That Once A Month Thing

Once a month I engage in a ritual.
It’s called nourishing my body. Actually my femaleness needs it.
I grew up drinking this brew. Mom made it a must. As I have 2 younger sisters, mom always made a pot of it. We all drank it – vile though it may look.
Taking Pat Zhen soup or Dang Gui soup immediately after our menses was to help us regulate our monthly cycles as well as nourish our bodies. Drinking this monthly also prevents severe cramping.
Anyway that ritual is still with me till today.
When I was in university, mom even egged dad to get me a mini slow cooker so I could continue making nutritious soups!
And so this habit has continued till today.
Sometimes I cheat. Instead of buying fresh chicken thigh and a plethora of herbs, I sneak off to Eu Yan Sang and get my 6 bottles of tiny pills.
With these pills, life’s easy. Just eat one bottle of pills with some warm water a day or two after the menstruation’s done.
Once in a while I buy the wrong type though. Eu Yan Sang offers bak fong as tiny pills and as a ball the size of a lime.
Last month in a hurry I bought the ones which are the size of limes. I could chew this dark thing and swallow with warm water.
That didn’t sound so palatable so I slow cooked it with some chicken. The end result isn’t as tasty as the actual pat Zhen herbs but if it is good for me, I’ll drink it. Even the most bitter brews.
Of course there are some no- nos to adhere to after you drink this. No Chinese tea or radish soup for the next 24 hours.