【Description】
An unhealthy diet is one of the causes of liver diseases. The modern marketplace offers more food choices than ever before, and while this can be pleasing to the palate, it also comes with the risk of more unhealthy substances in our food supply, such as various chemical additives, preservatives and pesticides. To get rid of these harmful substances, our liver must work harder. Not only that, but chronic exposure to toxins puts this vital organ at risk of disease.
What are the foods that promote liver health? How do we prepare them to achieve both good health and delicious cuisine? How do green-colored foods benefit our liver according to the perspective of the Five Elements? Watch the lesson to find out how Grandmaster JinBodhi uses several healthy ingredients to create dishes that not only taste great, but also provide powerful nourishment for the liver.
【You will learn】
- Foods that help maintain liver health
- Best diet tips to protect the liver
- Grandmaster JinBodhi’s tasty liver-nourishing recipes
【Content】
Hello, everyone. (Hello, Grandmaster.) Today let’s continue on the topic of how to prevent liver diseases. We don’t want to get fatty liver, then liver cirrhosis, and finally liver cancer. We don’t want to put our health at risk; it’s not worth it. About the aforementioned health problems, when in the early stage, dietary therapy and exercise may reverse them. Regulation may be achieved through diet and practicing Energy Bagua.
You should understand some Chinese philosophical concepts about health and medicine and know how similar they are to today’s modern knowledge in the same area. First of all, green-colored food nourishes and protects the liver. Just remember that the color green is good for you. For example, green vegetables, green jade, green gems, and even just the color green are good for your liver. That’s why jade accessories, such as mini jade buddhas, are so popular.
Some people can suddenly have a liking for green clothing or accessories once they realize they have liver issues. They’d keep thinking, “I have to eat green-colored food.” This is also a symptom of liver issues. The thing is, once people become working adults, they sometimes neglect the voices that come from their body. After a tiring day, you want to have dinner and then a nap. You may skip your workout, but you have a good excuse; you want to take a rest as you’re tired. But you have a contract to sign tomorrow, and you’re thinking of spending time on pleasing your client. Which is more important? Nap or client? I think health should be our priority.
For any inner organ to function well, supplementing energy and clearing unnecessary energy are essential. Let’s start with liver cleansing. Cleansing the liver itself is a great way to nourish the liver. Some vegetables contain liver-cleansing properties. I’ll introduce you to some based on the research I’ve done and my personal experience. And some vegetables were spoken about by my elders and master.
One of these vegetables is gai lan, which is commonly found in Guangdong Province. I believe that many of you have eaten it. A good gai lan is dark green and tastes a bit bitter when raw. I usually blanch it and pour some soy sauce over it. I don’t even add salt. (Blanching is a healthy cooking method.) For those who seldom cook, it’s easy to overcook your vegetables. After you blanch them, they look yellowish. Add a little oil to your water, bring it to a boil, and then add in your greens to blanch. The vegetables will stay green. To keep the vegetable green, remember this tip. Gai lan strengthens bones and tendons. It’s green, and it strengthens bones and tendons. It’s qi-nourishing and also good for the liver. This is indeed a multipurpose vegetable. (Rich in calcium too.) Yes. (Right.) So good.
Next, kale. This is not easily found in Asia. Who wants to talk about the health benefits of kale? (Kale contains quercetin.) Quercetin? (Yes. Quercetin is best known for being a substance that cleanses, protects and nourishes the liver.) Is that so? (Yes.) So it cleanses, protects and nourishes the liver. It’s a substance made for the liver. (Yes.) People should consume it for health. (Right.) But I don’t see kale that much in Asian markets. (Relax, kale’s got its Asian cousin, gai lan. They’re in the same family.) (Kale in the West, gai lan in the East.) They contain similar nutrients. (Same species.) They both contain quercetin and are good for the liver. (Yes.)
Next, broccoli. This is common. (Very.) Broccoli fights cancer, you know? (Anti-cancer?) This is one good vegetable. (It’s rich in anthocyanin.) Every part of broccoli can be eaten. Just wash it and you can eat everything. (Yes.)
