TCM
Self-care for soothing red eyes
A simple Chinese Herbal Tea for clearing the Liver and soothing the eyes
Ingredients:
Chrysanthemum: about 3 –15 g
Sweeteners: optional for better taste (choose one):
- Honey
- Stevia
- Monk Fruit (Luo Han Guo)
- Licorice root (Gan Cao)
Functions of the herb in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).
Chrysanthemum (Ju Hua 菊花)
The properties of the Chrysanthemum are cool with a sweet and bitter taste. It enters both Liver Channel and Lung Channel.
- Soothe vision at the Liver channel
Its cool property is good for clearing Heat syndrome. And Heat syndrome in TCM is usually referring to infections and inflammations. When Chrysanthemum enters the Liver channel, It clears Heat syndrome associated with the Liver and soothes the eyes. And that is because the eyes are the orifices of the Liver channel (肝开窍于目).
Since urban living is always under stress; anxiety, anger, and red eyes are all associated with the Liver channel. Translate to TCM language, these are the signs and symptoms of Heat in the Liver, and emotions always harm the Liver.
And also, the residue of the Chrysanthemum herbal tea can be used externally as a cool pad for the eyes.
- Soothe common cold at the Lung channel
In addition, Chrysanthemum is one of the most common herbs for the common cold. And that is because it also enters the Lung channel with its cool property. So, it is used to clear infections (Heat syndrome) in the upper respiratory system. As well as the noses are the orifices of the Lung channel (肺开窍于鼻).
Cautions for using Chrysanthemum:
Even though it is a gentle herb in food grade, there are some cautions when using Chrysanthemum. It is not suitable for:
Constitution with coldness
For example, people with an aversion to coldness, pale complexion, pale tongue, pale nails, and profuse urination in a pale colour.
Weakness in the digestion system
Translate to TCM language, it is Stomach and Spleen deficiency. And it usually occurs with diarrhea and loose stools.
Conclusion
As the eyes are the orifices of the Liver channel (肝开窍于目), and Chrysanthemum is a common herb in TCM to clear the Liver channel, the Chrysanthemum herbal tea may soothe urban people with anxiety, anger, and red eyes because these signs and symptoms are associated with the Liver channel.
Reference
American Dragon. (2017). Individual herbs. Retrieved from https://www.americandragon.com/Individualherbsupdate/JuHua.html
