From almonds for lowering blood pressure to angelica for lowering lipids: The essence of traditional Chinese medicine and medicinal diet for hypertension and hyperlipidemia.

Almonds – Relieve cough and asthma, lubricate the intestines and promote bowel movements, and lower blood pressure: Almonds are rich in vitamin E and arginine, which can clear nitrate precursors from blood vessels, thereby reducing the probability of blood vessel blockage and thrombosis. Symptomatic treatment: Almonds are often used for hypertension caused by wind-phlegm rising upwards, generally presenting with headaches, numbness or weakness in one side of the limbs or face, etc. The following combinations are recommended: ◎ Dizziness caused by hypertension: Combined with kudzu root. ◎ Numbness caused by hypertension: Combined with poria and cassia seed. Contraindications: Those with weak constitutions should not take this, and those without excess heat should also avoid it. Recommended medicinal diet: Stewed Duck with Snow Pear and Tangerine Peel Ingredients: 500g duck, 1 snow pear, 6 slices of ginger, 2 pieces of tangerine peel, 10g each of southern and northern almonds, appropriate amount of lotus seeds. Seasonings: 1 teaspoon each of white sugar and salt, 50ml fermented glutinous rice, 1000ml chicken broth. Instructions: ① Clean the duck thoroughly, blanch it in boiling water for about 5 minutes, remove and rinse, then cut into pieces; wash the southern and northern almonds; wash the dried tangerine peel and soak until soft; wash the snow pear, peel it, cut it into 4 pieces, and remove the core. ② Place all ingredients in a pot, add chicken broth, steam for about 1 hour, and add the remaining seasonings before turning off the heat. Other names: Apricot, Bitter Almond, Apricot Kernel. Properties and Channels: Warm in nature, bitter in taste, enters the Lung, Spleen, and Large Intestine channels. Dosage and Administration: Decoction, added last, 5-10 grams; do not exceed the recommended dosage to avoid poisoning.

Cassia Seed – Clears Liver Heat, Moistens Intestines, Improves Vision, and Lowers Blood Pressure: Cassia seed contains various vitamins and abundant amino acids. Regularly drinking cassia seed tea can normalize blood pressure, promote bowel movements, and prevent presbyopia. Indications: Clinically, cassia seed is often used to treat hypertension caused by liver yang hyperactivity, with the following combinations: ◎ Headache and dizziness caused by hypertension: Combined with chrysanthemum and uncaria. Contraindications: Not suitable for those with spleen and stomach deficiency, or insufficient qi and blood; contraindicated for pregnant women. Recommended Medicinal Diet Recipe – Cassia Seed, Amaranth, and Chicken Liver Soup Ingredients: 250g amaranth, 2 chicken livers, 15g cassia seed. Seasoning: A little salt, appropriate amount of sesame oil. Instructions: ① Wash and drain the amaranth; wash the chicken liver, slice it, blanch it in boiling water to remove blood, and then remove it. ② Wash the cassia seeds, put them in a cotton bag and tie it tightly. Place the bag in a pot, add 1200 ml of water and simmer to make a broth. Remove and discard the bag. ③ Add amaranth, bring to a boil, then add liver slices. Bring to a boil again, add salt to taste, and finally drizzle with sesame oil. Other names: Cassia Seed, Cassia Seed with Eye-Care Properties and Channels: Slightly cold in nature, sweet, bitter, and salty in taste; enters the liver and large intestine channels. Dosage and Administration: Decoction, 10-15 grams.

Scutellaria baicalensis – Clears heat and dries dampness, cools blood, calms the fetus, and lowers blood pressure: Modern research confirms that Scutellaria baicalensis tincture can directly dilate blood vessels or act on vascular receptors, lowering neurogenic hypertension to normal values. Symptomatic Use: Clinically, Scutellaria baicalensis is often used for hypertension with excessive Yang and heat, generally presenting with symptoms such as headache, head distension, red eyes, and facial flushing. Its combinations are as follows: ◎ Hypertension due to Liver Yang Rising: Combined with Uncaria rhynchophylla and Kuding tea. ◎ Red and painful eyes due to hypertension: Combined with Prunella vulgaris and Chrysanthemum. Contraindications: Those with spleen and stomach deficiency, poor appetite, or loose stools should avoid it. Recommended Medicinal Diet Recipe – Nourishing Black Chicken Soup Ingredients: 1 cleaned black chicken, 1 herbal spice bag (25g Angelica sinensis, 10g Scutellaria baicalensis, 30g Adenophora stricta), 10 red dates, 20 goji berries, appropriate amounts of scallions and ginger. Seasonings: Appropriate amounts of cooking wine and salt. Instructions: ① Chop the cleaned black-boned chicken into pieces, soak in water, rinse, drain, blanch in boiling water, and drain. Soak and wash the red dates and goji berries. ② Add all ingredients to a clay pot with water and cooking wine, simmer over high heat for 1.5 hours, remove, add salt to taste, and discard the herb bag. Other names: Camellia root, Scutellaria baicalensis tea, Tujin tea root. Properties and channels: Cold in nature, bitter in taste, enters the lung, gallbladder, stomach, small intestine, and large intestine channels. Dosage and administration: Decoction, 10-15 grams.