Next, cabbage. (Another member of the brassica oleracea species.) I see. Alright, about cabbage, I prefer green cabbage. I recommend it. (The darker the color, the better.) Why green? Because green-colored vegetables are good for our liver. Green vegetables contain more quercetin, which is good for our liver.
Next, spinach. I bet every Chinese knows what it is. (Again, green.) Spinach is good for the kidneys and liver, I think. (Right.) It’s also good for the eyes, I think. It unblocks channels and aids urination too.
Next, green radish. Juezhen knows this well. She’s tall, just like a green radish. (I was one in my previous lifetime. White and green radish, carrot, sweet radish, round radish; they’re all the same species.) The small one too? (The white, small one with red skin.) Yes. These are 4 or 5 varieties. If it’s for my liver, then I’ll pick the green one. Of course. So, let’s talk about green radish. They’re delicious even when eaten raw. (Sweet.) It’s not that spicy. It tastes good, with a high content of water, invigorating the stomach and spleen. A healthy liver comes from a healthy stomach and spleen.
Next, celery. There are 2 varieties of celery: the Asian and European. The Asian one is thinner. The ones sold in Canada are bigger and thicker. With that said, both varieties are quite similar in terms of their liver-cleansing benefits. I’ll talk about it more in the future.
The next one is super-healthy: the bitter melon. (Cooling, nourishing the appearance.) Yes. Green vegetables are not only liver-nourishing, they also cool your body. (Yes.) Also, good for the eyes. Vegetables that taste bitter usually contain cooling, detoxifying and anti-inflammatory properties. They aid urination too. They’re similar in terms of their cooling properties. This is an important piece of dietary information. (People living in hot regions like bitter melon.) Hot weather makes you heaty inside out.
When you’re working in a high-temperature environment, it becomes more challenging physically and mentally. When your body consumes more, you’ll feel tired; tiredness can cause your internal heat to increase. An overheated body could result in many health issues; today, we will only focus on the liver, which is easily affected by excessive heat. Blurry eyesight, rosacea, and facial blemishes are some symptoms. Chinese eat lots of bitter melon to cool off. No matter how you cook it, it tastes bitter but clears the inner heat. You can even eat them raw, if you dare.
The next one looks a bit different. Onion. This one is not green. But it’s quite similar to green onion. After all, the leaf part of onion is green. We usually pick onion bulbs, right? I recommend red onions. Red onions are sweet. They’re good for lowering the “3 highs.” (Yes, cholesterol, blood sugar and blood pressure) They’re also good for unblocking orifices. If you take onions with other herbs or vegetables, the nutrients get absorbed easier by the internal organs and all over our body too. In short, onions are known for their supporting role. Shaped like our heart, they are good for nourishing qi too.
Next, let’s talk about the marine algae species. The Chinese eat lots of kelp. (Yes.) You need to soak dried kelp to soften it. (Yes.) That’s how you do it. You can add some to your soups, or stir-fry it. Or, make a cold kelp dish. (Kelp strips with ginger and scallion.) When you get creative, you can do many things with it. There are other algae varieties which we don’t know the names of. An example, please. (Sea mustard?) That’s one. Generally, we call them seaweed. (Yes.) They’re algae, actually. They’re good for lowering the 3 highs. They’re good for clearing heat and fat from the liver, and good for stomach and spleen too. This is one good vegetable.
Next, tomato. It improves liver functions and helps detoxification. Unripe tomatoes taste bad and are a bit toxic. I think most people like tomatoes; they’re delicious. There’s a variety called cherry tomatoes. They’re sold in plastic boxes. They’re bite-sized tomatoes. You should eat more tomatoes. That’s about it for liver-cleansing vegetables. The aforementioned vegetables do help prevent fatty liver.
Next, we move on to fruits with similar benefits. Lemons and oranges are also good for the liver. Chinese don’t use lemons that much. The Westerners use lemons more than us. They know lemons are high in vitamin C. Tell us something about lemons.
