Wage Peace by John Paul Jackson

Contrary to modern Western thought, peace is a fairly violent word.

In Greek, peace means to obtain quietness by removing what seeks to distract and destroy you. It is not a compliant serenity but an aggressive taking out, a forceful extraction.

Peace has a very similar meaning in Hebrew. When we study the Hebrew pictographs that comprise the word peace, we find that it, too, is not merely a state of mind; it means to destroy or remove the chaos and anarchy around you.

So based on this understanding, when Jesus said, “Peace be with you,” He was not simply greeting His disciples. No, He was issuing a command to the chaos and anarchy in their lives. Essentially, He was saying, “May the chaos and anarchy that are trying to keep you from doing what God wants you to do be removed from your life.”

Peace is not a passive word. The peace of God has the strength to root up and demolish every single work of darkness that is meant to keep God’s Kingdom from advancing. When peace comes, it literally destroys the work of the evil one (1 John 3:8). It tears apart the anarchy around us. It dissolves the tumult. We could say that God’s peace is a weapon, not just our refuge.

Contrary to modern Western thought, peace is a fairly violent word. In Greek, peace means to obtain quietness by removing what seeks to distract and destroy you. It is not a compliant serenity but an aggressive taking out, a forceful extraction.

"Shalom" (in blue) and "Salaam" (in green) meaning "peace" in Hebrew and Arabic respectively.

Peace has a very similar meaning in Hebrew. When we study the Hebrew pictographs that comprise the word peace, we find that it, too, is not merely a state of mind; it means to destroy or remove the chaos and anarchy around you.

So based on this understanding, when Jesus said, “Peace be with you,” He was not simply greeting His disciples. No, He was issuing a command to the chaos and anarchy in their lives. Essentially, He was saying, “May the chaos and anarchy that are trying to keep you from doing what God wants you to do be removed from your life.”

Peace is not a passive word. The peace of God has the strength to root up and demolish every single work of darkness that is meant to keep God’s Kingdom from advancing. When peace comes, it literally destroys the work of the evil one (1 John 3:8). It tears apart the anarchy around us. It dissolves the tumult.

We could say that God’s peace is a weapon, not just our refuge.

StreamsMinistries.com

May 2012
by John Paul Jackson

The Bone-setting Therapy in Traditional Chinese Medicine

 

The bone-setting therapy in traditional Chinese medicine is a treatment for motor system diseases like bone fracture and joint dislocation through pulling, repositioning and aligning etc, with small splints keeping the broken bones in position. The therapy is a key component in traditional Chinese medicine, dating back over 3,000 years. As early as the Zhou Dynasty, there were already doctors specialized in orthopedic disease treatment. Basic theories and techniques in this field took shape in the Qin and Han Dynasties and were handed down from generation to generation. Such theories and techniques were greatly featured in medical works like the Thousand Golden Essential Prescriptions.
During the course of long-term medical practices, a unique and systematic set of theories, principles and methods about the bone-setting therapy has been formed, gaining rich experiences. Using small splints to hold bones in position was pioneered in China and later followed by many other countries. The bone-setting therapy is arguably one of the remarkable contributions traditional Chinese medicine has made to the world medical science.    
Characterized by “no operations, no medications, quick recovery and cheap expenses”, the age-old bone-setting therapy in traditional Chinese medicine has proved popular with the masses of patients. Simple and effective therapies like this have contributed a great deal to the health of the Chinese nation in the long-term medical practices. Meanwhile, such therapies have been passing from one generation to another and enjoying continuing development. 

Recipe: Ginger Puer Tisanes

 

Ingredients:

Thumb size ginger

1/2 tsp puer tea

 12 oz water.

Method:

Bruise the ginger and add to water in a non-metalic pot.

Add the Puer tea.

Bring to a simmer for 15 mins.

Strain and drink warm or hot.

Ginger gets to root of summer ills

 

Ginger tea helps dispel pathogenic cold and is recommended for those working in cool air-conditioned rooms.

Ginger is a warm-energy herb and is especially helpful in summer to treat conditions caused by spending too much time in air-conditioned rooms.

