use powdered monk fruit or stevia.
Matcha Breakfast Cookies
They are vegan, gluten-free, and made with nutritious ingredients and matcha for an extra hit of caffeine.
Ingredients
Preheat the oven to 375F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. In a small bowl, stir the flax meal with 2 tablespoons of filtered water (this is sometimes called a “flax egg”). Refrigerate it for 5-10 minutes while you prepare the rest of the ingredients – the resulting “egg” should be thick and slightly gelatinous.
If using rolled oats, pour 1 cup of the oats into a food processor or high-speed blender and grind them to a fine meal, 1-2 minutes. Transfer the ground oats (or oat flour) to a medium bowl, along with the remaining 3/4 cup oats, nuts, baking powder and salt. Stir to combine.
In a separate bowl, stir together the banana, coconut oil, sugar, matcha and the flax egg. Fold the oat mixture into the banana mixture, stirring just until combined.
Spoon the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet spacing the cookies 1-2 inches apart.
Bake until lightly golden, 12-14 minutes. Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack and let sit for 10 minutes before eating. You can also place cooled cookies in an airtight container and store in a cool dry place for up to 5 days.
Matcha is only one of many exciting teas that Wing Hop Fung sells. We source from our pristine tea plantations and from the highest quality producers with terrains around the world.
Abalone A Culinary Delicacy Superfood 海珍之寶_鮑魚
Abalone is a yin-nourishing food that supports internal organs' health. It moisturizes the lungs, which improves breathing and complexion.
The flavor is naturally buttery and salty, thanks to the salt water in which it lives. There's a chewiness to it, like a calamari steak. Abalone (ab-ah-LOW-nee) is a large marine gastropod mollusk. The large sea snail is most often found in the cold waters of New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Japan, and the west coast of North America and Mexico. It has extremely rich, flavorful, and highly prized meat that is considered a culinary delicacy.
Sourced by Divers
Commercial harvest is by diver using hookah or scuba equipment. Abalone attach to rocky substrates with a muscular foot, and they are manually removed with a blunt knife or similar implement. Owing to the slow growth rates and high value, most countries regulate harvesting. . . Abalone are currently fished and farmed along the Baja Peninsula. The earliest commercial abalone fishermen along the Peninsula were the Chinese. They were followed by the Japanese and then the local Mexicans.
Abalone are mostly taken in depths from a few inches up to 10 m (33 ft); less common are free-divers who can work deeper than 10 m (33 ft). Abalone are normally found on rocks near food sources such as kelp. Six species are found along the Pacific coast of the Baja Peninsula.
The Best Quality
Generally speaking, abalones from Mexico, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa are considered to be of premium quality – but the most exclusive (and most expensive) are the abalones from Mexico. These are deemed to be of superior quality and are firm to touch, but the softest to bite.
Canned Abalone
It's common practice to consume abalone just as it is after opening the can. There is absolutely nothing wrong eating abalone in this way - the abalone is already cooked (steamed) by the fishermen before it is sealed into the tin can. Canned sea snail is the way it is commonly used for convenience. The flesh is soft and juice and the sauce is also delicious.
Preparing canned abalone requires minimal effort and is a convenient way to enjoy its succulent chewy texture. One simple way to tenderize these exotic molluscs is to simmer the can in water.
The mild nutty flavor of truffle complements the tender, crisp and fresh taste of abalone. It can be used for sashimi.
Abalone’s Many Health Benefits
An average snail is comprised of 80% water, 15% protein and 2.4% fat. They contain essential fatty acids, calcium, iron, selenium, magnesium and are a rich source of vitamins E, A, K and B12.
Traditional Chinese Medicine Uses
Abalone is a yin nourishing food which means it supports the health of internal organs. It moisturizes lungs, which improves breathing and complexion. It clears inflammation and nourishes the liver and improves eyesight. Long-term consumption has been shown to help prevent cancer.
Most Recent Research shows that abalone provides a good source of:
Compared to beef, tuna, salmon or eggs
--snail protein content is higher
Omega-3 fatty acids are a type of polyunsaturated fat that can not be produced by our body. So, Omega-3 is important as essential fatty acids. Omega-3 itself is formed of fatty acids like EPA (Eicosapentaenoic acid), DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid) and ALA (a-linolenic acid). Omega-3 consumed regularly assists in the development of the brain and memory, prevents heart disease because it can make arterial organs becomes more elastic and reduces the risk of high blood pressure.
Abalone Vitamins and Minerals:
Abalone Nutritional Percentages:
Abalone steamed or poached contains 59 calories per 28.35g (1 oz)
First in Flavor
Wing Hop Fung sells canned and dried abalone sourced from pure, cold waters of Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Japan, the Baja California coast and Mexico.
