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One dead, several sickened after UES Legionnaires’ outbreak
One person on the Upper East Side died of Legionnaires’ disease and six others were sickened by the bacteria-borne illness, officials said Friday.
The Health Department said the person who died was over 90 years old and had “significant underlying health conditions.”
Four people were recovering in hospitals and two others were discharged. (Read More)
Suffering from text neck or turkey neck, Taoism to the rescue
Many people spend several hours each day either in front of a computer or using their “smart phones”. There is a good chance that you are reading this article from a “smart” device, whether it be a phone or tablet, or the ever increasing (in size anyway) phablet.
When surveyed, teenagers and people in their early 20’s report that they spend almost the entire day using their phone; texting, posting messages, reading email, browsing facebook and twitter etc… Some people even have the urge to text while sleeping; that’s right, rapid eye movement has been replaced with rapid finger taping while sleeping. If you search for “finger twitching while sleeping” you will find many people looking for advice for this relatively new problem. “According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, 8-18 year olds spend an average of seven and a half hours using ‘entertainment media’ every day. (Your smart phone is a pain in the neck)”
This finger twitching/tapping, however, is a minor problem compared to the much larger and potentially problematic condition of the “text neck” or “turkey neck” phenomenon.
This condition is created as a result of repeated and prolonged poor posture that is encouraged by using so called smart devices, in particular smart phones.
The tendency is to hold the phone at chest level and tilt the head and neck forward to look down at the phone. When you do this, a tremendous pressure is placed on the neck and over time the spine begins to degenerate.
“Dean Fishman, a chiropractor in Florida, was examining an X-ray of a 17-year-old patient’s neck in 2009 when he noticed something unusual. The ghostly image of her vertebral column showed a reversal of the curvature that normally appears in the cervical spine — a degenerative state he’d most often seen in middle-aged people who had spent several decades of their life in poor posture.
‘That’s when I looked over at the patient, ‘Fishman says. She was slumped in her chair, head tilted downward, madly typing away on her cellphone. When he mentioned to the patient’s mother that the girl’s posture could be causing her headaches, he got what he describes as an “emotional response.’ It seemed the teen spent much of her life in that position. Right then, Fishman says, ‘I knew I was on to something.”
“The head in neutral has a normal weight” of 10 to 12 pounds, says Fishman, explaining that neutral position is ears over shoulders with shoulder blades pulled back. “If you start to tilt your head forward, with gravity and the distance from neutral, the weight starts to increase.”
This pressure on the neck and spine can vary between neutral to 60 pounds at a 60 degree tilt forward. Imagine carrying around 60 pounds on your neck, for several hours each day!
“Judith Gold, ScD, an assistant professor of epidemiology at Temple University’s College of Health Professions and Social Work, presented evidence at this year’s meeting of the American Public Health Association suggesting that the more college students texted, the more pain they reported in their necks and shoulders.”
What can we do to prevent these problems?
The usual recommendations are good, however, they do not go far enough. For instance, recommending that the person sit with a straight back/spine, shoulders relaxed, head straight, bring the phone up to eye level rather than looking down, limit extended use by taking frequent breaks etc…
There is a better solution that will enhance the above recommendations. Practice the ancient Taoist “Turtle Exercise”.
Sit in a comfortable chair or on the floor (if floor then cross your legs), wrap your fingers around your thumbs (baby fist) and rest them on your lap. Sit with the back straight, lightly close the eyes, take a deep breath in and bring your chin down slightly and back towards the throat so the back of the neck stretches upward, exhale and bring the chin up so the back of the neck “folds into the shoulders”, repeat 12 times, slowly and do not strain. Practice 3 sets of 12 once or twice daily, or when needed. This will help to strengthen the spine, and nerves, and also serves as a meditation when combined with “Crane Breathing”.
This in addition to the other Taoist Internal Exercises will help to ensure that you prevent or help improve this painful and damaging problem.
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Harvard study proves meditation can hinder the onset of Alzheimer’s
If you ask most adults who are middle age or older, what their greatest fear is in regards to aging, many will say they do not want to “lose their mind”. They want to be able to age and still have their mental capacity and wits about them.