Eating turnip in winter and ginger in summer to keep the doctor away - that's the traditional Chinese medicine version of "an apple a day" in the West. The saying is widely known and has been passed down through generations.

While ginger has myriad uses all year round and many people wisely eat a few thin slices a day, it is especially useful in summer.

Ginger is a powerful antioxidant and it is famous around the world for soothing the stomach, fighting inflammation, stimulating circulation, thinning the blood, reducing spasms and cramps, easing joint pain and fighting internal infection and external sores.

The spicy, fragrant ginger root is classified as a yang (hot energy) herb in TCM and can relieve summer discomforts and problems caused by what TCM calls "pathogenic" cold and bacteria. These include indigestion, loss of appetite, lack of energy and conditions related to spending hours in air-conditioned rooms in summer.

Adding a few thin slices to food usually improves the digestive system and increases appetite. A small cup of ginger tea can help refresh the mind.

Spending time in air-conditioned rooms and drinking icy beverages are common in summer, but a cool environment, inside and out, also provides opportunities of pathogenic cold to invade the body.

In summer, the yang energy in the universe is strong and the yin (cold energy) is weak, making people vulnerable to ailments related to cold, according to traditional Chinese medicine.

As pores open in the heat, cold energy enters the body, causing common problems like the common cold and aching joints. Too much iced foods and beverages aggravate the energy imbalance inside the body, causing problems for the stomach and spleen, such as diarrhea and indigestion.

Ginger, as a warm herb, helps warm the body, promote sweating and relieve indigestion due to pathogenic cold. Gingerols (related compounds), curcumin (also in turmuric) and capsaicum (also in chili peppers) are major active ingredients.

Many people may feel hot after eating ginger and sweat more due to accelerated blood circulation. As pores open wider, pathogenic energies can be expelled together with the sweat, which helps rebuild the balance in the body.

A strong ginger solution can be applied externally to relieve joint aches caused by pathogenic cold.

Apart from expelling "cold" invasion, ginger can also help defend the body against bacteria since it has antimicrobial properties. Because bacteria reproduce quickly in summer, acute stomach or intestine inflammation is a problem for many people.

Eating some ginger or drinking ginger tea has an antibiotic effect and helps kill salmonella. Serving ginger with seafood is a common practice in China and Japan.

Gargling with a ginger solution can also help relieve bad breath and gum inflammation.

Despite its many benefits, ginger is not for everyone.

Ginger helps people bothered by pathogenic cold problems, but it can aggravate problems due to pathogenic heat.

People with high blood pressure, diabetes, inflammation of lungs, kidneys or gallbladder should be very cautious when eating ginger.

And no one should eat too much. A few slices - around 10 grams - a day are usually enough in summer, says Dr Xia. Otherwise, people can sweat too much, feel frequent thirst or get a sore throat.

The peel of ginger is "cool" in property (yin energy) that can partially neutralize the "warm" ginger itself. Retaining the peel helps reduce "hot" side effects of ginger.

But those who have too much internal cold (yin), are advised to eat ginger without the peel. It is recommended to serve peeled ginger with "cold" dishes such as bitter cucumber and crabs.

Ginger tea

Add boiling water to a cup containing a few slices of ginger.

Drink when it cools a little.

Benefits: Helps dispel pathogenic cold. Recommended for those working in cool air-conditioned rooms.

Ginger solution for joint pain (external application)

Make strong ginger soup, add a little salt and vinegar.

Soak a towel in the solution, wring and apply to painful joints.

Benefits: Relieves joint pain caused by pathogenic cold and activates blood circulation.

Ginger and brown sugar soup

Make soup with chopped ginger, sweeten with brown sugar.

Drink while relatively hot.

Benefits: Helps dispel pathogenic cold and relieve symptoms of common cold and indigestion (vomiting and diarrhea). Helps relieve painful menstruation. Women working with AC offices can drink a cup a day if they frequently feel cold.

TCM: Dietary Advice for Each Season

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the world is a harmonious and holistic entity where all living beings are viewed in relation to the surrounding environment. Since ancient times, the Chinese have tried to explain different complicated phenomena by creating yin yang or the five elements theories.

