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Many people ask, what is the most important aspect of health preservation? My answer is four words: Yin-Yang Balance.
All things in the world can ultimately be divided into two categories: one is Yin, and the other is Yang. Yin and Yang are two opposing energies; one is positive and the other negative, one is left and the other right, one is up and the other down, one is front and the other back, mutually restraining and interdependent. It is precisely because Yin and Yang are opposing yet interdependent that we have heaven and earth, sun and moon, and male and female.
The human body, though complex, ultimately consists of only two types of energy: one is Yin, and the other is Yang. The continuous changes of these two energies give rise to human life, aging, illness, and death.
The Huangdi Neijing states: “Yin and Yang are the principles of heaven and earth, the framework of all things, the parents of change, the source of life and death, and the abode of the spirit. To treat illness, one must seek the root.” The Huangdi Neijing is a lengthy text of over a hundred thousand words, but it essentially speaks of Yin and Yang.
Life is inseparable from birth, aging, illness, and death. What is life? Life is the temporary unity of Yin and Yang energies within the body. What is aging? Aging is the continuous change and decline of Yin and Yang within the body. What is illness? Illness is the disharmony of Yin and Yang energies within the body. What is death? Death is the disintegration of this unity of Yin and Yang.
What is life? Life is a balanced state formed by the contradictory energies of Yin and Yang, where the positive pole is Yang and the negative pole is Yin. Only with Yin-Yang Balance can a person exist. The Huangdi Neijing states, “The root of life is based on Yin and Yang.” In the world, heaven is above as Yang, earth is below as Yin, and humans in between pursue Yin-Yang balance. Therefore, life is a state of neither too high nor too low, a state of Yin-Yang balance. If this balance is completely disrupted, life will end. What state follows the end of life? It is the separation of Yin and Yang. At the crematorium, one can observe this phenomenon of Yin and Yang separation: the Yang energy transforms into wisps of smoke rising to the sky, while the Yin energy becomes ashes buried underground, and a person who once stood between heaven and earth disappears.
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Life is a state of internal stability, and this stability depends on the balance of Yin and Yang. Yin and Yang are like the two weights on a balance scale; only when they are equal in weight can the scale be balanced. Once Yin and Yang are out of balance, the scale tilts to one side, and balance is broken, leading to illness. Therefore, to achieve long-term health, one must constantly maintain the balance of Yin and Yang. What is health preservation? It is the nurturing of Yin and Yang; only with harmonious Yin and Yang can we live a life free from illness.
There are thousands of diseases in the human body, some with names and some without; some are common illnesses, while others are difficult to treat. Regardless of how many types of diseases exist or how difficult they are to treat, their pathology is fundamentally the same: it is the disharmony of Yin and Yang. The Yin and Yang of the human body are relatively balanced; if Yin is excessive, Yang energy will be damaged; if Yang is excessive, Yin fluids will be damaged. Thus, the Huangdi Neijing states, “If Yin is dominant, Yang will be ill; if Yang is dominant, Yin will be ill.”
Yin and Yang are contained in every part of the body: the kidneys have Shen Yin (Kidney Yin) and Shen Yang (Kidney Yang), the liver has Gan Yin (Liver Yin) and Gan Yang (Liver Yang), the heart has Xin Yin (Heart Yin) and Xin Yang (Heart Yang), the spleen has Pi Yin (Spleen Yin) and Pi Yang (Spleen Yang), the stomach has Wei Yin (Stomach Yin) and Wei Yang (Stomach Yang), the lungs have Fei Yin (Lung Yin) and Fei Yang (Lung Yang)… Each part of the body must maintain the balance of Yin and Yang; once the Yin and Yang of a certain part are out of balance, that part will develop disease.
The Yin and Yang of the liver must be balanced. If there is insufficient liver Yin, the Yang energy of the liver will rise sharply, causing the person to have a flushed face, headache, irritability, and anger. In TCM, this is called Gan Yang Sheng Kang (Liver Yang Rising), and Western medicine may find elevated blood pressure upon measurement. The Yin and Yang of the lungs, stomach, and kidneys must also be balanced. If the Yang energy of the lungs, stomach, or kidneys is excessive and Yin fluids are insufficient, the person will experience excessive thirst, hunger, and urination, leading to Xiao Ke (Diabetes).
Xiao Ke is also known as the three excesses. Yang energy is the fire within the body, while Yin fluids are the water within the body. When Yang energy is excessive, the fire within the body increases, and the water is easily burned dry. If the fire in the lungs is excessive, saliva, sweat, tears, and blood are easily evaporated, leading to dry mouth and thirst, requiring constant drinking of water, which in TCM is termed Shang Xiao (Upper Excess); if the fire in the stomach is excessive, the stomach’s function remains in a state of excitement, and the food ingested is quickly digested, leading to excessive eating and rapid hunger, termed Zhong Xiao (Middle Excess); if the fire in the kidneys is excessive, the kidneys become dry and deficient, unable to control water, leading to excessive urination, termed Xia Xiao (Lower Excess). In TCM, the three excesses often correspond to diabetes in Western medical tests.
03
Similarly, if there is insufficient Yang energy in the body, Yin fluids will become excessive. At this point, the entire body is like a weak furnace, unable to vaporize the water in the pot. Since the water vapor cannot rise, the person will feel dry mouth and thirst, constantly drinking water. Conversely, if the fire is insufficient and the water vapor cannot rise, the water consumed will quickly be expelled, which explains why some people feel that the water they drink comes out shortly after. In TCM, this is considered a Yang deficiency type of Xiao Ke, which often corresponds to diabetes in Western medical examinations.
The Yin and Yang of the heart must also be balanced. If the heart Yang is insufficient, the body will be like a place without sunlight, shrouded in gloom, feeling cold and lethargic. At this time, water vapor will overflow, leading to edema, and consequently, the heart’s function will be affected, potentially resulting in cardiac edema. Western medicine may find this to be heart disease or heart failure upon examination.
Similarly, if the heart Yin is insufficient, it is like a hydraulic machine lacking sufficient lubricating oil for pressure transmission. Without enough lubricating oil, the machine will run empty and lack power. In the same way, if the heart Yin is insufficient, the body will experience palpitations, shortness of breath, fatigue, insomnia, and forgetfulness. Western medicine may find this to be arrhythmia or heart disease.
In summary, from heart disease and hypertension to common colds and fevers, all diseases stem from Yin-Yang imbalance. Excessive Yang leads to short life, excessive Yin leads to illness; when Yin and Yang are out of balance, all diseases arise. Why do some people feel unwell frequently, whether it is a headache or chest tightness and shortness of breath? The reason is the disharmony of Yin and Yang within the body. This is akin to the ecological balance of a region being disrupted, leading to either drought or flooding.
How can we avoid these disasters? The national approach is to protect forests and restore ecological balance. Once the ecology is balanced, the earth will have favorable weather. So how can our bodies achieve favorable conditions? There is only one method: to achieve balance of Yin and Yang in the body. A person with balanced Yin and Yang will be energetic, have a rosy complexion, and be free from illness. Even if viruses attack, their righteous Qi can quickly expel the viruses. Therefore, only those with Yin-Yang balance can enjoy health and longevity.
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