Hi! On Thursday I posted about one of the best seafood restaurants in Shanghai (click Here). Well, while the food was AMAZING, the high volume of protein and fiber really pissed my stomach off. Luckily, my mom had the perfect solution: Rice Soup.

Okay, so what makes rice soup so great? According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, it gets rid of the “dampness” that impairs digestion. I don’t know about you, but that’s just confusing. I have my own reasons:

First, it’s natural and will not cause side effects like OTC drugs might. For me personally, meds like TUMS or Peptobismol work, but things tend to get…..backed up. Also, it tastes much better, in my opinion, than meds or other natural remedies, especially the spice based ones. Finally, its helps digestion even when you aren’t feeling icky.

It’s also simple to make:

First, gather the ingredients- rice, jobs tears(the pearly looking things) and water. You can technically make it with just rice (any type works), but adding job’s tears, which have been shown to aid digestion, really gives the “soup” a boost. Since this is not congee, a small handful will be enough. Heat a wok to high and cook the rice and jobs tears until golden brown (10-15min), the reduce heat to low and continue cooking for another 15-20min. Heating the grains supposedly releases nutrients and creates a charcoal- like effect. I have no idea whether this is true or not, but the cooking process gives it a rich, nutty tastse

Finally, add 3-4 liters of water and cook for another 20-30 min or so. The water should be get murky and have a strong nutty aroma. Drink warm for best results.

Okay, Okay…. this remedy is quite a bit more time consuming than TUMs, or ginger tea, but you could easily make large quantities and store.

Whether you believe in TCM or not, trust me, “rice soup” works. Even if I haven’t overeaten, I find it helps reduce bloating and keeps me regular

That’s it for now. I hope everyone has a great week. See you next week!

• Healthy