1. Body Deficiency is Divided into Four Types: Qi Deficiency, Blood Deficiency, Yin Deficiency, and Yang Deficiency
1. Qi Deficiency
The main manifestations of Qi deficiency include: shortness of breath, low energy, fatigue, a weak voice, shortness of breath upon exertion, easy sweating, dizziness, palpitations, pale yellow complexion, poor appetite, signs of internal heat, spontaneous sweating, rectal prolapse, uterine prolapse, pale and swollen tongue with tooth marks on the sides, and weak pulse. These symptoms indicate a decline in function, which may not necessarily indicate disease. Those with Qi deficiency should tonify Qi, using herbs such as Ren Shen (Ginseng), Huang Qi (Astragalus), and Dang Shen (Codonopsis).
Foods that tonify Qi include: beef, chicken, pork, glutinous rice, soybeans, white lentils, jujubes, crucian carp, carp, quail, yellow eel, shrimp, mushrooms, etc. These can be alternated regularly.
Foods to avoid for Qi deficiency: hawthorn, bergamot, betel nut, garlic, turnip greens, coriander (cilantro), rutabaga, pepper, cardamom, middle finger, perilla leaves, mint, lotus leaves.
Avoid or limit: buckwheat, pomelo, mandarin, kumquat, kumquat cake, orange, water chestnut, raw radish, earthworm, mustard greens, garlic chives, jujube, chrysanthemum, tea, and alcohol.
Recommended dishes: Huai Shan (Chinese yam), lily, and lotus seed soup; ginseng and medicinal pigeon stew; five-spice beef; peanut and jujube braised pig trotters.
2. Blood Deficiency
The main manifestations of Blood deficiency include: pale yellow complexion, pale lips and nails, dizziness, fatigue, blurred vision, palpitations, insomnia with vivid dreams, dry stools, irregular menstrual cycles in women, light menstrual flow, pale tongue, thin white coating, and weak pulse. For supplementation, it is advisable to use methods that nourish and generate blood, with herbs such as Dang Gui (Angelica), E Jiao (Donkey-hide gelatin), Shu Di Huang (Rehmannia), and Sang Shen (Mulberry fruit).
Foods that nourish Blood include: black-boned chicken, black sesame, walnut meat, longan meat, chicken, pig’s blood, pig liver, brown sugar, red beans, etc. These can be alternated regularly.
Foods to avoid for Blood deficiency: water chestnut, garlic.
Recommended dishes: Dang Gui and Shu Di black-boned chicken; Huai Shan beef brisket stew; Huai Ju chrysanthemum with fish; rose and chrysanthemum drink.
Avoid or limit: seaweed, grass cardamom, lotus leaves, white liquor, mint, chrysanthemum, betel nut, raw radish, etc.
3. Yin Deficiency
Also known as Yin deficiency with excessive heat, commonly referred to as empty heat, the main manifestations of Yin deficiency include: fear of heat, irritability, flushed cheeks, dry mouth and throat, dry stools, short and yellow urine, tongue with little moisture, five hearts (the palms of both hands, soles of both feet, and the top of the head) feeling hot, night sweats, lower back pain, nocturnal emissions, red tongue, thin or peeled coating, and thin rapid pulse. For supplementation, it is advisable to use methods that nourish Yin, with herbs such as Sheng Di Huang (Raw Rehmannia), Mai Dong (Ophiopogon), Yu Zhu (Polygonatum), pearl powder, tremella, Cordyceps, and turtle shell.
Foods that nourish Yin include: soft-shelled turtle, bird’s nest, lily, duck meat, black fish, jellyfish, lotus root, enoki mushrooms, goji leaves, water chestnut, raw pear, etc. These can be alternated regularly.
Foods to avoid for Yin deficiency: pepper, cinnamon.
Avoid or limit: dog meat (for cerebrovascular patients), lamb (for hepatitis patients), sparrow meat, seahorse, sea dragon, deer meat, crispy rice, fried peanuts, fried soybeans, popcorn, lychee, longan meat, bergamot, bayberry, garlic, chives, mustard greens, chili, garlic chives, ginger, cardamom, pepper, white cardamom, star anise, fennel, clove, mint, white liquor, cigarettes, red ginseng, Cistanche, and cynomorium.