Abalone can be eaten raw, steamed, grilled. Chinese cooks add canned snails to soups and stir fries along with pork, dried scallops, mushrooms, chicken or goose meat or prepared sea cucumber. Do not overcook them. They will be tender and delicious.
Bird’s Nest: A Rare Treasure 燕窩
Today Bird’s nest is mainly used is to supply collagen to beautify skin texture and elasticity. There are many other traditional medical uses of bird’s nests. It improves the spleen, boosts Immunity, strengthens lung and kidney...
]]>
Bird’s nest has been a highly valued delicacy in Chinese culture since the Tang Dynasty (618–907 A.D.) Eating bird’s nest was once considered a symbol of social status in ancient Chinese society, food for Emperors and Empresses, due to its rarity and expense. Today bird’s nest is a treasured source of collagen for complexion beauty and joint health.
Each year export of edible bird’s nest from Indonesia is at least 1,100 tons. The largest number of consumers are in Hong Kong and North America. Bird’s nest, a nutritious vegan food, costs $2,000 – $10,000 USD per kilogram and is called “Caviar of the East.”
What is Bird’s Nest?
Bird’s Nest is created from the hardened saliva of swiftlets. Erodramus (echolocating swiftlets) and Collocalia (non-echolocating swiftlets) are among the two genera of swiftlets known to produce valuable bird’s nest. Traditionally, daring men scaled dangerously steep inner walls of Indonesian limestone caves to collect the empty nests after the birds had flown. Today nests are harvested from large concrete structures built to resemble caves. Following a modern cleansing process, including soaking, steaming, and removing dirt and baby bird feathers, the clean nests are closely inspected and prepared for market.
Superfood Nutrition
Bird’s nest is mainly glycoprotein which is about 70% collagen as well as calcium, sodium, potassium and carbohydrate. Some other major ingredients are essential trace elements such as phosphorus, iron, iodine and 18 of the 20 essential amino aci+ds.
Scientific Studies
Bird’s nest is studied for its extremely high nutritional and proven therapeutic value. Scientists call it EBN edible bird’s nest. According to data published at the National Institutes of Health, bird’s nest has been recommended for many health benefits, including boosting immunity:
Bird’s Nest in Traditional Chinese Medicine
According to TCM bird’s nest treats malnutrition, improves metabolism, boosts the immune system and rejuvenates the complexion (Bashir et al., 2017).
Today Bird’s nest is mainly used is to supply collagen to beautify skin texture and elasticity.
There are many other traditional medical uses of bird’s nest. It improves:
Composition of Bird’s Nest
Protein is the major component used for constructing human cells and tissues and consequently driving other metabolic functions. Based on studies, the average protein content in bird’s nest is as high as 70% made of collagen. The main carbohydrates present in bird’s nest facilitates development of a structure in the brain that repairs neuronal cells, memory formation and synaptic transmission.
Color: Unbleached, Grade: Five Stars
Shelf life: three years
Storage method: Store in a cool, dry place or below 41°F. This products is suitable for everyone: pregnant women, men and women. Daily dosage: 2-3 grams for daily maintenance, 3-5 grams per day for pregnant women
Method of preparation for the swallow's nest: Soak in cold water for 6 hours or overnight, change the water twice, clean any lasting foreign particles. The nest expands after soaking. Simmer in a double boiler for 30 minutes. It tastes smooth and clean after stewing. It can be cooked with sweet fruit such as an Asian pear or add red dates and goji berries.
Wing Hop Fung Bird’s Nests are cultivated in protected estates where top quality is guaranteed. The ecology yields a productive environment for these rare birds to produce this highly valued delicacy.
All BIRD'S NESTS MUST BE REFRIGERATED. NEXT DAY SHIPPING or 2ND DAY SHIPPING. Other shipping options cause deterioration of the products. Purchases are not refundable.
Birds Nest Studies available from National Institutes of Health
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8089372/
VIDEO:
]]>Wing Hop Fung Celebrates Workers, Family and Friends
Health and optimum vitality are gained from following a wise diet, using appropriate herbal supplements, regular exercise, stress relief and adequate sleep. Protein is one of the most important building-block food components to insure a healthful balance of energy, rest and immunity.
Labor Day in China is International Workers’ Day celebrated May 1st. and known as Lao Dong Jie. Until 2008, this holiday was celebrated for seven days, however the Chinese government later decided to reduce the number of public holidays to three in favor of other traditional Chinese holidays.
The history of International Workers' Day in China started in 1919, when the intelligentsia initiated insurgencies in Shanghai. Later, in 1920, Beijing and Shanghai held the first-ever demonstration in honor of all workers. Officially, this holiday was established and approved by the Chinese government in 1949. During the Chinese “cultural revolution” May Day was considered the most important holiday in the country. Huge political demonstrations across China were organized to celebrate workers. However, today in China it is a cheerful family holiday like others in which the Chinese go to the country, meet friends, give family dinners and attend cultural events in theaters and exhibitions. Chinese city streets hold demonstrations and performances.
