Neil Kingham

Rosehip syrup has been made at this time of year in the UK since the recipe was circulated during the 2nd world war as a way of ensuring that we got enough vitamin C during rationing. It makes a delicious drink, and can be used to sweeten deserts, yogurt, porridge and so on.

My recipe combines the high vitamin C content of rosehips with the Qi strengthening Chinese herb Astragalus (or ‘Huang Qi’ in Chinese) to make a superb immune boosting syrup for the winter months.

You can pick rosehips as soon as they form in early autumn but they are best once softened by frost. Use the hips from wild roses that are growing anywhere away from busy roads. Wear gardening gloves to avoid getting scratched by the thorns! Dried Astragalus can be purchased easily online or at Chinese supermarkets (though if you don’t know what you’re looking for you may have to ask!) You can of course omit the astragalus to make traditional rosehip syrup if you prefer.

500g rosehips
500g sugar
1.5 ltr water
8-10 slices dried astragalus

Put the astragalus into the water in a covered pan, bring to the boil and simmer for 20-30 mins. Remove and discard the astragalus. Wash and chop the rosehips (you can blitz them for a few seconds in a food processor if you don’t want to chop them by hand) and add to the water. Bring back to the boil and then remove from the heat. Leave for 30 mins, still covered.

Strain the mixture through a jelly bag or 2 layers of muslin (or a sieve lined with a clean tea-towel.) This is important to ensure all the irritating hairs from inside the rosehips have been removed.

Set aside the liquid and put the hips back in the pan with another 500ml boiled water. Bring back to the boil, then take off the heat and leave to stand for another 30 mins, then strain as before.

Combine the liquid you get from the 2nd infusion with the liquid you got 1st time round. Bring to the boil and boil, uncovered, until the amount reduces by half. Add the sugar and stir until it dissolves. Bring back to the boil and boil hard for 5 mins.

Pour into warm, sterilised jars or bottles, and seal.

The syrup should be kept in a fridge once cool, and will last for 1 month. It freezes very well, and lasts indefinitely in the freezer. Just pour the cooled syrup into plastic bottles (no more than 3/4 full to allow for expansion) and freeze.

Makes approx 1ltr. Adapted from a recipe by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall.

A while ago I was asked about ‘superfoods’, and why they all seemed to be from the other side of the world. This started me thinking – what are our native ‘superfoods’, if any? What I came up with was Oats and Nettles.

In the terms of Chinese Medicine, Oats are a warming, nourishing tonic. They are strengthening and grounding on may levels. As well as strengthening Qi and Blood they are one of the few plant Jing tonics (many of the Jing tonics are animal based.) This makes them suitable for building our strength, energy levels and resistance.

Oats ability to move stagnant Qi is what earns them a reputation as a nerve tonic. They are a gentle but effective food to help us withstand stress. Taken over a long period they strengthen the nervous system and help us to maintain a calm relaxed state of mind.

As most of us could use more energy, and we all lead stressful lives, Oats are an ideal staple food!

Raw oats are harder to digest, so the best way to take oats is as a porridge, especially as we move into winter and the temperature drops. Oats are somewhat moistening (or ‘Damp’ in Chinese terminology) – even more sore if porridge is made with cow’s milk. People with excess Damp and/or Phlegm (eg catarrh, phlegm on the lungs, heavy, muzzy head) would be best off using water to make porridge rather than milk.

A note on gluten: Oats contain a gluten-like protein called avenin. The jury is still out as to whether this causes problems for people who are gluten intolerant, however my feeling is that most people will be fine with the avenin in oats. HOWEVER, almost all oats are processed in facilities which also process gluten containing grains, and so are contaminated with small amounts of gluten. This probably explains why some gluten-intolerant individuals react to oats. Guaranteed uncontaminated oats are available, but can be hard to find in the UK. Ask at a health food shop or search online.

Acupoint Yong Quan – ‘The Bubbling Spring’ – Kidney 1

The point Yongquan, on the sole of the foot, is one of the most important in Qi Gong practice, and is also of great use in Tui na and acupuncture for its calming and relaxing effect.

It is located on the sole of the foot, between the 1st and 2nd metatarsals, roughly a third of the distance between the base of the second toe and the heel, in the pronounced depression below the balls of the feet (it roughly corresponds with the solar plexus point in reflexology.)

As the only point on the sole of the feet, it is the lowest on the body and has a strong effect on descending Qi and Yang from the head. It is thus used for headaches, cough, dizziness and  nosebleeds.

In Qi Gong practice, Yongquan is the point through which we connect with the Yin energy of the earth. It has a rooting, grounding effect and can be used in all cases of anxiety, agitation, insomnia etc. So great is its calming effect that one of the classical indications for this point is for ‘rage with desire to kill’!

How to use it

In my experience Yongquan responds well to simple pressure, and I often use it in Tui Na massage treatments. Apply strong pressure to this point until a Qi sensation is felt at the fingers, or if uncertain, for a minute or so.

For insomnia, massage or press the point before bed. In China this is often combined with a warm foot bath to help sleep.

Yongquan is one of the easier points to activate mentally. If you are feeling anxious or over-stimulated, simply turn your attention to the soles of your feet. Feel the pressure of the ground against them. Focus on the Yongquan point. You may find it useful to imagine roots growing out of your feet and descending deep into the earth.

‘Qi Gong’ is normally translated as ‘Energy Work’. While ‘Qi’ refers the the vital energy that we work with using Qi Gong, the word ‘Gong’ doesn’t exactly mean ‘work’ as we know it in English. In fact, it has a much more subtle and complex meaning that can help us to understand more about Qi Gong.

‘Gong’ is actually the same word as the ‘Kung’ in Kung Fu – 2 different systems of Romanising Chinese words gives us 2 different spellings, but the meaning is the same. In both cases ‘gong’ is a kind of knowledge, understanding and ability gained through persistent effort over time.

The key here is that effort must be persistent, and it must extend through time. The understanding of ‘gong’ does not come overnight, no matter how hard you work. Just as a master craftsman practices for years to hone his skills, in Kung Fu and other martial arts we must practice constantly to attain the highest skills. In Qi Gong, we must likewise persist with training day after day to gradually improve and learn. Eventually, we begin to attain the Gong – our understanding, experience and abilities grow through dedicated practice.

In traditional Qi Gong a ’100 day practice’ is often recommended. This means taking one particular exercise, set or form, and practicing daily for 100 days without missing a single day. When you consider that this is more than 3 months, that’s no mean undertaking! The idea is that such regular practice will really make you familiar with that exercise, your understanding of it will grow with your experience, and it will have plenty of time to have an effect. This is ‘gong’ at work!

You may not fancy trying the 100 day practice, but if you practice martial arts or Qi Gong, bear in mind the meaning of ‘gong’, and try to make your practice a regular part of your routine, even if you only have have time to practice for a few minutes each day. You will progress much faster this way!