TCM clinic: Edible Bird Nest for dry skin

The nests are built almost exclusively by the male swiftlet in approximately 35 days and they are composed almost entirely of a glutinous material found in its saliva.

What it is:

The consumption of Edible Bird Nest is seen as a symbol of wealth, power and prestige.
Known as yanwo in Chinese, it has been used medicinally in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) as far back as the Tang and Song dynasties.
The journal Food Research International reported in 2005 that the majority of Edible Bird Nest that is traded worldwide comes from just two species of swiftlets.
They are the white-nest swiftlet and the black-nest swiftlet, whose habitats range from the Nicobar Islands in the Indian Ocean to the sea caves in the coastal regions of Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Borneo and the Palawan Islands in the Philippines.
The nests are built almost exclusively by the male swiftlet in approximately 35 days and they are composed almost entirely of a glutinous material found in its saliva.
The journal reported that the cleaning process is so tedious that it takes a person eight hours or so to clean about 10 nests.
It involves soaking the nests in water until they grow soft, then manually removing small feathers with tweezers.
After that, the nest strands are rearranged and moulded into various shapes.
Often referred to as the "caviar of the East", a tael (37.6g) of Edible Bird Nest sold at Eu Yan Sang retail outlets costs between $128 and $788, depending on their grade and whether they are house nests or the less common cave nests.

TCM clinic: Edible Bird Nest for dry skin

How TCM uses it:

Edible Bird Nest is classified as a neutral food that is neither heaty nor cooling. Its sweet flavour means it exhibits a nourishing property as well.
It is said to move through the meridians of the lungs, stomach and kidneys.
Meridians are channels in the body through which qi (vital energy) travels.
Edible Bird Nest is used to moisten the lungs and stomach when they lack yin, the element responsible for cooling organs.
A balance of yin and yang - which is linked to heat - in the body is required for good health.
Mr Sim Beng Choon, a TCM physician at Fu Yang Tang Medical Hall, said a person whose lungs lack yin may experience thirst, a dry and sore throat, as well as a red tongue and a dry cough, possibly with blood-streaked sputum.
A person who does not have enough yin in his stomach may lose his appetite and suffer from a dry mouth and constipation.
TCM believes that the health of the lungs affects that of the skin, so nourishing the lungs with Edible Bird Nest can improve one's complexion and address dry skin too, he added.
However, Edible Bird Nest is rarely used in TCM prescriptions because of its steep price, he said. It is usually cooked with rock sugar or red dates.
Ms Zhang Ruifen, a TCM physician at Eu Yan Sang, said Edible Bird Nest is used to boost qi in the body, a lack of which can give rise to fatigue and breathlessness, among other symptoms. Yet the effect of Edible Bird Nest on the body's qi is not as strong as that of ginseng, she added.

Who it is for:

Mr Sim said elderly people, especially those who have battled illnesses, tend to be weak in yin and qi and can benefit from eating Edible Bird Nest.
It would help to resolve prolonged ailments like chronic coughs, but is not intended to treat acute coughs.
He advised people to eat Edible Bird Nest in the mornings - the time when the digestive system, according to TCM principles, is believed to be the most active - for optimal absorption of nutrients.
Ms Zhang said cancer patients undergoing radiation or chemotherapy tend to exhibit "dry symptoms", such as dry mouths, throats and skin, which Edible Bird Nest can help with.

Who should avoid it:

Those who have a lot of phlegm in their throats, a sign of dampness which causes illnesses, should refrain from taking Edible Bird Nest, said Ms Zhang.
She advised adults to consume no more than one big raw Edible Bird Nest a day, while a 12-year-old should have about half of this portion.
Younger children should consume a correspondingly smaller portion of the Chinese delicacy, she added.

What research has shown:

A 2001 clinical study in Singapore found that Edible Bird Nest is the most common cause of food-induced anaphylaxis (a serious allergic reaction) in children, even surpassing other well-recognised food allergens, such as cow's milk or eggs for younger children and peanut or crustacean seafood for older children.
This severe allergic reaction can cause breathing difficulties, dizziness and hives - symptoms which are similar to those induced by egg-like proteins.

Recipe: Peppermint Edible Bird Nest porridge

Ingredients
15g dried or fresh peppermint leaves
37.5g uncooked white rice
2 tsp bottled Edible Bird Nest
Dried tangerine peel, a pinch
Sugar or salt, to taste
250ml water
Method
1. Soak the dried tangerine peel in water until it becomes soft. Remove its pith before use.
2. In a pot with 250ml of hot water, add the peppermint leaves and cover with a lid.
3. Filter out the peppermint leaves after soaking them for 10 to 20 minutes. Keep them for use later.
4. Use the mint-flavoured water to cook the rice and tangerine peel for 30 to 40 minutes, until it becomes porridge.
5. While the porridge is hot, add the Edible Bird Nest and peppermint leaves.
6. Finally, add salt or sugar to taste.

