Qi Bo’s Wisdom
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Editor’s Note
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Yin deficiency refers to the pathological phenomenon of deficiency in substances such as essence, blood, or body fluids. Since essence, blood, and body fluids are all classified as Yin, this condition is termed Yin deficiency. It is commonly seen in patients who have suffered from prolonged illness or heat-related diseases that lead to the depletion of Yin fluids.
In modern society, many people are under significant mental stress or tend to sleep after midnight, which depletes Yin fluids. As a result, there are many individuals with Yin deficiency among office workers. How does Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) view and treat Yin deficiency? Let us explore this with Dr. Luo Dalun in this article. |
TCM Diagnostic Approach
Many friends ask me how TCM diagnoses diseases.
Actually, ancient Chinese scholars were very wise. They invented methods to simplify complex issues, which is a methodological approach that grasps the larger direction and adjusts from there, allowing the body to recover on its own.
For example, consider a tree with a thousand leaves. If the leaves turn yellow and show problems, what should be done? There are two approaches to solve this issue: one is to examine each leaf individually to see what the problem is. This is a valid approach, though it can lead to an obsession with the details, forgetting that the tree is a whole, including its trunk and roots. As a result, one might analyze the microscopic structure of the leaves in detail, but how to solve the problem remains unclear.
Again, I am not saying that this approach is wrong; it is just that it lacks a step of putting the leaves back into the context of the whole tree. If we study the tree as a connected whole, the problem becomes clearer.
Our ancestors used a different approach, recognizing that the conditions for studying individual leaves were insufficient. Their goal was to prevent the leaves from turning yellow, so they focused less on individual leaves and more on the connection between the leaves and the roots. They understood that the roots could either have too much or too little water, both of which could lead to yellowing leaves. Thus, when they determined that the issue was due to insufficient water, they watered the roots.
Miraculously (though it is not truly miraculous), all the yellow leaves turned green again without needing to repair each leaf individually; they recovered together.
Of course, it would be better to understand at the molecular level how each leaf turned green, but the key is to water the roots, which is a fundamental truth.
This is an important thought process in ancient TCM. When problems are numerous and complex, we must grasp the larger direction.
Therefore, when discussing deficiency, we see that many diseases are related to deficiency, with hundreds or thousands of variations, just like the many yellow leaves. However, TCM focuses more on the fundamental issues, categorizing them into Qi deficiency, blood deficiency, Yin deficiency, and Yang deficiency, simplifying the approach to just these few issues, allowing the body to recover on its own and addressing the problem of a thousand yellow leaves.
Two Case Studies of Yin Deficiency Treatment
Today we discuss Yin deficiency, which is akin to the roots lacking water.
Let me give two examples: one is a female classmate from my middle school, who asked another classmate to contact me because she was not familiar with me. Back in middle school, boys and girls did not interact much, so she had to rely on a mutual friend. She said her daughter was unwell, primarily due to an abnormal tongue, which was the reason for her visit. When they came to Beijing, I met them at a modern city near Dawang Road and learned that the child had geographic tongue. Interestingly, she claimed to have contacted me because of the tongue issue, but upon meeting, the reported condition was far more serious. It turned out that the child had allergies, and numerous allergens were identified at a Western medical facility, with dozens of allergens, the most severe being an allergy to rice, which made it nearly impossible for the child to attend school normally. They had tried many antihistamines with no effect.
I was taken aback; allergies are quite peculiar. In the West, they struggle with allergies, and food labels often indicate potential allergens, such as peanuts, to help people avoid them. Otherwise, those allergic to peanuts could suffer severe reactions. The basic Western approach is to avoid allergens, and the same is true in Japan, where we see many people wearing masks in spring to avoid pollen.
Once, during a discussion on constitution, Professor Wang Qi met an American professor researching allergies. They chatted about this issue, and the American professor said that if someone is allergic to something, they should throw it out the window. Professor Wang asked, “What if someone is allergic to carpets?” The American professor replied, “Throw it out the window.” Professor Wang then asked, “What if someone is allergic to cats?” The American professor said, “Throw it out the window.” Professor Wang then said, “In my experience treating infertility, I found that some female patients were allergic to their husband’s sperm. What should be done?” The American professor replied, “Throw the husband out…”
In fact, many Western doctors advocate lifelong avoidance of allergens. This indicates that medicine has not yet reached perfection in addressing such issues and requires further research.
At that time, I felt quite lost because skin issues are complex. In the U.S., those who can earn a degree in dermatology are typically the elite, as the number of skin conditions is vast and complex. How could I know which specific allergy was affecting this child?
