Yang represents energy, while Yin represents substance. Yin deficiency indicates a significant lack of Yin components in the body.What substances belong to Yin?Body fluids, such as saliva, tears, sweat, synovial fluid, as well as kidney essence (shen jing), kidney water (shen shui), and blood are all considered Yin.These substances are known for their moisturizing, flowing, and inhibiting effects.Without the nourishment of these substances, the body is like a lamp that has run out of oil, ultimately leading to “oil depletion and lamp extinguishment.”
In simpler terms, Yin deficiency means the body is lacking water. At this point, some may say, since it’s a lack of water, I can just drink more water.Indeed, drinking more water can alleviate the symptoms of Yin deficiency, but this is only a temporary effect.Some people can fully utilize the water they drink, converting it into body fluids, while others simply excrete it without absorption. Therefore, in addition to drinking water, other adjustment methods must be employed.Let’s get to the point and discuss why Yin deficiency occurs.Staying up late not only harms Yang but also damages Yin; it is truly a major enemy of health. For those who often stay up late, if possible, it is best to quit, as this can improve the body significantly.Additionally, habits such as consuming spicy foods, smoking, drinking alcohol, emotional repression, excessive sweating, overexertion, and excessive indulgence can deplete body fluids, leading to Yin deficiency.What are the manifestations of a Yin deficient constitution?1. Individuals with Yin deficiency may feel irritable, experience emotional fluctuations, and feel hot, with warm palms and soles.2. They may be thin, with a complexion that is either red or dark, and have dry skin.
3. Poor sleep, often accompanied by night sweats, waking up immediately after falling asleep.
4. Dry mouth and tongue, with a desire to drink water. In severe cases of Yin deficiency, they may crave cold foods and drinks.5. Yellow urine and dry stools.6. The tongue of a person with Yin deficiency is usually red, with a thin coating or no coating. In elderly individuals, the tongue may have many cracks, while children may exhibit geographic tongue.
Additionally, some individuals with Yin deficiency may experience symptoms such as tinnitus, dry eyes, palpitations, and dry cough.If you are unsure of your constitution, you can identify or scan the QR code below to enter a link for testing (the test link is safe and for internal use, please feel free to use it).
How to adjust a Yin deficient constitution?
Method 1: Individuals with Yin deficiency should consume more soups and fluids.
Dietary remedy 1: Recommended Snow Pear and Tremella Soup: Use 1 snow pear, 10 grams of tremella (yin er), 20 grams of lotus seeds (lian zi), 20 grams of lily bulbs (bai he), and a small handful of goji berries (gou qi zi). This can be soaked and boiled for daily consumption. Ice sugar or honey can be added for flavor.
Dietary remedy 2: Old Duck Soup: Use one duck, 9 grams of codonopsis (sha shen), 9 grams of ophiopogon (mai dong), 9 grams of goji berries (gou qi zi), and appropriate amounts of cooking wine and ginger slices for seasoning. This can be boiled into soup for daily consumption over a week.
Additionally, in daily foods, besides the ingredients mentioned in the dietary remedies, pork (skin), mulberries (sang shen), black sesame (hei zhi ma), black beans (hei dou), lotus root (lian ou), and soft-shelled turtle (jia gui) all have nourishing Yin effects.
Method 2: Recommended medicinal soup is Sour Plum Soup, which generates fluids, quenches thirst, nourishes Yin, and calms the spirit.The main ingredients include black plums (wu mei), hawthorn (shan zha), dried tangerine peel (chen pi), mulberries (sang shen), hibiscus (luo han guo), licorice (gan cao), and ice sugar.
You can directly go to a Chinese medicine pharmacy to have a pharmacist prepare it, or for those who find it inconvenient, you can directly enter the “Craftsman Shop” to purchase ready-made products.
Method 3: Recommended tea is Ophiopogon and Codonopsis Tea.Use 10 grams of ophiopogon (mai dong) and 10 grams of codonopsis (sha shen) to brew tea.
If experiencing dry cough due to lung dryness, add one Luo Han Guo; if experiencing excessive liver fire, dry and cloudy eyes, add 6-8 grams of white chrysanthemum (bai ju hua); if experiencing excessive heart fire, irritability, insomnia, mouth sores, and a red tongue tip, add 2 grams of bamboo leaves (dan zhu ye); if experiencing dry mouth, burning sensation in the stomach, and heavy breath, add 6-10 grams of dendrobium (shi hu) and yam (yu zhu).
Method 4: Use Chinese patent medicine, but further differentiation is needed.
Heart Yin deficiency may present with irritability, insomnia, palpitations, and a red tongue tip; for this, Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan or Bai Zi Yang Xin Wan is suitable.
Liver Yin deficiency may present with dizziness, tinnitus, and dry, blurry eyes; for this, Qi Ju Di Huang Wan is suitable.
Stomach Yin deficiency may present with dry mouth, easy hunger, noisy stomach, and heavy breath; for this, Yang Yin Qing Wei Ke Li or simply drinking dendrobium tea is suitable.
Lung Yin deficiency may present with dry cough and dry throat; for this, Yang Yin Qing Fei Wan is suitable.
Kidney Yin deficiency may present with night sweats, sore lower back and knees, five hearts hot, dizziness, and tinnitus; the basic medication is Liang Wei Di Huang Wan. If there is excessive fire, it can be replaced with Zhi Bai Di Huang Wan.
There is also a special type of Yin deficiency called Qi and Yin deficiency.In addition to Yin deficiency symptoms, it may also present with fatigue, spontaneous sweating, and palpitations; for this, one should tonify Qi and nourish Yin, and it is recommended to use Sheng Mai Yin (Dang Shen formula).
Some individuals with poor spleen and stomach function may experience digestive issues when taking Di Huang series medications due to their cloying nature.
For these individuals, it is recommended to take the medication with sand ginger water (1 sand ginger crushed and mixed with water) to alleviate the cloying nature of the medication and reduce the burden on the spleen and stomach.
Finally, avoid activities that deplete body fluids, which means focusing on nourishing and protecting Yin.
For example, avoid staying up late, refrain from spicy foods, and avoid excessive sweating as ways to protect body fluids.
The above are the adjustment suggestions for individuals with Yin deficiency. It is not recommended to use medications long-term; stop when the condition improves. Choose actions within your capability and start today to make yourself hydrated.