Table of Contents
1. Symptoms of Spleen and Kidney Yang Deficiency
2. Causes of Spleen and Kidney Yang Deficiency
3. Chinese Patent Medicines for Spleen and Kidney Yang Deficiency
4. How to Regulate Spleen and Kidney Yang Deficiency
5. Prevention of Spleen and Kidney Yang Deficiency
6. Foods Beneficial for Spleen and Kidney Yang Deficiency
7. Medicinal Wine Recipes for Spleen and Kidney Yang Deficiency
8. How to Determine if You Have Spleen and Kidney Yang Deficiency
Spleen Yang Deficiency is a disease name, also known as Spleen and Stomach Cold Deficiency. It is caused by dietary imbalance, excessive consumption of cold foods, overwork, prolonged illness, or emotional distress damaging the spleen.
It is often due to a weak constitution combined with a heavy invasion of cold pathogens, or it may result from prolonged illness depleting the Yang Qi of the spleen and kidney. Additionally, chronic diarrhea can damage the Yang Qi of the spleen and kidney, or deficiencies in other organs can affect the spleen and kidney.
Symptoms include decreased appetite, abdominal distension, stomach pain relieved by warmth and pressure, cold extremities, loose stools, or edema in the limbs, aversion to cold and preference for warmth, clear and frequent urination, excessive and thin vaginal discharge in women, pale and swollen tongue, white and moist tongue coating, and a deep and slow pulse.
The symptoms of Spleen and Kidney Yang Deficiency are often due to a heavy invasion of cold pathogens, prolonged illness depleting Qi, or chronic diarrhea damaging the Yang Qi of the spleen and kidney, or deficiencies in other organs affecting the spleen and kidney. Spleen deficiency with insufficient Yang Qi often leads to dysfunction of the large intestine, manifesting as either diarrhea or constipation. Malabsorption syndrome, ulcerative colitis, and habitual constipation often accompany this condition.
1. Urogenital Aspects
Frequent urination at night—generally, the number of nighttime urinations exceeds two or the volume exceeds one-fourth of the total daily output. In severe cases, it can occur once an hour, with the volume approaching or exceeding that of daytime urination. This is a characteristic of “nocturia.” Normal daytime urination with increased nighttime urination is often due to weak kidney Qi. To achieve a complete cure, it is essential to focus on warming and supporting the innate Yang Qi of the kidneys to enhance the Qi consolidation and transformation function, achieving the effect of Yang recovery and Yin retreat.
2. Mental State
Aversion to cold and cold limbs—”aversion to cold” refers to a fear of cold and wind. “Cold limbs” indicates that the hands and feet are icy, even to the elbows and knees. This condition often accompanies lumbar and knee soreness, fatigue, shortness of breath, and a pale and unthirsty mouth, which are symptoms of kidney deficiency.
Dizziness and weakness, insomnia with vivid dreams—The kidneys, as one of the vital organs, nourish and warm other organs. If other organs suffer from chronic illness, it can easily harm the kidneys. Many chronic diseases such as chronic hepatitis, coronary heart disease, bronchial asthma, and hypertension often accompany symptoms of kidney deficiency. To fundamentally cure kidney deficiency, it is essential to thoroughly treat the diseases of other organs; otherwise, it is merely treating the symptoms without addressing the root cause.
Lumbar and back pain—The root of lumbar pain lies in kidney deficiency, which can be divided into internal injury and overexertion. Internal injury refers to congenital insufficiency, prolonged illness, or excessive fatigue. Mild cases may find it difficult to bend or stand upright, while severe cases may experience heel pain and lumbar weakness; overexertion refers to excessive physical burden or long-term engagement in fixed postures such as working on a computer or driving, which can damage kidney Qi and lead to insufficient kidney essence.
Dizziness and tinnitus—Many people may have experienced dizziness and tinnitus, which is quite uncomfortable, and dizziness often accompanies tinnitus, which can long-term hinder hearing and may eventually lead to deafness. The causes of dizziness and tinnitus are often related to the liver and kidneys. In TCM, it is said that “the kidneys store essence and produce marrow, and marrow gathers to form the brain,” meaning that kidney deficiency can lead to insufficient marrow, depriving the brain of nourishment, resulting in dizziness and tinnitus. Treatment requires tonifying kidney Qi; when essence is sufficient, marrow is full, and dizziness and tinnitus can naturally be eliminated.
3. Other Physical Aspects
Asthma—The kidneys have the function of “receiving Qi.” If kidney deficiency cannot receive Qi, it will lead to wheezing and shortness of breath, making it difficult to breathe comfortably. In severe cases, wheezing may worsen, accompanied by cold sweats. Clinically, to cure asthma, it is essential to cut off the root cause by tonifying the kidneys to receive Qi, enhancing physical strength to alleviate symptoms and reduce recurrence.