American Labor Day
Labor Day is a federal holiday celebrated on the first Monday in September to honor the American labor movement and contributions of laborers to the development and achievements of the United States. The holiday is rooted in the late nineteenth century, when labor activists pushed for a federal holiday to recognize the many contributions workers have made to America’s strength, prosperity, and well-being. Before it was a federal holiday, Labor Day was recognized by labor activists and individual states. New York was the first state to introduce a bill and the first Labor Day parade was held September 5, 1882 in New York City.
International Workers’ Day in the USA
May 1st was chosen to be International Workers' Day to commemorate the 1886 Haymarket affair in Chicago. In that year beginning on 1 May, there was a general strike for an eight-hour workday. International Workers’ Day is celebrated on May 1st in over 60 countries.
Wing Hop Fung Celebrates Workers, Family and Friends
Health and optimum vitality are gained from following a wise diet, using appropriate herbal supplements, regular exercise, stress relief and adequate sleep. Protein is one of the most important building-block food components to insure a healthful balance of energy, rest and immunity. Mushrooms have been known to balance auto-immune illness. Enjoy them throughout the year, they are especially useful as we age, recover from illness, childbirth or exhaustion. Protein builds muscle and assures propter Qi, as it renews hair, skin and nails.
Mushrooms and Fungu
Many health benefits of mushrooms include:
Browse Wing Hop Fung’s large selection of medicinal and culinary mushrooms. Add them to soups, bone broth, stir-fries, and slow-cooked herbal extracts to enhance vitality and beauty
]]>Happy Mother’s Day
Mothers are a gift from heaven, taking care of the smallest of things and spreading happiness and love in our lives. Wing Hop Fung celebrates mother's day with powerful health benefits.
]]>
Mother’s Day is May 14th
Mother’s Day became an official U.S. holiday in 1914, but it is a time honored tradition with a long cultural and political history which remains unknown. Honoring motherhood goes back to the ancient Greeks and Romans, who held festivals in honor of the mother goddesses Rhea and Cybele. One modern precedent for Mother’s Day is the early Christian festival “Mothering Sunday” the fourth Sunday in Lent when the faithful returned to their “mother church”—the main church in the vicinity of their home—for a special service.
Mother’s Day became political during the 19th century. In the years before the American Civil War, Ann Reeves Jarvis of West Virginia started “Mothers’ Day Work Clubs” to teach local women how to properly care for their children and in 1868 Jarvis organized “Mothers’ Friendship Day,” at which mothers gathered with former Union and Confederate soldiers to promote reconciliation. Abolitionist and suffragette Ward Howe in 1870 wrote the “Mother’s Day Proclamation,” that called mothers to unite in promoting world peace.
Wing Hop Fung Celebrates Mothers
Pearl of Jasmine Green Tea #1401
For your mother who is a precious pearl, we have Pearl of Jasmine, a delicious, relaxing tea made with tender silver leaves tightly rolled into a pearl shape and expertly scented with Jasmine flowers. The blending process usually takes three rounds, each starting with a fresh batch of flowers for optimal fragrance and aroma. Once these pearls are brewed, the leaves unfurl to release an aroma of citrus and jasmine orchards. The tea contains antioxidants that are great for the body and complexion beauty.
Soothe Mother’s nerves and feast the senses with our beautiful Red Rose tea. The roses, originally from France, are rich in vitamins A, C, B, E, K, and anthocyanins important for anti-oxidation and anti-aging. Tea tannins help prevent cardiovascular diseases. Long-term enjoyment of rose tea helps relieve depression, promotes qi and blood circulation, and beautifies the face. The dark red rose tea’s fragrance is rich and the taste is smooth, sweet and pure.
For your beautiful Mother we have a special tea made with white tea and carnation flowers. It brews an aromatic and delicate floral blend that is soothing and refreshing. Entice the senses with these small rosettes that are individually hand-crafted by skillful artisans. Each one blooms right before your eyes into a beautiful bouquet of tea leaves and flowers, bringing along a myriad of flavors unique to each floret.
West Lake Longjing Green Tea Gift Set
We have special tea gifts for all occasions. Longjing translated as “Dragon’s Well” green tea originates from the mountains surrounding West Lake in the Zhejiang province of China. According to legend, the tea was named because a dragon that lived in a well near West Lake Village saved the village by bringing rain after a long drought.
The leaves are hand-fired in a large wok immediately after picking and have an appearance of smooth flat green leaves with pointed ends. The tea color is clear not cloudy. The brewed tea is very fragrant, mild tasting and bright yellow green. The taste is refreshing, sweet and nutty, smooth and rich with slight vegetal undertones.
