English: Honey
Chinese: 蜂蜜
Parts used: Honey
TCM category: Laxative herbs that drain downward
TCM nature: Neutral
TCM taste(s): Sweet
Organ affinity: Stomach Large intestine Lung
Scientific name: Honey
Use of Feng Mi (honey) in TCM
Please note that you should never self-prescribe TCM ingredients. A TCM ingredient is almost never eaten on its own but as part of a formula containing several ingredients that act together. Please consult a professional TCM practitioner, they will be best able to guide you.
Main actions according to TCM*: Reinforces the spleen and stomach. Moistens dryness, relieves pain, and detoxifies.
Primary conditions or symptoms for which Feng Mi may be prescribed by TCM doctors*: Abdominal pain Dry cough Constipation Hemorrhoids Burns
Common TCM formulas in which Feng Mi is used*
Ci Zhu Wan
Source date: 650 AD
Number of ingredients: 4 herbs
Formula key actions: Heavily sedates and calms the Mind . Pacifies Rising Yang . Improves the vision and hearing.
Conditions targeted*: CataractsOptic nerve atrophy and others
Feng Mi is an assistant ingredient in Ci Zhu Wan. This means that it either serves to reinforces the effect of other ingredients or it moderates their toxicity.
In Ci Zhu Wan, Feng Mi serves as the filler for the pills and also tonifies the Middle Burner.
Ma Zi Ren Wan
Source date: 220 AD
Number of ingredients: 7 herbs
Formula key actions: Moistens the Intestines. Invigorates Qi. Unblocks the bowels. Drains Heat.
Conditions targeted*: Incomplete intestinal obstructionPostoperative ileus and others
Feng Mi is an envoy ingredient in Ma Zi Ren Wan. This means that it directs the formula towards certain area of the body and/or harmonizes the actions of other ingredients.
In Ma Zi Ren Wan, Feng Mi is sweet and it harmonizes the actions of the other herbs. It also moistens the Intestines and helps forming the pill shape.
Wu Tou Tang
Source date: 220 AD
Number of ingredients: 6 herbs
Formula key actions: Warms the channels and remove obstruaction. Disperse Cold and Dampness. Warms the joints. Relieve joints pain.
Conditions targeted*: Joint painJoint stiffness and others
Feng Mi is an envoy ingredient in Wu Tou Tang. This means that it directs the formula towards certain area of the body and/or harmonizes the actions of other ingredients.
In Wu Tou Tang, Feng Mi harmonizes all the other herbs of the formula and detoxing.
Key TCM concepts behind Feng Mi's properties
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Feng Mi belongs to the 'Laxative herbs that drain downward' category. The herbs in this category are those whose main purpose is to treat constipation. They're called 'laxative' because they're often rich in oils. This allows them to lubricate the Intestines in order to help it remove the stools from the body.
Furthermore Feng Mi is Neutral in nature. This means that Feng Mi typically doesn't affect the balance in your body. Balance between Yin and Yang is a key health concept in TCM. Eating too many "Hot" (Yang) ingredients can lead to an imbalance whereby one has a Yang Excess. The inverse is true as well: too many "Cold" (Yin) ingredients can lead to a Yin Excess. The Neutral nature of Feng Mi means that you don't have to worry about that!
Feng Mi also tastes Sweet. The so-called 'Five Phases' theory in Chinese Medicine states that the taste of TCM ingredients is a key determinant of their action in the body. Sweet ingredients like Feng Mi tends to slow down acute reactions and detoxify the body. They also have a tonic effect because they replenish Qi and Blood.
The tastes of ingredients in TCM also determine what Organs and Meridians they target. As such Feng Mi is thought to target the Stomach, the Large intestine and the Lung. In TCM the Stomach is responsible for receiving and ripening ingested food and fluids. It is also tasked with descending the digested elements downwards to the Small Intestine. The Large Intestine on the other hand receives the "impure" parts of the digested food from the Small Intestine, absorbs the remaining fluids and excrete the remainder as feces. In addition to performing respiration, the Lungs are thought in TCM to be a key part of the production chain for Qi and the Body Fluids that nourish the body.
Research on Feng Mi
Evidence suggests that sterilized honey may help healing in skin wounds after surgery and mild (partial thickness) burns.1
Honey is recommended for children over the age of one for the treatment of coughs. It is deemed as effective as dextromethorphan and more effective than diphenhydramine.2
Honey may be useful for controlling side effects of radiation therapy or chemotherapy applied in cancer treatment.3
Sources:
1. Jull, Andrew B.; Cullum, Nicky; Dumville, Jo C.; Westby, Maggie J.; Deshpande, Sohan; Walker, Natalie (2015). "Honey as a topical treatment for wounds". Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. John Wiley & Sons, Ltd (3): CD005083. doi:10.1002/14651858.cd005083.pub4.
2. Goldman, Ran D. (2014). "Honey for treatment of cough in children". Canadian Family Physician (Systematic review). 60 (12): 1107–1110. PMC 4264806. PMID 25642485.
3. Bardy J, Slevin NJ, Mais KL, Molassiotis A (2008). "A systematic review of honey uses and its potential value within oncology care". J Clin Nurs. 17 (19): 2604–23. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2702.2008.02304.x.
Use of Feng Mi as food
Feng Mi is also eaten as food. It is used as an ingredient in dishes such as Honey-Butterscotch Candy or Salted Honey Pie.