(Lemon contains lots of vitamin C. It’s sour, but it becomes alkaline once fully digested. It balances things out when you’ve had (lots of meat and oily food. It helps with detoxifying the liver. Lemon is widely used in Western cuisine, often with fish dishes or steak.) (It makes your food less oily.) (It enhances your salad’s flavor. Chinese people prefer to add lemon slices to their water.) Yes. Are oranges similar to lemons? (They’re both citrus fruits.) We still need to differentiate them. Lemons and oranges are similar, but not the same. They both contain liver-nourishing properties.
Next, mulberry. (Delicious.) My hometown has lots of them. You can eat it fresh or use it to make vinegar. (Jam and juice too.) Right. You can use it many ways. My mom once told me they’re good for the kidneys and hair. (Because it’s black?) You’ve heard of it too? (Yes, they’re black.) They’re also good for our eyesight, heart, liver, and kidneys; and they’re a good detox fruit too. They’re very good for the liver and the kidneys. You should eat more mulberry.
Next, blueberry. Blueberries are everywhere in Canada. (We have lots of blueberries here.) If you drive along the highway, one farm in 5 or 6 grows them. Blueberries contain liver- and kidney-nourishing properties. Look at its color; it’s blue. Green comes from blue, right? It’s quite dark too, almost black. It’ll first nourish the kidneys before other internal organs. And then, the liver. (Right, need to eat more.) In terms of color and benefits, it’s similar to mulberry.
So, I assume you’ve understood the fruits and vegetables I mentioned. Next, you need to know how to mix them together and eat them. Here’s what I’m going to do: mix them up and make a 5-color salad. It’s a cold dish. Kale; this is what you need most. We’re making it for a family, so we’re going to need 250 g of kale. Let’s blanch them a bit. Blanch for about a minute, then take them out. Next, seaweed, 50 g. Is 50 g enough? (Yes.) You need to soak the seaweed beforehand. People usually buy dried seaweed and soak it. Fresh seaweed doesn’t last very long. We don’t live near the sea, so we buy dried seaweed.
Next, something black. We have blueberries and black beans. You can use both or either one. If you want a bigger variety of nutrients, then add both, 60 g of each. That’s less than a handful. Both the seaweed and black beans need to be soaked for a night. Don’t worry if you soak too much, as you can refrigerate the extra. (Yes.) Just pack them well and refrigerate them. Refrigerate well so they don’t spoil. Now we have black and blue. (Right.) You like the color black, Juezhen. Tell us about the benefits of black beans.
(From the perspective of the Five Elements, black is associated with the kidneys. Black beans are good for our hair, kidneys, bones and tendons. A reminder from Grandmaster: Choose black beans with a green flesh.) Right. (The black skin is good for the kidneys, and the green center is good for the liver.) Yes. (Another superfood.) Yes. (Good for kidneys and liver.) Right. Everyone should love black beans. (Yes.)
Black beans have lots of benefits. They strengthen bones and tendons, and are good for our liver and kidneys. They make our hair blacker too. (Yes.) And the pupil of the eye too. They’re also good for your teeth and reproductive system. And your qi, as well. That’s a lot of benefits. Liver cooling doesn’t mean putting out the heat in the liver completely. It’s about… (Balancing.) Yes, we don’t want over-nourishing or overcooling. Balancing is the way. (Yes.) (Just like Energy Bagua, the way of balance.) Absolutely.
Next, we need something red. You can use tomatoes or rice beans. You’ll need about 120 g of tomatoes. One is enough if you’re using a big one. You’ll probably need 5 or 6 small ones. Or, you can use rice beans. Or, both tomatoes and rice beans. Now, let’s talk about the rice beans. It cools your body and nourishes your blood. (Interesting.) Being red usually means nourishing, right? But it’s also cooling. It’s nourishing and also lowers the lipids in your blood. This is good stuff. It helps with diuresis and bowel movements. It also has a blood-nourishing function.