The fine art of Chinese tea culture is typically enjoyed with a few friends in which the tea is steeped and poured at the table with an elegant ritual. The Yixing [E-Shing] clay teapot, first designed during the Ming dynasty (1368 – 1644), came from the area of the great lake in the Jiangsu province around 100 miles from Shanghai. Yixing teapots are intended for pu-erh, black, and oolong teas. A famous characteristic of Yixing teapots is their ability to absorb trace amounts of brewed tea flavors and minerals into the teapot with each brewing. Over time, each Yixing teapot its own unique interior coating that flavors and colors future brewed teas.
]]>
If Springtime irritations or nerve pains, dizziness, hypertension, or numbness of hands or feet make you feel off balance, tense, with headaches and poor circulation, Tienma tea or Tienma chicken soup may bring comfort and improve general health. Tienma tea has long been used as a valuable food and brain tonic to improve memory and prolong life.
]]>In ancient times Chinese doctors believed that illness and pain were brought on evil winds. External winds carried germs causing epidemic disease. Internal winds described nerve pains capable of shifting though the body like wind due to rising fire (inflammation) of the liver. Today, Spring winds bring allergens, including pollen, changeable weather, humidity and chemical pollution. Do your neighbors spray their grass with Roundup? It stays in the soil for 6 (you read it correctly SIX years!)
Many people complain of headaches, dizziness, irritability and insomnia especially in Spring because the Wood Element, liver/gallbladder energy system, is more active. The liver has to deal with the stress of weather and pollution. Your nerves may feel more sensitive. Green grass pushes up through dry ground, bright flowers and buds bloom in full glory. And we sneeze, cough and our head aches.
Tienma
Tianma (Gastrodia elata Blume) is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) often used for the treatment of headache, convulsions, hypertension and neurodegenerative diseases, epilepsy, stroke, amnesia and others. Tienma tea has long been used as a valuable food and brain tonic to improve memory and prolong life.
Current Animal Research
Tianma also “modulates the cleavage of the amyloid precursor protein App and cognitive functions in mice.” The neuronal actions of tianma has thus led to investigating its specific effects on neuronal signaling which opened the door to studying the use of Tienma for Alzheimer’s and other brain and nerve damage illnesses.
Recent data shows that the number of people affected by Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and dementia is increasing at an epidemic pace. There is great interest in using TCM herbs that affect aging because biological aging represents the major risk factor for the development of AD, vascular dementia (VD) and other cardiovascular diseases (CD). Traditional herbal medicine is especially attractive for disease prevention, health maintenance, and sicknesses that are non-responsive to current Western medicine and thus has attracted worldwide attention and interest. The use of Chinese medicinal herbs has a long history in Asia and is commonly used to treat various neurological diseases including stroke, epilepsy and VD vascular dementia.
Tienma Orchid
Tienma is a tuber that belongs to the orchid family. Orchids and their derivatives have been shown to benefit neural functions in clinical studies although the underlying mechanisms are largely unknown to Western medicine. That hampered the manufacture of drugs as well as the industrial exploitation. In recent studies Tienma proteins with possible neuro-protective roles and/or neuro-differentiation potential, which are important for neuronal survival and synaptic plasticity during neuro-regenerative processes in the brain, [including mitochondria,] were up-regulated upon tianma stimulation.” The study concludes that Tianma effects neuronal functions and signaling molecules critically involved in common neurorestorative processes related to neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s or Huntington’s disease.”
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3388733/
Popular Tea
Chinese people have been drinking mild-tasting, soothing, cooling Tienma tea for hundreds of years. Tienma slices can be cooked with chicken soup and congee. Tianma (Gastrodia elata Blume, Orchidaceae has long been officially listed in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia and is used in treating headaches, dizziness, tetanus, spasm, painful joints, hypertension, epilepsy, infantile convulsions and numbness of the limbs.
Spring Tonic for Evil Winds
If Springtime irritations or nerve pains, spasm, dizziness, hypertension or numbness of hands or feet make you feel off balance, tense, with headaches and poor circulation, Tienma tea or Tienma chicken soup may bring comfort and improve general health.
WingHopFung sells Tienma (Gastrodia elata) tuber sliced and dried which easily can be brewed as tea or added to cooking. https://winghopfung.com/products/tian-ma-rhixoma-gastrodia?_pos=1&_sid=bbe85c4be&_ss=r#
]]>Great Spring-Picked Green Teas
The “spring-picked” green tea harvest typically beginning in mid-March before April 4th, is sometimes called first flush, and is made up of the first leaf buds to sprout after the winter season.
