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Elderberry and red beans, when consumed together, can prevent various diseases. Dampness in the body is considered the root cause of many illnesses, and eliminating this dampness is quite simple – all that’s needed are two \"herbs\". These two herbs can be consumed as tea or as part of meals, and they can solve serious problems; one of them is coix seed, and the other is adzuki bean. For these two ingredients, there’s no need to follow any specific ratio; just take an equal amount of each, wash them thoroughly, and then put them in a pot with water to simmer. Once cooked, it becomes an excellent remedy for reducing dampness and strengthening the spleen – coix seed and red bean porridge. One advantage of coix seed and red bean porridge is that it never becomes sticky or thick, no matter how it is cooked. At the bottom are the mashed red beans and coix seeds, while the liquid on top is light red in color; most of the active ingredients in the coix seeds and red beans are found in this liquid. When cooking porridge, use more water; this broth will be enough for us to drink for half a day, and it can be used as tea as well. As for its efficacy, it’s truly remarkable. Coix seed, known as “Yi Yi Ren” in traditional Chinese medicine, is classified as a top-quality herb in the Shennong Ben Cao Jing. It can treat damp arthralgia, improve intestinal function, reduce edema, strengthen the spleen and stomach; long-term use helps to lighten the body and boost energy. Red beans, known as “chixiaodou” in traditional Chinese medicine, have notable effects in promoting diuresis, reducing swelling, and strengthening the spleen and stomach. Since they are red in color and red corresponds to the heart in traditional theory, they can also nourish the heart. Modern people suffer from high mental stress, weak vital energy, irregular eating habits, lack of exercise, as well as spleen deficiency and excessive dampness. To eliminate dampness, strengthen the heart, and boost the spleen and stomach, coix seed and red bean are the best choices. It is cooked into porridge so that its active ingredients can be fully absorbed by the body, without placing any strain on the spleen and stomach. The \"swelling-reducing\" effects of coix seed and adzuki bean are also quite interesting. We must never assume that swelling is edema. Look at people these days: at least five or six out of ten have overweight bodies, which is also a form of swelling, known as an obese physique. In traditional Chinese medicine, both obesity and edema indicate the presence of dampness in the body. Fluids cannot move along with the flow of qi and blood; they remain trapped between the body’s cells, causing the body to swell rapidly. The same is true for edema and obesity; it’s just that the degree varies from mild to severe. Drugs or foods with a strong dampness-removing effect can eliminate the excess fluid retained in the body, thereby reducing swelling. Therefore, red beans are essential for treating edema. Practice has shown that coix seed and red bean porridge has a good weight-loss effect; it helps with weight loss without harming the body, and it is particularly effective for obese people of middle age and older. Dampness is the root cause of various chronic and intractable diseases in modern times, and coix seed and red bean soup is the best remedy for dealing with dampness. Congee made from coix seeds and adzuki beans can be used as the staple food for dinner. Someone added a handful of rice while cooking coix seed and red bean porridge, which made the porridge thicker. In fact, one must never add rice to it, because rice grows in water and contains moisture; it is sticky due to this moisture, so it becomes thick as soon as it is cooked. Both red beans and coix seeds help remove dampness; they contain no dampness themselves, so no matter how they are cooked, the mixture remains thin and the soup stays clear. Traditional Chinese medicine makes use of this cleansing property to remove dampness from the body; once rice is added, it contributes to an increase in dampness, which is why the porridge becomes thicker. Although the taste might be better, it’s not good for health; because of that handful of rice, all the red beans and coix seeds become useless, losing all their therapeutic benefits. In addition to coix seed and red bean porridge, people can also learn more about the properties and flavors of various foods, apply this knowledge to create their own variations, and thus develop more dietary recipes that suit their individual constitutions. Only in this way can food truly become an excellent substance for maintaining good health. A gloomy expression, lack of energy, and even palpitations, excessive sleepiness, and a sense of emptiness in the heart: coix seed, red beans, and longan. Irritability and insomnia, or red rashes and acne on the face: coix seed, red bean, lily, and lotus seed. Cold pain in the stomach, poor appetite, sensitivity to cold: coix seed, red beans, and ginger. Kidney deficiency: coix seed, red bean, and black bean. Athlete’s foot: coix seed, red beans, and soybeans. Cough: Adzuki beans and pears. Loss of appetite, weak physique: coix seed, red beans, and Chinese yam. Diarrhea, abdominal pain, diabetes: Coix seed, red bean, and pumpkin. Weakness, premature ejaculation, nocturnal emission, frequent nighttime urination: coix seed, red bean, and gorgon fruit. Pregnant women: Reduce coix seed, and add a small amount of astragalus and codonopsis. Parturient: Reduce coix seed, and increase jujubes, millet, and red dates.