(Now we have green, black and red.) Seriously? Black, blue, green and red. (That’s 4 colors. One more color?) Let’s add white to the mix. What’s white? Try guessing. (What’s that?) When I was growing up in Qinghai, the herders and farmers liked to make dairy products. One of the dairy products they made was yogurt. Each stall selling yogurt had bowls covered with a piece of glass on a table. When the yogurt was ready and set, a layer of yellowish milk fat was on top of it. People who have tasted it drool at the sight of the yellow milk-fat film.
The highland people eat lots of meat, especially lamb. It’s cold especially in the winter, and food is scarce. People lack nutrition. That’s why people there like high-fat yogurt. You should try it; and I’m adding this to the salad. This is plain yogurt, an unsweetened one. It’s even better if you make it using organic milk. I’ll mix this in. (As a salad dressing.) Yes, just pour it in. How much do we need? One cup is enough. (Yogurt as the last color makes everything better. Interesting.) I know.
Now, one last important ingredient. Apple cider vinegar. This is vinegar made from apples, collectively known as fruit vinegar. The vinegar can be made from mulberry, apple, blueberry or grape. For this salad, I’m using apple cider vinegar. I’m using this because I know how good it is. Buy natural apple cider vinegar, not an artificial one, OK? Eat safe, OK? Choose the ones from well-known brands. You don’t just drink fruit vinegar or dip your dumplings in it. You have to dilute it with 4 or 5 times more water. We’ll need one small tablespoon. (Yes.) Use a bigger cup or bowl. One tablespoon of vinegar; 4 or 5 tablespoons of water. Then, add the diluted vinegar to your dressing.
After diluting apple cider vinegar with 4 or 5 times more water, you can drink it directly. Drink a small cup every day to keep your blood vessels healthy and to prevent fatty liver. (Is it better to have it after a meal?) Before or after a meal doesn’t matter. It helps you to lose fat. Pay attention if you’re trying to lose weight. Drinking apple cider vinegar helps you lose weight. Just imagine all fat is lost while drinking it. It’s all gone. (Is the fat all melted?) Not melted, more like dropped or shaken off. That’s how it is.
Add a bit of salt. You can use sea salt or pink salt. Don’t add too much. Just a bit salty is good enough. You can add soy sauce too. It’ll smell better with soy sauce. Mix everything and serve. Easy, right? (Yes.) What is it called again? (5-Color Salad.) Yes, it’s a mixed-vegetable dish. (Yes.) This is good for your health. You can substitute this instead of your rice, buns or noodles. This is packed with nutrients. It fills you up and gets rid of fat in your blood and liver.
Don’t go for a health check after 7 days of eating it. That’s too soon; it’ll take a month to see changes, I think. Get a health check before starting this diet. Then get another one after eating this for at least a month. I think one month is still too soon. It’s better to eat this for 100 days and then see the indicators change.
First, you’re going to lose some weight. Your measurements will probably change, and your skin condition too. Follow this recipe, and the spots will slowly disappear. You’ll have brighter eyes, a healthy and pretty complexion, black and shiny hair, and a healthier and slimmer figure. I care about your health a lot. I care little about what I eat, but for you, I did some research and experiments before recommending this recipe to you.
(So what’s the next recipe?) Let’s go Western this time; we’ll make a milkshake. I named it Bodhi Meditation Slimming Milkshake. (Can’t wait, we’re drooling already.) Alright. (What do we mix this time?) First, we’ll take some kale. What if you can’t find any kale? You use gai lan. It’s easy to buy kale in North America. (Any supermarket has kale.) If you can’t get kale, get gai lan; they’re quite similar. How much do we need? 2 teacups of kale. The largest quantity is the kale; and then, we need a small bowl of blueberries. Not too much, you don’t want your milkshake to be too cooling.
The next ingredient is important. It’s good if you can get this one. A cup of full-fat organic yogurt. Too luxurious? Come on, it’s for your health. It’s an investment, you know. If you don’t spend on health, you’re going to spend on treating your liver diseases. Next, this is easy: raw sweet potatoes. (OK.) 2 slices. Not thicker than 1 cm. (Yes.) Don’t use the part near the ends, OK? (Alright.) Use the middle part. (Alright.) 2 thick slices. (Sure.) That’s how much we need. Next, a cup of water. Put everything in a blender and blend for 5 minutes.