Recommended dishes: sea horse and nourishing chicken; three-whip nourishing waist soup; chives and nourishing shrimp; stir-fried kidney; long-lived stewed old duck.
4. Yang Deficiency
Also known as Yang deficiency with declining fire, it is a further development of Qi deficiency. The main manifestations of Yang deficiency include: in addition to the symptoms of Qi deficiency, there is a fear of cold, cold extremities, preference for warm drinks, often low body temperature, lower back pain, impotence, cold pain in the lower abdomen, fatigue, difficulty urinating, pale and swollen tongue, white coating, and deep thin pulse. For supplementation, it is advisable to tonify Yang, with herbs such as Hong Shen (Red Ginseng), Lu Rong (Deer Antler), Du Zhong (Eucommia), Cordyceps, cinnamon, and seahorse.
Foods that nourish Yang include: yellow beef, dog meat, lamb, bull penis, sea cucumber, mussels, walnut meat, longan, quail, eel, shrimp, chives, cinnamon, and fennel. These can be alternated regularly.
Foods to avoid for Yang deficiency: duck meat, rabbit meat, otter meat (water dog meat), sweet melon.
Avoid or limit: duck blood, duck eggs, E Jiao, milk, yogurt, soft-shelled turtle, crab, field snail, snail, clam meat, fresh meat, persimmon, dried persimmon, pomelo, mandarin, banana, fig, watermelon, green bitter melon, sweet potato, vegetable melon, raw lotus root, raw radish, loofah, winter melon, seaweed, earth ear, enoki mushrooms, straw mushrooms, water spinach, and other foods.
Recommended dishes: sea horse and nourishing chicken; three-whip nourishing waist soup; chives and nourishing shrimp; stir-fried kidney; long-lived stewed old duck.
5. Dual Deficiency
Those with body deficiency often exhibit dual deficiency, which can be categorized as follows:
Qi and Yin Dual Deficiency: exhibiting both Qi and Yin deficiency symptoms, such as dizziness, fatigue, and weakness in the legs, along with signs of heat, dry throat, and red tongue, but without chronic disease. This constitution is referred to as Qi and Yin dual deficiency, and supplementation should consider both Qi and Yin tonification.
Yin and Yang Dual Deficiency: exhibiting both Yin and Yang deficiency, referred to as Yin and Yang dual deficiency, characterized by a fear of cold and heat, particularly cold in winter and heat in summer. This indicates an imbalance of Yin and Yang or a dual deficiency of Yin and Yang, and supplementation should involve both Yin and Yang tonification.
Qi and Blood Dual Deficiency: typically seen in conditions such as anemia, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, post-hemorrhage, and excessive menstrual bleeding in women. The main manifestations include symptoms of both Qi and Blood deficiency, and supplementation should focus on benefiting Qi and generating Blood, as well as tonifying both Qi and Blood.
Recommended dishes: Qi and Blood: crucian carp and tofu soup; Qi and Blood dual tonification soup; medicinal chicken.
2. Foods that Tonify Qi have the effect of benefiting the Spleen Qi, Lung Qi, Heart Qi, etc., and are suitable for alleviating or improving Qi deficiency symptoms.
Here, we mainly introduce foods that benefit Spleen Qi. When using Qi tonifying foods, they can sometimes lead to Qi stagnation, resulting in chest tightness, abdominal bloating, and poor appetite; therefore, it is advisable to combine them with Qi-regulating foods such as tangerine peel and cardamom.
Potato (also known as yam potato) is sweet and neutral in nature. Its functions include tonifying Qi and strengthening the Spleen. It is suitable for those with Spleen deficiency, poor appetite, and digestive issues. Sprouted potatoes and their skins are toxic and should be avoided.
Sweet potato is sweet and neutral, entering the Spleen and Stomach meridians. Its functions include benefiting the Spleen and Stomach, enhancing Qi strength, and relieving constipation. It is suitable for those with Spleen and Stomach weakness, thin physique, fatigue, and diarrhea. Overeating can lead to acid reflux and gastrointestinal bloating.
