The causes of Yang deficiency are numerous. Some individuals are born with deficiencies and have weak constitutions; modern people often experience excessive fatigue, depleting their vital energy (zheng qi), extreme emotional states damaging their organs, and prolonged periods of recovery; irregular eating habits harm the spleen and stomach, leading to deficiency of qi and blood; in summer, excessive consumption of cold foods and air conditioning, combined with external pathogenic invasions; and some individuals fail to recuperate after major illnesses. In summary, the factors can be divided into congenital and acquired aspects.
There is a peculiar phenomenon categorized by the six excesses (liu yin) in Daoist medicine: wind, cold, heat, dampness, dryness, and fire. In my observations, 80-90% of patients exhibit symptoms of Yang deficiency with cold and dampness, while cases of Yin deficiency with heat are exceedingly rare, with not a single instance encountered. I found that not only are Northern individuals prone to Yang deficiency, but Southern individuals also exhibit a particularly high prevalence, almost 100% without exception.
The climate in the South is particularly hot, and it is commonly said that there is summer without winter. In such a hot climate, it is astonishing that no one seems to suffer from heat syndromes or Yin deficiency, which perplexes me greatly.
1. Main Symptoms of Yang Deficiency
Cold intolerance! I have observed the living habits of Southern individuals and began to search for the root cause. In my observations, I found:
The first issue is that Southern individuals commonly use air conditioning, often setting it to very low temperatures. Outside, during the hot summer, temperatures soar above thirty degrees, but upon entering a room, it feels like falling into an ice cave. This drastic temperature change occurs multiple times a day, leading to many artificial air conditioning-related illnesses.
Air conditioning illness, according to Western medicine, has causes beyond just the stimulation of cold; there are two additional reasons: first, the doors and windows of air-conditioned rooms are closed, leading to a lack of negative ions and ‘fresh’ air, which can cause illness. Second, the significant temperature difference makes it difficult for the autonomic nervous system to adapt.
Common Symptoms of Yang Deficiency:
1. Heavy dampness, cold intolerance, cold hands and feet
This is the most obvious symptom of Yang deficiency. Yang deficiency, simply put, means insufficient Yang energy. Yang energy is like the sun in nature; if there is little sunlight, it cannot disperse the fog, resulting in heavy dampness, leaving our bodies in a ‘cold’ state.
Especially for many women, their hands and feet become cold in winter, so it is essential to nourish well in summer, treating winter illnesses in summer.
2. Inability to digest food, coldness in the spleen and stomach, and intolerance to cold foods and cooling fruits
Commonly seen in Yang deficiency are spleen Yang deficiency and stomach Yang deficiency, which we often refer to as coldness in the spleen and stomach. Such individuals feel discomfort in their stomachs after consuming cold foods, and eating cooling fruits like watermelon can easily lead to diarrhea and loose stools.
3. Cold in the uterus, dysmenorrhea, irregular menstruation, etc.
In fact, all cold syndromes are interrelated, and their causes are quite similar.
Generally speaking, cold in the uterus can be caused by premature birth, miscarriage, etc., leading to congenital spleen and kidney Yang deficiency. This deficiency cannot effectively transport the internal dampness and cold, resulting in internal cold accumulation; it can also be due to excessive exposure to cold water, living in cold environments, using air conditioning during menstruation, indulging in cold foods, wearing crop tops in summer, or being invaded by cold pathogens in the harsh winter, which can easily lead to delayed menstruation, scanty menstrual flow, dysmenorrhea, and even cold in the uterus causing infertility.
Pure natural mugwort, with a delicate texture, is particularly effective after moxibustion and is reasonably priced!
2. Understanding Air Conditioning Illness from a TCM Perspective
Cold and dampness are the most harmful external pathogens, and the artificial cold we create is even more severe than natural cold.
Since the advent of air conditioning, Yin and cold energy frequently invade the body. This repeatedly layers cold energy within, causing many illnesses.
For example, headaches, chronic rhinitis, and Yin heat syndrome. The so-called Yin heat syndrome is an illness caused by exposure to cold during hot weather.
Chronic colds that are difficult to cure, dysmenorrhea in young women, postpartum illnesses, and infants raised in air-conditioned environments are particularly prone to asthma.
Sudden diarrhea after eating, combined with air conditioning, can lead to vomiting and diarrhea.