 Man is part of the holistic entity, and takes his cue from nature. He is influenced directly and indirectly by changes in weather and needs to make corresponding physiological and pathological responses. For example, a change of season causes the rate, rhythm, volume and tension of the pulse to vary. The pulse tends to be taut in spring, full in summer, floating in autumn, and sunken in winter. 

TCM physicians will take this into account when distinguishing the abnormal pulse from the normal. The occurrence, development and change in the pattern of many diseases are seasonal such as wenbing occurring in spring, sun strokes in summer, dryness-related symptoms in autumn, and cold stroke syndromes in winter.

Published in 1330AD, illustration of Yinshan Zhengyao (Important Principles of Food and Drink) states that spring is appropriate to eat wheat.
However, we can take active measures to prevent disease and maintain good health. One common method is to consume different foods according to the season. The Chinese widely believe that we are what we eat, and most dietary guidelines follow on from nature. According to TCM philosophies, if we imbibe seasonal foods that are similar in nature to the external environment, we remain in harmony with the environment, adapt better to changes in season and stay healthy. The basic applying principle is "nourishing yang in spring and summer time, and nourishing yin in autumn and winter time." The ancient Chinese realized that in accordance with seasonal changes, yang qi tends to flow outwards and occupies the body surface in spring and summer and therefore, the innards get relatively depleted of yang qi and need replenishing. At the same time, the weather in autumn and winter is cold and dry, and it is important to keep warm and prevent dryness. Through the methods of replenishing yin and nourishing dryness, TCM believes it is a way to build up energy and prepare for the coming seasons.

Recipe: Snow Fungus, Papaya and Almond Tisanes

Ingredients
(Serves 6-8)

- 2 litres water
- 20 grams (1 piece) snow fungus (aka white jelly fungus, white wood ear, silver ear, 雪儿)
- 500g of cut ripe and firm papaya
- 1 tsp bitter almonds (aka Northern almonds/北杏) and 1 tsp sweet almonds (aka Southern almonds /南杏) – see cooking note 1 below
- 5 pandan leaves, tied to a knot
- 120g rock sugar (冰糖) (adjust to taste)
- 10 pitted red dates (红枣)

Directions
1. Soak snow fungus in a bowl of hot water (covered) for about half an hour, then carefully discard water. The white fungus should be puffed up and turn a whiter shade. Using a pair of kitchen scissors, trim and discard the dark yellow hard part on the centre underside of the fungus. Cut the rest of the fungus to smaller pieces and reserve for step 2.
2. Peel (using a vegetable peeler or knife) the papaya skin. Cut the papaya in half lengthwise, and use a spoon to scrap out all the seeds. Cut into small, bite-sized chunks.
3. In a soup pot, add water, cut fungus pieces, pandan leaves, red dates and almonds. Bring to a boil and then simmer (with lid partially closed) for 20 minutes. Add papaya pieces and simmer till the papaya are soft (about another 20 minutes or more, see cooking note 2 below).
4. Add rock sugar to taste and off the flame when the sugar is fully dissolved. Discard pandan leaves. Serve warm or chilled.

Cooking Notes
1. Bitter almonds in its raw state are said to be toxic if consumed in large amounts. Even though these almonds are cooked, do not add too much of it to be safe (1 tsp is more than enough to me). You can also substitute with sweet almonds if you are more comfortable with it.
2. Step 3 – If you like your snow fungus to be more crunchy, you can add papaya to the ingredients first instead of adding it after simmering the snow fungus.

Recipe:Snow Fungus, Longan & Ginkgo Tisanes

Ingredients
(serves 6 to 8)
- 40 grams snow fungus (also known as white jelly fungus, silver ear, white wood ear, 雪儿)
- 2 litres water
- 5 pandan leaves, tied to a knot
- 50g dried longan (龙眼干)
- 120g rock sugar (冰糖) (adjust to taste)
- 100g (about 30) ginkgo (gingko) nuts (白果) (either canned or vacuum-packed type)
- 20 pitted red dates (红枣)

Directions
1. Soak white fungus in a bowl of hot water (covered) for about half an hour, then carefully discard water. The white fungus should be puffed up and turn a whiter shade. Using a pair of kitchen scissors, trim and discard the dark yellow hard part on the centre underside of the fungus. Cut the rest of the fungus to smaller pieces and reserve for step 2.
2. In a soup pot, add water, cut fungus pieces, pandan leaves, longan and red dates. Bring to a boil and then simmer (with lid partially closed) for 20 minutes. Add gingko nuts and continue simmering for 10 minutes.
3. Add rock sugar to taste and off the flame when the sugar is fully dissolved. Discard pandan leaves. Serve warm or chilled.

