During the process of treating patients, I have found that some people’s hands are truly cold.
Not only are their hands cold, but their feet, knees, and thighs are also cold, and this coldness can even reach their buttocks and abdomen.
In their own words, they feel as if they have just walked out of an ice cellar, with no warmth in their bodies, which is quite tragic!
The human body is tangible and inseparable from Yin and Yang.
The famous Qing Dynasty physician Huang Yuanyu said: “When Yang Qi is sufficient, one becomes an immortal; when Yang Qi is absent, one becomes a ghost.” Those with insufficient Yang Qi find it difficult to achieve longevity. I have observed that many healthy elderly people in their 90s have warm hands and feet.
There is a saying in the Huangdi Neijing: “Yang Qi is like the sun in the sky; if it loses its place, it shortens life and remains unremarkable.” This means that Yang Qi is as important as the sun in the sky; if Yang Qi is deficient, it will shorten life. Therefore, we must learn to nourish Yang Qi, which is truly not an empty statement.
Yang Qi not only warms our bodies but also warms our spirits.
Many people are energetic, optimistic, and full of fighting spirit, which is a result of sufficient Yang Qi; conversely, many people are pessimistic and depressed, timid and fearful in the face of challenges, feeling hopeless, which are the dire consequences of insufficient Yang Qi.
If you are in a leadership position and lack Yang Qi, it is easy to lead the company into trouble and difficult to develop and grow; similarly, an employee with insufficient Yang Qi often struggles to achieve significant development.
Thus, the influence of Yang Qi on a person is all-encompassing, from the physical body to the spirit.
Having said so much, how do we dispel coldness and replenish Yang Qi?
Below, I will tell you how to warm Yang Qi according to the order of the five organs:
1. The Heart is the Ruler of the Body; if Heart Yang is insufficient, one will feel listless, easily pessimistic, and prone to anxiety.
The source of Yang Qi in the body comes from two places: Heart Yang and Kidney Yang.
Heart Yang is like the sun in the sky, radiating brilliance, illuminating the earth, giving life and vitality to people, and providing the warmth of spring.
If Heart Yang is insufficient, it is like the sun losing its brilliance, and the sky becomes overcast. In this state, how can one not feel depressed? According to surveys, many people experience the most severe depression during the gloomy winter months.
Therefore, if the Heart Qi is too cold, it is easy to become depressed and pessimistic, leading to a lack of initiative and a sense of hopelessness; in fact, many people even resort to suicide.
Cold Heart Qi can also lead to palpitations and anxiety. The Yang Qi of the heart is responsible for pumping blood, providing the power for the heart’s beating. If the heart is cold, the heart’s contractions become weak, leading to frequent palpitations. When the heart palpitates, one often feels chest tightness and shortness of breath.
Cold Heart Qi can also lead to cold sweats, as sweat is the fluid of the heart. Once Heart Yang is insufficient, it cannot retain these fluids, leading to excessive sweating.
What should we do if the heart is too cold?
The first formula to warm and tonify Heart Yang is Gui Zhi Gan Cao Tang (Cinnamon Twig and Licorice Decoction) from the Shang Han Lun.
Gui Zhi 15g, Zhi Gan Cao 9g. Boil in water.
Gui Zhi is very warming and is best at tonifying Heart Yang. Zhi Gan Cao is sweet and palatable, excellent for tonifying Qi, and tonifying Qi is equivalent to tonifying Yang, as Qi belongs to Yang. Moreover, Gui Zhi is spicy, and Gan Cao is sweet; the combination of spicy and sweet transforms into Yang, making it the best for tonifying Yang.
Taking one dose of Gui Zhi Gan Cao Tang daily will warm the heart, bringing the warmth of spring, dispelling depression, palpitations, and anxiety, and making one more proactive.
2. The Lung is the Minister of the Body, governing respiration; if Lung Qi is deficient and cold, it is easy to cough, wheeze, speak softly, and expectorate white phlegm.
