Nipping a cold in the bud

You know that feeling - perhaps a slight fever alternating with chills. Your skin and scalp feel extra sensitive, maybe a headache or the beginnings of a stuffy nose. Cong Chi Tang (Miso soup with scallions) is one of the first Chinese herbal formulas from "Emergency Formulas to Keep Up One's Sleeve" written by the Chinese doctor Ge Hong (283-243 CE).

If taken upon the very first signs of a cold this soup is quite effective. The goal is to induce a sweat and push the pathogen out of the body while it's still lingering on the protective layer of our body, (our skin or wei qi). This is why your skin feels so sensitive, it's trying to fight off the pathogen. So make sure to drink your miso hot and bundle up in layers of clothing or get into bed under the blankets. If you do induce a sweat, make sure to change clothing afterward. Rest is the third ingredient in this formula, not to be omitted! You will be pleasantly surprised at the simplicity and effectiveness of this formula. Renewed health is just a bowl of miso away if you keep these two ingredients on hand.

Miso Soup with Scallions

Ingredients: Miso (fermented soybean paste)

Scallions

Bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Turn off flame and stir in 2 - 3 tablespoons of miso paste until dissolved. Chop 3-5 stalks of scallion and add to the broth just prior to eating. *Never cook your miso and make sure the scallions are added last. Serve hot!