Library

Whenever attending a pediatric case, regardless of the severity of the illness or the favorable/unfavorable nature of the syndrome, for children old enough to eat solid food, instruct them to observe dietary restrictions; for infants breastfeeding, instruct the nursing mother to observe dietary restrictions. Strictly prohibit consumption of meat, alcohol, and greasy foods, as well as sour, salty, pungent, and spicy items. Only fragrant tea and plain rice are permitted, with perhaps some honey-preserved fruits or sugar confections in small amounts. This is because the breasts are governed by the Stomach Meridian (Stomach Channel). Food entering the stomach undergoes rotting and ripening to transform into fine essence, which becomes Ying Blood (Nutritive Blood), stored in the Chong Mai (Penetrating Vessel). The Chong Mai carries blood upward, transforming it from red to white to become breast milk. Infants rely on this for life, sharing the physiological climate with the nursing mother, experiencing both auspicious and inauspicious outcomes together. Therefore, if the mother consumes hot-natured food, the child receives heat; if she consumes cold-natured food, the child receives cold; if she consumes toxic food, the child suffers toxicity. Among these, meat, alcohol, greasy, sweet, rich, and stagnating foods are particularly harmful. Thus, whenever an infant falls ill, if the nursing mother observes dietary restrictions, the illness can heal spontaneously even without medication. Have you not observed that children raised in remote, poor households, living on simple coarse food, are often robust and healthy, with few illnesses that resolve easily? People wonder why others' children are easier to raise, not realizing that those families lack sweet, rich, and stagnating foods, maintaining a light diet, hence fewer illnesses and easier recovery. In contrast, one's own nursing mother may indulge her appetite, disregarding restrictions on meat and alcohol. Even if the physician prescribes appropriate medicine, the uncleared quality of the milk and the oily stagnation of the digestive system prevent the medicinal power from being disseminated effectively, resulting in frequent and difficult-to-treat illnesses. This is a critical juncture; if the physician fails to strictly warn against it, the fault lies with the physician. As for the family, they often cause their own harm. When a breastfeeding infant is ill, if the mother is negligent regarding sexual activity, diet, temperature changes, or emotional states, yet relies solely on herbal remedies (roots and bark) for cure, how can such herbs overcome the ruthless "Ministerial Fire" (Xiang Huo) or neutralize tangible grease? This only causes the physician mental distress and the child suffering, which is deeply pitiable. Furthermore, the indulgent love of women requires vigilance. Once, my eighth-year-old cousin nearly died from Taiyang Disease (Cold Damage Syndrome) but was saved by a skilled physician. After recovering enough to walk, he was strictly ordered to avoid meat and fish. My aunt, having apologized face-to-face, secretly gave him a bowl of stewed trotters. Seeing the meat, he ate it all immediately, which I witnessed. That night, his condition deteriorated: limbs became cold, he vomited white foam, had phlegm rales in the throat, stared fixedly, and lost consciousness. My uncle and the physician were panicked and confused about the cause. Upon asking what he had eaten, the aunt denied it vehemently, hiding it well, so I dared not speak out. With no treatment strategy available, the physician resigned. I took Hawthorn Fruit (Shanzha), stir-fried and ground into powder, mixed with strong ginger decoction, and administered several times. Large doses of Hawthorn Fruit are excellent for promoting digestion and clearing stagnation. By early morning, he had several bowel movements, expelling greasy, sticky substances containing undigested meat, after which he regained consciousness. Seeing the excrement, my uncle realized the meat caused the deterioration, scolded his wife severely, almost leading to a rift. Fortunately, I intervened and advised me to treat him; I regulated his Spleen and calmed his mind. Such ambiguous situations, if not witnessed by me, would likely never be confessed by the aunt, even if the child died; the physician would remain unaware of the cause of death! Thus, the harm caused by women's negligence can be so severe. Given the vastness of the world, is there only one such case? Therefore, when dealing with wealthy or official families, one must earnestly explain this to prevent the dangers of indulgence.

During fetal development, the Chong Mai (Penetrating Vessel) transports blood to nourish the fetus; after birth, it carries blood to produce milk. Since milk is transformed from blood, an infant's Spleen and Stomach are uniquely adapted to this milk, while other foods are unsuitable. For infants aged one to two years, only milk should be consumed; grain foods must absolutely be avoided. Grain foods are tangible, hard, and difficult to digest. An infant's Spleen Qi (Vital Energy) is not yet strong and cannot transport and transform them, often leading to illness due to improper feeding. If milk is insufficient and grain food is necessary for nourishment, early rice should be stir-fried until cooked, ground into powder, mixed with a little white sugar, and taken with boiling water to prevent stagnation. Meat is even more harmful. Children under five who abstain from meat will generally not suffer Spleen diseases throughout their lives. Regrettably, ignorant parents are unreasonable; seeing the child recover slightly, they feed them meat, falsely claiming that "real supplementation is better than empty supplementation," asserting that medicinal tonification is "empty" while meat tonification is "real." From which classic does this saying originate? It is arrogant, absurd, and ignorant, deserving of scorn! Only when Spleen and Stomach stagnation occurs and the illness recurs do they panic and regret. Whose fault is this? Therefore, after an illness, infants must absolutely not use meat or fish recklessly; only vegetarian diets should be used for regulation. For one to half a month, wait until the Spleen Qi is robust before offering clear broths, still avoiding excessive sweet and rich foods. Sweet and rich foods not only fail to benefit the child but are sufficient to cause disease. If physicians understand this, treatment will not be hindered; if families follow these prohibitions, there will be no risk of relapse. This is not mere rhetoric, but based on deep knowledge and accurate observation. To rectify the root and clarify the source, nothing is more pertinent than this. Although my learning is limited, I have years of clinical experience and am fully aware of the faults of patients' families. Thus, I must speak from the heart, hoping future practitioners will take heed.