Codonopsis, Cinnamon Twig & Squab Soup

Why people make this soup

Those dealing with hypothyroidism — underactive thyroid — often live with a particular kind of low-energy fog: heart palpitations, breathlessness from the slightest exertion, a voice that feels softer than it used to, slow thinking, poor appetite, and a persistent sense of cold that does not match the room temperature. Traditional Chinese food therapy associates these patterns with “insufficient heart qi” and “spleen-stomach deficiency,” and recommends warming, tonifying foods. Nourilo’s soup here uses three main actors: codonopsis root as a gentle qi tonic, cinnamon twig to warm and open the channels, and squab (young pigeon), which is considered a more tonifying protein than regular chicken. The ginger and dates round it out. This is a soup families can make for someone who is convalescing or feeling chronically worn down.