Eat your breakfast. You moms was right!!! We get asked a lot the same question….Other than acupuncture, what can I do with my diet to give me more energy? Usually it has to do with improving the health of the spleen. Your spleen Qi is likely weak. The spleen is one of the THE MOST important organs in the body according to TCM.
Do you want to live till 100? Of course you do!
Out of over 5000 treatments I’ve done, 90% of patient’s spleen energy is depleted. Chances are if you live in North America and you have visited a Chinese Medicine practitioner, you have been told that your spleen energy could use a bit of work.
The spleen get’s jazzed up by eating a healthy breakfast. Every organ has a peak performance time slot. Chinese Medicine practitioners refer to it as the “Organ Clock”. The spleen is said to flourish between 7AM-9AM.
Each organ flourishes at a certain 2 hour interval everyday.
So it’s very important to not only eat breakfast but eat foods that the spleen loves during this time. This will harmonize your digestive system. Harmonizing the digestive system is a hippy way of saying “it will help you with almost any digestive issue you have”. The spleen loves sweet things. Not Reese peanut butter cups, Werthers Original or sticky buns. Naturally sweet things. Here are of the healthiest and most delicious breakfast ideas according to Chinese Medicine and my foodie taste buds. Both are gluten, dairy, and animal free. They are also paleo friendly. Enjoy!
Breakfasts of Champions!
Sweet Potato Porridge
This porridge is so delicious. It is indicated for ANY specialized diet including paleo, weight watchers, gluten/grain/dairy free and vegan (without the addition of ghee.) This first recipe is the ultimate Chinese Medicine dietary breakfast! This is absolute health. I pre-bake sweet potatoes on a Sunday and then just re-heat the morning of.
Ingredients
- 3 sweet potatoes- peeled and cut into 3rds
- Shredded coconut- 2 table spoons
- Blueberries half cup
- Cinnamon to taste
- Almond milk- half cup per bowl
- Other options- finely chopped dates, carob chips, maple syrup, grated apple, coconut oil, clarified butter (ghee)
The spleen LOVES sweet potatoes.
Directions- Wrap each piece of yam in foil. Bake 9 portions on a foil lined baking sheet for 1 hour and 20 minutes or until mushy at 375 degrees. Potatoes will keep in the fridge for up to one week.
When ready for breakfast, toss a piece of sweet potato in a sauce pan. Mash. Add berries cinnamon, coconut and other toppings. Best to wait to add the fruit towards the end of reheating the yam as to not break down the sugars in the fruit.
Pear Jook
Jook (aka congee) is historically medicinal rice porridge. It has been used for thousands of years to nourish the sick. In China, it is breakfast! I like the addition of pears because they nourish Yin (which almost anyone can use if you overwork or are stressed). Hundreds of cookbooks have been written on congee. Many Chinese Medicine congee recipes are more for medicinal purposes and include all the herbs one would normally drink in a tea. I wouldn’t want to eat most of them for breakfast. This basic recipe is so delicious and easy. It is so fantastic for the spleen and Kidneys. Substitute pears with apples or any of your favorite non-tropical fruit.
Pears are a powerful yin tonifier. Great for those who have trouble falling asleep, night sweats, stress, overwork and exhaustion.
Ingredients
- 1 cup rice (your favorite or whatever you have on hand)
- Water- ¾ cup
- Pears- 2 large of your favorite variety
- Cinnamon- a few shakes
- Optional- Chopped pistachios or other nuts, cherries, sesame seeds or honey.
Directions– Simmer everything for one hour on medium heat or until mushy. This can be stored for up to one week re-heated as needed.
