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All seasons of the year are nice for eating Chicken soup with rice.
OCTOBER
In October I'll be Host
To Witches Goblins and a Ghost
I’ll serve them Chicken Soup on Toast
Whoopy Once
Whoopy Twice
Whoopy
Chieken Soup with Rice
(Extract from “CHICKEN SOUP WITH RICE - A BOOK OF MONTHS” by Maurice Sendak)
It’s ‘flu-time again! The elderly are queuing for ‘flu jabs’ in
the western world, but what started out as a joke in a clinic in Minnesota, USA,
last week became a reality and brought
back into focus the benefits of Chicken Soup. This year ‘flu jabs’ are in
short supply. People who had gone their local clinic to get a ‘flu shot’
didn’t receive the vaccine they expected; instead they were offered a can of
chicken noodle soup as a gift that might aid them.1
I hear cries of ‘scandalous’ and much more. Though one can of chicken
soup might not do that much good, or some would say ‘a can’ is not the same
as the real thing anyway, as one of
the oldest traditional ‘cold and flu’ remedies around the globe eating
chicken soup is far more efficacious than you might think. It’s not such a bad
deal as it looks at first sight.
Centuries ago, the alleged benefits of chicken soup were reported. In the
12th century, the Egyptian Jewish physician and philosopher Moshe ben
Maimonides wrote about chicken soup for respiratory tract symptoms, origins of
which knowledge was based on earlier Greek records. Chicken soup made with
herbs: lemon balm, parsley, spearmint, thyme and onion is also documented in a
medical guide of the 17th century.2
Chicken soup has been used as a remedy for asthma, facial pain, and many
other ailments and conditions. Although Chicken soup therapy may be much
associated with the typical Jewish Momma’s ‘answer to everything’ that
ails you, from emotional distress to a burgeoning cold or flu, to use it for
stress is not wrong. Participants in a clinical randomized controlled trial
partaking of “Chicken Soup for the Soul at Work Employees Groups” exhibited
improved total coping resources, cognitive/rational coping, state of mind,
confidence and home/work balance.3 Not a result to be sniffed at over
a simple bowl of soup!
In fact, it is very much a universal remedy that can be found common to
all cultures and countries. In a study of post-partum dietary practices of Honk
Kong Chinese women it was found that among the useful components of their diet
was the customary use of ‘ginger vinegar soup’ for calcium and iron content
and chicken soup.4
Another aspect of chicken soup is for the joints of the body.5
Cartilage, connective tissue which provides the flexible medium between two
bones i.e. a joint, contains type II collagen – a structural protein in the
body. Pain from arthritis may be caused by joint cartilage inflammation or
deterioration, limiting movement and function. Researchers have said that
ingestion of cartilage orally can help prevent such attack and have shown that
chicken collagen deactivates certain white blood cells (killer T-cells)
responsible for autoimmune disease.6 A pilot study of the use of
chicken soup to bring the desired about-face of the cartilage attacks resulted
in reduced pain. The researchers concluded that chicken collagen was an
effective therapy for treating symptoms of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid
arthritis.7 Japanese researchers in a clinical controlled trial in
1997 also found that oral cartilage type II could have a therapeutic efficacy in
rheumatoid arthritic patients.8 So, don’t throw away dem chicken
bones!
What is more, researchers have discovered that high concentration
commercially bottled chicken extract fed to rats bred to have hypertension
demonstrated a positive 40%-50% decrease in heart swelling and 60% reduction in
blood-vessel thickening over a year-long study period; whereas similar studies
carried out with pork failed to show virtually any positive effects upon the
cardiovascular system.9
Chinese do their version of Grandmother’s chicken soup with a twist –
they often add a little astralagus root to speed recovery from colds and ‘flu.
Traditional Chinese healers in China believe that the herb strengthens “Qi”
or “Chi”, the life force. Pharmacologists know that Astralagus membranaceus root fights rhinoviruses that are
responsible for many colds, induces interferon made in the body, and activates
white blood cells that fight infection.10 And, although researchers
have found that chicken soup is one of other interventions useful for ‘flu,
including Echinacea extracts, steam, ipatropium bromide and oxymetazline for
adults in June 200211, in
the West it is the initial research of Dr. Stephen Rennard M.D., to whom we owe
a great debt for his curiosity and research into the efficacy of chicken soup
for colds and ‘flu.