Decreased sexual function and libido—impotence or weak erections, nocturnal emissions, premature ejaculation, with microscopic examination showing reduced sperm count or decreased sperm motility, leading to infertility.
Poor complexion—premature aging, dark circles, dull skin, rough and dry skin, wrinkles, pigmentation, midlife acne, lack of skin elasticity; premature aging, poor appetite, bone and joint pain, fatigue, decreased vision, and hearing loss. Hair loss, graying, or early balding, loose teeth, and easy loss.
The causes of Spleen and Kidney Yang Deficiency are due to the deficiency of Yang Qi in both the spleen and kidneys, clinically manifested by cold pain in the lower back, knees, and abdomen, and persistent diarrhea. It is commonly seen in conditions such as deficiency fatigue, diarrhea, dysentery, edema, distension, kidney wind, as well as chronic gastroenteritis, chronic nephritis, and chronic renal failure in Western medicine.
The kidneys are the foundation of innate vitality, and kidney Yang is the root of all Yang Qi in the body. The spleen relies on kidney Yang for warmth to properly transform food and fluids. The spleen is the foundation of acquired vitality, transforming food and fluids to nourish the entire body, while the essence stored in the kidneys, although inherited from birth, must be continuously nourished through acquired means.
1. Prolonged illness of the spleen and kidneys depletes Qi and injures Yang.
The kidneys govern fluids and must coordinate with the spleen’s function of transforming and transporting fluids to maintain the balance of fluid metabolism in the body. Therefore, the spleen and kidneys depend on each other to ensure the normal functioning of food transformation and fluid metabolism. If the spleen and kidneys suffer from prolonged illness, it depletes Qi and injures Yang, leading to kidney Yang deficiency that cannot warm the spleen Yang, or the spleen Yang being unable to nourish the kidney Yang, ultimately resulting in deficiency of both spleen and kidney Yang Qi.
2. Aging and prolonged illness damage the body.
The causes of Spleen and Kidney Yang Deficiency are complex, such as aging, physical weakness, internal injury from overwork, and prolonged illness can all lead to this condition. Depending on the progression of the disease, it can be classified as either spleen affecting kidney or kidney affecting spleen.
3. Chronic diarrhea and dysentery damage kidney Yang, injuring both spleen and kidney.
In cases where the spleen affects the kidney, it is often due to a weak spleen and stomach, or injury from diet, or emotional distress damaging the spleen, or cold and dampness obstructing the spleen, or prolonged diarrhea, dysentery, or edema leading to spleen Yang deficiency.
4. Prolonged water pathogens lead to kidney Yang deficiency, unable to warm the spleen Yang.
In cases where the kidney affects the spleen, it may be due to congenital insufficiency, chronic kidney Yang deficiency, or improper postnatal care, sexual overexertion damaging the kidneys, or prolonged illness depleting kidney Yang, leading to kidney Yang deficiency, which in turn causes spleen Yang to lose warmth; or kidney water flooding, injuring spleen Yang. Over time, this forms the pattern of Spleen and Kidney Yang Deficiency.
5. Prolonged spleen Yang deficiency cannot nourish kidney Yang.
Spleen deficiency leads to weak transformation, unable to generate essence to nourish the kidneys, or internal stagnation of dampness affecting kidney Yang’s function of transforming fluids, leading to kidney Yang deficiency over time, ultimately resulting in Spleen and Kidney Yang Deficiency.
All of the above causes can lead to injury of both spleen and kidney Yang Qi, forming the pattern of Spleen and Kidney Yang Deficiency. The pathogenesis of Spleen and Kidney Yang Deficiency is often due to prolonged illness depleting Qi and injuring Yang, or prolonged diarrhea and dysentery, or prolonged water pathogens, leading to kidney Yang deficiency that cannot warm spleen Yang, or spleen Yang deficiency that cannot nourish kidney Yang, ultimately resulting in injury of both spleen and kidney Yang Qi. The spleen is the foundation of acquired vitality, while the kidneys are the foundation of innate vitality. The spleen governs the transformation of food and fluids, relying on the warmth of kidney Yang, while the essence of the kidneys also depends on the continuous nourishment and transformation of food and fluids. The spleen and kidneys, acquired and innate, mutually support and influence each other.
According to the “Essential Readings of Medicine: Deficiency Fatigue”: “…the spleen and kidneys are the source of all things, and the earth is the mother of all things. When these two organs are harmonious, the whole body is treated, and a hundred diseases do not arise. The spleen possesses the virtue of earth; when the spleen is stable, the kidneys are also stable. The kidneys contain both water and fire; when the kidneys are stable, water does not disturb the liver and dampness does not harm the earth. Fire can benefit the earth, promoting the transformation of essence, thus when the kidneys are stable, the spleen is also stable.”