Angelica sinensis, a traditional Chinese medicine suitable for hyperlipidemia, is believed to nourish blood, promote blood circulation, moisten the intestines, relieve constipation, and lower lipids. Modern pharmacology suggests that Angelica sinensis has the effects of nourishing blood, strengthening the body, dilating coronary arteries, lowering blood lipids, and protecting the liver. Clinically, Angelica sinensis is suitable for blood deficiency type hyperlipidemia and is also suitable for female patients with menstrual irregularities and dysmenorrhea. The following are some recommended combinations: ◎ Blood deficiency type hyperlipidemia: Combined with Salvia miltiorrhiza and Polygonum multiflorum. Contraindications: Not suitable for those with dampness, abdominal distension, loose stools, or diarrhea. Recommended medicinal diet: Angelica sinensis and longan stewed mutton. Ingredients: 450g mutton belly chunks, 30g ginger slices, appropriate amounts of longan pulp and Angelica sinensis. Seasonings: 1 tsp salt, a little white sugar, 50ml fermented glutinous rice. Instructions: ① Blanch the mutton belly chunks in boiling water until cooked through, remove and drain. ② Place a clean pot on the stove, add all ingredients, fermented glutinous rice, and an appropriate amount of water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Skim off any foam, cover the pot, and then reduce to medium-low heat and simmer for 1 hour until cooked through. Finally, season with salt and white sugar. Other names: Min angelica. Properties and channels: Warm in nature, sweet and pungent in taste, enters the liver, heart, and spleen channels. Dosage and administration: Decocted in water, 5-15 grams.

Motherwort – Promoting blood circulation, removing blood stasis, diuresis, reducing swelling, and lowering lipids: Modern pharmacology believes that motherwort can increase coronary blood flow, slow heart rate, inhibit platelet aggregation, prevent thrombosis, lower blood lipids, enhance human immunity, and promote diuresis. Suitable for: Hyperlipidemia, atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease, etc. Recommended combinations: Hawthorn, flower tea, etc. Contraindications: Not suitable for those with yin deficiency or pregnant women. Recommended medicinal diet: Motherwort, red date, and lean pork soup. Ingredients: 200g lean pork, 6 red dates, 15g motherwort. Seasoning: A little salt. Instructions: ① Wash the lean pork and cut into chunks; wash the red dates and remove the pits; wash the motherwort and set aside. ② Put the motherwort, red dates, and lean pork chunks into a clay pot, bring to a boil, then simmer until cooked through. Add salt to taste. Other names: Kuncao (坤草) Properties and Channels Entered: Slightly cold in nature, pungent and slightly bitter in taste; enters the pericardium and liver channels. Dosage and Administration: Decocted in water, 10-15 grams each time.

Dried tangerine peel – Regulates Qi and resolves phlegm, harmonizes the stomach, stops vomiting, and lowers lipids: Modern pharmacology believes that dried tangerine peel has the effects of lowering blood lipids, anti-inflammation, anti-ulceration, choleretic, and anti-atherosclerosis. Suitable for: Patients with hyperlipidemia and atherosclerosis. Recommended combination: Combined with roasted hawthorn, black tea, etc. Contraindications: Not suitable for those with red tongue, little saliva, or internal heat. Recommended medicinal diet – Crucian carp clear soup Ingredients: 300g crucian carp, appropriate amounts of scallion, ginger, and coriander leaves. Seasonings: Appropriate amounts of dried tangerine peel and salt. Instructions: ① Clean the crucian carp; wash and cut the scallion into sections; wash and slice the ginger; wash the dried tangerine peel. ② Place the scallion sections, ginger slices, and dried tangerine peel in a gauze bag, seal the bag, and set aside. ③ Place a pot on the stove, add an appropriate amount of water, add the crucian carp and gauze bag, bring to a boil over high heat, and continue to cook for about 10 minutes. ④ Simmer over low heat for 25 minutes, add salt and cook until flavorful. Serve garnished with cilantro leaves. Other names: Orange peel. Properties and channels: Warm in nature, pungent and bitter in taste, enters the spleen and lung channels. Dosage and administration: Decocted in water or stewed in a double boiler, 5-10 grams.

Hawthorn – Promotes Qi circulation, dispels blood stasis, aids digestion, and lowers lipids: Modern pharmacology believes that hawthorn has the effects of lowering blood lipids, accelerating serum cholesterol excretion, lowering blood pressure, increasing coronary artery blood flow, enhancing myocardial contractility, dilating blood vessels, and anti-malignant tumors. Symptomatic treatment: Suitable for phlegm-dampness type hyperlipidemia, with symptoms such as dizziness, blurred vision, heaviness in the limbs, and numbness in the limbs. The following combination is used: Combined with Alisma plantago-aquatica and Scutellaria baicalensis. Contraindications: If increased bowel movements occur after taking the medicine, the dosage can be reduced or the medicine can be temporarily stopped until the symptoms subside. Recommended medicinal diet recipe – Hawthorn porridge Ingredients: 200g rice, 15g hawthorn slices, appropriate amount of dried tangerine peel powder. Seasoning: appropriate amount of white sugar. Instructions: ① First, wash the rice thoroughly, soak it in water for 1 hour, drain and set aside. ② Put the rice and hawthorn slices into a pot, add an appropriate amount of water, bring to a boil over high heat, then add the dried tangerine peel powder and simmer over low heat until the rice is cooked and soft. Add an appropriate amount of white sugar and stir well. Other names: Red fruit, Rouge fruit. Properties and channels: Slightly warm in nature, sour and sweet in taste, enters the spleen, stomach, and liver channels. Dosage and administration: Decocted in water, 5-15 grams; eaten alone, 30 grams.