Another situation is persistent high fever; this high fever should be seen as a good sign. Why? Because when cold energy enters the body, the Yang energy must rise to fight back, causing fever. When we have a fever, we often consume watermelon, ice cubes, and large amounts of antibiotics to suppress the surface symptoms, but in reality, the cold energy has not been expelled, leading to prolonged fever that can last many days without resolution. This leaves a root cause, and once exposed to similar or slightly suitable environments, the illness recurs.
Widespread muscle and joint pain, characterized by a cramping nature, is what TCM refers to as cold causing contraction. Cold energy has the property of contraction, pulling, and inward gathering. When the body feels cold energy, the Yang energy cannot resist it temporarily, leading to contraction.
In extremely hot weather, if we must use air conditioning, what should we do?
Try to adjust the temperature higher, so it is not so cold that it causes shivering, thus preventing harm to your body. Alternatively, when using air conditioning, open the windows to allow some natural air to dispel the cold wind.
3. The Defense of Yang Energy
In recent years, as Northern individuals have more disposable income and the climate has gradually warmed, many have begun to use air conditioning. How can we protect Yang energy?
In addition to avoiding cold drinks and cold showers, attention must also be paid to daily routines. People in large cities often experience a reversal of Yin and Yang, violating the ancient principles and methods of health preservation passed down through our culture, deviating from nature, and disrupting the biological clock of the human body.
Yang energy is a combination of congenital kidney energy and acquired spleen and stomach energy, forming a unified Qi!
It is difficult to distinguish which is central Qi and which is primordial Qi. Kidney energy, also known as Yuan Yang, the true fire of the Mingmen, is the foundation and driving force of life. The consequences of Yang energy damage are extremely serious.
I have participated in the rescue of critically ill patients in Western medicine ICUs. Upon entering the ICU, it is unbearably cold. Patients with heart failure, lung failure, or kidney failure should be the most afraid of cold, yet they are placed in such low-temperature conditions, which is even more unbearable. It is very difficult to save patients in such an environment.
I recommend setting the air conditioning to above 26 degrees as one method.
Another suggestion is to advise families to discharge patients quickly; under such conditions, efforts are often in vain.
4. Yang Energy Deficiency Equals Illness
Illness, like a person, is very cunning. What it manifests is not necessarily its true nature, so we must think of deeper issues and the underlying causes to avoid making mistakes.
Many patients must place their feet on ice to sleep at night. This situation seems to indicate extreme heat, but in reality, it is a manifestation of deficient Yang energy. This can be treated with Si Ni Tang (Four Reverse Decoction) to restore Yang energy to the lower jiao, often resolving the issue with just two or three doses. If the diagnosis is incorrect and cold herbs are used, it will instead disperse Yang energy, leading to dire consequences.
I have summarized the essence of this illness: regardless of whether it is internal or external, affecting the limbs, joints, or any organ, as long as Yang energy is insufficient, it is considered an illness.
5. Confused Between Yang Deficiency and Yin Deficiency?
To distinguish between Yin deficiency and Yang deficiency, one must understand what Yin and Yang are.Yang is like our cash, while Yin is like our fixed assets (such as houses). Have you ever seen someone with 100 houses but no cash, or someone with 100 billion in cash but no place to live?
The relationship between Yin and Yang is like planting seeds, watering, fertilizing, and working hard this year, and then harvesting grain the next year; this is the transformation of Yang into Yin, a very long process.
Once the grain is harvested, selling it for money is a quick process, which is the transformation of Yin into Yang.
Yin and Yang can transform into each other; in reality, there is rarely a pure case of Yin deficiency or Yang deficiency. It is usually a combination of both.
Many people ask whether they have kidney Yang deficiency or kidney Yin deficiency. It is well known that the kidney governs storage, and this function can be understood as kidney Yang, while the substances stored can be understood as kidney Yin. Therefore, the two are inseparable; one cannot simply say they have kidney Yin deficiency or kidney Yang deficiency.
⊙ Note:This content is intended for the dissemination of TCM knowledge or for learning reference. Please consult a physician for guidance. This platform does not bear any responsibility for any consequences arising from this content! The article and images are sourced from the internet; if there is any infringement, please contact us for removal.
Recommended Reading: The Several Hurdles and Prohibitions in Building a Foundation through Standing Tai Chi and Zhan Zhuang Meditation
Recommended WeChat Public Account for Tai Chi Internal Work
