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Sweet in taste, neutral in nature, slightly warm, non-toxic.
It subdues floating Yang (subduing the upward-floating Yang energy), benefits people. It tonifies the Five Zang organs and treats deficiency exhaustion (consumptive disease caused by deficiency). It moistens hair and eliminates goiter qi (qi associated with neck masses).
Mr. Wu Jutong stated in his commentary on Xiao Ding Feng Zhu: "Dai Cai grows in salty water but tastes bland; its exterior is even-numbered and interior odd-numbered, resembling the Kan trigram (an I Ching hexagram symbolizing water and true Yang), thus it can tonify the true Yang within Yin. Its form opens and closes, so it can also subdue the hyperactive movement of true Yang." Li Shizhen's *Bencao Gangmu* quotes Ruan: "Dai Cai grows on seaweed, therefore it treats goiters with the same efficacy as seaweed."
Cooking this product with winter melon yields an especially delicious flavor.

Sweet in taste, warm in nature, non-toxic.
When boiled soft and made into soup, it is the primary remedy for tonifying deficiency and treating cold dysentery (dysentery due to deficiency-cold). It removes pathogenic heat and irritability from the chest and treats postpartum deficiency in women.
Commercially known as dried razor clams, they are quite delicious in soup, embodying medicine in food, eliminating diseases imperceptibly.
Razor clam shells: Place on tiles, expose to sun during the day and dew at night until the color turns white, rinse clean, grind into powder, mix with borneol to make a powder, blow into the throat to treat acute wind-throat (acute severe throat swelling and difficulty breathing).

Salty in taste, cold in nature, slightly toxic. Averse to Perilla, garlic, and Costus root. Avoid persimmons.
Harmonizes meridians and dissipates evil blood, clears heat knots and reconnects bones and tendons. Closes the fontanelle in infants, resolves sores caused by lacquer poison.
Cold in nature, it can induce wind, weakens medicinal potency. Pregnant women should not eat it. The claws can cause abortion.

1. Kudzu Starch
This is the starch extracted from Puerariae Radix (Kudzu Root). Sweet in taste, neutral in nature, non-toxic. Enters the Stomach meridian. It is an excellent dietary therapy for stopping thirst and generating fluids. Kou Zongshi of the Song Dynasty said: "In winter, take raw kudzu, crush it, put it in water, rub to extract starch, let it settle into piles. Put it in boiling water for a long time, it becomes like glue, very tough, mix with honey and eat." The practice of making kudzu into starch for food has a long history. Chen Cangqi of the Tang Dynasty said: "Making it into powder is particularly wonderful"; Su Song of the Song Dynasty also said: "People nowadays mostly make it into powder for food." Wind-dispelling drugs are mostly drying, but only kudzu is moistening; when made into powder, its nature becomes even milder. *Shi Yi Xin Jian* treats restlessness, heat, and thirst by cooking kudzu starch with millet; it also treats high fever and vomiting in children by mixing kudzu starch with water and consuming it with porridge. In my family's practice for various throat conditions, we often advise patients to consume this, mixed with a little sugar or honey, which tastes very sweet. It can clear heat, stop pain, and stop vomiting. I once used kudzu starch as an excipient to make Lozenge San (Key Powder) lozenges, which have characteristics of easy binding and disintegration, making them very convenient for application.

2. Lotus Root Starch
*Huanyou Biji* states: "South of the Huai River, there are many wetlands. Residents plant lotus roots, filter them into starch, wash thoroughly, remove dregs, retain the sweet liquid, dry in wind and sun until they become like broken pearls. Pour hot water over them to eat, possessing a unique flavor, worthy of being esteemed among wild foods. Especially famous is 'Pian Fen' (slice starch), selecting the best lotus roots for washing and drying, requiring ten times the labor of ordinary methods. Once made, it looks like flakes of snow, free of dust, and tastes superb." Zhu Quan (Zhu Xian) of the Ming Dynasty said: "Crush lotus root, soak and settle to extract starch; consuming it lightens the body and prolongs life." *Bencao Gangmu Shiyi* states it is "sweet in taste, fragrant in aroma, neutral in nature. Harmonizes the middle, opens the stomach, tonifies marrow and blood, moves Qi in the Qi division, clears superficial heat. Regular consumption calms the spirit, generates wisdom, clears summerheat, generates fluids, stops thirst, and arrests diarrhea." Lotus root nodes can also be crushed and settled to extract starch. *Bencao Gangmu Shiyi* states: "Sweet in taste, slightly bitter, neutral in nature. Opens the diaphragm, tonifies waist and kidneys, harmonizes blood vessels, dissipates all stasis, generates new blood. Especially good for postpartum women and those with hematemesis." Lotus root starch is smooth and easy to swallow, can stop bleeding and nourish Yin, open the stomach and generate fluids, so it is most suitable for throat conditions. The fruit, lotus seeds, ground into powder is Lotus Seed Starch. Sweet in taste, neutral in nature, non-toxic. Enters the Heart, Spleen, and Kidney meridians. *Bencao Jing* states it "tonifies the center, nourishes the spirit, boosts Qi and strength, eliminates hundred diseases." *Rihua Zhujia Bencao* states it "in large quantities makes people joyful." *Xinxiu Bencao* states it "lightens the body, boosts Qi, makes one strong." *Bencao Mengqian* states it "calms the fire pathogens of the ruler and minister above and below." Li Shizhen of the Ming Dynasty said it "connects Heart and Kidney, thickens intestines and stomach, secures essence and Qi, benefits ears and eyes." Based on these statements, deficiency-type throat conditions, such as tuberculous pharyngitis/laryngitis, or those accompanied by mental disorders, are suitable for its use. Generally, throat diseases accompanied by insufficiency of the Heart, Kidney, Spleen, and Stomach are also well-suited for its use.