Many people who claim they do not want to live for too long, actually dread the thought of a long life if you cannot enjoy it, or even worse cannot recall your fondest memories, or even not recall who you are or where you are. Is it 1918 and you are fighting in the great war, stuck in the trenches all over again? Perhaps, as you look out the window, hours pass by and you cannot recall why you were looking out the window to begin with. The thought of this life becoming a reality is something that many people are afraid to face until it is often too late.
According to the Alzheimer’s Association (www.alz.org):
- more than five million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s
- Alzheimer’s is the 6th leading cause of death in the United States alone
- Approximately 500,000 people are dying each year from Alzheimer’s
- 1 in 3 seniors dies with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia
- Alzheimer’s costs the economy approx. $220 billion per year
- by the time you finish this article approx. 10 people will have just found out they have Alzheimer’s, that’s almost one person every 67 seconds
Oxford dictionary defines dementia as: “a chronic or persistent disorder of the mental processes marked by memory disorders, personality changes, impaired reasoning etc. due to brain disease or injury”. Alzheimer’s is only one type of dementia, however, it is also the most common and one of the leading causes of premature senility.
There is good news in the fight against this terrible disease that causes much hardship on those afflicted and their loved ones, as well as the often silent warriors—the caregivers!
The study was conducted by Rebecca Erwin Wells, MD, MPH, in association with Harvard Medical School and the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Wells was led towards this study as a result of there currently being no FDA approved medications that can help stop or slow the progression of mild cognitive impairment or more serious forms of cognitive deterioration. According to Wells:
“We also know that as people age, there’s a high correlation between perceived stress and Alzheimer’s disease, so we wanted to know if stress reduction through meditation might improve cognitive reserve. (Science Daily)”
The study involved only 14 adults but showed extremely promising results that will lead to further research. The participants ranging in age from 55-90, were split into two groups consisting of mindfulness meditation and standard care. The mediation group met for two hours per week, were encouraged to practice for 15-30 minutes on their own time, and participated in a mindfulness mediation retreat.
After eight weeks the groups results were compared to prior tests and revealed that:
“…the results of MRI imaging showed that the group engaged in MBSR [meditation] had significantly improved functional connectivity in the areas of the default mode network. Additionally, as expected, both groups experienced atrophy of the hippocampus, but those who practiced MBSR [meditation] experienced less atrophy.( Science Daily)”
The meditation participants also reported better cognition and improved well-being.
An interesting side note to this story is that once again, a modern or current study is only confirming what the ancient Taoists and Chinese Medicine has known for thousands of years. Meditation in one form or another (sitting, standing, moving or even sleeping) has often been recommended as a preventative exercise for problems with the body and mind.
Meditation is an exercise that allows the practitioner to focus on a task with almost single mindedness, it is not, as often described by modern teachers, as “letting go, or just being in the moment, thinking of nothing” etc…
Meditation is work and work can be meditation, actually, anything can be a form of meditation, and at its highest level, eventually everything becomes a form of meditation. Whether ironing your clothes, preparing a meal, walking in the garden etc…
First, however, we must start somewhere, and there is no greater and simpler form of meditation than “Crane Breathing”. To practice, one sits comfortably with the back straight, or lies flat on the back, and inhales and exhales as slowly as possible through the nose, when you inhale gently push the abdomen out as if you are filling a balloon with air, when you exhale, gently pull the abdomen in, when you inhale again just allow the belly to come out and fill with air again. Perform this exercise a few times at first and focus on the slow movement of the belly and slowly inhaling and exhaling, ideally your breath should be so slow that you would not move a feather if it were placed under your nose.
Other forms of meditation include the Taoist Internal Self Healing exercises, properly taught Tai Chi and Qigong etc…
Let’s all do ourselves a favor and start a simple practice of meditation today or tonight, actually every morning and evening is a great time to practice the Crane Breathing exercise.
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Royal jade cream is famous throughout history
What is the significance of jade as the key ingredient?
Understanding that jade is a “living” stone—capable of absorbing the energies of the earth, emitting its power and changing to a color reflective of its wearer—the ancient Chinese had jade burial suits made specifically to encase and preserve their entire bodies upon death.
