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Nowadays, there are many exercise videos online, and some people have started to follow along, even running outdoors in the hot summer to sweat more. However, after a few days of practice, they feel unwell, their mental state deteriorates, and they easily become irritable and fatigued. Climbing stairs makes them feel breathless, and they may feel an increase in body temperature and thirst.This situation is a mild heat stroke caused by improper exercise in hot weather, classified as a Yang heat syndrome with both Qi and fluid deficiency. One can try Wang’s Qing Shu Yi Qi Decoction.This Qing Shu Yi Qi Decoction is derived from Wang Mengying’s “Wen Re Jing Wei” and is indicated for Yang heat syndrome with Qi and fluid deficiency. Clinical manifestations include body heat, excessive sweating, thirst, irritability, short and red urine, fatigue, and a weak and rapid pulse as key diagnostic points.This formula differs from Li Dongyuan’s Qing Shu Yi Qi Decoction mentioned later, as Li’s formula emphasizes the patient’s constitution, particularly those who are usually deficient in both Qi and Yin, and suddenly feel the invasion of summer dampness, leading to symptoms such as body heat, headache, thirst, spontaneous sweating, fatigue, chest tightness, heaviness in the limbs, loss of appetite, loose stools, short and red urine, greasy tongue coating, and a weak pulse.Reference dosage: 5g of Xi Yang Shen (American Ginseng), 15g of Shi Hu (Dendrobium), 9g of Mai Dong (Ophiopogon), 3g of Huang Lian (Coptis), 6g of Zhu Ye (Bamboo Leaf), 15g of He Geng (Lotus Stem), 6g of Zhi Mu (Anemarrhena), 3g of Gan Cao (Licorice), 15g of Jing Mi (Glutinous Rice), and 30g of Xi Gua Cui Yi (Watermelon Peel).Method: Decoction in water, one dose per day, taken twice daily in the morning and evening.
The sweet and cool properties of Xi Gua Cui Yi (Watermelon Peel) work similarly to the “Bai Hu” decoction, clearing heat and relieving summer heat. The “Sui Xi Ju Yin Shi Pu” states that Xi Gua Cui Yi is “cooling and refreshing in summer.”Xi Yang Shen (American Ginseng) is sweet and bitter with a cool nature, enhancing Qi, clearing heat, and generating fluids. The “Ben Cao Cong Xin” states: “It tonifies the lungs, reduces fire, generates fluids, and alleviates fatigue. It is suitable for those who are deficient yet have heat.” These two herbs together serve as the monarch herbs. Summer heat injures Yin, and He Geng (Lotus Stem) can assist Xi Gua Cui Yi in clearing heat and relieving summer heat while also regulating Qi and relieving chest tightness.Additionally, Shi Hu (Dendrobium) and Mai Dong (Ophiopogon) are sweet and cold, helping Xi Yang Shen to enhance Qi, nourish Yin, clear heat, and generate fluids, serving as minister herbs. To address the heat disturbing the heart, a small amount of bitter and cold Huang Lian (Coptis) is used to clear heat and drain fire, enhancing the formula’s ability to clear heat and dispel summer heat.Zhi Mu (Anemarrhena) is bitter and cold, capable of draining fire and nourishing Yin, making it a wonderful herb; Zhu Ye (Bamboo Leaf) is sweet and bland, clearing heat and relieving irritability, serving as an assistant herb.Summer heat injures Qi, and Jing Mi (Glutinous Rice) can enhance Qi and generate fluids, while Gan Cao (Licorice) harmonizes the stomach and protects against the cold nature of the herbs, also helping to regulate the properties of the formula, serving as a guide herb.
The combination of these herbs allows for the pairing of heat-clearing herbs with Qi-tonifying herbs, ensuring that tonification does not retain pathogens, and draining does not harm the righteous Qi; the fluid-generating herbs are paired with damp-drying herbs, ensuring that fluid generation is not turbid or greasy, and drying does not harm the fluids, collectively achieving the effects of clearing heat, enhancing Qi, nourishing Yin, and generating fluids.However, Qing Shu Yi Qi Decoction is not solely Wang’s formula; Li Dongyuan also discusses it in his “Pi Wei Lun.”