In summary, whether it is spleen Yang deficiency or kidney Yang insufficiency, under certain conditions, both can develop into Spleen and Kidney Yang Deficiency.
Principles of Treatment for Spleen and Kidney Yang Deficiency: Warm and tonify the spleen and kidneys. Representative formulas: Zhen Wu Tang (True Warrior Decoction), Fu Zi Li Zhong Tang (Aconite and Ginseng Decoction). Commonly used herbs: Fu Zi (Aconite), Bai Shao (White Peony), Bai Zhu (White Atractylodes), Gan Jiang (Dried Ginger), Fu Ling (Poria), Gui Zhi (Cinnamon Twig), Dang Shen (Codonopsis), Zhi Gan Cao (Honey-fried Licorice), etc. Other treatment methods are as follows:
1. Gui Zhi Fang Feng Decoction with Shen Qi Wan
Shen Qi Wan is the main formula for warming the kidneys and assisting Yang. The formula includes Shu Di Huang (Rehmannia) to tonify the kidneys, Shan Yao (Chinese Yam) and Shan Zhu Yu (Cornelian Cherry) to nourish the liver and spleen, combined with Fu Zi and Gui Zhi (or Rou Gui) to warm the kidneys and assist Yang; Ze Xie (Alisma), Fu Ling, and Dan Pi (Moutan) to drain the turbid Qi from the liver, spleen, and kidneys. The entire formula is warming without being drying, nourishing without being greasy, focusing on warming and transforming kidney Qi. Use Gui Zhi Fang Feng to disperse the wind-cold on the surface, decoct and take with Shen Qi Wan to achieve the purpose of warming the kidneys and assisting Yang while resolving the exterior.
2. Su Ye and Sheng Jiang Decoction with You Gui Wan
You Gui Wan, meaning “returning to the gate of life,” refers to the warming and tonifying of kidney Yang. The formula includes Shu Di Huang to nourish kidney Yin to assist kidney Yang; Lu Jiao Jiao (Deer Antler Glue) is a nourishing substance, sweet and warm, to tonify the kidney and the governing vessels; Shan Yao, Shan Zhu Yu, and Gou Qi Zi (Goji Berries) nourish the liver and kidneys; Tu Si Zi (Cuscuta), Rou Gui, and Fu Zi warm the kidneys and strengthen Yang; Dang Gui (Angelica) and Du Zhong (Eucommia) warm and nourish the liver and kidneys, dispelling cold and strengthening the waist. The entire formula works to warm Yang, tonify the kidneys, and strengthen the waist.
For symptoms such as cold limbs, weak waist and knees, decreased appetite, loose stools, pale complexion, or impotence and edema, this formula is applicable. Use Su Ye and Sheng Jiang decoction to take with Bu Tian Ling Pian, allowing the dispersal of wind-cold to be combined with warming Yang for mutual benefit. If Yang deficiency is not severe, one can first resolve the exterior and then apply warming and tonifying treatment.
3. Compound Bu Gu Zhi Granules
This formula has the effect of warming and tonifying the liver and kidneys, strengthening the tendons and bones. It includes Bu Gu Zhi (Psoralea) and Suo Yang (Cynomorium) to warm and tonify the liver and kidneys; Xu Duan (Dipsacus) and Gou Ji (Cibotium) to strengthen the tendons and bones; Chi Shao (Red Peony) to invigorate blood and resolve stasis, and Huang Jing (Polygonatum) to tonify Qi and nourish Yin, suitable for kidney Yang deficiency leading to lumbar and knee pain and lumbar strain. For patients with wind-cold, this formula can be combined with wind-cold exterior deficiency formulas.
4. Bu Tian Ling Tablets
This formula is for tonifying the kidneys and strengthening Yang, filling essence and nourishing marrow. It includes Yin Yang Huo (Epimedium), Xian Mao (Curculigo), Bu Gu Zhi, Suo Yang, Jiu Cai Zi (Chive Seeds), Rou Gui, Hong Ren Shen (Red Ginseng), and She Chuang Zi (Cnidium) to warm and tonify kidney Yang; using Gou Qizi, Yang Wei, Niu Wei, Lu Wei, Miao Wei, and Hai Long to fill essence and nourish marrow; and using Niu Xi (Achyranthes) to strengthen tendons and bones. This formula is suitable for kidney Yang deficiency, impotence, premature ejaculation, weak waist and knees, nocturnal emissions, cold limbs, fatigue, etc. For those with wind-cold, Su Ye and Sheng Jiang decoction can be used to take with Bu Tian Ling Tablets, but this formula contains many nourishing substances and should not be taken excessively.
