ReadersMagnet Authors’ Lounge is pleased to introduce Nourishing Wisdom for Life – A Chinese Guide to Health for Families and New Mothers by Sylvia L Quan.  The book serves as a unique guide to general health for families and women’s postpartum care based on the traditional Chinese culture. 

Sylvia L Quan developed an interest in Chinese medicine while living in Hong Kong. After moving to Houston, she developed several chronic medical conditions that Western medicine could not treat. The situation led her back to traditional Chinese remedies for healing, such as acupuncture, herbal medicine, and energy healing.  It was in Houston that she encountered YSY Therapy.  Named after the inventor, Dr. Yong Shu Yang, YSY Therapy was later recognized as YSY Medicine by the Chinese Academy of Sciences in the 1990s.  Dr. Yang attempts to combine the technical precision of western medicine with the ancient knowledge and more holistic approach of Chinese medicine.  Sylvia served as her interpreter when Dr. Yang worked as a researcher in Houston.  During this time, she was able to observe, question and learn about her unique field of holistic healing, which is in harmony with traditional Chinese culture.   Sylvia’s knowledge was further enriched by the teaching of Dr. Yang.  

At her daughters’ urging, Sylvia has spent the past several years developing this book to provide insights into and illustrate the fundamental principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and energy therapy. She wishes to highlight these practices’ unique cultural approach to health in terms of food and environment.

Nourishing Wisdom for Life:  A Chinese Guide to Health for Families & New Mothers featured in Authors’ Lounge is an excellent read which delves into Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) theories and the corresponding foods that nourish, restore and heal.  The book also provides Chinese food recipes for herbal soups and teas, as well as general tips and recommendations to promote the health of both new mothers and the entire family.

Launched in April of 2019, the book became the #1 New Release within the first week and receives perfect 5-Star Rating on Amazon.  The introduction of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and the recipes are written in simple and easy format with beautiful illustrations and pictures.

The Theory of Yin and Yang

The Concept of the Twelve Meridians

The Law of the Five Elements  

Sylvia L Quan explained the concept of energy and illustrated the characteristics of yin and yang.   

Yin:  female, shade, dark, interior, cold, water, moist, earth, slow, matter, suppressing, inhibition, descending, contracting, conserving and nourishing.

Yang:  male, light, sun, exterior, hot, fire, dry, hard, sky, rapid, energy, uplifting, excitement, ascending, expanding, transforming, warm and strengthening. 

There are yin and yang properties of food, which enable us to maintain the healthy physical state by balancing the warming or cooling system of the bodies.

Common yin foods which have cooling properties include:  soy products, fish, watermelon, grapefruit, orange, lemon, blueberry, strawberry, watercress, cucumbers, carrots, mustard greens, spinach, tomato, lettuce, etc.

Common yang foods which have warming properties include:  beef, lamb, chicken, turkey, pork, ginger, cinnamon, pepper, sesame oil, alcoholic beverages, yam, apples, peaches, etc.

The Twelve Meridians refers to the network of channels existing in our bodies which allow for the fundamental substances of qi (energy), blood and bodily fluids to pass through to supply to every part of the body.  There are six yin and six yang meridians.  Each meridian connects with a specific organ, circulates through a certain part of the body to the surface of the skin, and comes in contact with the external environment.

The Five Elements refer to the five elements that exist in nature:  Metal, Water, Wood, Fire and Earth.   Each organ meridian corresponds to one of the Five Elements.

The second part of the book focuses on traditional Chinese recipes with pictures for strengthening and restoring health.  Examples include Toasted Rice and Ginger Tea; Red Dates, Longan, And Wolfberries Tea; Chicken Wine Soup; Pigs’ Feet, Ginger, And Sweet Dark Vinegar Stew; Black Chicken Soup, etc. The last part of the book recommends other recipes and tips for the whole family.

It is a timeless resource for any household to keep for generations. The book is now available here on Amazon in paperback and Kindle.