Cooking Tips
1. Look out for good quality white fungus recognizable by its whole fungus shape – better ones are cleaner and more fragrant.
2. If you are using raw gingko nuts, gently crack open the shells with a mortar and pestle, insert a toothpick to flick out the dirt in the centre of the nut which is bitter tasting. You will need to increase the simmering time in step 2 (at least 1 hour instead of half an hour or until the nuts are soft). Add the white fungus at the last 30 minutes of simmering.
3. You can substitute gingko nuts with lotus nuts, or use a combination of both.
4. Instead of dried longans, you can substitute with fresh or canned longans which you add to the dessert when serving (no need to simmer).

Recipe: Sea Coconut and Snow Fungus Tisanes

Ingredients
800 gm fresh sea coconut, remove skin and slice thinly
10 preserved honey dates (mut choe)
20 gm dried snow fungus, soak to soften, stemmed and trimmed to small pieces
3 litre water
30 gm dried longan, rinsed
80 gm rock sugar

Method
Bring water and honey dates to a boil, about 15 mins.  Add in the sea coconut, rock sugar and white snow fungus.  Simmer on medium heat for about 1 hr.  Add in the longan, continue to simmer for another 15 mins.
Fine tune to desired sweetness, turn off heat and leave to cool.  Can be served warm or chilled.

Sea coconut with the skin.  Skin removed revealing the white flesh which is then sliced thinly.  Preserved honey dates and dried longan in the centre.  

On the left is dried snow fungus

 and next to it is softened snow fungus, stemmed and trimmed to small pieces.

Snow Fungus Eye Mask Treatment

 

Snow fungus is rich in protein, vitamins and other minerals; therefore snow fungus powder can be used to slowdown aging, remove wrinkles and tighten the skin. 

If applied regularly to the eye area, it is effective to remove freckles and chloasma. 

Cook the snow fungus powder into thick extract, and store it in the refrigerator after it cools down. Each time apply three to five drops of the extract to the canthi or the area around the eyes. This will   whiten the skin, diminish wrinkles, and restore elasticity to the eye area. 

It is recommended that the extract should be applied once a day.

Snow Fungus - Tremella fuciformis 雪耳

Introduction
Snow fungus is a species of mushrooms categorized by its lacy, clusters-like and “snowball” appearance, which may explain how the name is derived. It is usually available for purchase in the dried form, which is pale yellow in colour. The dry fungus needs to be reconstituted in water before cooking. When soaked in water, the fungus expands, turns white and also takes on a wobbly and gelatin-like texture. When cooked, it retains a slight crunch (unless stewed for a longer time) despite its slippery and jelly-like texture.

Tremella fuciformis, also known as white fungus, snow fungus or silver mushroom, is a type of jelly fungus, which belongs to the genus Tremella, the family Tremellaceae, the kingdom Funji.
Highly nutritious, snow fungus contains protein, fat and various amino acids, minerals and glycogen. Altogether 17 kinds of amino acids are included in the protein of snow fungus, and three fourth of the amino acids required by human body can be supplied by it. 

Snow fungus is rich in various minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, iron, potassium, sodium, magnesium, and sulfur, among which calcium and iron take the largest proportion. There are 643 milligram calcium and 30.4 milligram in per 100 gram of snow fungus. In addition, the snow fungus also contains various kinds of glycogen such as trehalose, pentosan, and mannitol. 

Highly nutritious, it is a high-quality tonic that can keep the body fit and vigorous. It is often used to make sweet dessert soup. In daily life, it can also be added when you are cooking porridge or pork.