Shiitake mushroom is sweet and neutral. Its functions include benefiting Stomach Qi and alleviating skin rashes. It is suitable for those with Spleen and Stomach weakness, poor appetite, and fatigue. It is considered a triggering food and should be avoided by those with measles, skin diseases, or allergies.
Yam is sweet and neutral, entering the Spleen, Lung, and Kidney meridians. Its functions include tonifying Qi, strengthening the Spleen, nourishing Yin, benefiting the Lung, and solidifying essence. It is suitable for those with Spleen Qi deficiency, poor appetite, and chronic diarrhea. Those with excessive dampness and Qi stagnation should avoid it.
Chestnut is sweet and warm, entering the Spleen, Stomach, and Kidney meridians. Its functions include benefiting the Spleen, strengthening the Stomach, tonifying the Kidney, invigorating blood, and stopping bleeding. It is suitable for those with Spleen deficiency, poor appetite, and diarrhea. Those with Qi stagnation and abdominal bloating should avoid it.
Red dates (jujubes) are sweet and warm, entering the Spleen and Stomach meridians. Their functions include benefiting the Spleen and Stomach, nourishing Blood, and calming the mind. They are suitable for those with Spleen and Stomach weakness, poor appetite, and fatigue. Those with Qi stagnation, damp-heat, and constipation should avoid them.
Chicken is sweet and warm, entering the Spleen and Stomach meridians. Its functions include tonifying the middle, benefiting Qi, and replenishing essence. It is suitable for those with Spleen and Stomach weakness, fatigue, poor appetite, and chronic diarrhea. It should be avoided in cases of excess conditions, heat conditions, and after skin diseases or measles.
Rabbit meat is sweet and cool. Its functions include tonifying the middle, benefiting Qi, and cooling the blood to detoxify. It is suitable for those with Spleen deficiency, poor appetite, blood heat, vomiting, and constipation. It should be avoided in cases of deficiency-cold and diarrhea.
Pig stomach (pig’s stomach) is sweet and warm. Its functions include benefiting the Spleen and Stomach. It is suitable for weakness and diarrhea, and is used in modern times for gastric prolapse and peptic ulcers.
Beef tripe (beef stomach) is sweet and warm. Its functions include benefiting the Spleen and Stomach, and tonifying the five organs. It is suitable for post-illness Qi deficiency, Spleen and Stomach weakness, and digestive issues.
Lamb tripe (lamb stomach) is sweet and warm. Its functions include tonifying weakness and benefiting the Spleen and Stomach. It is suitable for those with thin physique and Spleen and Stomach deficiency-cold.
Beef is sweet and neutral, entering the Spleen and Stomach meridians. Its functions include benefiting the Spleen and Stomach, enhancing Qi and Blood, and strengthening bones. It is suitable for those with Spleen and Stomach weakness, poor appetite, and chronic diarrhea.
Mandarin fish is sweet and neutral, entering the Spleen and Stomach meridians. Its functions include benefiting the Spleen and Stomach, and enhancing Qi and Blood. It is suitable for those with Spleen and Stomach weakness and poor appetite. It should be avoided in cases of deficiency-cold and damp-heat.
Loach is sweet and neutral, entering the Spleen and Lung meridians. Its functions include tonifying Qi, promoting urination, and dispelling dampness. It is suitable for those with insufficient middle Qi, diarrhea, and rectal prolapse.
Japonica rice (white rice) is sweet and neutral, entering the Spleen and Stomach meridians. Its functions include tonifying Qi, strengthening the Spleen and Stomach. It is suitable for those with insufficient middle Qi, fatigue, poor appetite, and diarrhea.
Indica rice is sweet and warm, entering the Lung, Spleen, and Heart meridians. Its functions include benefiting the Spleen and Stomach, and nourishing the five organs. It is suitable for those with Spleen deficiency and dampness leading to diarrhea. It should be avoided in cases of heat, damp-heat, and Yin deficiency.
Glutinous rice is sweet and warm, entering the Spleen, Stomach, and Lung meridians. Its functions include tonifying Qi, benefiting the Lung, and restraining sweating. It is suitable for those with Spleen deficiency and diarrhea, and is used in modern times for chronic gastritis and peptic ulcers. It should be avoided in cases of food stagnation, Qi stagnation, dampness, Spleen deficiency, and digestive issues.
