It’s so hot~ so hot~ and it’s not even the “Three Fu Days” yet, why is it so hot?
After the spring, which easily generates xu huo (deficient fire), we have entered the hot summer. There is a group of people who suffer more than others, and that is those with a yin deficiency constitution.
◎Image authorized by Baotu Network
What is a Yin Deficiency Constitution?
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) believes that the body’s essence, blood, fluids, and other substances belong to yin, which can nourish and moisten the organs and restrain yang heat. According to the principle of mutual restraint between yin and yang, any deficiency in either side will inevitably lead to an excess of the other.
The Huangdi Neijing states: “If yang is deficient, there is external cold; if yin is deficient, there is internal heat.”
Yin deficiency occurs when the body lacks yin fluids, which cannot nourish the organs or restrain yang, leading to an excess of yang energy and the manifestation of internal heat, commonly referred to as “shang huo” (excess heat).
◎Hand-drawn by an eight-year-old
♦ People with Yin Deficiency are often thin.
This is because the body’s functions are hyperactive, leading to significant consumption.
♦ Common symptoms include hot palms and soles, dry mouth and throat, dry nose, thirst with a preference for cold drinks, dry stools, a red tongue with little moisture and coating, and a thin, rapid pulse.
Those with yin deficiency often experience “wuxin fanre” (five hearts heat), referring to the palms, soles, and heart.
In daily life, we notice that some people particularly enjoy drinking cold beverages and often have dry mouths and throats, which is mostly related to their yin deficiency constitution.
◎Hand-drawn by an eight-year-old
♦ Flushed complexion, dry eyes, blurred vision, dry skin, dizziness, tinnitus, and poor sleep;
People with yin deficiency often have a flushed complexion, which is a sign of internal heat.
They are particularly prone to insomnia due to restlessness, leading to difficulty sleeping and night sweats, as the rapid circulation of qi and blood does not match the resting state of the body’s defensive qi.
♦ Impulsive temperament, extroverted, active, and lively;
People with yin deficiency tend to be irritable, especially in summer when heart yin is particularly deficient, leading to many being quick-tempered.
♦ Their adaptability to the environment shows as being able to endure winter but not summer, and they generally cannot tolerate heat and dryness.
Yin deficiency can also manifest differently in the five organs.
• If there is lung yin deficiency, symptoms may include dry cough with little phlegm, tidal fever, and night sweats;
• If there is heart yin deficiency, symptoms may include palpitations, forgetfulness, and insomnia with vivid dreams;
• If there is kidney yin deficiency, symptoms may include lower back pain, dizziness, tinnitus, increased sexual desire in men, nocturnal emissions, and scanty menstruation in women;
• If there is liver yin deficiency, symptoms may include irritability, anger, rib pain, and blurred vision;
• If there is spleen yin deficiency, symptoms may include dry stools, increased appetite, but weak digestion.
Therefore, today I recommend the Sha Shen Yu Zhu Yin Er Tang (Codonopsis and Solomon’s Seal Soup), which nourishes yin, clears heat, and moistens the lungs and generates fluids~
Ingredients:
25g Bei Sha Shen (North Codonopsis) 25g Yu Zhu (Solomon’s Seal) 25g Yin Er (Tremella)
1 piece of Chen Pi (Dried Tangerine Peel) 200g lean pork
Method:
1. First, wash and soak the Tremella;
2. Wash and prepare the Bei Sha Shen, Yu Zhu, and Chen Pi;
3. Wash and cut the lean pork into pieces;
4. Add water to a pot and put in the Tremella;
Once the water boils, add the other ingredients;
5. After boiling again, reduce to a simmer for about 1 hour;
6. Finally, add a small amount of salt to taste.
△Bei Sha Shen ◎Image authorized by Baotu Network
Bei Sha Shen has a sweet, slightly bitter taste, is slightly cold in nature, and enters the lung and stomach meridians. It is effective in nourishing yin, clearing the lungs, and benefiting the stomach and generating fluids. It nourishes the yin of the lungs and stomach while clearing heat from them. It is a commonly used yin-nourishing herb and a great food therapy ingredient.
Why use Bei Sha Shen instead of Nan Sha Shen?
Nan Sha Shen has more effects on resolving phlegm and benefiting qi, which can tonify the spleen and lung qi, but it is not as effective as Bei Sha Shen in nourishing yin and clearing heat. Nan Sha Shen is more focused on clearing the lungs and resolving phlegm, while Bei Sha Shen is more focused on nourishing the stomach and generating fluids.
△Yu Zhu ◎Image authorized by Baotu Network
Yu Zhu has a sweet taste, is slightly cold in nature, and is moist in quality. It enters the lung and stomach meridians, and can nourish yin, moisten dryness, and generate fluids to quench thirst. It nourishes the yin of the lungs and stomach without being greasy, clears heat without being excessively cold, making it a gentle and soothing remedy for dry cough, heat, and thirst due to lung and stomach yin deficiency.
△Yin Er ◎Image authorized by Baotu Network
Yin Er has a sweet taste, is neutral in nature, and enters the lung and stomach meridians. It is primarily used to moisten the lungs, resolve phlegm, nourish yin, and generate fluids, especially effective in treating lung heat cough, dry cough due to lung dryness, and dry throat and mouth due to insufficient stomach yin, as well as low-grade fever and sweating in summer.
The Bencao Gangmu states: “It clears lung heat, moistens kidney dryness, strengthens the spirit, and benefits qi and blood.”
The Dictionary of Chinese Medicinal Properties states: “It strengthens the lungs, generates fluids to stop cough, tonifies qi and blood, and beautifies the skin.”
△Chen Pi ◎Image authorized by Baotu Network
Chen Pi has a bitter and spicy taste, is aromatic and awakens the spleen, has a mild action, and enters the spleen and lung meridians. It is excellent for regulating the qi of the spleen and stomach, and can also dry dampness and resolve phlegm. “The spleen is the source of phlegm, and the lungs are the storage for phlegm”; when qi is regulated, phlegm dissipates, and when phlegm dissipates, qi flows freely.
△Sha Shen Yu Zhu Yin Er Tang ◎Image authorized by Baotu Network
This soup can also be made vegetarian by omitting the lean pork, and after cooking the Tremella, adding a small amount of rock sugar to tonify the middle and benefit qi, making it a refreshing drink.
During hot weather, those with yin deficiency should avoid excessive sun exposure and sweating, while also maintaining a calm mindset to avoid excessive liver fire. Drinking a bowl of nourishing yin soup can calm internal heat and soothe an agitated mind.
— THE END —
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