Aged Tangerine Peel
A daily kitchen and medicinal herb, found in countless classical and modern formulas.
Classification
Actions
Regulates qi (relieving stagnation), dries dampness, and resolves phlegm.
Primary Uses
Spleen qi stagnation with bloating and burping, phlegm dampness with productive cough, nausea and poor appetite from damp accumulation.
Preparation
Decoction (typically 3 to 9 grams). Aged peel is preferred (chen means aged); the older the better, with high quality fifty year old peel highly prized.
Cautions and Contraindications
Use cautiously in dry coughs and yin deficiency (the herb is drying). Generally very safe in food doses.
Find a Licensed Practitioner
Chinese herbal medicine is most safely practiced under the guidance of a licensed practitioner who can match herbs to your specific pattern and constitution. Many herbs are very safe for daily food use (ginger, jujube, goji berries) while others (especially in formula combinations) require professional guidance. In the United States, look for an L.Ac. (Licensed Acupuncturist) with formal training in herbal medicine, or an O.M.D. (Doctor of Oriental Medicine) where licensed.
Will Chen Pi (Aged Tangerine Peel) actually work for you?
Chen Pi (Aged Tangerine Peel) carries a Metal signature, the element associated with grief patterns, weak immunity, difficulty letting go, autumn dryness. But whether your specific pattern needs more Metal support or whether Metal is already excess in you is the difference between this approach helping or hurting. Your free Energy Chart reveals which of the Five Elements run strong, weak, or out of balance in you, the foundation for selecting the TCM and wellness practices that actually fit your discipline and immunity pattern across past, present, and future.