3. Water Chestnut Starch
Water chestnut is recorded in *Mingyi Bielu*, originally named "Wu Yu" (Black Taro) because its root resembles taro but is black-colored. *Erya* calls it "Fu Zi" because ducks like to eat it. Due to phonetic similarity, it changed to "Fu Ci" and "Qi". Zheng Qiao's *Tongzhi* of the Song Dynasty called it "Di Li" (Earth Chestnut), likely taking its shape as reference. Its underground tuber processed into starch is Water Chestnut Starch. Sweet in taste, slightly cold in nature, smooth and non-toxic, enters the Lung, Stomach, and Intestine meridians. It is a substance that clears heat and transforms phlegm. Meng Shen of the Tang Dynasty said it "removes solid heat qi in the chest"; Su Song said it "thickens intestines and stomach, prevents hunger, can detoxify." *Shi Gui* states it can treat "wind-cold loss of voice". My family treats sore throat and loss of voice using water chestnut starch added with sugar, prepared with boiling water and taken frequently. For tumors of the throat and esophagus where soup and water are difficult to swallow, preparing starch for eating facilitates swallowing; for necrotic masses in the throat that are hard to recede, or keratinized like beads and hard to peel off, water chestnut starch combined with borax can be used as a blowing medicine. This product is also a wonderful item for removing corneal opacity in ophthalmology.

4. Water Caltrop Starch
This is starch made from water caltrop flesh. Zhu Quan said: "Crush, settle, and eat the starch; tonifies the middle and prolongs life." *Bencao Gangmu Shiyi* states it "can tonify Spleen and Stomach, boost Qi and strength, resist hunger and promote water metabolism, dispel summerheat and detoxify, strengthen legs and knees." When encountering elderly patients with chronic throat diseases presenting weakness symptoms, I often advise intermittent consumption of water caltrop starch, which indeed possesses strengthening power.

5. Euryale Starch
This is starch made from Euryale seed (Qian Shi). Su Jing of the Tang Dynasty said "making it into powder for food benefits people, surpassing water caltrop." *Yangyu Yueling* states it "benefits essence and Qi, strengthens intelligence, sharpens ears and eyes, secures essence and adds marrow." In my family's treatment of chronic throat conditions accompanied by deficiency, such as loose stools, spermatorrhea, and leukorrhea, I often recommend its use. It is also suitable for throat polyps (tonsillitis) accompanied by joint pain that recurs frequently. *Sunsheng Tanpu* states "when people eat Euryale seeds, they must chew them... this causes saliva to circulate and irrigate mutually, its merit surpasses mineral drugs." Whenever I encounter patients with sore throat and dry mouth, I often have them chew it, which generates abundant saliva in the mouth. In the Gengzi year, while serving in Jiuquan, I chewed and swallowed ten or more grains every night, feeling it indeed had extraordinary effects.

6. Yam Starch
Yam was originally named Shuyu. Later, to avoid the taboo of Emperor Daizong of Tang's name (Yu), it was changed to Shuyao; upon the reign of Emperor Yingzong of Song whose name was Shu, it was further changed to Shanyao. Sweet in taste, neutral in nature, non-toxic (*Bencao Jing* says slightly warm). Enters the Heart, Spleen, and Kidney meridians. It is a drug that tonifies Spleen and Kidney, and can also tonify the Heart and calm the spirit. Grind into powder, mix into paste, add sugar and eat. My family often uses this for the conditioning and aftercare of throat conditions. Used alone in large doses, its force is more focused and its effect more obvious. The bulbils formed on the yam vine are named Lingyuzi. Sweet in taste, warm in nature, non-toxic. Enters the Heart, Spleen, and Kidney meridians. It is a strengthening and kidney-tonifying drug. Chen Cangqi said it "benefits Kidney, strengthens waist and feet, tonifies deficiency, eating it prevents hunger." Li Shizhen said it "surpasses yam, is more delicious than taro." Grind into powder for dietary therapy. My family's experience is that yam focuses on tonifying Spleen, while this substance focuses on tonifying Kidney. Therefore, for vertigo and tinnitus caused by Kidney deficiency, soreness and weakness of the waist and legs, or accompanied by sore throat, it must be used.