Li Dongyuan’s Qing Shu Yi Qi Decoction is found in the “Nei Wai Shang Bian Huo Lun • Shu Shang Wei Qi Lun,” based on the “Suwen” stating, “Qi deficiency and body heat are caused by summer heat,” and further points out that “during the long summer, damp heat prevails.” This formula is aimed at individuals who are usually Qi deficient and are affected by summer dampness, leading to symptoms such as fatigue in the limbs, poor spirit, chest tightness, shortness of breath, body heat and irritability, loose stools, yellow and scanty urine, loss of appetite, thirst, spontaneous sweating, heaviness in the body, pale tongue with teeth marks, greasy or dry tongue coating, and a weak or rapid pulse.Reference dosage: 3g of Huang Qi (Astragalus), 3g of Cang Zhu (Atractylodes), 3g of Sheng Ma (Cimicifuga), 15g of Ren Shen (Ginseng), 15g of Ze Xie (Alisma), 15g of Shen Qu (Malt), 15g of Ju Pi (Tangerine Peel), 10g of Bai Zhu (White Atractylodes), 10g of Mai Men Dong (Ophiopogon), 10g of Dang Gui (Angelica), 6g of Zhi Gan Cao (Honey-fried Licorice), 10g of Qing Pi (Green Tangerine Peel), 10g of Huang Bai (Phellodendron), 10g of Ge Gen (Kudzu), and 10g of Wu Wei Zi (Schisandra).This formula is derived from the modified Bai Zhong Yi Qi Decoction with added flavor, also having the effects of clearing summer heat, transforming dampness, and generating fluids, with a greater emphasis on enhancing Qi and strengthening the spleen. Li advocates treating summer diseases with methods that clear dryness, thus this formula, while treating summer illnesses, contains fewer heat-clearing herbs, with its main efficacy being to strengthen the spleen and dry dampness.Characteristics of Summer Heat Pathogenic FactorsSummer heat is a Yang pathogenic factor with distinct seasonality, primarily occurring after the summer solstice and before the beginning of autumn. Therefore, the “Suwen • Re Lun” states: “Illnesses occurring before the summer solstice are due to warmth, while those occurring after are due to summer heat.” Its pathogenic characteristics are:Summer heat is a Yang pathogenic factor with a hot nature
Summer heat is generated from the transformation of fiery heat, which belongs to Yang, thus summer heat is classified as a Yang pathogenic factor. Therefore, its pathogenic effects often manifest as a series of symptoms such as high fever, thirst, flushed face, and a rapid pulse, indicative of Yang heat symptoms.Summer heat rises and easily disturbs the mind, injuring fluids and depleting QiIn summer, we can see the heat rising from the scorching track on the playground, which is a manifestation of summer heat rising. Thus, it easily disturbs the mind or invades the head, leading to symptoms such as chest discomfort, restlessness, and dizziness. We can also observe that when water is poured onto a hot iron plate, some of it instantly evaporates, indicating that summer heat is a Yang pathogenic factor, which can cause the pores to open and lead to excessive sweating, easily injuring fluids.Since Qi and fluids are closely related, both originating from the transformation of food and water by the spleen and stomach, and both circulating throughout the body via the San Jiao, Qi and fluids can transform into each other; Qi can generate fluids, and fluids can also transform into Qi. Therefore, if one is damaged, the transformation of the other will correspondingly decrease.
Moreover, fluids are also one of the carriers of Qi, so when summer heat causes illness, it depletes fluids while Qi also escapes in large amounts. Thus, clinically, in addition to symptoms of thirst, dry lips, and dry tongue, short and red urine indicating insufficient fluids, one may also observe shortness of breath, fatigue, and in severe cases, sudden fainting or loss of consciousness due to lack of nourishment to the clear orifices.
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Reminder: The above content is for reference only and may not be suitable for all populations. It is recommended to adjust under the guidance of a physician.