How to Regulate Spleen and Kidney Yang Deficiency: Kidney Yang deficiency is due to a weak constitution, aging, insufficient Yang Qi, or prolonged spleen Yang deficiency affecting kidney Yang, leading to insufficient Yang Qi in both spleen and kidneys. Spleen deficiency with insufficient Yang Qi often leads to dysfunction of the large intestine, manifesting as either diarrhea or constipation. Malabsorption syndrome, ulcerative colitis, and habitual constipation often accompany this condition. Spleen and kidney Yang deficiency requires differential treatment.
1. Concurrently Tonify Spleen and Kidney
This condition is characterized by insufficient spleen Yang and weakened kidney Yang. Whether the spleen disease affects the kidney or vice versa, the treatment should warm and tonify both spleen and kidney, as the saying goes, “the spleen and kidney should be tonified together,” and “kidney deficiency should be tonified, and the spleen should also be supported; one should strengthen the spleen without neglecting the nourishment of the kidneys.” However, if the spleen affects the kidney, tonifying the spleen should be the priority, while if the kidney affects the spleen, tonifying the kidney should be prioritized, while also tonifying the spleen or kidney.
2. Exercise Regularly
Engaging in appropriate outdoor exercise helps the body return to normal levels, but the amount of exercise must be moderate, and the breathing rhythm should be appropriate. Perform deep breathing exercises in a fresh air environment, preferably inhaling through the nose. Maintain a gentle, slow, even, and deep breathing pattern. Six deep breaths make one set. Then calm down and adjust, and repeat.
3. Rational Diet
First, maintain a regular schedule, with meals at the same time each day. A reasonable mix of coarse and fine grains can enhance the flavor of food, help various nutrients complement each other, and improve the nutritional value and utilization of food. Consume more warming and tonifying foods that benefit kidney Yang and warm spleen Yang, such as dog meat, lamb, chicken, pork stomach, leeks, chili peppers, cowpeas, and cinnamon. Avoid cold and cooling foods that can harm Yang Qi or are difficult to digest, such as aloe, japonica rice, buckwheat, oat, tofu, pork, duck, pine nuts, peanuts, bitter melon, water bamboo, celery, winter melon, eggplant, hollow vegetables, spinach, longan, bananas, and honey.
Dietary Therapy for Spleen and Kidney Yang Deficiency
1. Yin Yang Huo (Epimedium) and Fu Ling (Poria) Stewed Quail
Ingredients: 30g Yin Yang Huo, 30g Fu Ling, 1 quail.
Preparation: Kill the quail, remove feathers and internal organs, wash and cut into pieces, and place with the herbs in a stewing pot, steam for 3 hours, season, and consume the meat and broth. Efficacy: Yin Yang Huo tonifies kidney Yang and strengthens tendons and bones; Fu Ling is sweet and bland, entering the stomach, spleen, and lung meridians, promoting diuresis, removing dampness, calming the mind, and tonifying the spleen and stomach; quail is sweet and neutral, beneficial for Qi.
This dietary therapy is effective for joint swelling and pain, reduced urination and edema, and Spleen and Kidney Yang Deficiency-related lupus.
2. Yi Zhi Ren (Alpinia) and Dong Chong Xia Cao (Cordyceps) Stewed Goose Meat
Ingredients: 10g Yi Zhi Ren, 5g Dong Chong Xia Cao, 50g goose meat.
Preparation: Clean and cut the goose meat into pieces, place with herbs in a stewing pot, add appropriate water, and steam for 3 hours, season, and consume the meat and broth. Efficacy: Yi Zhi Ren tonifies the kidneys, warms the spleen, and warms the stomach; Dong Chong Xia Cao is sweet and neutral, entering the lung and kidney meridians, tonifying the lungs, transforming phlegm, and assisting the kidneys; goose meat is sweet and neutral, entering the spleen and stomach meridians, tonifying deficiency, benefiting Qi, warming the spleen and stomach, and treating physical weakness.
This dietary therapy is suitable for patients with systemic lupus who are weak due to prolonged illness.
3. Ginseng and Huang Qi (Astragalus) Stewed Pigeon
Ingredients: 10g Red Ginseng, 30g Huang Qi, 1 pigeon (50g).
Preparation: Clean and cut the pigeon, boil Huang Qi in water for about 10 minutes, then place with ginseng and pigeon in a stewing pot, steam for 3 hours, season, and consume the meat and broth. Efficacy: Red Ginseng is sweet and slightly warm, entering the lung and spleen meridians, treating Yang Qi deficiency and spleen and stomach Qi deficiency; Huang Qi is sweet and warm, entering the spleen and lung meridians, tonifying Qi and raising Yang, stopping sweating, and promoting diuresis; pigeon is sweet and salty, neutral, tonifying the liver and kidneys, benefiting Qi and blood, treating prolonged illness and Qi and blood deficiency.
