Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) teaches that “when the vital energy is strong, evil cannot invade,” and “wherever evil gathers, the energy must be weak.” Strengthening the vital energy (zheng qi) is key to maintaining health. “Flies do not land on an unbroken egg”; the reason pathogens invade the body is primarily due to a deficiency of vital energy. Conversely, when the vital energy is strong, pathogens cannot invade. Even if one becomes ill, the symptoms are often milder, the prognosis is better, and recovery is quicker.
After experiencing a fierce battle, our immune system also needs time to recuperate. So how can we nurture ourselves to recover faster and avoid a resurgence of illness as we approach the upcoming Spring Festival holiday? Below, Dr. Xing Min, Deputy Chief Physician at Zibo Municipal Hospital, will introduce some methods.
Emphasize Mental Well-being
“Calmness and emptiness lead to true energy; when the spirit is internally guarded, illness cannot arise.” A good mental state can also enhance immunity. When the body is in a state of negative emotions, the functions of the organs become imbalanced. “All diseases arise from qi; anger causes qi to rise, joy causes qi to relax, sadness causes qi to dissipate, and fear causes qi to descend.” TCM emphasizes the importance of maintaining a peaceful mindset. It is natural to worry about infection, but excessive anxiety and panic are unnecessary. In the face of an epidemic, one should focus on protection while also relaxing and maintaining a cheerful and optimistic attitude, ensuring smooth flow of qi.
Get Plenty of Rest
As the saying goes: “Exertion depletes qi; rest nourishes life.” This means that prolonged fatigue can lead to significant depletion of the body’s vital energy. Although many factors contribute to aging, and the manifestations are complex, a deficiency of vital energy allows pathogens to invade, leading to a vicious cycle of illness. To maintain strong vital energy, one must eliminate fatigue, and the best way to do this is through good sleep. “Nourishing life has two essentials: sleep and food.” Quality sleep is a powerful weapon for replenishing vital energy.
Maintain a Balanced Diet
When the body’s vital energy has not fully recovered and the spleen and stomach functions are particularly weak, it is crucial to avoid overeating. Eating on time and ensuring adequate nutrition is especially important. One should supplement according to their constitution during the winter.
Individuals with a yin deficiency constitution may experience five hearts heat, dry mouth and throat, and a red tongue with little coating. They should eat foods that are sweet, cool, and moistening, such as duck meat, mung beans, winter bamboo shoots, and winter melon, while avoiding warming and drying foods like lamb, leeks, and chili.
Individuals with a yang deficiency constitution may feel cold, prefer warmth, have low energy, and a pale, swollen tongue. They should consume warming foods like beef and lamb while avoiding cold and raw foods like pears and watermelons, and limit green tea.
Individuals with a qi deficiency constitution may have a weak voice, shortness of breath, fatigue, and a tongue with tooth marks. They should eat foods that tonify qi and strengthen the spleen, such as Astragalus (Huang Qi), Codonopsis (Dang Shen), Chinese yam (Shan Yao), and chicken.
Individuals with a damp-heat constitution may have oily skin, bitter dry mouth, heaviness, and a red tongue with yellow greasy coating. They should consume foods that clear heat and promote urination, such as winter melon, mung beans, and coix seed.
Combining moxibustion at points like Zusanli (ST36) and Zhongwan (CV12) can enhance the spleen and stomach’s function, promoting absorption and greatly benefiting the body.
Engage in Moderate Exercise
When fatigue is not pronounced, one can begin to resume outdoor activities, but the amount of exercise should be reduced by half compared to usual. Walking should be the primary activity, gradually increasing the level of activity based on individual circumstances, progressing slowly back to previous exercise levels. TCM theory holds that “movement nourishes yang”; appropriate exercise can stimulate the body’s yang energy, activating various functions and accelerating recovery.
It is particularly important to note that if there are still symptoms like chest tightness, chest pain, or palpitations after recovering from illness, one should not exercise blindly but should go to the hospital for relevant examinations, such as ECG, cardiac enzymes, and ultrasound, to understand the heart’s condition.