Common Uses
They are often used in Chinese cooking for making desserts, and a bowl of snow fungus dessert soup has sometimes been likened to the poor man’s bird nest’s (while it used to be expensive and rare in the wild, it is now very affordable after being farmed commercially). Chinese Singaporeans sometimes cook a bowl of snow fungus with red dates dessert sweet soup during auspicious occasions (such as weddings) and celebrations (Chinese New Year) presumably because its sweetness symbolises sweet blessings (甜甜蜜蜜). Besides desserts, they are also used in savoury dishes.

How to Prepare
Soak white fungus in a bowl of hot water (covered) for about half an hour, then carefully discard water. The white fungus should be puffed up and turn a whiter shade. Using a pair of kitchen scissors, trim and discard the dark yellow hard part on the centre underside of the fungus. Cut the rest of the fungus to smaller pieces.

Names
1) Scientific Name: Tremella fuciformis
2) Chinese (both simplified and traditional): 雪耳 (literally “snow ear”)
Mandarin Pinyin: xuě ěr
3) Chinese (Simplified: 银耳; Traditional: 銀耳; literally “silver ear”)
Mandarin Pinyin: yín ěr
4) Chinese (both simplified and traditional): 白木耳 (literally “white wood ear”)
Mandarin Pinyin: bái mù ěr
5) Japanese: shiro kikurage (シロキクラゲ, literally “white tree jellyfish”)

Health Benefits & Properties
White fungus is highly nutritious and has long been regarded as a very healthy ingredient. It has health benefits such as improving blood circulation, and strengthening respiratory system. It is also said to have cancer fighting and anti-aging properties.

Selection
Look out for good quality white fungus recognizable by its whole fungus shape – better ones are cleaner and more fragrant.

Storage
Store dried fungus (sealed, in an air-tight vessel) in a cool, dry place (such as fridge or freezer section).

Recipe: Puer Tea - Aids Digestion

Function: 

Aids digestion, expels fat, diuretic, laxative.

10 grams Puer tea

18 oz filtered water - boiled 

Pour the hot water over the tea leaves and steep for 5 minutes.

Drink hot especially after a meal.

Recipe: Tangerine Peel Tisanes - Improves Spleen and Liver Functions

Function: 

Improves spleen and liver function; expels toxins and fluids (diuretic).

4 grams of Tangerine Peel
12 oz filtered water

- Bring to a simmer for 15 mins.
Drink hot or warm.

Venting your spleen - TCM advice on fat

If you want to fight fat the TCM way, you should eat foods to promote a healthy spleen.  The foods that will help this are Chinese pearl barley, known as Job's tears — and drink lots of Pu'er tea. Both are also diuretics.

Drinking slimming tea (a laxative), staying on a diet, and going to the gym frequently are widely used weight-loss methods. But eating certain foods or being pierced by fine silver needles may also help you to get rid of excessive weight.

Most people believe that obesity results from eating too much, which is certainly true in most cases. But it fails to explain why some people gain weight even though they eat little and drink lots of water while others keep slim though they eat a big dinner every day.

"It is not simply the case that the more you eat, the more weight you gain," says Dr Zhang Zhongyi, deputy director of the Acupuncture Department of Yueyang Western and Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital. "Whether your stomach and spleen work well plays a much more important role."
According to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), the spleen, together with the stomach, digest and absorb nutrients (the spleen function in TCM differs from that in Western medicine). TCM holds that the spleen is responsible for sending the nutrients from the stomach to all the organs, and also for expelling excessive body fluid. If the spleen doesn't function well, excessive body fluid will collect and turn into fat.
Fat not only collects on muscles, destroying a nice figure, but also on organs and in the blood, which can cause health problems.
Fatty liver is common among fat people and can lead to cirrhosis if patients fail to correct their diet. Links are also found between obesity and the "three highs" (hypertension, high blood cholesterol and high blood sugar), which may contribute to cerebral vascular disease.
"The function of the organs, including the spleen, declines with aging. That's why most middle-aged and old people find themselves gaining weight easily," says Dr Zhang. "As for young people, unhealthy eating habits may cause malfunction of the stomach and spleen and leads to fat collection."
Not eating regular meals, but having continuous between-meal nibbles, according to Dr Zhang, is a bad diet habit that causes a weight problem among many young ladies. Besides, sitting all day long and not getting regular physical exercise can also lead to body fluid accumulation, which is typical among office ladies.
Dr Zhang suggests taking a five- to 10-minute break every hour, relaxing, doing some exercises and eating foods that are good for the spleen and are diuretics as well, such as Pu'er tea.
If these methods can't help you reach your ideal figure, you may try acupuncture therapy. It will help improve the function of stomach and spleen, and reduce the appetite by piercing fine needles into certain acupoints.
"Acupuncture works well in reducing excessive weight, yet doesn't seem so effective when girls of normal weight insist on losing more," says Dr Zhang, "especially when some girls only want their legs slimmer."

