Traditional medicine refers to malnutrition in children as “gan.” This condition is always related to food stagnation, hence it is also called “gan tích.” Traditional Chinese medicine offers numerous herbal remedies that are effective in treating this condition. In traditional medicine, malnutrition of grade 1 is treated similarly to diarrhea; grade 2 (malnutrition due to diarrhea) is referred to as “spleen deficiency,” which leads to the condition known as “gan”; grade 3 is termed “liver gan” (dry-type gan). The herbal remedies for gan include:
Bai Shao (White Peony): It has antibacterial properties, inhibits smooth muscle spasms, and reduces pain; used to treat abdominal pain, diarrhea due to excessive contractions, night sweats, and difficulty urinating. The daily dosage is 6-12 g of fresh Bai Shao, in decoction form.
Bai Zhu (Atractylodes): It possesses anti-inflammatory properties, prevents ulcers in the digestive tract, combats liver function decline, stimulates bile secretion, and has diuretic effects. This herbal remedy is used to treat bloating, slow digestion, vomiting, diarrhea, loose stools, and chronic enteritis. The daily dosage is 6-12 g in decoction or powdered form.
Carrot: Besides being a food source, carrot is beneficial for those who are thin, anemic, have slow digestion, chronic dysentery, and children with growth delays or slow tooth development. The daily dosage is 20-50 g. Carrots are also used to produce carotene.
Chen Pi (Dried Tangerine Peel): Useful for treating poor digestion, bloating, stagnation, and difficulty urinating. The daily dosage is 6-12 g in decoction form.
Dang Shen (Codonopsis Root): It acts as a general tonic, stimulates immunity, and increases red blood cells. It is used to treat spleen and stomach deficiencies, poor appetite, and diarrhea, especially in weakened individuals.
White Hyacinth Bean (Bai Bian Dou): The immature beans are a nutrient-rich food, while the mature beans are used medicinally to nourish the body and treat spleen and stomach deficiencies, loss of appetite, chronic diarrhea, abdominal pain, vomiting, and bloating. The daily dosage is 6-12 g, brewed in water.
Lotus Seed (Lian Ren): It helps strengthen the spleen and is used to treat spleen deficiency, chronic diarrhea, poor appetite, and weakness. The daily dosage is 12-30 g, in decoction or powdered form.
Huai Shan (Chinese Yam): This tonic is used to treat spleen and stomach deficiencies, poor digestion, chronic enteritis, and prolonged diarrhea. The daily dosage is 12-24 g, in decoction or powdered form.
Mai Ya (Barley Sprouts): It contains enzymes that aid in the digestion of starchy foods, enhance appetite, and alleviate bloating.
Black Turmeric (Nghe Den): It stimulates bile secretion, promotes digestion, and is used to treat abdominal pain, poor digestion, and bloating. The daily dosage is 3-6 g in decoction or powdered form.
Fu Ling (Poria): It helps prevent vomiting, treats prolonged diarrhea, boosts immunity, and protects the liver. It is used as a tonic for spleen deficiency, poor appetite, bloating, and diarrhea. The daily dosage is 5-10 g in decoction or powdered form.
Sha Ren (Amomum Fruit): It has antibacterial properties and aids digestion, helping with poor digestion, cold abdominal pain, and diarrhea. The daily dosage is 3-6 g in decoction or powdered form.
Chen Pi (Dried Tangerine Peel): Used to treat poor digestion, abdominal pain, and vomiting. The daily dosage is 4-12 g in decoction or powdered form.
Job’s Tears (Yi Yi Ren): Due to its high protein, fat, and carbohydrate content, Job’s Tears is considered nourishing and is used to treat digestive disorders, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and to fortify the body, especially for children. Job’s Tears cooked with lotus seeds and lean meat is a type of food that can also serve as medicine for the weak and malnourished children. The daily dosage is 8-30 g in decoction.
Treating Malnutrition Due to Diarrhea
This condition is caused by spleen deficiency, also known as “spleen gan,” which corresponds to grade 2 malnutrition. Symptoms include yellow complexion, thin body, dry mouth, thirst, bloating, and diarrhea. In some cases, due to a decrease in fluid, there may be constipation, abdominal swelling, visible veins, cloudy urine, and a white tongue coating. The main treatment method is to tonify qi and strengthen the spleen and stomach.
– 12 g Huai Shan, 6 g Bai Zhu, Sheng Di, 4 g Gan Cao, Shi Mo; 2 g Sha Ren. Decoction taken once daily.
– 8 g Huai Shan, 8 g Bai Bian Dou, 6 g Bai Zhu, 4 g Zhi Shi, Chen Pi, and 4 g Kai Nei Jin. Decoction taken once daily. If due to food stagnation and bloating, add 4 g Da Fu Pi, Shan Zha, Shen Qu each. If due to parasitic infection causing stagnation and abdominal pain, add 4 g Shi Jun Zi.
– 6 g Huang Lian, Shen Qu, Mai Ya each; 4 g Bai Zhu, Chen Pi, Gan Cao, He Shou Wu, Qing Pi, Shi Jun Zi, Huang Lian each; 2 g Bing Lang, San Leng each, and 0.2 g Aloe. Decoction taken once daily.
– 100 g Huai Shan, Mai Ya each; 50 g Dang Shen, Bai Zhu each; 25 g Betel Nut, Quince Peel each. All roasted until golden, powdered finely, mixed well, and taken 16-20 g daily.
– For treating malnutrition and diarrhea caused by parasitic infection: 80 g Shan Yao, Bai Bian Dou, Shi Jun Zi, Shen Qu each; 40 g Huang Lian, Shan Zha, Bai Dou Kou each; 20 g Bing Lang, 6 g Yin Cai Hu, Mai Ya each; 5 g Aloe. Powdered and formed into pills, taken daily at 4-8 g.
Treating Dry-Type Malnutrition
This condition is due to qi and blood deficiency, liver and kidney deficiency, referred to as “liver gan,” corresponding to grade 3 malnutrition. Symptoms include thin body, dry skin, aged appearance, fatigue, poor appetite, weak crying, thin dry tongue coating, and dry hair. There may also be symptoms like corneal dryness, mouth ulcers, pigmentation (deposits), and swelling. The treatment method is to tonify qi and blood and nourish the liver, kidneys, spleen, and stomach.
– 12 g Shu Di, 8 g He Shou Wu, Gui Yu, Yi Yi, Bai He, and 6 g Bai Zhu, Wu Jia Pi each. Decoction taken once daily.
– 60 g Huai Shan (roasted); 45 g Fu Ling, Bai Bian Dou, Shan Zha, Mai Ya, Shen Qu, Dan Gui each; 30 g Bai Zhu (roasted), Chen Pi, Shi Jun Zi each; 20 g Huang Lian, Gan Cao each. Ground into powder, sifted finely, mixed with honey into pills the size of green beans. Take 3 g each time, 2-3 times daily.
– 8 g Dang Shen, Bai Zhu, Shu Di, Xuan Kun, Dan Gui, Bai Shao each; 6 g Fu Ling; 4 g Gan Cao. Decoction taken once daily. If corneal ulcers are present, add 8 g Goji Berries, Chrysanthemum Flower each. If mouth ulcers are present, add 6 g Luo Han Guo, Sheng Ma each; 4 g Huang Lian. For pigmentation, add Huang Qi, Ejiao. If fever and bleeding occur, add 12 g Sheng Di, Reed Root each; 6 g Dan Pi. If there is nutritional edema, add 12 g Fu Ling, 2 g Gui Zhi.
