The herb helps the kidney, bones, tendons and muscles

Following sick animals often helped Chinese people discover herbs with useful functions. This is the case of tu si zi (literally rabbit thread seeds), which helps the kidney while also strengthening bones, tendons and muscles.

The herb was discovered by a laborer who hid a rabbit with a damaged spine in the farmland to avoid being punished by the land owner. Surprisingly, the rabbit recovered quickly. Following the rabbit, the laborer found it chewing a kind of wild vine twisting on bean stalks. He collected the vine and tried it on some people with damage in the lower back including his father. They all healed.

He then quit his job and became a physician that treated lower back damage.

Tu si zi (Chinese dodder) is a mildly "warm" herb that helps benefit kidney and nourish the liver. It can help nourish muscles and strengthen bones and tendons, which is very helpful in relieving bone, tendon or muscle aches. It is also commonly prescribed to relieve problems related with deficient kidney (urinary and reproductive system) and liver, deteriorating eye-sight and infertility.

And it can help in different ways when prescribed with different herbs.

Reinforcing tea
* Wash and grind the dodder (morning glory-like parasitic vine).

* Add to boiling tea and add brown sugar.

* Drink often as tea.

Benefits: Helps reinforce kidney and nourish liver, improve eyesight and relieve dizziness. Can also be prescribed for Secondary Infertility.

Decoction for frequent urination

Ingredients: Chinese dodder (30g), Fructus Schisandrae (Wuweizi), 30g) and dried rehamnnia root (90g)

* Grind ingredients into powder and mix.

* Mix 6g of the mixture with rice soup and drink before a meal three times a day

Benefits: Helps relieve frequent urination and thirstiness due to deficient kidney.