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Written by | Erjie Once, my friend asked me: What are your special skills? I replied: I have a special talent for daydreaming. I even emphasized: The average person cannot daydream as long as I do. I enjoy daydreaming, absolutely daydreaming, not playing on my phone, not reading, and not even thinking about anything. Usually, after finishing a task or when I get home, I immediately choose the nearest place to lie down, and I can stay there for hours. I must lie comfortably and long enough before I get up to move or eat. This special talent naturally sacrifices a lot of time for housework.So my home is often messy, and I usually only start a frantic cleanup when guests are about to arrive. Sometimes, clothes put in the washing machine in the morning are only remembered to hang up when the sun sets (occasionally). I only remember to open packages when I need them. If I receive a package that I am not satisfied with, I am too lazy to return it. You think I am lazy, but I am not. If I were to explain this phenomenon using TCM terminology, it would be called: “Qi Deficiency”. And “lying down” is the most basic way to replenish Qi when one is Qi deficient. People live on a breath of Qi, so those with Qi deficiency feel particularly drained.It is truly exhausting. My hands and feet, waist and back, even my whole body feel weak. While others walk like the wind, I struggle to move behind them. Others stand tall and sit straight; I, whether standing or sitting, look like a deflated balloon, appearing very dispirited. While others seem energized every day, I feel like I am on opium every day.
Besides this. People with Qi deficiency have very unstable emotions; whether they find someone pleasing depends entirely on whether they still have a breath of Qi: When there is Qi: Oh, this gentleman looks a bit handsome today.When there is no Qi: This gentleman should work overtime at the office instead of coming back early to block my view, thank you. People with Qi deficiency have little patience; repeating a sentence once is acceptable, repeating it twice is bearable, but if it needs to be repeated three times, sorry, I have no Qi left. Mom, why is 7 seven? Because it is not 8, nor is it 6, so it is seven. Then how is it seven? That is its name, just like your name, if you like it, it’s fine. Then why is it called 7? 7 doesn’t sound that nice.I don’t know, I don’t know! Ask your dad! People with Qi deficiency have unstable intelligence; sometimes they are clever, sometimes they are foolish, but overall, multitasking is nearly impossible, like talking on the phone while writing or chatting while watching TV, that is too difficult. Also, particularly mentally taxing tasks, like data statistics, route planning, and organizing photos, sorry, it’s not that I am lazy, it’s that I really don’t have enough Qi to supply my brain.
People with Qi deficiency become even lazier in summer. In summer, the humidity is high, and the temperature is high. On one hand, they already have insufficient Qi and blood, and on the other hand, they cannot effectively retain sweat, easily sweating profusely, which further depletes Qi and leads to insufficient body fluids. So, in summer, people with Qi deficiency definitely appear as if their bodies have been hollowed out. At this point, I remind those who are usually energetic and simply lazy not to come and complain. For example, some people, when eating with friends, are lively and boisterous. But when you ask them to take care of a child, they sigh and frown, and before long, they start snoring. Some people play games day and night, their minds sharp and their hands quick. But when you ask them to go for a walk, not only do their hands and feet become uncoordinated, but their ears also stop working. Some people lie in bed until noon, after eating, they lie down with their phones until the afternoon, and then lie down with their phones until the evening………. These people likely suffer from laziness, not Qi deficiency.
