As the standard of living continues to improve, people are increasingly concerned about their health. Many factors affect human health, among which the sufficiency of Yang Qi is crucial. The Huangdi Neijing states: “Yin forms the body, Yang transforms Qi; when Yang is insufficient, myriad diseases arise.”
We often say, “All things grow with the sun.” Without the sun, there would be no day and night, no seasonal changes, and no life on Earth. Similarly, within the human body, there exists an energy akin to the sun, which we refer to as Yang Qi. In the Huangdi Neijing, Suwen chapter on the “Theory of Vital Energy Connecting Heaven,” it mentions: “Yang Qi is like the sky and the sun; if it loses its place, it shortens life and does not manifest. Therefore, the heavens should operate with sunlight, hence Yang rises and protects the exterior.” A person’s longevity is closely related to the abundance of their Yang Qi; those who live long often have sufficient Yang Qi.
Yang Qi is vital for the human body; it is the foundation of our health and life activities. Many elderly individuals pass away during the winter solstice, a time when Yang Qi is at its lowest. This is because during this period, Yin Qi is at its peak while Yang Qi is weak, and many elderly people cannot withstand the prolonged cold climate around the winter solstice due to their weakened Yang Qi.
Many modern individuals suffer from insufficient Yang Qi. Due to environmental factors, work, and lifestyle, Yang Qi diminishes, leading to a large population of sub-healthy individuals, with many diseases closely related to Yang deficiency.
Signs of Yang Deficiency
Cold Hands and Feet: Yang deficiency leads to external cold.
The most significant characteristic of individuals with Yang deficiency is cold hands and feet, especially in cold weather, where they cannot warm up for a long time. This is because the extremities do not receive warmth from Yang Qi, resulting in poor blood circulation. The more severe the Yang deficiency, the colder the hands and feet become; in severe cases, the areas below the elbows and knees are also cold.
Fear of Cold and Wind:
As the saying goes, “Yang Qi protects the exterior and provides stability.” If Yang is deficient, the heat generated is insufficient, and the body’s ability to resist external cold is poor. This fear of wind and cold is not a temporary phenomenon due to the climate but a long-term condition. Such individuals tend to wear more clothing than others, are more tolerant of heat than cold, and often have a lower body temperature year-round. They are sensitive to wind on their heads and coolness on their backs, and their resistance to diseases is weak; even a slight fever above 37 degrees Celsius can be uncomfortable.
Frequent Colds and Coughs:
Yang Qi has a protective function for the body surface. Individuals with Yang deficiency have a weaker protective barrier than normal individuals, making them more susceptible to recurrent colds, coughs, rhinitis, and bronchitis in the same environment, and they recover slowly. The symptoms of illness reflect the struggle between “righteous Qi” and “external pathogens”; sufficient Yang Qi leads to intense battles, while insufficient Yang Qi results in a milder struggle, allowing pathogens to invade the body more deeply and persistently.
Cold Spleen and Stomach Leading to Diarrhea:
Some individuals experience abdominal pain and diarrhea when exposed to cold or consume cold foods, and their stools are often unformed. This is caused by insufficient Spleen Yang due to Yang deficiency. The Spleen is the foundation of postnatal health; if Spleen Yang is insufficient, its ability to transform and transport is poor, and the Qi of the Spleen and Stomach cannot continuously nourish the internal organs, leading to further weakness of Yang Qi.
Frequent Nighttime Urination and Poor Sleep:
Some people do not drink much water at night but still need to get up frequently, sometimes several times, leading to grogginess in the morning and lack of energy throughout the day. This is a typical manifestation of Kidney Yang deficiency. The water in the body cannot be transformed and vaporized by Kidney Yang, leading to direct excretion; drinking a little water results in frequent urination, with clear and copious output.
Protecting Yang Qi
To safeguard one’s Yang Qi, one must first avoid actions that damage or deplete it.
