Eating congee has helped a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) doctor to improve his physical health dramatically.

Fei Kaiyang, a TCM doctor based in Beijing, did not keep very well when he was in his 50s. Click to learn Chinese herb Rhizoma Picrorrhizae (Huhuanglian).

"I caught a cold easily after even slight physical exercises, and when we went out, I always get tired quickly," the 81-year-old doctor recalled.

He told his wife that he might not live very long past 60. Determined to do something about it, he prescribed himself a rice porridge-based diet.

At first, he ate plain rice porridge, but later the doctor added in other ingredients. In spring, when qi is said to rise, he often drank rice porridge with yam, dried lily bulbs, and dried fruits such as Chinese wolfberry, which is supposed to clear excessive internal heat.

In summer, he drank mostly green bean porridge, to beat the heat. The porridge for autumn was millet with sweet potato. And in winter, Fei ate rice porridge with dried longan and Chinese jujube to replenish energy.

Today, the doctor is fit enough to see patients regularly. Click to learn Chinese herb Radix et Rhizoma Rhei (Dahuang).

Fei said it was also important to refrain from eating out at sumptuous banquets, and keeping down stress levels.

"There is always a lot of meat at a banquet, and you just can't resist going for it. So you end up with your stomach filled to the full," he said. "But with porridge, you never have that problem."

Rice porridge that is boiled till it is sticky is believed to be the easiest to digest.

Article source: chinadaily