That said, why am I so Qi deficient? There may be two reasons: one is congenital deficiency; my mother said I was particularly small when I was born, and people in my village said I might not survive. In the end, I did survive, but I have always been thin. I could eat a lot since childhood, but it has been hard to gain weight. The second reason is excessive strain; I did not cherish my body and prioritized money over health. For many years, I ran a small business, often working until 11:20 PM and then waking up at 5 AM the next day. When busy, I often neglected to eat and drink. At my most intense, I was still running markets close to my due date. Being overly diligent in youth and excessively depleting my body has laid the groundwork for being lazy in old age. So, what exactly is the problem with Qi deficiency? Actually, all five organs in our body store essence and Qi. The Qi in our body generally refers to kidney Qi, spleen Qi, and lung Qi. Therefore, people with Qi deficiency generally have insufficient spleen, lung, and kidney Qi. Among these three, the key is the spleen. Kidney Qi mainly comes from the transformation of kidney essence; kidney essence is partly inherited from parents and partly transformed from the essence of grains by the spleen to nourish the kidneys. As for lung Qi, TCM believes that the spleen belongs to earth and the lungs belong to metal; earth can generate metal. This means that the spleen is the mother of the lungs; if the mother is not well, the child will naturally be affected. Therefore, if the spleen is deficient for a long time, the lungs will also become deficient. When Qi is deficient, the spleen must be nourished first. Thus, the most important thing in regulating Qi deficiency is to strengthen the spleen, and the most important way to strengthen the spleen is to eliminate dampness. Spleen deficiency and dampness can be said to go hand in hand because once the spleen lacks energy, a lot of waste and water will accumulate in the body, naturally generating dampness. The first step to eliminate dampness is to reduce the production of new dampness, such as avoiding greasy, sweet, cold fruits, milk, and yogurt in the diet, which can easily produce dampness. External dampness, such as swimming, wearing wet clothes, and not ventilating the house often, can also easily enter our bodies. Additionally, reasonable exercise is necessary. However, it is important to note that when Qi is deficient, the body may not withstand strenuous exercise; walking can be the first choice, aiming for an hour a day, and maintaining it. Teacher Luo Dalun shared a foot-soaking recipe for those with Qi deficiency (Note: Children’s arches are developing, so they should not soak their feet frequently), and it is said to be quite effective: 6 grams of apricot kernels (added later), 6 grams of white cardamom (added later), 30 grams of coix seed, 20 grams of poria, 6-9 grams of white atractylodes, 6-9 grams of pig poria, 3 grams of half summer, and 6 grams of licorice.
This recipe indicates that the later-added herbs should be placed in the pot 5-10 minutes before turning off the heat, while the other herbs should be boiled for 20-30 minutes. After turning off the heat, let it steep for a while, then filter the herbal liquid into two portions, soaking feet in warm water in the morning and evening for about 20 minutes each time, without sweating profusely, just a little sweat is fine. Generally, using about 5-6 doses will yield noticeable results. Once the dampness is eliminated and the stagnant Qi and blood in the body can flow normally, strengthening the spleen will become much easier. Eating some yam porridge, exercising, and getting some sunlight are all effective. General Precautions for Qi Deficiency 1. Before your body is well-regulated, do not push yourself. If you feel lazy, just be lazy. Especially avoid staying up late, as staying up late consumes the kidney essence that is already insufficient. Once kidney essence is lost, it is very difficult to replenish. 2. Learn to say goodbye to people and things that drain your energy. For example, if you don’t want to attend a gathering, don’t go; if you don’t want to join a meal, refuse; if you don’t want to tidy up things that are not very useful, throw them away. The general principle is to nurture yourself and restore the overly depleted self. 3. Take good care of your body fluids. People with Qi deficiency often have some degree of body fluid deficiency, with dry and cracked tongue coating, and are prone to heat. Therefore, we must take care of our body fluids daily, such as boiling some rice soup to drink, having a soup dish with meals, and drinking some soup at every meal. Over time, the state of body fluid deficiency will improve. 4. If you are really feeling extremely deficient, you can temporarily use “Sheng Mai Yin” to revive your spirit. The ingredients of Sheng Mai Yin are just three herbs: ginseng, ophiopogon, and schisandra. Simple, yet it can yield significant results. Ginseng replenishes lung Qi and lung fluids, enhancing the internal energy of Qi; ophiopogon can replenish body fluids and clear empty heat, while schisandra is responsible for astringing, helping to retain excessive sweat and Qi. Therefore, this combination of three herbs can quickly replenish an already depleted body.(How to use Sheng Mai Yin – “The feeling of being drained is due to insufficient Qi | How to use Sheng Mai Yin”)Hot Reading: Come, let’s talk about the Sanfu plaster Let’s discuss our hypocritical conversations A hairdryer can blow away most of the cold