The heart is the ruler, while the lung is the minister, second only to the heart.
The lung governs respiration, and people’s daily breathing is inseparable from the lungs.
The lung expands and contracts, inhaling fresh air and expelling turbid air; this process relies on the Yang Qi of the lungs, which is the driving force for lung function.
If Lung Qi is too cold, respiration will be affected. Many elderly people experience coughing, wheezing, chronic bronchitis, and expectoration of white or thin phlegm during the autumn and winter seasons, which is due to insufficient Yang Qi in the lungs leading to pathological changes in the respiratory process.
Moreover, this cold and deficient Lung Qi often leads to coughing and wheezing at night, as the Yin Qi is heaviest and Yang Qi is least at night, exacerbating lung coldness and worsening coughing and wheezing.
Additionally, the lungs open to the nose; once Lung Qi is deficient and cold, it cannot provide sufficient Yang Qi to the nose, leading to nasal congestion and clear nasal discharge.
For example, allergic rhinitis is closely related to cold and deficient Lung Qi.
The lungs also govern voice; the voice is formed by Lung Qi passing through the vocal cords. Once Lung Qi is deficient, speech becomes weak, resembling a mosquito buzzing, with a very low volume that those around cannot hear.
What should we do if Lung Qi is deficient and cold?
The Jin Gui Yao Lue contains a formula called Gan Cao Gan Jiang Tang (Licorice and Dried Ginger Decoction), which is excellent for warming and tonifying Lung Qi.
Gan Jiang 9g, Zhi Gan Cao 6g. Boil in water and take.
Gan Jiang, or dried ginger, is known for its warming properties; as the saying goes, old ginger is the spiciest. It warms the body and can tonify Yang Qi. Additionally, Gan Jiang can resolve phlegm, helping to eliminate white and thin phlegm from the lungs, which is particularly beneficial for elderly individuals with phlegm in their lungs.
Zhi Gan Cao also tonifies Qi, which is equivalent to tonifying Yang.
Gan Jiang is spicy, while Gan Cao is sweet; the combination of spicy and sweet transforms into Yang, similar to Gui Zhi Gan Cao Tang, but Gui Zhi focuses more on warming Heart Yang, while Gan Jiang emphasizes warming Lung Yang.
3. The Spleen is the Yin Earth; it requires warmth to function properly. If the Spleen is cold, its function will be impaired, leading to abdominal pain and diarrhea.
The spleen is our digestive system.
Our digestive system is primarily responsible for digestion and absorption, referred to in TCM as “transportation and transformation.” The spleen belongs to Yin, and only under warm conditions can its transportation and absorption functions reach optimal levels. If the spleen is cold, it will lead to issues such as indigestion, malabsorption, frequent diarrhea, and abdominal pain.
Many people experience unformed stools and frequent abdominal pain, waking up at night to use the bathroom, which is due to excessive coldness in the spleen. When the spleen is too cold, it cannot absorb nutrients or warm the abdomen, leading to abdominal pain, diarrhea, and a cold abdomen.
Furthermore, the spleen governs the four limbs, which include the hands and feet. If the spleen is cold, Yang Qi cannot reach the hands and feet, resulting in cold hands and feet. In such cases, it is essential to warm the spleen.
To warm the spleen, what formula should we use? It is also from the Shang Han Lun: Li Zhong Tang (Regulating the Middle Decoction).
Li Zhong, meaning to regulate the middle, refers to the middle jiao, which is the spleen and stomach.
Gan Jiang 6g, Zhi Gan Cao 6g, Fu Ling 12g, Bai Zhu 9g. Boil in water and take.
Gan Jiang and Gan Cao, as discussed in the warming Lung formula Gan Jiang Gan Cao Tang, are originally warming for the spleen. The spleen belongs to Earth, while the lungs belong to Metal; by warming the spleen, we can also warm the lungs, as “Earth nourishes Metal,” which is known as cultivating Earth to generate Metal.
