Chronic Nephritis — TCM Food Therapy & Dietary Approach

Traditional Chinese Medicine Patterns

In TCM, this condition is differentiated into several patterns, each with a classical herbal formula:

These formulas are for reference under TCM syndrome differentiation and should only be used under the guidance of a qualified practitioner.

Food Therapy & Diet

Dietary Therapy Recipes

• Glutinous Rice, Gorgon and Ginkgo Porridge: Cook 30g glutinous rice, 30g gorgon fruit (qianshi) and 10 shelled ginkgo nuts into porridge. Take once daily; 10 days is one course. Fortifies the spleen, tonifies the kidney and astringes essence.
• Pork Kidney Soup: Split 1 pork kidney, remove the membranes and wash, then cook into soup with 20g each of codonopsis root, astragalus and gorgon fruit and eat. For the recovery stage of chronic nephritis and patients with spleen-kidney qi deficiency.
• Green-headed Drake Porridge: Cut 1 green-headed drake into fine pieces and cook until very tender, then add an appropriate amount of polished rice and 3 scallion whites to make porridge, or cook the porridge with the duck broth; take warm. 5-7 days is one course. Fortifies the spleen and stomach, promotes urination and reduces swelling; suitable for all edema patients.
• Poke Root and Rice Porridge: First decoct 5g poke root (shanglu) in water and strain, then add 50-100g polished rice and cook into porridge. Take once daily or every other day. For edema of chronic nephritis and ascites of liver cirrhosis.
• Broad Bean and Lean Beef Stew: Put 250g fresh broad beans (or soaked dried broad beans), 500g lean beef cut into pieces and a little salt into a clay pot and simmer until tender; eat twice daily as desired.
• Triple-Rind Decoction: Put 30g each of bottle gourd rind, winter melon rind and watermelon rind with 10g jujubes in a pot with about 400ml water, decoct to about 150ml and strain. Drink the broth, one dose daily, until the swelling subsides.
• Crucian Carp and Rush Porridge: Cook 1-2 live crucian carp, 50g rice and 5-8 rush pith stalks with an appropriate amount of water into thin porridge. One dose daily; for chronic nephritis and pyelonephritis.
• Imperata Root Rice Porridge: Wash 200g fresh imperata root, decoct in water for half an hour, remove the dregs, then add 200g washed rice and continue cooking into porridge. Eat in divided portions within one day.
• Fresh Goat's Milk: Take 250-500ml fresh goat's milk on an empty stomach every morning for one month.
• Peanut and Jujube Decoction: Simmer 60g peanuts with skins and 60g jujubes in water into soup; eat the peanuts and dates and drink the soup continuously.
• Mulberry, Coix and Raisin Porridge: Cook 30g mulberries, 20g raw coix seeds and 20g raisins with an appropriate amount of rice into porridge; take in 2 divided doses.
• Peanut and Broad Bean Soup: Put 120g peanuts and 250g broad beans in a clay pot with 3 bowls of water and cook over low heat; when the water turns brownish-red, add an appropriate amount of brown sugar and eat. Take in 2 divided doses daily.
• Winter Melon and Carp Stew: Stew 500g winter melon and 250g carp in an appropriate amount of water; drink the broth and eat the melon and fish. Take in 2 divided doses daily.

Understanding the Condition

Chronic nephritis mostly develops from acute nephritis; a minority of patients have a slow onset without a clear history of acute nephritis and are found to be chronic at first diagnosis. The main manifestations are soreness of the lower back, swollen legs, mental fatigue, and clear, profuse urine or reduced urine output, together with fullness in the chest and epigastrium, poor appetite, a white tongue coating, a slow pulse, and increased protein or casts in the urine.

This content is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.