This dietary therapy is effective for patients with Spleen and Kidney Yang Deficiency who are weak due to prolonged illness or have lupus nephritis.
Dietary Choices and Avoidances for Spleen and Kidney Yang Deficiency
The main manifestations of Spleen and Kidney Yang Deficiency-related lupus are cold limbs, edema in the face or limbs, abdominal distension or chest and flank fullness, poor appetite, joint pain, lumbar soreness, pale complexion, shortness of breath, fatigue, purple rashes, reduced urination or urinary retention, cough with phlegm, pale tongue with teeth marks or a tender and swollen tongue, thin white coating, and a weak or deep pulse.
Spleen and Stomach Yang Deficiency is often due to prolonged illness or long-term use of hormones leading to side effects or lupus nephritis, nephrotic syndrome, etc. Yang deficiency leads to cold, so warming foods should be chosen, while cooling foods should be avoided.
How to Prevent Spleen and Kidney Yang Deficiency
Spleen and Kidney Yang Deficiency is a disease name. It often arises from kidney deficiency, which cannot warm the spleen Yang, leading to spleen Yang deficiency; it can also occur when spleen Yang deficiency cannot transform food and fluids to nourish the kidneys, resulting in kidney Yang deficiency. The two conditions often influence each other. Symptoms include cold limbs, shortness of breath, fatigue, loose stools or nocturnal diarrhea, or edema, and in severe cases, abdominal distension, pale and swollen tongue, and a weak or thin pulse. Treatment should focus on warming and tonifying the spleen and kidneys.
1. Exercise to Prevent Spleen and Kidney Yang Deficiency
Regular gentle exercise helps the body return to normal levels. Moderate-intensity exercise can improve cardiovascular function and enhance immunity. Recommended exercises include brisk walking, swimming, and jogging.
2. Drink Plenty of Water to Prevent Spleen and Kidney Yang Deficiency
Maintaining adequate hydration keeps the respiratory mucosa moist, making it difficult for cold viruses to proliferate. Nutrition scientists recommend a daily water intake of 40ml per kilogram of body weight, with children needing more. The best beverages are water, mixed fruit teas, or herbal teas. Limit coffee, alcoholic beverages, and alcohol. Sports nutrition experts suggest drinking water only when thirsty.
3. Ensure Adequate Sleep
Good sleep can significantly increase the number of two types of immune cells, while insufficient sleep can reduce immune function, increasing the likelihood of illness.
4. Enhance Immunity
In addition to appropriate exercise to improve immunity, zinc is also an essential factor in enhancing the body’s immune response. Zinc is a component of many important enzymes in the body, catalyzing life activities, promoting tissue regeneration, and helping to improve self-immunity.
5. Rational Diet
Maintain a regular eating schedule, with meals at the same time each day. A reasonable mix of coarse and fine grains can enhance the flavor of food, help various nutrients complement each other, and improve the nutritional value and utilization of food. Consume more warming and tonifying foods that benefit kidney Yang and warm spleen Yang, while avoiding cold and cooling foods that can harm Yang Qi and are difficult to digest.
6. Protect the Navel
The navel, also known as Shen Que, Guan Yuan, and Qi Hai, is crucial. We often hear about “Qi sinking to the Dantian,” which is where Qi should be stored. If this area is constantly exposed, it can easily lead to the depletion of Yang Qi in the body, resulting in a Yang deficiency constitution. Antibiotics can also cause Yang Qi deficiency.
7. Emotional Regulation
People with insufficient Yang Qi tend to be more introverted and quiet, often exhibiting poor emotional states and being prone to depression. For example, those with liver Yang deficiency may be fearful, while those with heart Yang deficiency may be sad. Therefore, in life and work, it is important to regulate one’s emotions, find ways to express oneself, or talk to others, and cultivate a generous mindset to change one’s mood and reduce the impact of negative emotions.
What Foods are Good for Spleen and Kidney Yang Deficiency?
Spleen and Kidney Yang Deficiency is commonly seen in conditions such as deficiency fatigue, diarrhea, dysentery, edema, distension, kidney wind, as well as chronic gastroenteritis, chronic nephritis, and chronic renal failure in Western medicine. Those with Spleen and Kidney Yang Deficiency should pay special attention to their diet, avoiding stimulating, cold, and Yang Qi-depleting foods. Spleen and Stomach Yang Deficiency can cause significant disruptions in many people’s work and life, so maintaining spleen and stomach health is very important.
1. Fu Zi Porridge
Ingredients: 10g Fu Zi, 150g japonica rice.
