TCM Tea for Springtime

By Robert Wulforst

Spring is coming and I thought it would be a good idea to share a tea recipe that might help with a problem in the coming weeks.  In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the Spring is related to the Liver, as it represents growth and rebirth.  It's also related to the color green, which we start to see on the trees and the grass.  Lastly, in 5 Element theory, it’s related to the eyes

Thanks to Spring, this is when allergies start to appear.  With the desire to go out and enjoy the warming weather, we become susceptible to pollen.  It gets in our nose, which causes us to sneeze.  It gets in our lungs, which makes us cough.  It also get in our eyes, which makes them red and itchy.

This tea recipe, with ingredients that you can pick up in your local Asian market, can help with red, itchy, blurry vision from allergies.  All of them have the property of clearing the redness from the eyes and have a few other benefits.  Mint is cooling and can help with a sore throat, Wolfberries help keep the lungs clear, and Cassia seeds can help keep you calm.  Although optional, you can also add a slice of ginger to make the tea more “warming” if it’s a cooler spring day.

I hope you enjoy the tea and I hope the weather starts to warm up a little faster.

Gou Qi Zi

Springtime Tea for Itchy Eyes

This tea is used to help clear up red, itchy eyes during the spring time. It can be drank hot or cold, depending on preference and the weather.

Ingredients

Mint (Bò Hé - 薄荷)
Wolfberries (Gǒu Qǐ Zǐ - 枸杞子)
Cassia Seeds (Jué Míng Zǐ - 決明子)

Optional:
Ginger (Shēng Jiāng - 生薑)

Preparation

Add a small amount of wolfberries and cassia seeds to a mug and add hot water. Let it sit for 5 minutes, then add a sprig of mint. If the weather is a bit cooler, you can a small slice of ginger to help warm you up.

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