Do not consume raw, cold, or cooling foods, including cold drinks and herbal teas. Additionally, drinking large amounts of water daily can be detrimental; water is Yin and cold, and if the body is Yang deficient, it cannot transform and vaporize the fluids, leading to the accumulation of pathological products like “water retention” and “phlegm dampness,” exacerbating Yang deficiency.
Avoid excessive consumption of fruits, especially out-of-season fruits, as most fruits are cold in nature. A healthy diet should align with natural rhythms, consuming seasonal foods.
Avoid excessive dieting for weight loss. The Spleen and Stomach are the foundation of postnatal health; excessive dieting can lead to insufficient Spleen Qi, which in turn affects the generation of Yang Qi.
Avoid the misuse of antibiotics or cooling detoxifying Chinese herbs. These medications are bitter and cold in nature, suitable only for Yang conditions, excess conditions, or heat conditions. Traditional Chinese medicine emphasizes “three parts treatment, seven parts nourishment”; the misuse of bitter and cold substances can attack Yang Qi, leading to deficiency and a gradual weakening of the constitution.
Avoid staying up late. Many people go to bed after 11 PM, depleting their vital energy when they should be resting, leading to gradual Yang deficiency. High-quality sleep is crucial for replenishing Yang Qi. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that normal sleep at night is when “Yang enters Yin”; prolonged insomnia or frequent awakenings often indicate “Yang not entering Yin.”
Avoid exposing the ankles too early. Wearing short skirts and exposing the ankles, belly, and lower back before winter is over can lead to a gradual loss of original Yang.
Avoid prolonged exposure to dark, damp, and cold environments. Some individuals’ work and life conditions limit their exposure to sunlight; they should pay attention to keeping warm.
Avoid prolonged sitting and inactivity. Modern individuals often sit in offices for long periods, lacking exercise and sunlight, which can easily lead to insufficient Yang Qi. Modern medicine interprets this as poor blood circulation, while traditional Chinese medicine explains it as Qi stagnation and blood stasis.
Avoid excessive sweating for long periods. Many people are busy with work during the day and can only exercise at night, sweating profusely, thinking this compensates for the lack of daytime activity. However, according to the “Ziwuliuzhu” theory, the time of Xu (7 PM to 9 PM) corresponds to the Pericardium Meridian; during this time, “Yin Qi is gradually increasing, and Yang Qi is about to deplete.” Engaging in intense exercise at this time can deplete the last bit of Yang Qi in the body. Moreover, exercising too late can stimulate the sympathetic nervous system, negatively affecting sleep, as mentioned earlier regarding “Yang not entering Yin.”
Avoid violating the natural laws of cold and heat. In summer, one should sweat more; however, many people stay in air-conditioned environments for long periods, especially transitioning from outdoors to indoors, where the skin’s pores are open and sweating, and suddenly experiencing cold can easily trap external pathogens within the body, leading to illness.
Nourishing Yang Qi
1. Moderate sun exposure in the morning, especially on the back. Many Yang meridians run along the back.
2. Soak feet in hot water at night. Cold originates from the soles; soaking feet in hot water dispels cold from the body and relieves fatigue, promoting relaxation and aiding sleep.
3. Movement generates Yang. Regular aerobic exercises such as brisk walking, jogging, Baduanjin, Yijinjing, and fitness routines.
4. Individuals with Spleen and Stomach deficiency can drink a cup of ginger and brown sugar water every morning in summer to help Yang Qi rise.
5. Regularly perform moxibustion on the Shenque (CV8), Zhongji (CV3), Guanyuan (CV4), and Qihai (CV6) acupuncture points, as well as the governing vessel points on the lower back.
6. Apply a mixture of six or seven Sichuan peppercorns, one longan flesh, and a little moxa wool into a small ball, place it in the navel before sleeping, and seal it with tape. Remove it in the morning and clean the navel area. Sichuan peppercorns dispel cold and dampness, longan nourishes blood, and moxa wool is purely Yang in nature, which together can replenish Yang deficiency.