Medicinal Oxtail Radish Soup for Period Cramp Relief

Period cramps can be debilitating and pain relief medication helps to a certain extent. My cramps really started getting intense when I was 15 and continuously got worse over the years, pushing me to search for alternative natural remedies. Luckily, my family has been well versed in how helpful Chinese medicine could be, and I started by adjusting my diet and lifestyle according to my body type. This soup was one of the best things I started incorporating into my diet, not just for how delicious it is but its benefits too. Here’s how the ingredients work:

• Oxtail is believed to nourish the blood and improve circulation, which can help to relieve menstrual cramps

• Radishes have a cooling effect on the body, which can help to reduce the pain and discomfort associated with menstrual cramps

• American ginseng has anti-inflammatory properties and is often used in traditional remedies to relieve menstrual cramps.

To make this soup:

Ingredients:

• 1 pound oxtail

• 3-4 pieces of ginger

• 1 scallion

• 1/2 large yellow onion

• 2 tbsp ginseng extract

• 1 small daikon radish

• 8 cups of water

• Salt and pepper to taste

• Scallions for garnish

Instructions:

1. Rinse the oxtail and place it in a large pot. Add water to cover, ginger, and scallion, then bring to a boil. Cook for 5 minutes then drain and wash the scum off.

2. Add the oxtail to a clean pot, with 8 cups of water, 1/2 onion, and bring to a boil then simmer for 2-3 hours. By the end, the broth will be milky white.

3. While the oxtail is cooking, wash and chop the radishes into bite size pieces, and make the ginseng extract if you don’t have any. Here’s my recipe for making the extract.

4. When the oxtail is ready, add the chopped radishes, ginseng extract, and simmer for another 30 minutes.

5. At the end add a few pinches of salt and pepper to taste.

6. Serve hot, garnish with scallions, and enjoy the comforting and nourishing benefits of oxtail radish soup.