Dang Shen Chinese Chicken Herbal Soup
Fern the Blizzard Just Pulled Up — and Your House Is About to Reveal Its Temperament
Winter storm Fern has made her threatening arrival.
Boredom + cabin fever have been officially forecasted for the next week.
And the funniest part? Everyone knows it’ll melt in ~10 days… yet half the house is acting like we’re reenacting Little House on the Prairie: The Directors Cut.
🎭 The Four Humours: Snowstorm Edition
Sanguine (Air) — “We’re making this fun.”
First move: turns the storm into an aesthetic event: cocoa bar, playlist, snow-photo shoot, “snow day but make it couture.”
Nervous system vibe: dopamine-forward flight energy (fast, excited, impulsive).
Somatic cues: buzzy chest, restless legs, “I need to DO something,” giggles that turn into irritability when confined.
Regulated Sanguine (ventral vagal play): rallies morale and delegates the boring stuff.
“Okay team—hot drinks, board games, and yes, someone please check the batteries.”Dysregulated Sanguine (chaos flight): impulsive trips, forgetting essentials, overpromising fun then melting down.
“It’s fine, we’ll just run out real quick.” (…in slippers.)
Choleric (Fire) — “I will defeat the weather.”
First move: command center. Supplies. Shovels. Timeline. Backup plan.
Nervous system vibe: fight/drive (laser focus, urgency, domination of circumstances).
Somatic cues: tight jaw, hot face, clenched hands, “why is everyone moving in slow motion?”
Regulated Choleric (protective leadership): decisive, efficient, keeps people safe.
“I’ve got the driveway. You handle snacks and keep the kids warm.”Dysregulated Choleric (control spirals): snappy, micromanaging, rage-cleaning the house like it owes them money.
“We are not being delayed.”
Melancholic (Earth) — “I saw this coming.”
First move: checks forecasts, totals, ice risk, road updates, school closures… then sends a household bulletin.
Nervous system vibe: freeze + over-processing (hypervigilant thinking, scanning for what could go wrong).
Somatic cues: stomach drops, heavy shoulders, forehead tension, doom-research thumb.
Regulated Melancholic (steady systems queen): prepared, thoughtful, grounded.
“Pipes, meds, pet needs, extra blankets—handled.”Dysregulated Melancholic (catastrophe carousel): anxious spirals, over-researching, “what if… what if… what if…”
“Okay but refreeze is possible.” (Always.)
Phlegmatic (Water) — “It’ll be okay.”
First move: soup. naps. cozy rhythms. “No need to rush.”
Nervous system vibe: parasympathetic by default — sometimes dorsal shutdown if stress piles up.
Somatic cues: slow limbs, deep sighs, low appetite (or snacky comfort mode), “I’ll do it later.”
Regulated Phlegmatic (warm stability): soothing presence, good pacing, keeps panic low.
“We’re safe. Eat something warm. Drink water.”Dysregulated Phlegmatic (avoidance/inertia): procrastinates the shovel until it’s… a mountain.
“I’ll do it later.” (Later becomes never.)
❄️ The 10-Day Melt Twist: Who Handles “Temporary Discomfort” Best?
Sanguine: “Temporary? Cute. Let’s romanticize it.”
Choleric: “Temporary? Still unacceptable. We optimize.”
Melancholic: “Temporary, yes. But let’s plan for the ‘what if.’”
Phlegmatic: “Temporary. We rest, stay safe, and wait it out.”
Translation: the storm isn’t the problem.
Your nervous system’s relationship with waiting is.
🧩 The Dream Team (a.k.a. how to survive without eating each other)
Choleric runs execution: shovel, supplies, safety.
Melancholic runs systems: inventory, forecasts, contingency plans.
Phlegmatic runs regulation: meals, warmth, pacing, nervous system exhale.
Sanguine runs morale: connection, play, lightness.
If your house is missing one of these roles… congratulations, you’re about to discover it loudly.
🌿 Enter Dang Shen: the “hold steady” root when Fern gets dramatic
When the world turns into a snow globe and your body starts acting like the apocalypse is personal, I love a warming, steadying tonic—and Dang Shen (Codonopsis pilosula) has that vibe.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, Dang Shen is often described as a gentle Qi tonic (sweet, neutral) traditionally used to support low energy patterns—fatigue, weakness, low appetite, and “I’m tired but I must keep going” energy, classically tied to Spleen + Lung Qi support.
Modern research is still catching up to tradition, but there’s active investigation into Codonopsis compounds (especially polysaccharides/inulin-type components) and their immune + gut/anti-inflammatory effects in preclinical models, including experimental colitis work.
My storm-time translation:
Dang Shen doesn’t hype you up like caffeine. She fills the tank with a deeper, steadier kind of resilience—especially when stress + cold + cabin fever start nibbling at your reserves.
Quick safety note: Codonopsis may interact with blood-thinning meds / bleeding risk, and pregnancy/breastfeeding safety info is limited—so check with your clinician if that’s you.
🍲 Dang Shen Chinese Chicken Herbal Soup (a.k.a. “Fern, sit down!”)
This recipe is a classic style of Chinese chicken herbal soup popularized online by Daily Cooking Quest (Anita Jacobson).
It’s warm, mineral-rich, and tastes like your ancestors wrapping you in a blanket.
Chinese herbs (the family mix)
dried red dates / jujube (hong zao)
goji berries (gou qi zi)
angelica root (dang gui)
astragalus root (huang qi)
codonopsis root (dang shen)
Sichuan lovage rhizome (chuan xiong)
American (yellow) ginseng
Korean (red/panax) ginseng
Ingredients
1 free-range chicken, cut into 4–8 pieces
8 dried jujube (hong zao)
2 Tbsp goji berries
3 slices dang gui
1 slice huang qi
~10 pieces dang shen
8 slices chuan xiong
1/2 Tbsp American ginseng
1/4 Tbsp Korean (red/panax) ginseng
2 tsp salt
1 liter water
Method
Rinse and drain the dried herbs (dust is real, babe).
Place everything in a soup pot. Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer 1 hour (until chicken is tender and cooked through).
Salt to taste. Serve warm.
Storm upgrade: sip this in your softest robe while staring out the window like a mystical narrator. Optional: ban one person from talking about the driveway for 20 minutes.
🫖 Tiny “Snow-Day Nervous System” Ritual (2 minutes, no incense required)
Hand on chest + belly: inhale 4, exhale 6 (x5 rounds).
Name your state: “I’m in drive.” / “I’m in spin.” / “I’m in shutdown.”
Choose one downshift: warm drink + blanket + slow music OR 10 air squats + shake-out + hot shower.
Because regulation is not a vibe. It’s a practice.
xoxo, gina