The common cold
Whenever I get sick, I like to make myself chicken soup. This is not, however, you average, run-of-the-mill, Campbell’s-style chicken soup. Mine will clear up symptoms overnight. I’ve made it for friends as well with wonderful results.
Chicken soup has long been held as a cold remedy. Combining my knowledge of Western botanical/herbal medicine, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) nutrition, and human biochemistry and physiology, I decided to make a more curative version of the classic recipe. The medicinal qualities of the ingredients are as follows:
Let’s start with chicken. As long as it is free-range and organic, and preferably grass-fed, you’ve got something good to work with. Personally, I only like to eat happy animals, and I define happy as being able to run around outside and eat it’s natural diet…which for chickens consists mainly of grass and bugs, and maybe some organic chicken feed. Chicken is a great source of protein, niacin (a B vitamin), selenium, vitamin B6, pantothenic acid (another B vitamin), and phosphorus. According to TCM, chicken builds energy and supports digestive function. Always rinse your chicken in cold water prior to cooking. However, some children (and adults) may have an allergy or sensitivity to chicken, so be sure to rule this out before feeding it to anyone.
Shitake mushrooms are one of the most popular immune system supportive foods in the world. I’ve heard of one woman here in the Pacific Northwest who cultivates shitakes and refers to them as here “health insurance policy.” Shitakes have been used medicinally for 6,000 years in China, and they are a symbol of longevity in East Asian countries. This tells me they work. Shitakes contain the polysaccharide lentinan, which stimulates the immune system to increase its infection-fighting power. They also contain selenium and other trace minerals necessary for proper cell function.
Lemon juice is the most concentrated and powerful form (naturally) of vitamin C, which we all know is quite beneficial when it comes to fighting infection. Always choose organic if you are going to be using the peel (which this recipe does) so that you don’t run the risk if ingesting pesticide residues. The outer part of the peel (the zest) contain volatile oils—which I’ll discuss in a minute—and the white, inner part of the peel contains a phytochemical called limonene, which has been shown to have anti-cancer activity. Since whole slices are used in this recipe, and softened by being cooked in the soup, you can eat the whole thing. Delicious.
Volatile oils are a plant’s immune system, and so we can use them to help our own. The majority are anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and anti-microbial in general. Parsley, thyme, basil, and lemon peel all contain high amounts of volatile oils. Thyme in particular is especially helpful and is specifically used medicinally to treat respiratory infections and bronchitis. It helps to relax the airways to make breathing easier, and to help clear any gunk from your lungs.
I like to “heat up” a “cold”, since I believe a big part of health is balance. That is why I include ginger, cumin, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. All four are considered “warming” herbs. Ginger aids digestion as well. Cumin has shown to be enhance the liver’s detoxification enzymes. Cayenne actually works as an anti-inflammatory and pain-reliever. Black pepper supports and enhances the detoxification actions of the liver as well, and it also dramatically increases the absorption of selenium and B vitamins.
And finally, there is garlic. Garlic is famous for its benefits to the immune system, especially when used fresh. For this soup, I mince a bunch of fresh garlic and add it at the very end after the soup has been removed from heat. This preserves most of its beneficial compounds that are lost during the cooking process. It stimulates digestion and increases circulation. Garlic is very high in vitamins and minerals, and is nicknamed “Russian penicillin” due to its excellent infection-fighting capacity.
Here’s the recipe if you want to try it out:
Dr. Jessie's Healing Chicken Soup
Ingredients:
2 breasts from a free-range, grass fed chicken, bone in, skin on and rinsed in cool water
filtered or distilled water
2 cubes vegetable bouillon
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 large carrot, finely diced
2 stalks celery, finely diced
1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1 tablespoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon whole black peppercorns
6-10 medium shitake mushrooms, sliced
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (can substitute ½ teaspoon red chili flakes)
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ cup parsley, chopped
6 cloves fresh garlic, minced
½ cup fresh basil, chiffonade
5 lemon slices, sliced thin
Preparation:
1. Place chicken in a stockpot and add enough water to completely cover. Bring to almost a boil and then simmer, covered, until chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes.
2. Remove chicken and set aside when cooked. Skim off any foam that has collected on water surface. Add bouillon, onion, carrot, celery, ginger, turmeric, cumin and peppercorns to water and bring to a boil.
3.When water has reached boiling, return to a simmer until vegetables are softened but not mushy, about 7 minutes.
4. Turn heat to low and add shitakes, stir and cover.
5. When chicken has cooled enough to handle, remove skin and discard, then remove meat from bone and discard the bones. Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces, but do not add to soup just yet.
6. When vegetables are desired texture, reduce heat to low and add shitakes, stir and let sit for a minute, covered.
7. Add remaining ingredients (cayenne through lemon) and stir to incorporate ingredients.
8. Add chicken. Let soup rest over very low heat for another couple minutes, covered, then remove from heat. Let sit covered until cooled enough to eat. Serve and enjoy!
Total prep time: 90 minutes to 2 hours
Yield: a really large pot of soup ;)
Copyright 2010, Jessie Carroll, original recipe
As always, if you have any questions, want further explanation of the benefits of these foods, or just want to leave a comment…please feel free!
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