A mother once brought her 10-year-old daughter to see Dr Li Rui. For nearly a year, the child had been unable to concentrate in class, and her poor focus and memory were severely impacting her learning progress and academic grades.
After a diagnostic assessment through the four pillars of TCM (Observation, Listening/Smelling, Inquiry, and Palpation), Dr Li Rui confirmed that the girl's cognitive ability and memory functions were actually normal. The root issue was Allergic Rhinitis, which disrupted her sleep at night, leading to daytime fatigue and lethargy. Furthermore, she had been suffering from daily morning sneezing and nasal congestion for a year. These combined issues were clearly causing her lack of concentration in the classroom, which in turn affected her academic performance.
Having analyzed the cause and symptoms, Dr Li Rui utilized a combination of herbal medicine and acupuncture to stimulate the body's self-regulatory mechanisms. This approach improved internal organ functions while simultaneously strengthening the child’s immunity. The treatment was highly effective, gentle, and free of side effects.
Dr Li Rui also emphasizes that children require adequate nutrition and healthy lifestyle habits. Above all, sleep is vital for pediatric brain development. School-aged children need at least 10 hours of sleep per day. Many parents increase study hours and reduce sleep time during exam periods; however, this actually increases psychological pressure and can negatively impact academic results.
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Brain-Boosting Dietary Therapy: TCM Brain Nourishing Soup for Exam Periods
Parents can prepare this beneficial TCM herbal soup during exam periods to help children relieve stress while improving memory and brain function.
Ingredients:
1. Honey-glazed Astragalus (Zhi Huang Qi) – 50g
2. Codonopsis (Dang Shen) – 15g
3. Honey-glazed Licorice (Zhi Gan Cao) – 10g
4. Poria (Fu Ling) – 25g
5. Minced Beef – 75g
6. Egg – 1
7. Thin Congee – 250g
8. Shaoxing Wine – ½ tbsp
9. Small amount of spring onion, shredded ginger, and celery (chopped)
10. Salt, pepper, and sesame oil to taste
Method:
1. Add 8 cups of water to a pot.
2. Wash ingredients 1–4 and bring to a boil in the pot.
3. Once boiling, reduce to low heat and simmer for approximately 50 minutes.
4. Turn off the heat, remove the herbs, and keep the herbal broth.
5. Mix the minced beef with 1/4 of the beaten egg, pepper, and Shaoxing wine. Stir well.
6. Add the thin congee (250g) and shredded ginger to 100g of the herbal broth and bring to a boil.
7. Once boiling, add the seasoned minced beef and stir gently.
8. Season with salt, spring onion, and celery according to taste. Finally, add a few drops of sesame oil before serving.
This soup not only soothes a child's tension during exam periods but also helps improve memory and brain health.
