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Last week we discussed how to replenish “Qi deficiency” and “Blood deficiency” ➦ Peiqi: My redness indicates good Qi and Blood, those with insufficient Qi and Blood should take a look!
Today we continue to talk about how to replenish “Yang deficiency” and “Yin deficiency”~
Before understanding how to replenish, let’s first learn what “Yang deficiency” and “Yin deficiency” are.
Yang deficiency refers to insufficient “Yang Qi” in the body.
Men and children generally have abundant Yang Qi; for instance, young and middle-aged individuals may not want to cover themselves with blankets while sleeping because they have sufficient Yang Qi and feel hot. However, as one ages, the body tends to curl up, and the feet feel cold, even wearing two down jackets may not be enough to keep warm.
This is because the Yang Qi has been depleted.
The main manifestations of Yang deficiency are fear of cold and cold hands and feet.
Another manifestation is related to sexual function, which may include impotence, premature ejaculation, frequent nighttime urination, and clear urine, all of which are signs of Yang deficiency.
To address Yang deficiency, one must replenish Yang by using warming substances.
The most potent Yang-replenishing herbs include Lu Rong (Deer Antler Velvet) and Lu Jiao (Deer Horn), both of which are warming.
Common warming foods include lamb, which is also a typical winter warming dish.
For Yin deficiency, we know that “Yang deficiency leads to cold, while Yin deficiency leads to heat.”
Yin and Yang mutually restrict each other; “Yang” represents fire, while “Yin” represents water. Under normal circumstances, both are balanced.
If one side decreases, the other side will gain relative advantage. If “Yang” represents heat and “Yin” represents cold, then Yang deficiency, as mentioned above, leads to fear of cold, while Yin deficiency leads to dryness and heat.
How should we understand Yin deficiency with excess heat?
For example, it is like boiling water in a pot on the stove; when the fire is strong and the water is boiling, we see a lot of steam rising from the pot.
However, there is another situation—when the fire is not very strong, but there is little water, the pot will also produce a lot of steam. This situation can be referred to as Yin deficiency with excess heat~
It is most commonly seen in menopausal women, presenting as hot flashes.
A sudden wave of heat causes sweating, with a flushed face, insomnia at night, and an overall fear of heat.
The tongue appears red with no coating, which we say is a manifestation of “Yin deficiency with excess heat”.
So what should we do when there is insufficient water? Replenish water.
The commonly used herbs include Di Huang (Rehmannia) and during winter supplementation, some pastes like Gui Jia Jiao (Tortoise Shell Gel) and Bie Jia Jiao (Soft-Shelled Turtle Gel) are used, which are all Yin-replenishing herbs, and they also have certain blood-activating effects.
Common foods that nourish Yin include Xi Yang Shen (American Ginseng), Feng Dou (Fleeceflower Root), Bai Mu Er (White Fungus), and Bai He (Lily Bulb).
Depending on the constitution, one can replenish Qi, Blood, Yin, or Yang, which is the essence of supplementation.
However, it is not necessary to balance Yin and Yang to the same degree; it is sufficient to adjust to the best state for your current condition.
Due to the differences in populations, children, women, young people, and the elderly each have different supplementation methods.
In TCM, there is a concept that the kidney is the source of congenital essence, while the spleen and stomach are the source of acquired essence.
【Children
】Children only need to open their appetite; as long as they are willing to eat and move, they can grow.
We often say that children “grow with the wind”; as long as they eat well, they will thrive. However, in many cases, parents do not feed them properly, leading to picky eating and poor growth.
【Young and Middle-aged People
】For young and middle-aged individuals, the main focus is on replenishing the spleen and stomach. As long as the spleen and stomach function well, they can absorb the essence of food, and their Qi and Blood will improve.
At this age, the essence brought from the womb is still present and has not been depleted, which is what TCM refers to as “kidney.” The kidneys are not deficient, so there is no need to replenish kidney Yin or Yang.
【Women
】For women, it is necessary to replenish Blood and Yin, which are often lacking in women and should be supplemented.
In addition, it is essential to soothe the liver. Women often have emotional tendencies and may feel down when uncomfortable. If these issues are not addressed, their mental state will deteriorate, affecting the circulation of Qi and Blood.
Therefore, we often add some liver-soothing herbs while replenishing, such as Xiao Yao Wan (Free and Easy Wanderer).
【Elderly People
】Elderly individuals must replenish the spleen and stomach while also replenishing the kidneys, as their essence has diminished and is nearly depleted.
Elderly people often have poor digestive function, so it is necessary to add appetite-enhancing herbs to improve absorption; additionally, elderly individuals frequently experience arteriosclerosis and vascular aging, so adding some blood-activating herbs can help the medicine reach the entire body.
Therefore, for supplementation, it is essential to consult a doctor and not supplement blindly.
Nowadays, when many people are told to supplement, they are happy; but if they are told they do not need to supplement, they become unhappy. This is a mistaken viewpoint.
Sometimes, nutritional excess does not require supplementation, and one should not supplement excessively. Additionally, supplementing incorrectly, using Yang-replenishing herbs for Yin deficiency or Yin-replenishing herbs for Yang deficiency, is also incorrect.
Another issue is the social trend where people generally believe that expensive is good, and that supplements must be more expensive to be effective.
In fact, all food is medicine; it is not about spending money. As long as the medicine is appropriate for the condition, it is good. “Harmony” is good.
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“Medical Voice with Cui Song: Talking about Health Preservation”
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