Vinegar the best seasoning for summer

During the scorching summer, you sweat a lot. So it would be wise for you to have some vinegar to improve the density of your hydrochloric acid (a strong acid that can assist with the digestion of protein and kill bacteria) to sharpen your appetite.

As it inhibits germs,it can also kill pyococcus (a germ that may cause human or animals' organs to fester), and prevent intestinal diseases, such as typhoid fever (a serious infectious disease that is caused by dirty food or drink) and dysentery (a serious disease of one's bowels that makes them bleed and pass much more waste than usual). During the summer, when you easily get tired or feel sleepy, it is advisable to have a little vinegar to refresh yourself.
 

Recipe: Luohanguo (fructus momordicae) Tisanes

Benefits: 

Helps clear lungs, dissolve phlegm and nourishes throat. Recommended for those with chronic sore and dry throat caused by deficienty "yin" energy or pathogenic phlegm and heat.

Ingredients: 

1 piece of fruit

Method: 

Crush fruit, add boiling water in a cup. Let steep 10 minutes. Drink often.

Recipe: Ginger and Dandelion Soak

Benefits: 

Ginger helps dispel pathogenic cold. Dandelion helps dispel pathogenic heat and toxins. It helps relieve symptoms of flu with fever or headache.

Ingredients:

 Ginger (50g)

dandelion (50g)

Directions: 

Cook ingredients in water. 

Add soup to hot water in a basin. 

Soak for around 20 minutes or until there's a slight sweat.

Wolfberry -Goji berry - Lycium barbarum

Gouqi (wolfberry fruit) is a health-benefiting herb known commonly for its anti-aging qualities.

Commonly known as Goji berry - Lycium barbarum (Chinese: 寧夏枸杞; pinyin: Níngxià gǒuqǐ).

Other names include but not limited to Chinese wolfberry, mede berry, barbary matrimony vine, bocksdorn, Duke of Argyll's tea tree, Murali (in India), red medlar, or matrimony vine, Tibetan goji and Himalayan goji ( commonly used in the health food market for products from this plant).

A Chinese legend says that a man once witnessed what looked like a 15-year-old girl beating an 80-year-old man.
When the man stopped the girl and asked her why she was beating the old man, she replied, "He is my great grandson. I beat him because he refused to eat the good medicine, and thus got old before his time."
The man was astonished to learn that the girl was 372 years old and asked her how many herbs were used in the medicine she mentioned.
The girl replied that there was only one herb but it had five names. It is called tianjing (heaven essence) in spring, gouqi in summer, digu (earth bone) in autumn and xianren zhang (the fairyman's stick) in winter. It is also called xiwangmu zhang (the stick of Queen Mother of the West). If humans pick and eat them in all seasons, they will live as long as the heaven and earth.

Of course, it is impossible for a human to live that long but the anti-aging and health-benefiting functions of gouqi have been approved by both TCM and modern medicines.
It is a "neutral" herb that helps benefit the kidneys, nourish lungs and reinforce liver. It is widely used for improving eyesight, relieving coughing, dizziness, ear-ringing and spermatorrhea (accidental ejaculation) related with insufficient energy in the liver and kidneys.
Modern research has found gouqi rich in vitamins and micro elements, which can help accelerate blood production as well as prevent aging, cancer, liver fat and high blood sugar levels.