Thus, Gan Jiang and Gan Cao first warm the Earth (spleen) and then warm the lungs, achieving lung warming through spleen warming. The remaining Bai Zhu and Fu Ling are specifically for strengthening the spleen and benefiting Qi; again, benefiting Qi is equivalent to tonifying Yang. Additionally, Bai Zhu and Fu Ling can also eliminate dampness; excessive dampness can lead to diarrhea, so Li Zhong Tang can treat spleen cold and diarrhea.
For those who frequently have cold hands and feet and suffer from diarrhea, Li Zhong Wan is the way to go.
4. The Liver is located in the lower jiao and is the General of the Body; if Liver Yang is deficient and cold, the lower body may feel cold, such as the lower abdomen, vagina, and testicles.
The liver belongs to the Wood element. Generally, Wood easily generates Fire, which is called Liver Fire; thus, liver diseases often involve excess Liver Fire.
However, there are exceptions; many people exhibit symptoms of Liver Cold.
The heart and lungs are in the upper jiao, the spleen and stomach are in the middle jiao, and the liver is in the lower jiao. Therefore, when Liver Cold occurs, it often manifests as cold pain in the lower body.
Many women not only have cold hands and feet but also experience coldness and pain in the lower abdomen, which is actually caused by Liver Cold.
Deficient and cold Liver Qi cannot warm the water and dampness in the uterus, leading to the discharge of clear, thin leukorrhea that cannot be stopped. This requires warming the liver.
Do men also experience Liver Cold? Of course, some men have hernias, with pain and swelling in the testicles, which is also caused by Liver Cold.
The most severe case of Liver Cold in men is called “contraction of the Yin,” where the entire scrotum retracts into the abdomen; in this case, it is essential to warm the liver promptly.
What formula should we use to warm the liver? We can use Warm Liver Decoction.
Wu Yao 6g, Rou Gui 3g, Xiao Hui Xiang 6g, Fu Ling 6g, Gou Qi Zi 9g, Dang Gui 6g, boil and take.
Wu Yao, Rou Gui, and Xiao Hui Xiang are all warming herbs that can dispel cold, and they are well-suited for the lower jiao, making them effective in expelling cold from the liver.
Gou Qi Zi and Dang Gui can tonify the liver; the reason the liver is cold is that it is inherently deficient. By using Gou Qi and Dang Gui to nourish the liver, the liver will become robust and will not be invaded by cold.
5. The Kidney is the foundation of life, housing the Ming Men fire; if Kidney Yang is deficient, the entire body will feel weak.
Humans have two kidneys, and between them lies a place called the Ming Men.
The Ming Men contains the “true fire” of the entire body.
This true fire is like magma in the earth’s crust; it is extremely hot and must be contained deep within, lest it erupts like a volcano.
When contained, it can strengthen your kidneys and lower back; if the true fire is insufficient, one may experience soreness and pain in the lower back.
It also promotes the production of sperm and eggs, which are fundamental to life; if Kidney Fire declines, it can lead to low sperm count and infertility.
It can also stimulate Yang Qi and maintain sexual desire; once Kidney Yang is deficient, both men and women may experience sexual coldness and impotence.
It can also stimulate the flow of Qi, blood, and body fluids; if Kidney Yang is deficient, Qi, blood, and body fluids can easily become cold and stagnant, leading to facial darkening.
How do we replenish the fire of the Ming Men? We can use Jin Gui Shen Qi Wan (Kidney Qi Pill from the Golden Cabinet).
This formula is designed to warm and tonify Kidney Qi and Yang.
It contains Rou Gui and Fu Zi, which are very warming and can tonify the lower jiao, returning the Yin fire to its source and strengthening the fire of the Ming Men.
These five formulas have been thoroughly discussed. Do friends now know how to dispel the coldness from top to bottom?
Image source: Understanding the Shang Han Lun
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