Talcum Congee

New Book on Longevity and Supporting the Elderly

The author of this book is Zou Xuan, styled Binghe and also known as Jingzhi Laoren, a native of Taining County during the Dade period of the Yuan Dynasty. Zou Xuan paid great attention to health preservation throughout his life and conducted extensive research on dietotherapy. He compiled the New Book on Health Preservation and Care for the Aged. The book consists of four volumes. The first volume contains the Book on Providing for and Honoring the Aged written by Chen Zhi of the Song Dynasty. Volumes two and three cover topics such as health maintenance, medication, and dietotherapy, with a total of 34 medicinal porridge recipes included in this section. Zou believed that: “If one has an wellness, it is advisable to first thoroughly understand the methods of diet therapy, carefully examine the signs of imbalance of the wellness, and supports it with diet. If the wellness is not supports by diet therapy, then medication should be prescribed. The emphasis is on not harming the internal organs.” He also pointed out that: “The food for the elderly should generally be warm, hot, cooked, and soft, and they should avoid sticky, hard, cold, and raw foods. Elderly people should not eat until fully satiated at once but should eat frequently in small amounts so that the Spleen and stomach can easily digest the food and the qi of grains can be sustained. If they eat until fully satiated at once, it will often cause harm and fullness. Since elderly people have weak and thin intestines and stomach and cannot digest and absorb food well, it can lead to wellness.” In his “Preface to Diet Therapy for the Elderly,” he said with deep insight: “If one can understand the properties of food and adjust and use it accordingly, it will be far more effective than medication. Since the nature of the elderly is to be averse to medication and fond of food, supports wellness with food is better than using medication. Moreover, for the wellness of the elderly, caution should be exercised in inducing vomiting or purgation, and it is especially appropriate to use food for supports.” Talc Porridge is selected from the New Book on Health Preservation and Care for the Aged.

[Porridge Composition] Talcum 20 – 30 grams, Dianthi Herba 10 grams, 30 – 60 grams of japonica rice.

[Efficacy and Indications] Clear heat and reduce inflammation, promote urination. Suitable for dysuria, frequent and urgent urination, and scalding pain during urination caused by acute and chronic cystitis.

[Decoction Method] First, wrap the talcum in cloth, then put it together with dianthi herba into a casserole to decoct for juice. Remove the dregs, add japonica rice and cook into thin porridge.

[Explanation of Congee Efficacy] Talc is a silicate mineral, with magnesium silicate as its main component. Traditional Chinese medicine holds that talc is sweet, bland in taste, cold in nature, and has a smooth and unobstructing effect on the orifices. Li Shizhen stated in Compendium of Materia Medica, “Talc unblocks the orifices, not only for urination but also for the orifices of the skin and hair pores above, and the orifices for semen and urine below.” It has the functions of promoting diuresis to eliminate dampness and clearing heat to helps with occasional summer heat. It is a commonly used medication for supports signs of imbalance such as scanty and red urine with dribbling, summer heat with restlessness and thirst, and heat-induced diarrhea in summer, especially acute cystitis. Zhang Xichun, a renowned physician in modern times, said in Records of Experience in Medicine with Reference to Western Knowledge, “For urination difficulties caused by heat, talc is the most essential medication.” This is indeed a statement based on experience.

Dianthus superbus is also a medicinal herb that clears heat, promotes diuresis, and unblocks the urinary passages. It is primarily indicated for “heat strangury,” characterized by difficult urination, dribbling and discomfort during urination, and urethral prickling pain. When cooked with talcum into a thin porridge, its therapeutic effects can be enhanced. Shouqin Yanglao Xinshu (New Book on Health Preservation for the Elderly), Volume II: Dietary Therapies for Women and Children, records: “Talcum Porridge for supports postpartum difficult urination with strangury and astringency. Take half a tael of separately ground talcum, one tael of dianthus superbus spikes, and three sheng of millet. Add three sheng of water, first boil the dianthus superbus to obtain two and a half sheng of decoction, then filter out the dregs. Add the decoction to the millet and cook as usual porridge. When nearly cooked, add a small amount of salt and three cun of green onion white, then add the talcum powder and continue cooking until the desired consistency is reached. Divide into three doses and consume.” This formula can be widely applied to patients with acute urinary tract infections and is not limited to the “postpartum” context. For supports summer heat with烦渴 (restlessness and thirst), summer heat-induced diarrhea, or helps maintain heatstroke, dianthus superbus can be omitted, and talcum porridge alone can be used with satisfactory results.

[Precautions] Talcum porridge has the ability to promote diuresis and break blood stasis, so it is contraindicated for pregnant women. The supports course is 3 to 5 days, with two doses taken daily.

[Reference Materials]

[Prescriptions from the Great Peace for Universal Benefit · Volume 96 · Various Prescriptions for supports Restless Heat from Food Therapy]: “For supports restless heat above the diaphragm with excessive thirst, and facilitating the opening of the nine orifices, the Talc Congee Prescription: two liang of crushed talc, two he of polished round-grained rice. Take three large bowls of water, boil the talc until two bowls of liquid remain, remove the dregs, add the rice to cook into congee, and consume it warm.”

Q1: What is talcum congee used for in traditional Chinese medicine?

A1: In traditional Chinese medicine, talcum congee is used to clear heat, promote urination, and soothe irritability, making it beneficial for conditions such as summer heat, damp-heat, and urinary difficulties. It is especially recommended for elderly individuals who may experience these symptoms due to aging.

Q2: How to make talcum congee for elderly longevity?

A2: To make talcum congee for elderly longevity, grind a small amount of food-grade talcum powder into a fine powder and cook it with rice or millet in water until the congee becomes smooth and slightly thickened. According to Zou Xuan’s health preservation teachings, this preparation should be consumed in moderation as part of a balanced diet to support cooling and detoxifying effects.

Q3: Is talcum congee safe for daily consumption?

A3: Talcum congee is not recommended for daily consumption because talcum, a mineral, may contain impurities such as asbestos if not properly processed, posing potential health risks. In traditional Chinese medicine, it is used only for short-term therapeutic purposes under professional guidance, especially for elderly individuals with specific heat-related conditions.

Q4: Who authored the New Book on Health Preservation and Care for the Aged?

A4: The New Book on Health Preservation and Care for the Aged was authored by Zou Xuan, styled Binghe and also known as Jingzhi Laoren, a native of Taining County during the Dade period of the Yuan Dynasty. He focused extensively on dietotherapy and health preservation for the elderly, compiling this four-volume work that includes references to preparations like talcum congee.

Q5: Can talcum congee be used to treat summer heat in the elderly?

A5: Yes, talcum congee can be used to treat summer heat in the elderly, as its cooling and damp-clearing properties help alleviate symptoms like thirst, scanty urine, and irritability. Zou Xuan’s book on longevity recommends such dietary therapy for temporary relief, but it should be used cautiously and not as a daily remedy.