Ingredients that settle the mind

Yakuzen through the drama: ingredients that settle the emotions

A scene from the other day's episode.
At a celebration with Tsukasa, Satoko and Suzu, celery came up. Tsukasa held forth about what celery does, and Suzu cut in with a smile: enough of the trivia.

This is the time of year when a new school and business year begins and stress rises. Spring is said to unsettle the Liver among the five zang organs, and the emotions go with it.
So this time I want to talk about yakuzen ingredients for irritability and unsteady emotions, which suit spring exactly.

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The basics: yakuzen sorts ingredients into ten groups

Yakuzen sorts ingredients not by nutrients but by what they do to the body.
Some typical examples:

• Cooling heat in the body
• Getting qi, your energy, moving
• Replenishing moisture, and so on

On that basis, ingredients fall into roughly ten categories.

The main point: three groups for irritability and unsteady emotions

In yakuzen terms, these are the three groups to bring in when the emotions are unsettled.

1. Heat-clearing: cools excess heat

• Celery (as seen in the drama)
• Tomato
• Citrus
• Herbs
• Jasmine tea (you can buy it at a convenience store)

2. Yin-tonifying: replenishes moisture in a dry body

• Egg
• Pork
• Spinach
• White wood ear mushroom, and so on

3. Qi-regulating: gets qi moving

• Citrus (in both groups)
• Mint
• Shiso
• Strongly aromatic vegetables

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Celery is worth reaching for in yakuzen terms too

The celery from the drama belongs to the heat-clearing group. It is exactly right for clearing the irritability and fog of early spring.

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A little knowledge holds up the everyday

There is a scene where Satoko eats a restorative meal while talking herself up: eat this much and tomorrow should go fine.

Cooking carefully every day may be hard, but simply knowing that this is what I need right now gives you something to face your body and mind with.

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Editor's note: goji berry month

My eyes have been tired lately, so I am on a goji berry push.
It is a good ingredient for looking after the eyes and the Liver.

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For anyone who wants to learn more yakuzen

\ Our vegetable yakuzen course, on settling the body with vegetables, is now open /
Easy to bring into daily life, but with real substance to learn.
See the Yasai Yakuzen course

Do have a look at the vegetable encyclopedia as well

See you next time.