The Soup Queen

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The Wonderful Wild Plantain - The Herb You Already Have In Your Garden

I am sure you have seen this herb in your garden. When we humans have a use for the leaves and parts of a tree or shrub, we call them herbs. When we don't know what they are good for, we call them weeds. I mean, think about it. That's how we think about plants and shrubs in our gardens. Today, I want to introduce a weed turned herb to you because I have definitely seen this in my garden. I have just not known its efficacy until I bought a packet of dried wild plantain leaves! I must have been a herbalist in my last life or past life. I keep gravitating towards herbs and plants. If I had an ache or pain, the first place I would go to is my garden. Is there a herb that I could use? Is there a plant that I could find? I would never eat Panadol or antibiotics. I have never eaten these in the past 20 years. I kid you not. I don't like medicines now that I know how harmful they can be to your kidneys over a long term basis. When I was in Manila two weeks ago ...

Dried Pear Herbal Dessert for Cooling The Body

This was a herbal dessert pack that I bought when I was back in Kuching visiting my in-laws. I love anything that is convenient and this herbal dessert pack was perfect. It turned out that it was a dried pear dessert that cools the body down which is quite needed for the humid weather in Penang most of the time. Chinese New Year weather is always hot. Or is it the ozone layers disappearing? Anyway, Chinese dessert packs like these are great. Just pour contents out, rinse them and put them in a pot with enough water and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes on low heat. Drink warm. This dried pear dessert/ beverage tasted so pleasant and sweet (the natural sweet) that I felt immediately nourished.

Cough Relief: Have You Ever Had That Irritating Cough That Won't Stop?

You know how sometimes your body tells you you're working too hard? Mine does and when I do fall sick, it's always the same. It starts with fever/chills and then works its way to a runny nose and sore throat and cough. I can tolerate the fever/chills, running nose/stuffed nose and sore throat but it's the cough that agonizes me the most. While I do use healing on myself, I sometimes crave for extra boost. I was having this annoying hacking cough that seemed to be worse at night when I lay down. There's a good reason for this. Our Lung Qi is not flowing smoothly hence the coughing gets worse at night. My husband says my coughing sounds like a scooter that cannot start! I've always been afraid of coughs because coughs can linger for a week. Not good when I have to do stuff and I really find that post-covid, everyone is anxious about any flu not to mention coughs. I try to stay home for a good part of my flu but I am also impatient and start rummaging through my cabi...

Astralagus Tea (Huang Qi) For Liver, Kidneys and Immunity

I recently bought a small container of wild astralagus slices when I was back home in Banting to visit my dad. There's really nothing much to do in Banting except spend time with my dad or take him out for breakfast of bak kut teh or nasi lemak. The nearest and most interesting place is Tanjung Sepat which is a seaside village that has become rather prosperous due to the influx of local tourists from other parts of Selangor or even other states. Many come to Tanjung Sepat for its fresh seafood and fish and the seafood restaurants are a big attraction. There's also a scenic spot called the Lovers' Bridge which in the 1990s was a rickety, almost falling down wooden bridge jutting out to sea. This is where the fishing sampan or fishing boats would moor and have their catch hauled up to the shore. I am not sure if this bridge was demolished but the bridge is no longer there. A little further down is now a man-made cement bridge that juts out to sea. Tourists can walk out t...

Wind Heat Woes & Ear Ache!

Two days ago, I started having this annoying pain in my right ear. It was a sharp pain that didn't seem to get any better with massaging around the area. It was inside my ear and behind my ear. And I didn't know what it was. Did I have an ear infection? I haven't been going to the public swimming pool since the pandemic some 2.5 years ago. Then the right side of my body, right behind my armpit, had this weird sensation. It was not painful but it felt like I pulled a nerve. This morning, I woke up with my tongue in pain. The right side of my tongue! In short, I felt really uncomfortable. I wasn't ill but it's this pain here and there that got me irritated. Since I do know a bit of TCM, I wanted to find out if I was heaty again. I am more prone to heat issues than cold. I get "hot" if I sleep too late (past one a.m), eat too much spicy food or fried foods, work too much or think too much. It wasn't heat but Wind-Heat. Wind Heat affects two major merid...

The Life of A Spiritual Healer...

UPDATE: Please see this post as we are no longer practising PVH. Before your eyes grow wide with surprise, no it's not me. I'm far from it. I couldn't be one because I may not have the patience to deal with people's problems. It's my husband, Nic. In the past 3 years, his ability to help people spiritually has improved so much from the time he learnt PVH in 2016. In fact, he has learnt much on his own with his own research and reflection and solving health and metaphysical problems. This has brought me to believe that in his past life, he was a healer or herbalist or doctor. This is just a continuation of his past self. When I say spiritual healer, what comes to your mind? I've tested this question with many people; some are strangers, others are friends and some are family members. Once I brought it up to a friend and she looked at me incredulously and said, "But I thought you were logical!" How does being logical be at odds with being spiritual...