When modern archaeologists unearthed the jade-encased bodies many thousands of years later for scientific study, they were astonished by their findings. The state of preservation of the bodies from un-violated graves were remarkable: they were freshly preserved externally as well as internally—as if they had just died—even after more than 2,000 years of burial. Not only was the skin still elastic without any sign of rot, but also the food inside the stomach was preserved.
Jade is so well known that it is recorded in the Chinese Medical Classics as a skin preservative. It is with these properties in mind that Dr. Stephen Chang’s great grandfather Cui Guo Yin formulated Jade Cream through an alchemical process.
Cui Guo Yin was a famous physician, professor to the Emperor of China, as well as ambassador to the United States during the Benjamin Harrison administration (1889 to 1893). When Jade Cream was presented to the Empress Dowager to use, it became famous because of the phenomenal results she obtained.
Functions of the Jade Cream:
- Preserve youthfulness of skin by making it healthy and radiant.
- Correct skin problems. Its nutrients generate new, healthy skin tissues and repairs old, unhealthy cells. Therefore, it can correct any kind of skin problem, for example: scars, wrinkles, blemishes—even moles (testimony of one of the greatest of international stars).
- Imparts a tanned, radiant glow while prolonging a tan and minimizing sun-damage.
- Forms a protective barrier from the effects of the pollution, wind and cold.
- The physicians of the Royal Family of China have also reported a wide range of benefits for symptoms such as joints deformed by arthritis, herpes, sprained ankles, psoriasis, breast lumps, vaginal infections, skin cancer, spinal dysfunction, hemorrhoids, cataracts, glaucoma and eczema. Its effectiveness has been continuously proven over the centuries. Dr. Chang has received a “mountain” of testimonials from throughout the U.S., Europe and Asia.
Royal Jade Cream is made exclusively by Dr. Stephen Chang.
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University study proves that Tai Chi can improve heart health
As reported in the Daily Mail-London and the European Journal of Preventative Cardiology; a Hong Kong Polytechnic University study proves that Tai Chi significantly improves heart health, lowers blood pressure and increases strength among the elderly when practiced regularly.
The participants, 65 people from Hong Kong, also had improved arterial compliance and increased knee-muscle/ligament strength.
“Arterial compliance is an important indicator of heart health in the elderly because stiffness in the arteries is closely associated with cardiovascular diseases. (Qi Journal, Summer 2012)”
Dr. William Tsang also noted:
“the Tai Chi subjects scored better in almost all medical observations, including blood pressure, vascular resistance and pulse resistance. (Qi Journal, Summer 2012)”
Many Tai Chi practitioners are not surprised by studies that confirm its many health benefits as they are aware that as a branch of Qigong, Chinese Medicine and the Tao of Revitalization; Tai Chi when practiced correctly, following its original Taoist principles, is a highly effective and beneficial form of cultivation.
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The Taoist approach to caring for the breasts
Taoism views the body as a complete system that is interconnected through the organs, nerves, circulation (blood and fluids including hormones), energy, mind and spirit. When the different systems are functioning properly and the blood and energy are able to circulate freely, then the body is in a state of “health”. When one kink appears in the system, however, many problems will develop as symptoms of the underlying cause.
For instance, when the body is eliminating dead cells and waste through the lymphatic and eliminatory systems, if there is a blockage or weakness in the system, the dead cells will become stuck in that location. Over time more and more dead cells will accumulate until hardness develops. Since the dead cells contain waste material if the hardness/ blockage remains the dead cells are able to secrete toxic substances which in turn causes more cells to become diseased and die, resulting in more blockages and areas of hardness etc… This explains why hardness and tumors grow and why “cancer” spreads to other areas of the body.
According to Dr. Chang, “breast lumps are the result of blockages. When the circulatory flow in breasts is blocked for any reason, the consequences will be the appearance of soreness or lumps in the area. The deer exercise eliminates any existing blockages to facilitate energy or blood circulation. In this way, future blockages or breast problems will be prevented. (Tao of Sexology, p. 111)”
Blockages and weakness can also occur from injuries, the breasts are especially vulnerable to injury due to its very delicate tissues. This is one reason why the nipples and breast should not be pinched, bitten or pulled and why the breast in general should not be squeezed or compressed. These actions cause blockages in the breasts and can cause many problems. Breast feeding is an exception as the breast tissue goes through temporary changes allowing the mother to feed the child without harming the breasts and nipples.
