Pork Kidney and Cistanche Soup，From *Proven Tea, Decoction, and Soup Recipes for Common Ailments*,Nourishes the kidneys and enhances virility. Suitable for various types of chronic diarrhea.
in the absence of frank deficiency, or where an excess or heat pattern prevails, indiscriminate warming tonic use is inadvisable; warming tonics readily stir heat and burden the spleen; caution is advised where dampness-heat or food stagnation accumulates in the middle; the astringent action may seal pathogens inside; exercise caution while exterior pathogens or dampness-stagnation have not yet cleared
Commentary
Pork kidney occupies the sovereign position; with neutral nature and sweet, salty flavor, having Kidney tropism, it tonifies kidney qi and promotes urination and becomes the guiding principle of the whole formula. These are joined ministerially by cistanche (warm in nature and sweet, salty in flavor, with Kidney, Large Intestine tropism, tonifies kidney yang, benefits essence and moistens the intestines), and psoralea (with warm nature and bitter, pungent flavor, having Kidney, Spleen tropism, tonifies kidney yang, secures essence, warms the spleen and stops diarrhea), reinforcing the sovereign’s main effect. Viewed as a whole, the formula addresses the spleen deficiency with dampness presentation, treating both root and branch.