Lentils are sweet and slightly warm, entering the Spleen and Stomach meridians. Their functions include strengthening the Spleen, dispelling dampness, and clearing heat. They are suitable for those with Spleen deficiency and dampness leading to diarrhea. Those with Qi stagnation and abdominal bloating should avoid them.
Cowpeas are sweet and neutral, entering the Spleen and Kidney meridians. Their functions include strengthening the Spleen and tonifying the Kidney. They are suitable for those with Spleen and Stomach weakness, diarrhea, and vomiting. Those with Qi stagnation and constipation should avoid them.
Honey is sweet and neutral, entering the Spleen, Lung, and Large Intestine meridians. Its functions include benefiting the Spleen, moistening the Lung, stopping cough, and promoting bowel movements. It is suitable for those with Spleen and Stomach weakness, stomach pain, and constipation. It should be avoided in cases of dampness, damp-heat, abdominal bloating, vomiting, and diarrhea; it is not suitable to be consumed with scallions or lettuce.
3. The Crucian Carp has functions of warming the middle, benefiting Qi, warming the stomach, and moisturizing the skin, making it a health food for Qi nourishment.
The Green Carp has functions of benefiting Qi, nourishing the stomach, dispelling dampness, promoting urination, and eliminating wind and irritability. The trace elements such as zinc and selenium it contains help in cancer prevention.
The Cuttlefish has functions of nourishing the liver and kidney, benefiting Qi and Blood, and clearing the stomach of heat. It is a health food for women, with functions of nourishing Blood, improving vision, regulating menstruation, calming pregnancy, promoting childbirth, stopping bleeding, and stimulating lactation.
4. Food Supplement Menu: Qi and Jujube Soup
Take 15-30 grams of Huang Qi (Astragalus), 10 grams of jujube, and 30 grams of lily, and stew them together for 30-40 minutes. Afterward, consume both the soup and the ingredients. Among these three ingredients, Huang Qi is warm and has Qi tonifying functions, jujube is excellent for nourishing Blood and Qi, and strengthening the Spleen and Stomach, while lily can nourish Yin and benefit the Lung. The combination of these three is very beneficial for those with Qi and Blood dual deficiency, alleviating fatigue and cold sensitivity, and also moisturizing the skin.
5. Based on different constitutions, there are four different food supplementation methods:
Neutral Supplementation: Suitable for both healthy individuals and patients. It helps maintain health and life: such as grains, legumes, dairy, fruits, and vegetables. These foods have a neutral nature and can be consumed by women with Yin deficiency, Yang deficiency, Qi deficiency, and Blood deficiency.
Warm Supplementation: Refers to foods with warm properties, such as beef, lamb, yellow eel, sweet foods, jujubes, longan, lychee, and spicy foods like scallions and ginger. Women who fear cold in winter can often consume these foods to help generate warmth and improve their cold sensitivity, thereby enhancing their constitution.
Cooling Supplementation: Refers to foods with cooling properties, such as pears, raw lotus root, celery, lily, mung beans, cucumbers, soft-shelled turtle, and snails, which have a heat-clearing effect.
Warm Dispersion: Refers to spicy and warm foods, such as chili, cinnamon, mustard, coriander, and pepper. These foods have the effect of warming Yang and dispelling cold, and are often used in winter to ward off cold and eliminate dampness.
6. Women should start their winter supplementation by adjusting their bodies, harmonizing the internal and external balance, and maintaining a state of smooth Qi and Blood flow, and then determine whether supplementation is needed based on their condition.
The physiological characteristics of women differ from those of men; blood is precious for women, and the key to winter supplementation lies in regulating blood, but it should be based on different conditions for targeted supplementation.
Women with Qi Deficiency
Women with Qi deficiency often present with weak complexion, pale skin, fatigue, excessive vaginal discharge, and irregular menstrual cycles.