Preparation: First, decoct Fu Zi for 30 minutes, then add japonica rice and cook until done. Take one dose daily for 3-5 days. Fu Zi opens the heart Yang to promote circulation, warms the spleen Yang to enhance function, and tonifies kidney Yang to benefit fire. It is generally believed that porridge is most suitable for those with weak pulse, pale and swollen tongue, no thirst, cold limbs, aversion to cold, and loose stools.
2. Sand Ginger and Pepper Pork Stomach
Ingredients: 20g Sand Ginger, 1000g pork stomach, appropriate amounts of pepper powder, monosodium glutamate, and chili oil.
Preparation: Blanch the pork stomach in boiling water, remove the inner membrane, and set aside. Pour clear broth into a pot, add the pork stomach, and cook with ginger until done, then cool and slice. Grind Sand Ginger and mix with pepper powder, then add monosodium glutamate and chili oil, and mix with the cooked pork stomach slices. Efficacy: Benefits Qi, strengthens the spleen, aids digestion, and stimulates appetite. Suitable for those with weak spleen and stomach, poor appetite, and abdominal pain. It can be used for patients with gastric prolapse and chronic gastritis. Sand Ginger can regulate Qi and harmonize the stomach, awakening the spleen, and is clinically effective in promoting digestive fluid secretion and enhancing gastrointestinal motility.
3. Du Zhong (Eucommia) Kidney Flower
Ingredients: 2 pork kidneys, 25g fried Du Zhong, appropriate amounts of cooking oil, scallions, ginger, and salt.
Preparation: Split the pork kidneys, remove the odor, and soak in clean water; boil Du Zhong in two and a half bowls of water for 20 minutes, then strain; heat oil in a pan, sauté scallions and ginger, add the kidney slices, and stir-fry, then pour in the Du Zhong water and a little salt, and bring to a boil. This dish is effective for weakness in the waist, dizziness, and frequent urination, and is suitable for postpartum women to prevent future lumbar pain.
4. Walnut and Leek Stir-fry
Ingredients: 100g leeks, 2 walnuts, appropriate amounts of peanut oil and seasonings.
Preparation: Cut walnuts into thick slices, wash and cut leeks; fry walnuts in peanut oil until cooked, set aside; heat peanut oil in a wok, add leeks and seasonings, stir-fry quickly, then add walnuts and mix well before serving. Efficacy: Walnuts are warm and sweet, beneficial for tonifying the kidneys, nourishing blood, moistening the intestines, and stopping discharge; combined with leeks, they have a tonifying effect on the kidneys and strengthen Yang.
5. Angelica and Ginger Lamb Soup
Ingredients: 500g lamb leg meat, 90g Angelica, 100g ginger, 10g salt, 20g cooking wine, 3g monosodium glutamate.
Preparation: Clean the lamb leg, boil in water to remove blood, then rinse and cut into 1cm cubes; wash and slice ginger; slice Angelica. Place about 2000ml of water in a pot, add lamb cubes, ginger slices, Angelica, and cooking wine, bring to a boil, skim off foam, then simmer for about 30 minutes, add salt, and cook for another 10 minutes until the lamb is tender, then add monosodium glutamate to taste. Efficacy: Warms the center, nourishes blood, dispels cold, and alleviates pain. Especially suitable for those with Yang deficiency in winter.
1. Foods to Eat
Patients with Spleen and Kidney Yang Deficiency should regularly consume warming and tonifying foods that benefit kidney Yang and warm spleen Yang, such as indica rice, dog meat, lamb, chicken, pork stomach, leeks, chili peppers, cowpeas, and cinnamon. For those with Yang deficiency and constipation, it is advisable to eat foods that are both warming and laxative, such as walnuts, garlic, sea cucumber, and shrimp. For those with Yang deficiency and diarrhea, it is advisable to eat foods that are both warming and anti-diarrheal, such as glutinous rice, chain fish, river shrimp, dried ginger, and Sichuan pepper; foods that have astringent and anti-diarrheal properties, such as pomegranate, black plum, lotus seeds, and gorgon fruit.
2. Foods to Avoid
Patients with Spleen and Kidney Yang Deficiency should avoid cold and cooling foods that can harm Yang Qi or are difficult to digest, such as japonica rice, buckwheat, oat, tofu, pork, duck, pine nuts, peanuts, black fungus, bitter melon, water bamboo, celery, winter melon, eggplant, hollow vegetables, spinach, longan, bananas, and honey. Those with Yang deficiency and constipation should also avoid astringent and anti-diarrheal foods that can worsen constipation, such as lotus seeds, pomegranate, gorgon fruit, black plum, glutinous rice, and river shrimp. Those with Yang deficiency and diarrhea should avoid foods that have a laxative effect, such as walnuts, sesame, white fungus, sea cucumber, shrimp, milk, rabbit meat, longan, peaches, and radishes.