]]>
Great Spring-Picked Green Teas
The “spring-picked” green tea harvest typically beginning in mid-March before April 4th, is sometimes called first flush, and is made up of the first leaf buds to sprout after the winter season. Thanks to relatively cold temperatures, these buds grow slowly fueled by glucose in the root system during the winter. There is an old Chinese tea saying, “Saving the best ... for first” because tea plants are dormant during winter and the aromas that are increased inside come bursting forth in early spring!
Why is Spring-Picked First Flush Tea valuable?
After the cold, tedious winter months, we can't wait to sip fresh spring tea the long-awaited messenger of a new year and a new beginning for all things. The tea nutrients are rushed to the newly sprouting buds and tender leaves to stimulate the plant's growth. Abundant rainfall and rising temperature make the spring tea fresh, tender, and flavorful. So much so that early spring tea can be ten times more expensive than the one picked later in the year. Spring Teas are Early, Scarce and extremely High Quality.
The Powers of Early Spring Teas
Many cultures honor spring as the time of rebirth. Every living thing that was frozen and stagnant under the winter frost wakes up and comes to life. The Chinese believe that Qi, the vital force present in all things, surrounds and moves us. Early spring is the time when this vital force is in full swing, active and vigorous. It makes the plants' stagnant juices flow, sending a powerful load of earth nutrients to the germinating buds giving the plant its strong energizing and healing properties. Spring-picked tea has the essence of spring's resurrecting powers in a cup. The strong growth energy of the tea leaf and the absence of pests in early spring tea eliminate the need for pesticides and fertilizers. Therefore, Spring-picked fresh green tea is considered very pure, healthier than teas during the rest of the year.
Health Benefits of Spring-Picked Green Teas:
In General Green Tea health benefits include:
Compounds called polyphenols are known to protect the body against disease and make an important contribution towards a healthy, balanced diet. Green tea has numerous health benefits many of which are attributed to the fact that it is largely unprocessed and rich in these plant compounds. The main bioactive compounds in green tea are flavonoids, with the most potent being catechins and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG).
Green tea contains a number of natural stimulants, including caffeine, which although not as high as coffee, may still help maintain alertness and focus. In addition to this, green tea is a source of the amino acid L-theanine, which has a relaxing effect by increasing mood-enhancing brain chemicals including GABA, dopamine and serotonin. The beneficial polyphenols of green tea may also help slow the effects of aging on the brain.
Some research suggests that green tea may boost metabolic rate and increase fat burning. This is thought to be thanks to the natural thermogenic properties provided by caffeine, and by the plant compounds such as catechins.
Green tea may improve insulin sensitivity and as a result have a beneficial effect on blood sugar control.
Protects Heart Health
By aiding digestion, blood sugar, reducing cholesterol and stress, green teas protect heart wellness and longevity.
Known to Tea Connoisseurs throughout the world for the best quality fresh Spring teas, Wing Hop Fung is proud to present this year’s first batch of March First Flush Teas.
]]>What’s Chinese about Michelle Yeoh?
Michelle, The beautiful Chinese actress, and winner of “Best Actress” at the 2023 Academy Awards. Normally her diet is vegetables, grains, curry noodles, no red meat, and, of course, Chinese tea. While doing an interview with the reporter, She first poured tea for the reporter, which is standard Chinese good manners.
Michelle Yeoh
The beautiful Chinese actress and winner of “Best Actress” at the 2023 Academy Awards was born Yeoh Choo Kheng in Ipoh, provincial Malaysia. She spoke English with her father and Malaysian Cantonese with her mother and grandmother who lived with them.
Yeoh studied ballet in London at age 15, but injuries blocked that career.
Unbeknown to Yeoh, her mother entered her for Miss Malaysia and her victory led to making fight movies in 1980s Hong Kong. In a recent interview published in the Financial Times, Yeoh complains:
I was put in the box of women [who] were protected, and ‘damsels in distress,’ but I wanted to jump off motorbikes on to speeding trains and kick people in the face, like the men did.
She became a pioneering action/martial arts actress, racking up frightful injuries during Hong Kong stunt films. Then her career soared from Hong Kong fight movies with Jackie Chan through the James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. In Geisha she plays a graceful lovely mature ex-Geisha. Now, at age 60, Yeoh, the first Asian woman to win the Oscar for best actress for her role in the small-budget indie science-fiction fantasy film Everything Everywhere All at Once, is a downtrodden Chinese immigrant laundromat owner Evelyn Wang. Yeoh’s acting shows not only her superb talent but gives voice to the unseen, unrecognized ordinary woman and mother. Yeoh, accepting her Academy Award, called all such women “superheroes.”
What’s Chinese about Michelle Yeoh?
