Daikon Radish Honey can be a really helpful herbal preparation to take both preventatively in the autumn and winter months as well as to help with coughs especially when there's phlegm present.
Daikon radish contains vitamin C, calcium, magnesium, copper, iron and vitamin B6. These vitamins and minerals help to support the immune system (vitamin C), alleviate stress (vitamin C), improve bone health (calcium + magnesium), manage blood pressure (potassium + magnesium), improve muscle and nerve function (potassium + magnesium) and support cardiovascular health and circulation (copper + iron). ¹
In Chinese Medicine theory, daikon radishes are cooling, pungent and neutral (when they're thoroughly cooked) and they enter the spleen, stomach, lung and large intestine meridians. They help in supporting the digestive system (reduces food stagnation, indigestion, bloating, burping and slow bowel movements) and dissolving phlegm (both chronic coughs and coughs with phlegm). ²
There’s a saying in mandarin that’s similar to "an apple a day keeps the doctor away" in English but radish and ginger are used instead.
The phrase is:
冬吃萝卜夏吃姜, 不用医生开药方
Pin Yin: Dōng chī luóbo xià chī jiāng, bùyòng yīshēng kāi yàofāng
Translation: “Eat radish in the winter and ginger in the summer and you won’t need a doctor’s prescription.”
Honey also carries medicinal properties and in Chinese Medicine Theory, honey is warming and sweet. It enters the lung and stomach meridians and replenishes, qi, blood and yin. It is moistening, hydrating, clears toxins and relieves pain.⁶
Preparation Instructions:
Wash, peel and cut the daikon radish into cubes and fill a jar 3/4 of the way full with the radishes.
Pour honey over the radish so it covers the jar and seal the lid.
Within about 30 minutes the radish honey will also become slightly more liquidy which comes with the reaction of the radish with honey.
Place preparation in the fridge.
This preparation can be used for children (3 years and up) as well as adults.
Recommended Dosage:
Children (1 teaspoon daily or 3 teaspoons twice daily if having a cough with phlegm).
Adults (1 tablespoon daily or 2 tablespoons twice daily if having a cough with phlegm).
Note that these are recommended generalizations and each person may require different doses depending on what's presented. For further support, seek out the guidance of an East Asian Medicine Practitioner.
Other ways to use: You can also use this herbal preparation with cooking other vegetables or other food preparations (adding-in after they're cooked as we don't want to overcook honey). This you can utilize daily or on a more regulatory basis so it is easier to incorporate than just taking it alone.
Note that these herbal preparations are general preparations that can be supportive AND if a cough or cold/flu gets worse, we also offer acute care herbal consultations via telehealth that you can schedule here.
Considerations:
Radish is considered to interact with ginseng so if you’re taking anything with ginseng, it may be best to avoid consuming radishes.
References:
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