Spleen and Kidney Yang Deficiency should consume more grains and cereals. Japonica rice, also known as white rice, is sweet and neutral, beneficial for strengthening the spleen and stomach, enhancing energy, and strengthening muscles. It is used for spleen deficiency, irritability, diarrhea, and weight loss.
Japonica rice is used for stomach cold pain, thirst, spontaneous sweating, loose stools, and diarrhea.
Corn, also known as maize, is sweet and neutral, beneficial for tonifying the middle, strengthening the spleen, and promoting diuresis. It can be used for diarrhea and dysentery.
Millet, also known as small millet, is sweet and salty, slightly cold, beneficial for tonifying the middle, boosting Qi, and strengthening the spleen and kidneys. It is used for insufficient spleen and kidney leading to poor appetite, thirst, and vomiting after meals, as well as weakness after illness.
Sorghum is sweet and neutral, beneficial for strengthening the spleen and middle, draining dampness, and stopping diarrhea. It is used for children’s indigestion, damp-heat vomiting, and diarrhea.
Glutinous rice, also known as sweet rice, is sweet and warm, beneficial for warming the spleen and stomach, tonifying the middle, and boosting Qi. It is used for stomach cold pain, thirst, spontaneous sweating, loose stools, and diarrhea.
Wheat is sweet and cool, beneficial for strengthening the spleen, nourishing the heart, benefiting the kidneys, and clearing heat and stopping thirst. It is used for dry mouth and throat, irritability, and poor appetite.
Barley is sweet and salty, slightly cold, beneficial for boosting Qi, strengthening the spleen, stopping thirst, and relieving irritability. It is used for digestive disorders, vomiting, and diarrhea due to spleen and stomach weakness.
Sweet potato, also known as red potato, is sweet and neutral, beneficial for strengthening the spleen and stomach, and moistening the intestines. It is used for weight loss and constipation.
Yellow soybeans are sweet and neutral, beneficial for strengthening the spleen, promoting digestion, and moistening dryness. They are used for malnutrition, abdominal distension, and diarrhea.
Yellow soybeans have the effect of strengthening the spleen and promoting digestion.
Fava beans are sweet and neutral, beneficial for strengthening the spleen and promoting diuresis. They are used for spleen deficiency, poor appetite, and loose stools.
Soy milk is sweet and neutral, beneficial for moistening dryness and tonifying deficiency. It is used for weakness and constipation.
Job’s tears are sweet and bland, slightly cold, beneficial for strengthening the spleen, stopping diarrhea, and promoting diuresis. They are used for diarrhea and poor appetite.
Lotus seeds are sweet and astringent, neutral, beneficial for strengthening the spleen and stopping diarrhea. They are used for prolonged diarrhea due to spleen deficiency and poor appetite.
Lotus seeds are sweet and astringent, neutral.
Buckwheat is sweet and cool, beneficial for reducing food stagnation, promoting Qi, and strengthening the spleen while eliminating dampness. It is used for gastrointestinal stagnation, abdominal distension, and diarrhea due to spleen deficiency with damp-heat.
Sesame oil is sweet and cool, beneficial for moistening the intestines, promoting bowel movements, detoxifying, and promoting tissue regeneration. It is used for constipation, roundworms, food stagnation, and ulcers.
Medicinal Wine Recipes for Spleen and Kidney Yang Deficiency
Shen Jiao Wine [Ingredients]: 20g Dan Sha (finely ground and water-washed, separately packaged), 30g Bai Fu Ling (black skin removed), 30g Ren Shen (Ginseng), 120g Shu Jiao (black pepper, eyes removed and stir-fried until fragrant).
[Function and Indications]: Spleen and Kidney Yang Deficiency, cold in the lower source, blurred vision, pale complexion.
[Dosage]: Drink a small cup before meals on an empty stomach, without interruption.
[Preparation Method]: Crush the four ingredients, except for Dan Sha, and mix them into a coarse powder. Place in a clean container, soak in liquor for several days, then strain and set aside.
[Source]: Selected Recipes for Medicinal Wine
Deer Bone Wine [Source]: Qian Jin Fang
[Function]: Warms Yang, tonifies deficiency, strengthens the body, and nourishes the bones. Suitable for physical weakness, fatigue, lumbar and knee soreness, limb pain, cold and sore muscles or pain, weakness in walking, or impotence.
[Ingredients]: 100g deer bone, 30g goji berries, 1 liter of white liquor.
[Preparation]: Crush the deer bone and break the goji berries, place in a clean container, add white liquor, and seal for 2 weeks before drinking.
[Dosage and Contraindications]: 10-20ml each time, taken before meals. Not suitable for those with Yang excess and heat.