Women need to make sure during lovemaking that their nipples are only caressed, cupped and lightly kissed, again avoid pinching, biting and pulling the nipples.
“In Taoist Sexology, the breasts, along with the vagina, uterus and ovaries, are regarded as essential parts of the reproductive system. From foreplay to pregnancy and nursing, the breasts are closely tied to the genital system, through nervous impulses, hormones etc… (Tao of Sexology, p.89, Dr. Stephen T. Chang)”
Fortunately, there is an ancient Taoist technique, where a woman can massage her breasts thus ensuring the reproductive system remains healthy and encourages the proper elimination of waste through the lymphatic system. The Tao of revitalization encourages all of the systems to function properly.
The female deer exercise involves massaging the breasts and vagina in a particular manner along with squeezing the anal and vaginal muscles. Regarding the breast massage, make sure you do not touch the nipples as the over stimulation can cause blockages. Keep this important point in mind as there are many versions of this exercise in other books and on the internet that are done improperly. The exercise will completely energize the entire reproductive system as well as all 7 glands thus improving the overall immune system as well.
In addition to helping to prevent or improve lumps and blockages in the breasts and reproductive system the exercise will also: regulate hormone levels, strengthen the uterus to help prevent cysts and fibroids and more. There are several Taoist herbal teas/formulas that greatly enhance the benefits of the female deer exercise for those with blockages in the breast.
Feel free to contact the National Taoism Examiner and refer to the Tao of Sexology: The book of Infinite Wisdom by Dr. Stephen T. Chang, for further information or questions regarding the Female Deer exercise.
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Do you have a story, photo or video from your area that would be of interest to Taoists? Feel free to email (TJ@theQiInstitute.com) and they may be included or featured in a National Taoism Examiner article.
The human battery: the original energy theory
Taoists proved thousands of years ago that energy is the basis of all life in the universe. Energy is the foundation of everything; from the most distant star to the smallest grain of sand on earth.
Of particular importance, from the newborn baby to the baby boomers to society’s elders, is how energy impacts our body, mind, spirit and ultimately our health and longevity.
According to Dr. Stephen T. Chang: “…the body is endowed with a definite energy quotient at birth. While this energy is being dissipated through the vicissitudes of daily living, it is simultaneously being replenished by energy obtained from food and air (included within air is the all-pervading electro-magnetic energy). Energy imbalance either an excess or an insufficiency- is the root of all illness; total absence of energy is death. Energy…circulate[s] throughout the body in well defined cycles; moving in a prescribed sequence from organ to bowel via the meridians, it flows partly at the periphery and partly in the interior of the body. Energy within the body is considered to be a dynamic force in constant flux; this is a leading principle in Chinese medicine… (The Complete Book of Acupuncture, p.8)”
We are all born with a certain amount of energy, which differs from one person to the next. At birth, for most people, our energy is at its strongest. This is what accounts for a baby’s incredible flexibility, strength (try to remove their hand from your finger) resistance to injury and illness etc… Every day, from the moment we first open our eyes our energy is being drained. In fact, almost everything in our modern lives has the negative effect of draining our energy.
Sitting down and watching the moving pictures on TV also drain our energy. Did you ever notice how many people will fall asleep, get restless, and develop headaches etc… when watching a television program for more than 2 hours? Now you understand why most movies are less than 2 hours, and if they are over 3 hours usually have a break around the 1.5 hour mark.
To further understand how draining our energy affects our health; visualize that your body is a battery. When the battery is 100% full, you have perfect health and all the organs and bowels are working properly. At 75% you develop a cold, illness, beginning stages of disease and you go to your doctor or health care provider for assistance. When your battery reaches 50% you are admitted to the hospital as the problem has progressed to a deeper stage. The ICU is waiting for you when your energy level drops to 25%. Finally, when your battery reaches ZERO, you flat-line and are considered dead.
Viewing the body through the example of a human battery, will profoundly impact the way you choose to “use” your energy. Is the activity worth the energy output? Notice the above example is based on the scenario beginning with 100% energy. What is the impact if you were born with less, or your lifestyle does not permit 100% energy?