In the Financial Times interview and others, Yeoh has shared stories about filming Everything, Everywhere: We ended up as family. “Every day, the entire cast and crew gathered and we looked each other directly in the eyes, held hands and we knew that we were there for each other.” That quiet ritual set the stage assuring cooperation and confidence for highly coordinated fast action scenes. Tradition and Cohesiveness are at the heart of Chinese family.
While Michelle Yeoh was growing up, as China opened, her family visited her grandparents’ village, where they tended the ancestral graves.
While the reporter from the Times chatted with Michelle Yeoh at London’s Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Knightsbridge, the actress nibbled at her vegan meal and offered to share half with the reporter. Normally her diet is vegetables, grains, curry noodles, no red meat and, of course, Chinese tea. She first poured the tea for the reporter, which is standard Chinese good manners. Here are some of the teas loved by Sinophiles around the world:
Chinese Teas for Health and Beauty
Crisp or flowery green teas grown on misty hillsides in South China.
Fragrant, delicately scented jasmine teas brought to full splendor by pairing green tea numerous times with spring-picked jasmine flowers.
Eye-popping brisk, enchanting oolong teas, including Tie Kuan Yin.
And gently alluring flowery brews of oolong grown in high mountains.
A wide variety of Blossoming Teas that flower in glorious colors in your cup.
Monk Fruit is a cooling, nourishing sweetener that supports yin to help moisturize and protect lungs and skin. It tastes sweeter than sugar but, a zero glycemic index food, it is safe for people with diabetes. Crack open the delicate pod and simmer the lo han guo (monk fruit) for up to 15 min. in water. Use the cooking liquid to sweeten foods and keep it refrigerated.
Chinese Beauty Secrets
Asian women are often gifted with an unusually radiant beautiful complexion. However it is not always inherited but requires special care from a diet rich in collagen.
Bird’s Nest is not only an important ingredient in a celebration soup often enjoyed by the family during Lunar New Year, it also serves as an important source of collagen and nutrients essential for healthy skin, bones and joints. It can be simmered as a mild-tasting soup or, for convenience, served as an individual extract.
Yin Foods
Yin-enhancing foods and herbs in traditional Chinese medicine support body fluids, the health of internal organs, water balance, blood sugar balance and skin texture and beauty. Yin keeps us young and juicy. Yin support helps us to prevent burn-out and signs of aging.
Among yin foods are abalone, sea cucumber, shell fish, honey and royal jelly.
One of the best-known Yin-enhancing herbs is American ginseng which can be cooked in soup or enjoyed as a beverage.
We wish beautiful Michelle Yeoh continued health, happiness and success.
]]>Springtime Super-Charge
Toning our digestion is a great way to brighten energy and mood and ease into seasonal changes. It all happens at once: Digestion starts in the mouth. Thoroughly chewing foods sends a message to the brain to release digestive enzymes in the stomach.
Springtime Super-Charge
Toning our digestion is a great way to brighten energy and mood and ease into seasonal changes. It all happens at once: Digestion starts in the mouth. Thoroughly chewing foods sends a message to the brain to release digestive enzymes in the stomach. Pancreatic enzymes break down sugars, fats, and starches and makes hormones.. The liver makes blood and cholesterol and releases bile to smooth digestion and elimination. When all goes smoothly, foods that are broken down, assimilated, absorbed nourish blood and all parts of the body.
Foods that Boost Energy and Metabolism
Metabolism is the chemical and digestive process that makes energy and the materials that cells need to grow, reproduce, and stay healthy. You may pump all the iron, do all the reps and squats that you can manage at the gym, sweat in a sauna or get a massage, but if metabolism is slow you can still feel clogged, bloated, sleep and fat. We need the spark of strong digestion to feel our best, breathe deeply, think clearly and stay strong. Here are ways to tone metabolism and greet Spring with a smile.
Strong Metabolism and Weight Loss
The old saying that calories in- and work-out makes for weight loss does not work. Fewer calories do not necessarily nourish the body and tone digestion. Irritating foods like simple refined sugars and even too many fruits, raise blood sugar and insulin spikes leading to imbalance. To support digestion and healthy blood chemistry bitter is better. Bitter greens, healthy fats and digestive teas.
Teas
Teas contains health-boosting compounds called catechins that may work in tandem with caffeine to boost metabolic rate. In particular, both oolongs and Matcha green increase fat oxidation and help burn extra calories. In addition, oolong and green teas help the body to use stored fat for energy more effectively, increasing fat-burning ability by up to 17%. We actually absorb less dietary fat in the gut when we regularly drink Chinese teas.
Wing Hop Fung features many fine quality teas from well established tea estates in China and Japan.
A Tea for a Goddess
A great favorite among oolong teas is Tie Guan Yin which possesses a rich, robust flavor, large juicy leaves, and can be brewed gong fu style well over ten times. The Goddess of Mercy, or Guanyin (aka Kuan Yin) is the bodhisattva of Compassion in the Buddhist world. Wing Hop Fung’s oolong teas are baked at 120°C for about 10 hours to increase the flavorful mellowness and blissful aroma. The tea leaves are fully fermented and traditionally blended.
