Yin Deficiency Constitution
Keywords: Heat (mouth, tongue, eyes, skin), hot palms and soles, sweating (night sweats)
Specific Manifestations: Low fever, hot palms and soles, afternoon tidal fever, night sweats, dry mouth and throat, irritability and insomnia, dizziness, tinnitus, red tongue with little coating, thin and rapid pulse.
Diseases Prone to Occur: Hypertension, lupus erythematosus, constipation, anxiety disorders, insomnia.
Specific Classifications: Lung Yin Deficiency, Heart Yin Deficiency, Stomach Yin Deficiency, Spleen Yin Deficiency, Liver Yin Deficiency, Kidney Yin Deficiency, etc.
How to Nourish and Protect Yin?
1
Focus on the Care of the Spleen and Stomach
Eat less spicy, greasy, barbecued, and fried foods that can easily cause heat, and also limit consumption of leeks, lamb, and dog meat.
It is advisable to eat more yam, lotus seeds, lily bulbs, black fungus, and white fungus; Ejiao (Donkey-hide Gelatin) is also a good Yin-nourishing supplement.
Meat options include pork and duck, which are cooling meats.
2
Living Health: Calming the Mind and Spirit is Important
According to Yin-Yang theory: daytime belongs to Yang, nighttime belongs to Yin; movement belongs to Yang, stillness belongs to Yin; thus, maintaining adequate sleep and quiet rest is key to nourishing Yin and supplementing Yang.
1
Seasonal Care: Autumn is Key for Nourishing Yin Deficiency Constitution
The lungs are the upper source of water, and the kidneys are the lower source of water; insufficient water leads to Yin deficiency, so these two organs are relatively weak in individuals with Yin deficiency. In autumn, all things retract, and the lungs govern the descending and consolidating functions. How to maintain the lung’s descending function in autumn?
1) Spend more time in nature, breathing fresh air.
2) Consume more herbs like Codonopsis pilosula (Dang Shen), Polygonatum odoratum (Yu Zhu), and Ophiopogon japonicus (Mai Dong) in soups.
3) Regularly practice calming the mind and deep breathing.
Recommendations for Preventive Health and Yin Nourishment
[Herb Name]Yin Nourishing Soup
[Prescription]American ginseng, Polygonatum, Goji berries, Rehmannia, and Codonopsis.
[Functions and Indications]Tonifies the liver and kidneys, benefits Qi and nourishes Yin, suitable for symptoms of hot palms and soles, dry mouth and throat, thirst with a preference for cold drinks, flushed complexion, dry eyes, blurred vision, slightly dry lips, dry skin, prone to wrinkles, dizziness, and tinnitus.
[Dosage] Drink the soup and eat the meat; once a week.
[Herb Name]Yin Nourishing Paste
[Prescription]Gelatin from tortoise shell, Ejiao, prepared Polygonatum, prepared Rehmannia, Mai Dong, cooked Rehmannia, North American ginseng, prepared Codonopsis, etc.
[Functions and Indications]Nourishes Yin and clears heat, regulates and supplements liver and kidneys. Suitable for individuals with hot palms and soles, dry mouth and throat, slightly dry nose, preference for cold drinks, and dry stools.
[Usage and Dosage] Soak in hot water and take on an empty stomach every morning and evening.
[Herb Name]Four Treasures for Nourishing Yin
Iron Wire Orchid:Iron Wire Orchid, known as the “golden herb” in medicine, is commonly referred to as the “life-saving herb”. It has a sweet taste and slightly cold nature, nourishes the stomach and generates fluids, nourishes Yin and clears heat, and improves vision and strengthens the waist. It is mainly used for treating stomach Yin deficiency, heat accumulation, internal heat due to Yin deficiency, and liver and kidney Yin deficiency. Modern pharmacological studies have shown that the active polysaccharides and alkaloids in Iron Wire Orchid can promote gastric juice and acid secretion and improve gastric emptying, showing significant efficacy for functional dyspepsia and chronic atrophic gastritis.
North American Ginseng:North American Ginseng has a sweet taste and is effective in clearing the lungs and nourishing Yin to stop cough. It is commonly used in clinical practice as a Yin-nourishing herb, indicated for dry cough due to lung dryness, heat illness damaging fluids, and thirst.
Mai Dong:Mai Dong has the effect of nourishing Yin and generating fluids, moistening the lungs, and calming the heart. It is mainly used for treating dry cough due to lung dryness, thirst due to fluid damage, irritability and insomnia, and constipation due to dryness.
Ginseng Roots:Ginseng Roots have the effects of benefiting Qi, generating fluids, and quenching thirst. They are commonly used for cough with blood, thirst, and vomiting.
Recommended Method of Use:
Take 30g of Iron Wire Orchid, 25g of North American Ginseng, 30g of Mai Dong, and 15g of Ginseng Roots, along with 100g of one of the following: turtle meat, duck meat, or pork ribs. Add 3 slices of ginger, 3 cloves of garlic, and 5 peppercorns, along with appropriate amounts of scallions and salt. Clean and cut the meat; crush the peppercorns; combine with the herbs, ginger, and garlic in a clay pot, add appropriate water, boil over high heat for 20 minutes, then simmer until the meat is fully cooked. Add scallions and salt to taste before eating. Drink the soup and eat the meat; once a week, divided into portions within one day, suitable for those with Yin deficiency and excess heat, cough with sticky phlegm, and tidal fever with night sweats.
Compiled by: Pan Wei
Proofread by: Cai Jialuo
Reviewed by: Li Xiaoping