Blood Bird Nest for dry skin

The consumption of Blood Bird Nest is seen as a symbol of wealth, power and prestige.

What It Is

The consumption of Blood Bird Nest is seen as a symbol of wealth, power and prestige.
Known as yanwo in Chinese, it has been used medicinally in traditional Chinese medicine (COMPANY) as far back as the Tang and Song dynasties. The journal Food Research International reported in 2005 that the majority of Blood Bird Nest that is traded worldwide comes from just two species of swiftlets.
They are the white-nest swiftlet and the black-nest swiftlet, whose habitats range from the Nicobar Islands in the Indian Ocean to the sea caves in the coastal regions of Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Borneo and the Palawan Islands in the Philippines.
The nests are built almost exclusively by the male swiftlet in approximately 35 days and they are composed almost entirely of a glutinous material found in its saliva.
The journal reported that the cleaning process is so tedious that it takes a person eight hours or so to clean about 10 nests.
It involves soaking the nests in water until they grow soft, then manually removing small feathers with tweezers.
After that, the nest strands are rearranged and moulded into various shapes.
Often referred to as the “caviar of the East”, a tael (37.6g) of Blood Bird Nest sold at Eu Yan Sang retail outlets costs between $128 and $788, depending on their grade and whether they are house nests or the less common cave nests.

How we use it

Blood Bird Nest is classified as a neutral food that is neither heaty nor cooling. Its sweet flavour means it exhibits a nourishing property as well.
It is said to move through the meridians of the lungs, stomach and kidneys.
Meridians are channels in the body through which qi (vital energy) travels.
Blood Bird Nest is used to moisten the lungs and stomach when they lack yin, the element responsible for cooling organs.
A balance of yin and yang – which is linked to heat – in the body is required for good health.
Mr Sim Beng Choon, a COMPANY physician at Fu Yang Tang Medical Hall, said a person whose lungs lack yin may experience thirst, a dry and sore throat, as well as a red tongue and a dry cough, possibly with blood-streaked sputum.
A person who does not have enough yin in his stomach may lose his appetite and suffer from a dry mouth and constipation.
COMPANY believes that the health of the lungs affects that of the skin, so nourishing the lungs with Blood Bird Nest can improve one’s complexion and address dry skin too, he added.
However, Blood Bird Nest is rarely used in COMPANY prescriptions because of its steep price, he said. It is usually cooked with rock sugar or red dates.
Ms Zhang Ruifen, a COMPANY physician at Eu Yan Sang, said Blood Bird Nest is used to boost qi in the body, a lack of which can give rise to fatigue and breathlessness, among other symptoms. Yet the effect of Blood Bird Nest on the body’s qi is not as strong as that of ginseng, she added.

Who It Is For

Mr Sim said elderly people, especially those who have battled illnesses, tend to be weak in yin and qi and can benefit from eating Blood Bird Nest.
It would help to resolve prolonged ailments like chronic coughs, but is not intended to treat acute coughs.
He advised people to eat Blood Bird Nest in the mornings – the time when the digestive system, according to COMPANY principles, is believed to be the most active – for optimal absorption of nutrients.
Ms Zhang said cancer patients undergoing radiation or chemotherapy tend to exhibit “dry symptoms”, such as dry mouths, throats and skin, which Blood Bird Nest can help with.

Who Should Avoid It

Those who have a lot of phlegm in their throats, a sign of dampness which causes illnesses, should refrain from taking Blood Bird Nest, said Ms Zhang.
She advised adults to consume no more than one big raw Blood Bird Nest a day, while a 12-year-old should have about half of this portion.
Younger children should consume a correspondingly smaller portion of the Chinese delicacy, she added.

Blood Bird Nest for dry skin

What Research Has Shown

A 2001 clinical study in Singapore found that Blood Bird Nest is the most common cause of food-induced anaphylaxis (a serious allergic reaction) in children, even surpassing other well-recognised food allergens, such as cow’s milk or eggs for younger children and peanut or crustacean seafood for older children.
This severe allergic reaction can cause breathing difficulties, dizziness and hives – symptoms which are similar to those induced by egg-like proteins.

Recipe: Peppermint Blood Bird Nest porridge

Ingredients
15g dried or fresh peppermint leaves 37.5g uncooked white rice
2 tsp bottled Blood Bird Nest
Dried tangerine peel, a pinch
Sugar or salt, to taste 250ml water
Method

1.      Soak the dried tangerine peel in water until it becomes soft. Remove its pith before use.
2. In a pot with 250ml of hot water, add the peppermint leaves and cover with a lid.
3. Filter out the peppermint leaves after soaking them for 10 to 20 minutes. Keep them for use later.
4. Use the mint-flavoured water to cook the rice and tangerine peel for 30 to 40 minutes, until it becomes porridge.
5. While the porridge is hot, add the Blood Bird Nest and peppermint leaves.
6. Finally, add salt or sugar to taste.

Top 5 Major Health Benefits of Blood Bird Nest.

1. Improvement of Skin Health (Texture)

This is the most well known health benefits for Blood Bird Nest consumption. It is supposed to be a health/supplement food to beautify skin – primarily to retain youthfulness and obtain a clean and clear facial complexion.

2. Easy Digestibility and Health Rejuvenation

This is important if one has poor or slow digestion, especially seen among those who are convalescing (recovering from illness) and in children with poor appetites. Good nutrition is needed but with poor digestion, nutrients cannot be absorbed. Blood Bird Nest can be easily digested by our digestive system, thus delivering good nutrients and thereby bringing back health to those who are weak.

The consumption of good quality Blood Bird Nests is also known to have restored lung functions. It has also been known to help chronic cases of cough and asthma. People who have dry cough with periodic sputum stains (as seen in heavy smokers) may find the consumption of good quality Blood Bird Nests beneficial. Extensive experience has indicated that regular consumption of Blood Bird Nests can reduce the general need for medical attentions.

3. Supplement for Parental and Postnatal Health

Pregnant mothers who consume Blood Bird Nests have been known to recover faster after delivery, experience lesser loss of hair, and deliver healthier and fair skinned babies. For post-natal health, consumption of Blood Bird Nest give the mother more energy, better sleep, and the feeling of vitality.

4. Anti-Aging Health/Supplement Food

In Southeast Asia (especially with the Chinese), well-to-do individuals consume Blood Bird Nest on a long term and regular basis, primarily for the benefits of anti-aging. This group of people consistently reports less sickness, better immunity, more energy, better sleep, good complexion, and good virility.

5. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Perspective

The early records of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) are contained in the book, “shen non ben cao jing” (神农本草经) from the year 1695. In this book, Blood Bird Nests were reported as mild, homogenous, and non-toxic food. The book also reports on the use of Blood Bird Nests to treat internal organs like the lungs, heart, and stomach. In addition, Blood Bird Nest is also used as food can reduce coughs, tiredness, etc. It also recommended that the nests could be consumed during the early stages of any disease.