Supplementation tips: Some Qi tonifying herbs can be used for adjustment, such as Ren Shen (Ginseng), Huang Qi (Astragalus), Bai Zhu (Atractylodes), jujubes, and Gan Cao (Licorice) to stew with chicken or ribs for Qi tonification. When using Ren Shen for supplementation at home, it is important to be cautious, adhering to the principle of small doses and short courses, and it is best to consult a doctor before use. Women with Qi deficiency should consume more radishes, jujubes, and rib soup in autumn and winter; for herbal supplementation, they can drink the “Si Jun Zi Tang” (Four Gentlemen Decoction) made with Huang Qi, Ren Shen, Bai Zhu, and Gan Cao.
Women with Anemia or Blood Deficiency
The majority of women often exhibit symptoms of Blood deficiency, such as frequent dizziness, blurred vision, dull complexion, insomnia, vivid dreams, and irregular menstruation. Moreover, those with Blood deficiency often have a thin physique and poor physical condition.
Supplementation tips: Regularly consume Blood-nourishing foods such as spinach, black beans, carrots, daylilies, lotus root, black fungus, chicken, pork, lamb, and sea cucumber; fruits can include mulberries, grapes, jujubes, and longan. Additionally, herbal supplementation can be combined, with commonly used Blood-nourishing herbs including Dang Gui, saffron, Shu Di, Chuan Xiong, Bai Shao, and E Jiao. These herbs can be made into delicious medicinal dishes, such as Dang Gui and ginger lamb soup, E Jiao stewed with yellow wine, and Si Wu chicken soup, all of which have excellent blood-nourishing effects.
For women with irregular menstruation or excessive menstrual flow, herbs such as Ren Shen, Dang Gui, Chuan Xiong, and Huang Qi can be selected, as well as traditional Chinese medicines like Wu Ji Bai Feng Wan and E Jiao blood tonic. In daily life, consume more sea cucumber, fish, shrimp, jujubes, kiwi, grapes, longan, sesame, and spinach.
Women Who Fear Cold
In cold seasons, many women feel cold all over, especially in the extremities. This is even more pronounced in menopausal women, who often experience cold sensitivity in winter, a condition known as cold sensation syndrome in medicine.
Supplementation tips: Women who fear cold should consume more warming foods such as lamb, beef, dog meat, chicken, quail, garlic, chili, ginger, coriander, onions, longan, and chestnuts. It is also advisable to eat more iodine-rich foods, such as kelp, jellyfish, seawater fish, and shrimp skin. Engaging in suitable physical exercise is important, especially for women who sit or stand for long periods; they should pay attention to physical activity and do more exercises for their hands, feet, and waist.
7. Human Deficiency Syndromes can be summarized into four types: Qi deficiency, Yang deficiency, Blood deficiency, and Yin deficiency. Based on the different types of deficiency syndromes, appropriate tonifying herbs should be selected.
However, in the process of life activities, Qi, Blood, Yin, and Yang are interdependent and mutually influential. Generally speaking, Qi deficiency and Yang deficiency indicate a decline in the body’s activity capacity, with Yang deficiency often accompanying Qi deficiency, and Qi deficiency can also easily lead to Yang deficiency; Yin deficiency and Blood deficiency indicate the consumption of the body’s essence, blood, and fluids, with Yin deficiency often accompanying Blood deficiency, and Blood deficiency can also easily lead to Yin deficiency. Therefore, Qi and Blood dual deficiency, as well as Yin and Yang dual deficiency, are also common conditions, and treatment should involve the use of both Qi tonifying herbs and Blood tonifying herbs, as well as Yin tonifying herbs and Yang tonifying herbs, known as the method of dual tonification of Qi and Blood, and dual tonification of Yin and Yang. Additionally, Qi can generate Blood and also generate fluids, so Qi deficiency and insufficient Yin fluids are often treated with a combination of Qi tonifying herbs and Blood tonifying herbs or Yin tonifying herbs, that is, tonifying Qi to generate Blood and benefiting Qi to generate fluids.
Among the tonifying herbs, “only Ren Shen and He Shou Wu can draw the spiritual energy of the earth and take on human form. The foremost herb for tonifying Qi is Ren Shen, and the source of Blood tonification is He Shou Wu.” “Qi is the commander of Blood, and Blood is the mother of Qi,” and the human body is composed of Qi and Blood.