Some individuals, even in the scorching summer heat, find that the skin on their waist, legs, and buttocks feels neither warm nor hot to the touch, and the same goes for their feet. A very noticeable symptom is that the calves are often persistently swollen and feel cool, soft, and numb to the touch.
For women, such calves can also be aesthetically unpleasing. When this occurs, one should consider whether the body has accumulated yin toxicity.
The calves: the stronghold of yin toxicity!
The invasion of the six excesses from the external environment or internal emotional injuries often leads to the accumulation of yin toxicity within the body, primarily in the forms of dampness, cold, and stasis, which particularly like to settle in the calves.
So, why is it that “the entire body’s yin toxicity gathers in the calves”? There are two reasons:
1. Yin toxicity inherently possesses a heavy and downward-moving characteristic, making it prone to settling downwards;
2. The calves are located at the body’s periphery, where the yang energy cannot reach, making it difficult for yin toxicity to be vaporized.
Due to these two reasons, yin toxicity establishes a base in the calves, and over time, the calves become a stronghold for yin toxicity!
What are the dangers of yin toxicity?1Dampness toxicity
Many women find that despite not being overweight, their calves appear thick. This thickness is not due to fat but rather swelling, and in severe cases, pressing on them leaves a pit. Additionally, they often experience muscle weakness, heavy legs, and a lack of desire to move.
This is actually caused by spleen and kidney deficiency, as the spleen governs the transformation and transportation of dampness, while the kidneys govern the metabolism of fluids. When the spleen and kidneys are weak, dampness accumulates, leading to swelling in the limbs and face, with the calves being the most severely affected due to the heavy and turbid nature of dampness.
2Cold toxicity
Some women feel cold in their legs year-round, with the knees serving as a dividing line; the thighs are slightly better, while the calves are significantly colder, and the further down, the colder it gets.
The dangers of cold legs are significant. In addition to the well-known “old cold legs,” they can lead to the following diseases:
(1) Gynecological diseases
Cold in the calves can lead to blood stasis, akin to being “frozen,” making it difficult for qi and blood to descend, which can result in stagnation in the pelvic area, forming fibroids and cysts.
(2) Heart diseases
The venous return in the legs primarily relies on the contraction of the calf muscles. Cold causes stagnation and directly affects the contraction function of the calf muscles, making it difficult for venous blood to return to the heart, which can easily lead to heart disease over time.
(3) Affecting the whole body
The body has “four roots” (ear roots, nose roots, breast roots, and foot roots), with the heel being the foundation of the “four roots.” Cold in the calves can affect the transmission of commands between the legs and the brain, subsequently impacting overall health.
3Stasis toxicity
Stasis toxicity primarily refers to blood stasis.
The calves are at the extremities of the limbs, far from the heart and lungs, making the circulation of qi and blood most affected, leading to stasis. Varicose veins are the most direct consequence of blood stasis in the calves.
The terrifying aspect of varicose veins is not only that they can lead to skin ulcers, resulting in “old rotten legs,” but they can also easily cause pulmonary embolism, posing a life-threatening risk.
Insufficient yang energy and accumulation of cold must be treated with moxibustion
The Huangdi Neijing states, “Yang transforms qi, yin forms shape.” The body’s waste must rely on the vaporization function of yang energy to be expelled. Once yang energy is insufficient and cannot vaporize in time, these wastes will become yin toxicity retained in the body.
Therefore, Traditional Chinese Medicine believes that from a pathological perspective, any disease that takes shape is yin in nature, with the most common being gynecological fibroids.
Why do gynecological fibroids always recur after surgery? Because surgery cannot change the patient’s constitution; as long as yin toxicity exists, gynecological fibroids can never be completely cured.
Yin and yang are in opposition; to treat any disease caused by yin toxicity or to prevent yin toxicity from causing disease, one must support yang energy to transform cold and yin. The fundamental approach is to: support yang, disperse cold, and eliminate stasis.
At this point, moxibustion comes into play. Moxibustion has the effects of supporting yang energy, dispelling cold and dampness, and invigorating blood circulation, making it the best choice for eliminating yin toxicity.
During moxibustion, the heat and medicinal properties of the moxa penetrate layer by layer, following the meridians, reaching the affected area, creating a thermal environment in the treated area and the affected meridians, promoting the dissipation and expulsion of various yin toxicity and other pathological products, achieving the goal of eliminating pathogenic factors.
Additionally, moxibustion can stimulate the body’s righteous qi, promote blood circulation, and enhance metabolism, fundamentally regulating yin and yang, eliminating the hidden dangers of disease formation, and achieving preventive health effects.
Women should not neglect moxibustion on their legs; otherwise, it will be in vain
Among all body skin, the calves rank third in thinness, allowing them to “absorb medicine” like the mouth. Coupled with the large area of the calves and the abundance of blood vessels, moxibustion is particularly effective.
Moreover, the human body is a circle, with the waist and abdomen forming the upper half and the legs forming the lower half. If one only performs moxibustion on the waist and abdomen, the qi and blood can only circulate locally in the upper half, failing to form a complete cycle. Modern women often have cold dampness or heat above and cold below, making it even more necessary to moxibustion the legs for improvement.
In the moxibustion community, there is also a saying: “Women should not moxibustion their legs; otherwise, it will be in vain.” There are many acupuncture points on the calves, and generally speaking, to dispel yin toxicity from the calves, it is recommended to moxibustion five key points:Zu San Li (Stomach 36), Yin Ling Quan (Spleen 9), San Yin Jiao (Spleen 6), Tai Xi (Kidney 3), Fu Liu (Kidney 7).
Additionally, one can refer to this method: gently tapping and massaging the calves, and once a knot or painful point is found, focus on moxibustion there, meaning to directly moxibustion the Ah Shi point without following a strict protocol.
Furthermore, before moxibustion, it is advisable to apply a hot towel to the calves, and once the moisture has dried, proceed with moxibustion for better results.
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