In the context of COVID-19 recovery, TCM emphasizes differential diagnosis and treatment. Even for the same disease, TCM practitioners need to differentiate treatment based on the different stages of the illness, combining specific conditions with individualized prescriptions. One should not blindly use a single formula or herb to avoid adverse effects. If one needs to take Chinese herbal medicine, they can visit our TCM department for specialized treatment based on the principles of TCM and differential diagnosis, providing personalized TCM treatment for those recovering from COVID-19.
Expert Introduction
Dr. Xing Min, a specialist in Traditional Chinese Medicine, is a Deputy Chief Physician who graduated from Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine and has over 30 years of clinical experience. He has furthered his studies in neurology at the Great Wall Hospital of the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences and the 148th Hospital of the People’s Liberation Army. He is skilled in treating common pediatric diseases using methods such as pediatric tui na (massage), acupuncture, auricular therapy, and Chinese herbal medicine. He is also proficient in TCM diagnosis and treatment of internal medicine and gynecological diseases, combining TCM and Western medicine to treat headaches, strokes and their sequelae, neck, shoulder, waist, and leg pain, joint diseases, bone hyperplasia, and various tendinitis. He has rich clinical experience and stable therapeutic effects.
Consultation Location:
Zibo Municipal Hospital, Government Outpatient Department, 265 Xier Road (No. 265 Xier Road)
Consultation Hours:
Monday to Friday
Contact Number:
0533-7865871
Provided by: Government Outpatient Department
Specialized Diagnosis and Treatment Projects at the Hospital
Government Outpatient Department: Specializes in the treatment of dry eye syndrome, common gynecological diseases, TCM (pediatrics, spleen and stomach) conditioning, hypertension, and chronic myocardial ischemia; offers group and individual health check services, with advanced projects such as 64-slice 128-layer spiral CT lung nodule screening, mammography, and gastrointestinal endoscopy. 7865831
Century Garden Community Health Service Center: Has internal medicine wards; specializes in TCM internal medicine and gynecology; offers dental implants, orthodontics, and aesthetic restoration projects; features the Gong’s brain needle treatment for various difficult diseases. 7865921
Government Dormitory Outpatient Department: Specializes in TCM treatment of shingles, cervical spondylosis, insomnia, headaches, acute lumbar sprains, and features medicated pastes, moxibustion, and tui na for various chronic diseases. 7865905
Government Outpatient Department: Specializes in the treatment of internal and external hemorrhoids, mixed hemorrhoids, and perianal diseases; professionally treats pediatric pneumonia and diarrhea; has a digital vaccination outpatient service. 7865870
Address: 265 Xier Road, Zhangdian District
TCM Department: Specializes in the treatment of sequelae of stroke, spleen and stomach diseases, gynecological diseases, soft tissue injuries, and neck, shoulder, waist, and leg pain. 7865857
Geriatrics Department: Specializes in the combined treatment of cardiovascular, endocrine, and digestive diseases; performs endoscopic polypectomy of gastric and colon polyps every Tuesday and Thursday. 7865895
Rehabilitation Medicine Department: Specializes in one-on-one rehabilitation treatment for post-stroke hemiplegia, aphasia, coronary heart disease, and diabetes. 7865863
Intensive Care Medicine Department: Specializes in the monitoring and treatment of critically ill patients. 7865969
Pain Medicine Department: Specializes in the combined treatment of neck, shoulder, waist, and leg pain using TCM and Western medicine, as well as minimally invasive treatments under CT guidance such as ozone, radiofrequency, and plasma. 7865900
Dermatology Department: Features expert outpatient services, laser, intense pulsed light, microwave, and ion treatment rooms; conducts allergen testing, Wood’s lamp examination, fungal testing, and other specialized tests; specializes in treating psoriasis, acne, pigmentary skin diseases, shingles, pruritus, dermatitis, eczema, and hypertrophic scars, and has advantages in phototherapy for disfiguring skin diseases. 7865916, 7866007