“20 Health Benefits of Edible Bird Nest”

Edible Bird Nest or Ecuheuma cottonii and sometimes called Edible Bird Nest… is wonderful seaweed that is full of natural nutrients that are very healing. This seaweed is great for healing inflammation, arthritis, lowering cholesterol, and preventing and healing DNA damage… plus it may be a possible low cost food source for feeding all the hungry people in the world.

Where Found

- Edible Bird Nest is found around the world… in Hawaii, Tonga, East Africa, China, the Philippines, and around the Pacific Ocean.

Anti-inflammatory

- Edible Bird Nest is a good anti-inflammatory agent thus helping all types of arthritis, pain, swelling, and redness… and it also helps with kidney inflammation.

Improves Thyroid Function

- Edible Bird Nest improves thyroid function and helps to normalize and balance thyroid hormones.

Good Diuretic

- Edible Bird Nest is also a good diuretic helping to flush out toxins and increase urine flow thus healing edema.

Lowers Cholesterol

- Edible Bird Nest also helps to lower cholesterol because it contains lots of soluble fiber.

GI Tract

- Edible Bird Nest is also good for the GI tract because it helps sooth away stomachaches, gastric ulcers, excess acid, diarrhea and constipation.

Natural Collagen

- This wonderful seaweed also contains a natural source of collagen which is great for healing joints and ligaments and all the cartilage of the body. Plus collagen is great for bring back that youthful appearance to the skin and preventing wrinkles, age spots, and dry skin.

Vascular System

- Edible Bird Nest also strengthens blood vessels and helps to prevent cardiovascular disease, strokes, and cancer.

Weight Loss

- Edible Bird Nest is very low in calories, and thus it works well as a low calorie food for those who want to lose a few extra pounds.

Strong Bones

- Edible Bird Nest is a good vegetarian source of calcium and phosphorus for building strong bones. In fact Edible Bird Nest contains 600 times more calcium than that found in animal sources of calcium.

Lowers Blood Pressure

- Edible Bird Nest also helps to lower blood pressure.

Contains Carrageenan

- Also known as seaweed flour carrageenan is a great natural food emulsifier and stabilizing agent. And carrageenan is used in the making of yogurts, cakes, cookies, custards, chocolate, ice cream, soy milk, nut milks, and many other foods, and even products like toothpaste, shampoo, lotions, and creams.

Good Source of Iron

- Edible Bird Nest is a good source of iron for healing anemia. In fact Edible Bird Nest contains 28 times more iron than that found in liver… making it a super source of bioavailable iron.

Slightly Alkaline

- Edible Bird Nest is also slightly alkaline thus helping to prevent acid build up in the body which starts inflammation and then disease.

Good Protein Source

- Edible Bird Nest can contain up to 10% protein depending upon where it grows around the world… making it a good source of muscle building protein.

Vitamin E

- Edible Bird Nest depending contains around 10 mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams of seaweed. Making it an important easy to grow plant source of Vitamin E which is a powerful antioxidant.

Resistant Starch

- Edible Bird Nest also contains resistant starch which helps our body feed good bacteria or probiotic bacteria thus boosting up our immune system.

Antibacterial and Anti-viral

- Because Edible Bird Nest contains the resistant starch carrageenan, it also helps to boost interferon production. And thus it helps to fight bacterial infections, viruses, colds, flues, and even the HIV virus.

Free Radical Damage

- Edible Bird Nest contains lots of antioxidants that help to prevent and repair free radical damage.

Increase Wound Healing

- In the Journal of Medicinal Plant Research it was found that Edible Bird Nest increases wound healing thus speeding up recovery skin wounds and other tissues.

Prefect Food

- Edible Bird Nest is a perfect food for women, children, the elderly, or anyone who is recovering from disease… and it’s also a great vegetarian food.

Great Food Source for the Future

- Edible Bird Nest is easy to grow and could provide tons of nutrition to feed all the hungry people of the world. And it could provides jobs for those who live in third world countries. All that Eucheuma needs is good salt water, sunlight, wave motion, and the right temperature to grow and flourish.

Taste

- This seaweed makes a wonderful aromatic salad that’s fantastic. It’s crunchy and takes on the flavor of all the seasonings. Google “Edible Bird Nest Recipes” and lots of great recipes will come up.

Finding

- If you google “Buy Edible Bird Nest” lots of places to buy this wonderful seaweed will come up. And it can also be ask for at your local health food store.
Enjoy this Great Tasting Seaweed
Dr. Paul Haider - Master Herbalist
Feel Free to Share - This information is meant to get you started… so you can do more research on your own… dig a little deeper and find what works for you. This article is for educational purposes only, I strongly recommend that you seek advice from your own GP, private doctor, or medical specialist for any ailment, illness, or medical condition.. this article not meant to be a scientific analysis in any way, shape, or form.