The tea’s origin is veiled in legend. Many centuries ago, during the Tang Dynasty (618 – 907) in the Beiyun region of Phoenix Mountain (Fenghuanshang) in Fujian Province, a poor farmer cared for a run-down Guanyin temple. One day the bodhisattva, a gorgeous woman wearing a long white robe, appeared to him in his dream. She told him to look into a cave behind the temple and he would find a treasure worth sharing. When he awoke he found a tiny tea tree that he planted and carefully tended. The tea tree grew tall yielding an especially delicious tea. He called the tea Tie Guan Yin and shared it with his community, continuing to live a prosperous life and every day caring for the temple and the Goddess who inhabits it. We are fortunate to enjoy such a delicious healthy tea.
Proteins
Protein rich foods help to enhance metabolism and may improve weight loss because they require energy to digest them, known as the thermic effect of food (TEF). Research shows that protein-rich foods, by burning calories, increases the metabolic rate by 15–30%, compared with 5–10% for carbs and 0–3% for fats. Protein-rich diets also help the body to maintain muscle mass as we age. However, heavy, fattened, over- processed meats can cause serious health problems. There are better alternatives for long term consumption.
Treasures from the sea offer an opportunity to build energy and maintain beauty. Naturally dried seafood products have concentrated nutrition, fiber and taste that pops with flavor. They can be added to soups, congee or soaked and stir fried. Try Wing Hop Fung dried shrimps, oysters, abalone and fish maw which contain protein, essential vitamins, minerals and natural highly absorbable collagen. Sea cucumbers sourced from China, Japan, Australia and South Africa are used throughout Asia in celebration recipes and daily for collagen.
There is no limit to the good things that can be said about mushrooms: They are Nature’s wonder food! On earth long before us, they will outlast our climate problems, wars, toxic chemical spills and pollution. Mushrooms have been shown capable to detoxify trees and humans from radiation poisons, while they enhance our immunity and provide quality nutrition. The polyphenols in mushrooms support gut health better than other foods. The “Immortality Mushroom” reishi well deserves its name. Wing Hop Fung sells varieties of red and black reishi in various forms including pills, slices and whole mushrooms. Many other mushrooms are sold at Wing Hop Fung, including dried shiitake, hen of the woods, sweet, savory blazei, cordyceps--known to boost athletic performance--and lion’s mane to name a few. Recently lion’s mane has been researched as an important food source for helping to prevent Alzheimer’s disease.
Spices
Ginger and pungent digestive spices have particularly beneficial metabolism-boosting properties. For instance, research shows that dissolving 2 grams of ginger powder in hot water and drinking it with a meal may help burn up to 43 more calories than drinking hot water alone.
It also may decrease hunger and enhance feelings of satiety. Wing Hop Fung has ginger powder and ginger teas: https://winghopfung.com/search?q=ginger
Cinnamon warms the body and supports healthy blood sugar by enhancing insulin sensitivity in preventing diabetes. It helps free circulation and lifts our mood with a spicy sweet taste. https://winghopfung.com/products/rou-gui-si-cinnamon-slice-16oz?_pos=2&_sid=87664e8d7&_ss=r#
Ginsengs
Ginseng is the ultimate go-to energy source known throughout the world. It is considered a staple in traditional Chinese medicine used to promote vitality, endurance, vigor and longevity. Ginsengs are categorized into several different types, including Korean, Chinese and American, all of which belong to the same Panax genus of ginseng plants.
Many studies have verified that this powerful root could aid weight loss, general health and increase nitric oxide to enhance circulation and heart health. A study found that taking Korean ginseng twice daily for eight weeks resulted in quantifiable reductions in body weight, belly fat, as well as changes in gut microbiota composition. Another study showed that ginseng combated obesity by altering fat formation and delaying intestinal fat absorption.
Red ginsengs from China and Korea are warming, energizing and may raise blood pressure for people who are susceptible. Panax Ginsengs are loved by people who want to remain strong and sexually active and athletes and performers to support breathing, circulation and endurance. White American Panax quinquefolium ginseng is cooling, moistening and refreshing which is especially helpful for people who have chronic thirst, dry mouth, dry skin or who smoke or have diabetes. Wing Hop Fung has many forms of ginseng, including powder and roots, for cooking and teas even an instant American ginseng tea. https://winghopfung.com/search?q=ginseng
Springtime can be a joyous time of rebirth and rejuvenation when we nourish our body and develop a deeper vitality.
