Castanea, Chestnut
Ortus Sanitatis, Cube, Johann von, 1501
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Dioscorides Materia Medica, Mathias, 1563
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Krauterbuch, Lonitzer, 1578
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Flora von Deutschland (10), Kohler, 1882
Botanical name:
Castanea sativa
Parts used:
Nut
Temperature & Taste:
Warm, moist
Castanea sativa
Parts used:
Nut
Temperature & Taste:
Warm, moist
Uses:
1. Nourishes Blood, Tonifies Yin:
-'They have the vertues of Almonds and Hazelnuts, but more nourishing'; Galen said they are the best nuts
-'Breed good blood, and yield commendable nourishment to the body' (Culpeper)
-strengthens the Brain: Alzheimer's, Poor Memory, Dizziness, Deafness, Tinnitus from deficiency
-Lumbago and Diabetes from Kidney deficiency
2. Nourish and Strengthens the Lungs, Stops Cough:
-spasmodic Coughs, including whooping cough
-Nut is excellent for Coughs, spitting of Blood, loss of Voice from dryness or Lung Yin deficiency
-phlegm-type Chest pain
3. Stops Leakages and Bleeding:
-excessive menstrual bleeding;
-diarrhea and bloody Dysentery; Hematuria
-roasted Chestnuts are an old remedy for intestinal bleeding and internal ulcers when taken with Honey and Maple Syrup.
-the red membranes between the shell and kernel cure bloody Dysentery and Leukorrhea
4. Moves the Blood, Eases Pain:
-Headache, swellings, Scrofula
-Fractures and Bruising
DOSE:
Eat 3–5 every day
They may be chewed well, or ground and added to soups or porridges.
SUBSTITUTE:
Almond or Hazelnut
PREPARATION:
They are lighter and easier to digest once dried.
Eat 3–5 every day
They may be chewed well, or ground and added to soups or porridges.
SUBSTITUTE:
Almond or Hazelnut
PREPARATION:
They are lighter and easier to digest once dried.
Main Combinations:
1. To nourish Yin, combine with Black Sesame seeds; powder, mix with Honey and eat daily.
2. Coughing Blood; dry chestnuts, powder, mix with Honey (Culpeper)
3. Cough with Diarrhea, Chestnut, Carob, Gum Arabic, Starch, Purslane seed, Poppy seed (all roasted), and add Red Earth (from Dispensatory of Ibn at Tilmid)
4. Threatened Miscarriage, Chestnut with Red Coral Mastic, Mint, Cypress Nuts (Wirtzung)
Major Formulas:
Pills to Prevent Miscarriage (Wirtzung)
Cautions:
They are rich and heavy, not suitable for those with Phlegm and Damp. They breed Melancholy in excess.
Main Preparations used:
They are rich and heavy, not suitable for those with Phlegm and Damp. They breed Melancholy in excess.
Main Preparations used:
Daoists texts on Chestnut (from A Soup for the Qan, Hu Sihui et al. 2010)
If kidney qi is deficient and weak, take fresh chestnuts, it does not matter how many. Let the wind dry them. Each day chew up tho- roughly on an empty stomach. Slowly swallow three or five.