Our first step, is to make sure we keep our energy levels somewhere between 80-100%. This is part of the good news; you do not have to worry about achieving or maintaining 100% energy all the time, just keep it above 75% and ideally between 80-100%. Now you can take a deep breath.
There are activities and techniques that can increase a person’s energy level and begin to develop an energy “savings account” or energy reserves. In particular, the Taoist self healing exercises or Tao of Revitalization, Tao of Balanced Diet and Taoist Herbology will greatly enhance the energy levels of a person’s body, mind and spirit.
There is no better time than today to begin this process. If you are retired or nearing retirement, then now is definitely the time to start recharging those batteries.
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(Article) Australian research proves that Qigong helps Cancer patients
Qigong (aka Chi-Kung) is a branch of the Taoist self healing exercises or Tao of Revitalization and has been practiced for over 5,000 years by millions of people around the world. A University of Sydney research project confirms that “Cancer patients who used [Qigong] a combination of gentle exercise and meditation experienced significantly higher well-being levels, improved cognitive functioning and less inflammation compared to a control group… which deteriorated in all of these areas. (The University of Sydney, Australia)”
The benefits of reduced inflammation were particularly significant for the group practicing Qigong, stated Dr Byeongsang Oh, a clinical senior lecturer at the Sydney Medical School who led the study. The ten week project involved 162 patients, ranging in age from 31-86 years old; 34% of the participants were diagnosed with breast cancer and 12% with colorectal cancer. The group had two 90 minute classes per week and was encouraged to practice 30 minutes per day at home. In addition to the benefits already listed, the participants were pleasantly surprised when they noticed an increased satisfaction with their sex lives as well. Dr. Oh presented the results to the American Society of Clinical Oncology at a recent conference in Chicago.
Other studies involving Qigong and Cancer
This study is one of many recently that confirms the tremendous healing ability of the Taoist exercises, whether they are Tai Chi, Qigong or the Tao of Revitalization. Presently, the Richard Stockton College of NJ is conducting research regarding the ability of Tai Chi to reduce joint pain in breast cancer patients. In China, Dr. Pao Ling conducted a study with over 2,800 terminal cancer patients involving Qigong therapy as their treatment regimen. After a six month period 59% of the patients were cured or showed significant improvement and 41% showed no improvement. You read that correctly, that’s 59% of the people being cured or significantly improved with Qigong as the only treatment in only six months!
It is very promising to see modern scientists and researchers’ confirming what was previously discovered by Taoists over 6,000 years ago. The modern researchers do not understand how these “exercises” produce such miraculous results, however, the ancient Taoists did and still do understand the how and why.
How is this possible?
Dr. Stephen T. Chang beautifully summarizes the process in “The Complete System of Self Healing”: “The Internal Exercises were arrived at by ancient Taoists through careful study and application of the physical laws of nature and the natural principles of healing. Their conformity to these physical laws-the same laws that govern the human body-confer upon the Internal Exercises the special power to coax the diseased bodily parts back to its natural order, to health… When followed daily, they promote not only freedom from disease and pain, but also a wonderful sense of well-being that springs from the heart of the individual… [Taoists] emphasized that one could at the very least obtain perfect health and happiness during their lifetime. They felt that [everyone] had the right to live a life free of physical pain, mental disharmony and spiritual selflessness.”
Through these exercises, it is possible for humanity to live, develop and grow older without worrying about the ailments that most consider unavoidable or a byproduct of being alive. For the Taoists, perfect health, harmony and balance are our birthrights!
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(Article) Tai Chi offers hope to breast cancer survivors with NJ college research program
“Often, breast cancer survivors must take medication known as aromatase inhibitors, which are designed to prevent the cancer from returning, but may also cause severe joint pain, similar to osteoarthritis, according to Gregg J. Cardena, a student researcher in the doctor of physical therapy program at the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey. (Qi Journal volume 22, no. 1 & Patch Newsletter)”
Many women stop taking this medication as a result of the severe joint pain, which according to Cardena increases the risk of the cancer returning. The college is offering Tai Chi classes through the Physical Therapy department’s research program, and is hopeful that Tai Chi will deliver the same extraordinary results it has for many people suffering from similar conditions. Specifically, the college wants to see if taking Tai Chi classes twice per week for eight weeks will reduce or eliminate the participant’s joint pain allowing them to complete the five year aromatase inhibitor medication schedule.