]]>Gifts of Longevity
Chinese medicine is famous for its health and longevity tonic herbs such as ginseng, astragalus, goji berries and reishi mushroom. They are adaptogens to help us deal with stress and slow signs of aging. They make caring gifts as well as wise daily foods.
]]>
Do you have a beloved senior on your holiday gift list? Or is it someone for whom you wish the gifts of health, wellness and long life? Wing Hop Fung can help fill your seasonal shopping list. Traditional Chinese culture has always honored our ancestors and older friends. Age is a sign of wise living in the Middle Way: Staying warm in winter and cool in summer.
In present-day China, adults often celebrate their parents' birthdays to express their gratitude and respect. At those occasions it’s customary to serve foods that symbolize longevity such as uncut long noodles, to resemble a long delicious life, or peaches, suggesting continued freshness of spirit and taste. The Chinese God of Longevity, Shoulao, is a smiling old man with a bald head who is holding a peach and a graceful reishi mushroom. Apart from peaches and long noodles, other symbols of longevity are mountains and rocks, the character (literally: longevity), deer, and the Manchurian stork. The pine tree, due to its durability in cold weather, and bamboo, due to its evergreen foliage, symbolize longevity too, as does the pear tree , which has a prolonged life span.
There are charming sayings in Chinese that celebrate age. For example:
Old men have abundant knowledge and experience [just as] old trees have many roots
Born to be like ginger – the older, the spicier.
An elderly person at home [is like] a living golden treasure
Here are thoughtful gifts for your loved ones that celebrate their health and beauty and your regard for them.
Phoenix Dan Cong Oolong Tea (Ginger Flower Fragrance) 300g
Dan Cong is a special type of Oolong tea from Fenghuang shan (Phoenix mountains) in Guandong province, China. The Phoenix Mountains are elevated from 350 - 1560 meters above sea level. The cool humid environment gives an ideal growing climate to produce this delicate fragrant tea that is smooth with a lasting flavor and a hint of ginger flower fragrance.
You don’t have to be the God of Longevity to enjoy a delicious peach-flavored tea. Its tart peach and citrus notes are sure to please. This tea is caffeine-free, high in vitamin C, and excellent either hot or iced. You might add one of our tasty honeys to warm tea: https://winghopfung.com/search?q=honey
Peach Orchard Fruit Tea is made from hibiscus, dried peach, apple, orange peel, and marigold. It is recommended to help improve health issues such as regulating blood pressure and lowering harmful lipid levels. It is high in antioxidants.
Imagine drinking history. Old tea trees are especially prized in Yunnan. Some of them date back as far as 300 years. The root systems reach deep into the earth to absorb valuable minerals and offer a rich taste with abundant antioxidants. If you have never tasted tea from an old tree, you are missing a rare opportunity to connect with a humbling experience from long ago. Be sure to savor every drop as a picture into the past. Wing Hop Fung has Pu’er teas produced from old trees. The special aging of Pu’er protects heart health and adds depth of flavor.
Longevity Herbs
Chinese medicine is famous for its health and longevity tonic herbs such as ginseng, astragalus, goji berries and reishi mushroom. They are adaptogens to help us deal with stress and slow signs of aging. They make caring gifts as well as wise daily foods.
Ginsengs support and tone Qi energy, the endocrine system.
Astragalus – Huang Qi protects immunity.
It increases T cells to help prevent the weakening effects of chronic debilitating diseases such as HIV, cancer, asthma and heart troubles. It can be used daily to strengthen the body and preserve health. It is mildly semi-sweet. Chinese grandmothers know that during colds/flu season, adding a handful of huang qi slices to cook with a chicken soup can keep the family’s strength and spirits up. In spring, it can be cooked as a tea to help prevent allergies. It keeps our defensive energy toned.
Barbary Wolfberry Fruit /Black Gou qi zi
Most people love red goji berries as a snack or brewed as tea. Did you know there is a goji berry that is black? It’s wild black barbary wolfberry fruit and has a tangy, fruity sweetness like a combination of blueberry and dried cranberry. Black goji berry has the same healing qualities as the red goji berry with the added benefit of a huge amount of resveratrol. It is enjoyed anytime and has added health benefits such as improving immunity, eyesight, complexion and mood.
Reishi Mushroom is beautiful to look at, but far more valuable to our health than merely a decoration. It comes in many forms—the shiny broad red or black dried mushroom, or sliced, in capsules or extracts. Reishi, aka Ganoderma lucidum, is a potent immune system regulator, promising anti-cancer agent, and stress reducer. This mushroom is frequently used in traditional Chinese medicine for boosting energy and resistance through its effects on white blood cells, which help fight infection and cancer. Reishi taken regularly is a valiant warrior to protect our wellness. It is the prize of the God of Longevity who stays young as a peach.
Wing Hop Fung wishes you and your loved ones Health, Happiness and Long Life.
]]>