Pay attention to the consistency. Don’t skimp on the water. It can’t be too thin, nor too thick. Vegetables release water when blended. And then there is yogurt too. (Blueberries contain water too.) Absolutely. (Yes.) This is the right consistency: runny, but not too watery. This is a recipe to clear your liver. Clear what? The fat around your liver, of course. You don’t want fatty liver to get worse.
Why is it called a slimming milkshake instead of a clearing milkshake? Because it also clears away fat in your thighs, intestines, stomach and buttocks. In short, it clears fat from your whole body. (You don’t need to eat anything else after having a cup of this.) It’s filling. (Right.) (It’s full of nutrients. It has kale, blueberries, carbs, too, from the sweet potatoes, and protein from the yogurt. What a nice combination.) Everything you need is in here. (Yes.) (After drinking this, don’t eat 2 buns and 2 chicken legs; it’ll be bad.) (I was going to ask, “Are we having this before or after a meal?” Now I know that this is actually a meal in itself.) A complete meal.
How do you find out if you have fatty liver? Check if you have a bulging belly. You can find out about that, right? If you have it, drink this. Drink this often and you’ll be clear of fatty liver at your health checkup. (Do we need to blanch the kale beforehand?) Raw kale is fine. I think using raw kale is better. (I see.) If you can’t take raw vegetables, you can blanch it. (Here’s advice for the young ones: Leave the ice cubes out of this.) Just follow the recipe; no ice cubes needed. (Right.) (No need to refrigerate it either, drink it room temperature.)
Yes. Adding ice cubes to the drink will chill your stomach, causing other health issues. That’s why I don’t recommend drinking it ice cold. If it’s a hot day and you want to add 1-2 ice cubes, it’s fine. Just don’t add too much. The best? No ice added at all. Try this recipe. (This sounds really delicious, especially for the summer.) (The recipe is particularly well-balanced and tastes great. It has 5 colors matching the 5 elements. It’s packed with protein, fiber, carbohydrates, sugars, etc.) (All ingredients are natural and well-balanced.) I studied a little and came up with the recipe.
For this milkshake and the 5-color salad, you can add one more thing. What is similar to an orange? Lemon. Add some lemon juice for some vitamin C. It makes your dishes healthier.
(Can we drink this milkshake every day? Someone’s asking.) It’s safe to have what I recommend every day. (Good.) Just don’t have them for every meal. Once a day is fine. (Just once.) Remember to observe the changes in your body as you consume them. You know, everyone’s body is built differently. If these recipes make you uncomfortable, then stop eating them and go back to your old diet practice. Your health is your priority.
Yes, I want to make you healthier, but I’m aware that everyone is physically different. Some of my viewers might be pregnant. Are my recipes safe for pregnant women? I’m not sure. But as far as I know, all ingredients are safe for pregnant women. Pregnant women are our biggest concern. Consult the specialists to be safe, OK? (If you have diabetes, kidney stones, etc., consult a doctor.) The same goes for those who are having surgery, or those who are on chemotherapy treatment. (Yes.) I’m not sure about these cases, but as far as I know, I think the recipes are safe for all. But still, to be safe, consult your specialists first.
Take note; if you’re allergic to certain foods such as dairy products, be extremely careful, OK? Some people are allergic to gai lan. Again, everyone is built differently. So, you take care of yourself, OK? I think my recipes are safe for 90% of the people around the world. So, feel free to try them out.
Alright, that’s all for today. I wish you health and longevity. (Received.) Also, wish fulfillment and auspiciousness. (Received.) Also, joy and happiness. (Received.) See you next time. (Thank you, Grandmaster.)
(This program does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Consult with professionals before attempting any food, exercise method, or participating in activities such as Bodhi Meditation or Energy Bagua.)