[Efficacy]: This formula warms and tonifies kidney Yang while effectively relieving muscle and joint pain. The deer bone is warm and sweet, effectively tonifying deficiency and entering the marrow, strengthening the bones, as stated in the “Qian Jin Fang: Food Therapy” that it “treats internal deficiency, heals injuries, and nourishes the bones.”
Goji berries, as stated in the “Food Therapy Materia Medica,” strengthen the tendons and resist aging, dispel wind, and nourish the muscles and bones, benefiting the body and alleviating fatigue. Together, they have the effect of strengthening the body, enhancing brain function, and benefiting intelligence. The combination of goji berries, Angelica, and longan meat nourishes blood and tonifies the kidneys, while Bai Zhu strengthens the spleen and benefits Qi, and black beans enter the kidneys, dispelling wind and detoxifying, promoting blood circulation and diuresis. The entire formula works to support the body, dispel pathogens, prevent disease, and promote longevity.
How to Determine if You Have Spleen and Kidney Yang Deficiency
Spleen and Kidney Yang Deficiency is one of the most common internal diseases. Many diseases arise from internal factors; prolonged spleen Qi deficiency can damage spleen Yang, leading to Yang deficiency and weakened transformation, hence the symptoms manifest. Spleen and Kidney Yang Deficiency is commonly seen in conditions such as deficiency fatigue, diarrhea, dysentery, edema, distension, kidney wind, as well as chronic gastroenteritis, chronic nephritis, and chronic renal failure in Western medicine.
1. Salty taste in the mouth
Feeling salty in the mouth for no reason: Those with Spleen and Kidney Yang Deficiency often experience fatigue, shortness of breath, cold limbs, cold pain in the waist and knees, weakness in the legs, and frequent urination at night. If you examine the tongue, you will find a pale and swollen tongue with teeth marks.
2. Unexplained feelings of fear
The “fear” mentioned here differs from the usual surprise. Surprise is an unexpected shock, while fear is a known apprehension. Fear caused by Spleen and Kidney Yang Deficiency is often accompanied by a feeling of emptiness in the mind, forgetfulness, and weakness in the waist and knees.
3. Aversion to cold and fear of cold
In TCM, it is believed that sufficient Yang Qi in the body can resist cold and maintain normal body temperature, preventing the sensation of cold. If Yang Qi is weak, it cannot warm the body, leading to feelings of cold.
Yang Qi is present throughout the body, and each organ has Yang Qi. Essentially, the kidneys are the source of Yang Qi. The kidneys are the foundation of innate vitality, containing true Yin and true Yang, also known as kidney Yin and kidney Yang. Kidney Yin is the foundation of the body’s Yin fluids, while kidney Yang is the foundation of the body’s Yang Qi. Treating all types of aversion to cold must involve warming and tonifying kidney Yang. Aversion to cold caused by kidney Yang deficiency is often accompanied by mental fatigue, cold pain in the waist and knees, dark complexion, and frequent clear urination. Additionally, men may experience impotence, premature ejaculation, and nocturnal emissions.
4. Associated Diseases
With spleen Yang deficiency, the transformation is weakened, leading to symptoms such as poor appetite, abdominal distension; with weakened middle Yang, internal cold generates, causing cold pain in the abdomen, preference for warmth and pressure; with Yang deficiency and Yin excess, warmth is lost, leading to cold limbs; with Yang not moving, internal dampness accumulates, causing loose stools; with dampness overflowing the skin, leading to generalized edema; with dampness seeping downwards, leading to excessive clear vaginal discharge; pale and swollen tongue, white and slippery coating, and a weak or deep pulse are all signs of spleen Yang deficiency.
5. Diarrhea and Constipation
Spleen deficiency with insufficient Yang Qi often leads to dysfunction of the large intestine, manifesting as either diarrhea or constipation. Malabsorption syndrome, ulcerative colitis, and habitual constipation often accompany this condition.
6. Weakness in the waist and knees, difficulty urinating
Kidney Yang deficiency leads to bladder Qi dysfunction, resulting in weakness in the waist and knees and difficulty urinating.
7. Obesity
Spleen and Kidney Yang Deficiency directly leads to weakened spleen and kidney function, Yang Qi deficiency, which inevitably results in reduced Qi transformation, causing dampness, phlegm, and fat to stagnate in the skin, ultimately forming Spleen and Kidney Yang Deficiency-related obesity.
Conclusion: The above content provides a detailed introduction to Spleen and Kidney Yang Deficiency. After reading, do you have a better understanding of Spleen and Kidney Yang Deficiency? Spleen and Kidney Yang Deficiency can affect our health and quality of life, so it is essential to take it seriously. If you experience symptoms of Spleen and Kidney Yang Deficiency, be proactive in seeking treatment!
