Chinese Yam, White Fungus, and Red Date Soup，From *Proven Tea, Decoction, and Soup Recipes for Common Ailments*,Nourishes the spleen and boosts qi; nourishes the lungs and tonifies the kidneys. Suitable for the recovery phase of acute nephritis.
in the absence of frank deficiency, or where an excess or heat pattern prevails, indiscriminate warming tonic use is inadvisable; the tonifying-warming action may aggravate internal heat; avoid during feverish or inflammatory episodes
Commentary
Chinese yam occupies the sovereign position; neutral in nature and sweet in flavor, with Spleen, Lung, Kidney tropism, it tonifies the spleen and lung, nourishes the kidney and astringes essence and becomes the guiding principle of the whole formula. These are joined ministerially by white fungus (neutral in nature and sweet in flavor, with Lung, Stomach, Kidney tropism, nourishes yin and moistens the lung), and jujubes (of warm nature and sweet flavor, entering the Spleen, Stomach, Heart, tonifies qi, nourishes blood and calms the spirit, and harmonizes the formula), reinforcing the sovereign’s main effect. Finished with rock sugar, acting as the envoy to harmonize the various ingredients, the formula attains a regulated, neither-excess nor-deficient balance. Together the herbs converge on this action, in accord with the spleen-kidney yang deficiency pattern.