7. Lily Bulb Starch
Made by grinding lily bulbs. Sweet in taste, neutral in nature, non-toxic. Enters the Heart and Lung meridians. It can nourish the Five Zang organs, benefit Yin and calm the spirit, moisten Lungs and stop cough, clear heat and promote urination. It is beneficial for heart deficiency with insomnia and mental unrest; lung deficiency with dry cough, even hemoptysis; Yin deficiency with heat and thirst, Spleen-Kidney dysfunction with edema and difficult urination. *Mingyi Bielu* once stated it "treats throat obstruction," referring generally to the later stage. *Suixiju Yinshi Pu* states it "manages the throat from above." In my family, for Yin deficiency after throat obstruction, throat abscess, diphtheria, and scarlet fever, or accompanied by mental unrest, cough, and edema, we always use it. Often imitating the formulas for Lily Disease in *Jingui Yaolue*, according to needs, appropriately adding Rehmannia, Anemarrhena, Talc, etc., or combining with Polygonatum, Asparagus, Ophiopogon, Dendrobium, etc. Shandan is the red-flowered variety of lily, with similar indications but slightly weaker tonifying power; using it in throat department formulas is also very appropriate. *Suixiju Yinshi Pu* says: "Clears the nutritive level and washes away summerheat, moistens dryness and unblocks intestines; whether steamed or boiled, it can also be settled into powder, benefiting people." Note: The "throat obstruction" in the second line should be read as acute critical throat obstruction.

8. Acorn Starch
Made by grinding acorns. Bitter in taste, slightly warm in nature, non-toxic. Enters the Spleen, Stomach, and Kidney meridians. It is a substitute food and also an astringent drug. *Liezi · Shuofu* records "eating water caltrop and trifoliate orange in summer, oak nuts in winter." The great Tang poet Du Fu also mentioned "gathering oak nuts" in his seven songs written while residing in Tonggu County during the Guangya era. Sun Simiao of the Tang Dynasty said it "is neither fruit nor grain, yet most beneficial to people... makes one strong and resistant to hunger." *Rihua Bencao* states it "boiled food stops hunger, defends against famine years." Li Shizhen said it "like old lotus meat, mountain people in lean years gather it for rice, or crush and soak to extract starch for eating." All the above are records of substitute foods. Regarding how to eat it, it should be soaked multiple times in water to wash away its astringency, then steamed and cooked; or ground into powder for eating; some are ground into slurry, filtered to take the sediment, dried into powder for application. The un-sedimented part can still be used to make jelly or tofu-like foods. In terms of treatment, broadly speaking, it astringes the intestines and stops diarrhea, and can also secure essence. For patients with sore throat accompanied by chronic diarrhea, warming and drying agents are not suitable; preparing acorn starch with sugar and drinking it is mild and highly effective. It is also suitable for cases where throat tuberculosis and intestinal tuberculosis appear together, accompanied by seminal emission or leukorrhea.

The starch foods listed above, collectively, can all treat various throat conditions; analytically, they have distinctions: Generally, Kudzu starch acts on the exterior; Water Chestnut starch clears phlegm; Lotus Root starch harmonizes the middle; Water Caltrop, Lotus Seed, Lily Bulb, Yam, and Lingyuzi starches can all tonify the middle, but each has its focus; Lotus Root, Lotus Seed, Lily Bulb, and Yam starches can all regulate emotions, but Lotus Root removes irritability, Lotus brings joy, Lily settles fright, and Yam calms the spirit; Euryale and Acorn starches both reach the lower Jiao to exert an astringent effect, but Euryale focuses on the anterior orifice, while Acorn focuses on the posterior orifice. If considering the disease stage, Kudzu starch is suitable for the early stage; fever or vomiting does not contraindicate it, and frequent intake is advisable; for thirst in the later stage, its use is also acceptable. Water Chestnut starch is also suitable for the early stage; if phlegm-heat remains heavy in the later stage, its use is also acceptable. Yam starch and Lily Bulb starch are both suitable for the later stage; Water Caltrop starch is suitable for the later stage and chronic patients; Lotus Seed, Euryale, and Lingyuzi starches are both suitable after illness; Acorn starch is suitable for chronic diseases with loose bowels; Lotus Root starch is suitable for both early and late stages, being a general-purpose product.