Intrigued by what his wife’s “Grandma’s (Chicken) Soup” might
contain, in 1993, Dr Rennard conducted an informal laboratory study somewhat
outside the parameters of ordinary research. Although he submitted an Abstract,
it was seven years before his research was officially published in the 17th
October issue of CHEST.12 What
he found is that chicken soup has an anti-inflammatory activity, it inhibits
neutrophil migration or autoimmune destruction by the reduction in movement of
these most common white cells in the blood that defends the body against
infection.12 Researchers believe that the reduction in movement of
neutrophils may reduce activity in the upper respiratory tract that can cause
symptoms associated with a cold. “All vegetables and the soup had activity.”
Dr. Rennard opined: “I think it’s the concoction.” Dr Rennard’s wife’s
inherited recipe for “Grandma’s Soup” contained: chicken, onions, sweet
potatoes, parsnips, turnips, carrots, celery stems, parsley, salt and pepper.
Recipes for chicken soup are countless, but a ‘Magic Soup’, which is
based on an authentic Jewish recipe looks to be one that has many of the
ingredients that may be expected in combination to work: chicken, water,
parsnips, onions, carrots, turnips, garlic, ginger, egg noodles, dill and
parsley, salt and pepper. The recipe is carefully presented and simple to
follow. There’s nothing to say that you cannot try a basic chicken soup recipe
and include Maimonides herbs - lemon balm, parsley, spearmint, thyme or any
other version of chicken soup if you think you might like it better.
COMMENT:
Once again the importance of
diet, natural ‘Food Medicine’, including herbs is paramount to good health.
It is vital that the raw materials of chicken soup or anything else should be
the best one can afford. Organic chicken is the finest choice, not often suspect
poorly- kept intensively farmed ex-egg-laying reject hens, for we are unaware of
the state of the bones of these animals before making use of them for medicinal
purposes.
It
touches the heart that the most vulnerable persons such as pensioners and others
on low incomes may not be able to afford to make their own chicken soup.
However, some may revoke the use of ‘a can’ of chicken soup, but if that’s
the only affordable choice there is, it also is said to do some degree of good
in aiding colds and ‘flu symptoms.
References:
1.
http://www.tsbvi.edu/braille/books/Rice.brf
2.
‘Chicken
soup for the body: around the world, families turn to chicken soup as the
universal therapy for colds, flu, and just about anything that ails you. Are
they right? (Nutrition). Denny
Sharon. Current Health 2, a Weekly Reader Publication. 1st November
2002. http://static.highbeam.com/c/currenthealth2aweeklyreaderpublication/november012002/chickensoupforthebodyaroundtheworldfamiliesturntoc/#
3.
“An
effective workplace stress management intervention: Chicken Soup for the Soul at
Work Employee Groups.” Horan AP. Terrell, Texas, USA. Work.
2002;18(1):3-13.
4.
‘Special
postpartum dietary practices of Honk Kong Chinese women.’ Chan SM et
al. Dept of Paediatrics, The Chinese Uv. Of Hong Kong, Shatin. Eur J Clin Nutr.
2000 Oct;54(10):797-802.
5.
http://www.truestarhealth.com
6.
Ibid.
7.
Ibid. Dept of Pharmacy
Sciences at Creighton Uv Medical Centre, Omaha, Nebraska, USA.
8.
[Relationship
between HLA-DRB1 genotypes and efficacy of oral type II collagen treatment using
chicken cartilage soup in rheumatoid arthritis]. [Article in Japanese] Dept
of Orthopedic Surgery, Kansai Medical Uv. Nihon
Rinsho Meneki Gakkai Kaishi. 1997 Feb; 20(1):44-51.
9.
http://www.worldhealth.net/p/272,815.html
National Uv of Singapore.
10.
Chicken soup with an
Astralagus herbal twist: From The
People’s Pharmacy, Graedon’s Guide to Cold Remedies.
11.
‘Advances
in the Diagnosis and Management of Influenza.’ Jefferson T. Health Review
Ltd and Cochrane Acute Respiratory Infections Group, Rose, Italy. Curr
Infect Dis Rep. 2002 Jun:4(3):206-210.
12.
‘Chicken
soup inhibits neutrophil chemotaxis in vitro.’ Rennard BO, Ertl RF,
Gossman GL, Robbins RA, Rennard SI. Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine
Section, Nebraska Medical Centre, Omaha, NE, USA. Chest
2000 Oct; 118(4):1150-7.
13.
University
of Nebraska Medical Centre – ‘Mother approved, doctor tested: Research
Hints that Chicken Soup Remedy May Have Scientific Validity in Reducing Cold
Symptoms’.
14.
Chicken
Soup recipes: http://www.recipezaar.com/r/385/94
‘Magic Soup #95104 by QueenofEverything .
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HERBSPHERE