Tai Chi, or Taiji Quan & Qigong, have already been proven by many medical studies to greatly help or improve the following conditions: Alzheimer’s disease, depression, Parkinson’s disease, Fibromyalgia, Multiple Sclerosis, recovering from stroke, heart failure, high blood pressure, heart attacks, as well as other forms of cancer, to name just a few. “A 2004 study at the Wilmot Cancer Center in Rochester, NY, assigned 21 women who had been treated for breast cancer to either 12 weeks of tai chi or 12 weeks of participation in a psychosocial support group, both for 1 hour, 3 times a week. The women who practiced tai chi showed significant improvements in self-esteem and quality of life when compared with the women in the psychosocial support group. (Breast Cancer.org)”
In Asia, especially China & Japan, thousands of research studies, over several millennia, have concluded the effectiveness of Tai Chi, Qigong and Taoist self healing exercises. In Beijing, China the Xi Yuan Hospital, offers Qigong as a primary treatment for many health ailments. A large percentage of the patients choose Qigong as their therapy of choice.
This is no surprise to Taoists as the Tao of Revitalization exercises & meditations have been regarded as the foremost-superior therapy for over 5,000 years as recorded in the Taoist Classic Huangdi Neijing (world’s oldest medical book). Some readers, as well as some practitioners, might not be aware that the Taoists created both Tai Chi and Qigong as exercises and cultivation for the body, mind and spirit.
The study is coordinated under the guidance of Mary Lou Galantino, professor of physical therapy at Stockton, along with two second year physical therapy students, Nicole Piela and Mary Callens. Classes will be conducted at Gilda’s Club of South Jersey in Linwood and Kennedy Health Systems in Cherry Hill. “Women interested in participating in the study should have had a diagnosis of stage I, II or III breast cancer; have been free of disease for at least three months; be postmenopausal; taking aromatase inhibitors; and have had joint pain related to those drugs for at least three months. (Press of Atlantic City, Diane D’amico)”
If you are interested in participating in this or future studies, contact Richard Stockton College professor Mary Lou Galantino at (609) 652-4408 or by email at galantinoml@stockton.edu.
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(Article) Improve your health with one of the worlds oldest healing formulas
In the article “White rice is the great equalizer”, rice soup was mentioned as the first healing formula listed in the Huangdi Neijing, (over 5,000 years ago). Rice plays an integral role in Taoism as well as Chinese food therapy and Classical Chinese Medicine. Not only will rice bring any meal to a natural acid/alkaline balance, it also serves as the base/foundation for healing recipes. This article includes two basic formulas to help your body heal using rice. Congee has a similar consistency to porridge, if you prefer you can add more water for a consistency similar to soup.
Basic rice congee:
Thoroughly wash/rinse 1 cup of white rice, add 5 cups of water and bring to a boil. Reduce to low heat and cook for 1 hour. Serve with any dish and enjoy.
Benefits: Rice soup soothes the internal organs. It is very good for people with weak stomachs, indigestion, fermentation, extreme fatigue and aids in food absorption.
Chinese Yam congee (modified from “Chinese Herb Cooking for Health” by Dr. Wang-Chuan Chen:
- Wash ¼ cup of red jujubes and discard the pits. Wash a little less than ¼ cup of Chinese yams and divide into small pieces
- Add to basic rice congee recipe and bring to boil
- Reduce to low heat and cook for 1 hour
- Sweeten with raw sugar and serve
Benefits: “Extremely nutritious, good for those recovering from long illnesses, easy to digest and improves strength.”
You can find Chinese yams in most Chinese grocery stores and some organic markets, Whole Foods or Trader Joes etc… White rice is one of the most beneficial food staples and ingredients God has blessed humanity with. You can adapt the basic rice congee recipe as needed and adjust to your preferences. For instance, you can add: chicken, green onions, salt and pepper for a delicious meal, or drop in one egg per person, along with green onion, salt and pepper for a delicious twist to your breakfast routine.
Take the time, at least once per week, to enjoy these simple and delicious rice congee/porridge recipes. Be creative and let the Taoism Examiner know how you like them and if you come up with any of your own variations.
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