This is akin to having a thousand leaves; what should be done? From a TCM perspective, regardless of the skin condition, I only needed to assess what was wrong with the child’s body.
Upon examination, I noted clear signs of Yin deficiency in the child, so I prescribed a very simple drink to nourish Yin, instructing her to drink it as a beverage. The ingredients included Sheng Di Huang (Rehmannia Root), Sha Shen (Adenophora), and Mai Dong (Ophiopogon), which are commonly used by Guangdong housewives for soup. I did not focus on the skin allergy issue at all.
After more than two weeks, she contacted that classmate to inform me that the child’s tongue coating had fully grown back, and she also mentioned that they had gone to the hospital for tests, and all allergy tests came back normal. There were no longer any allergens!
However, everyone should not assume that allergies are solely treated with Yin-nourishing methods. In the next case, I might use Qi-nourishing methods. This is why statistical methods in Western medicine often fail to yield effective results for TCM, as we categorize diseases into Qi deficiency, blood deficiency, Yin deficiency, and Yang deficiency, rather than applying a one-size-fits-all approach.
Nevertheless, we can analyze all diseases through the lens of Yin deficiency, Yang deficiency, etc., which simplifies the overall approach.
For instance, let me share another example: this is the mother of one of my students, a strong and capable woman. One day, she sought my help for a severe skin condition. At that time, I was giving a lecture on the CCTV program “We Have a Set” and she arrived early at the studio. When I examined her, I found that she had developed numerous hives all over her body, which were extremely itchy and painful, persisting for several weeks with no relief from medication.
This woman had previously consulted me for a peculiar issue: her thumb and index finger were severely peeling, resembling burned skin, especially when exposed to sunlight, while the rest of her hand was fine. This was a strange case that had been treated for many years. I believed it was due to liver Qi stagnation, so I prescribed a formula to soothe liver Qi, which surprisingly cured her condition. This was a long time ago.
This time, I initially thought it was again due to liver Qi stagnation, but upon examination, I found clear signs of Yin deficiency, with her tongue appearing as red as a strawberry.
Using the same approach, I decided not to delve into the microscopic issues of the skin condition. I simply recognized that the roots were lacking water, so the first step was to water them.
In fact, when the roots lack water, not only do the leaves have problems, but other parts will also be affected. The leaves are just one manifestation; other emotional and cognitive aspects may also be problematic, and women’s physiology can be impacted. Focusing solely on one leaf would be a missed opportunity.
Thus, I prescribed another Yin-nourishing drink, as the herbs used for nourishing Yin are generally food-grade and quite palatable, such as Sheng Di Huang (Rehmannia Root), Sha Shen (Adenophora), Mai Dong (Ophiopogon), Shi Hu (Dendrobium), and Gou Qi Zi (Goji Berries). I primarily used these five ingredients, sometimes adding a bit of Dang Gui (Angelica Sinensis), which are commonly used in soups by Guangdong friends.
I instructed her to drink it freely. A few days later, I asked my student for feedback, and he replied that all the issues had disappeared, and he texted me saying, “Teacher Luo is amazing.”
In truth, I am not that amazing; I consider myself somewhat clumsy in the TCM field. I study the various ancient TCM theories, akin to a monk in the Shaolin Temple responsible for preserving scriptures, while many skilled martial artists are outside. If these two cases had some effect, it is truly due to the wisdom of our ancestors.
So, what exactly is Yin deficiency?
Yin deficiency refers to the pathological phenomenon of deficiency in substances such as essence, blood, or body fluids. Since essence, blood, and body fluids are all classified as Yin, this condition is termed Yin deficiency. It is commonly seen in patients who have suffered from prolonged illness or heat-related diseases that lead to the depletion of Yin fluids.
In modern society, many people are under significant mental stress, leading to the depletion of Yin fluids. Consequently, there are many individuals with Yin deficiency among office workers. For instance, many night owls belong to this group, and I have encountered numerous office workers who sleep after midnight, resulting in a high proportion of Yin deficiency among them.
Once, during a visit to a foreign enterprise, I found that the proportion of employees with Yin deficiency was quite high, likely related to their excessive mental strain.
Additionally, dietary habits can also lead to Yin deficiency. I have seen many women who enjoy spicy hot pot or barbecued food suffer severely from Yin deficiency. This may be fine in Sichuan, but in dry Beijing, spicy foods can harm Yin.
Furthermore, the beginning of this article compared the approaches of TCM and Western medicine, not to suggest that one is superior to the other. Both have their strengths and are working towards human health.
If Western medicine were to incorporate a holistic perspective and absorb TCM’s insights, it would progress even faster. Recently,(Editor’s note: referring to around November 2011) one of President Obama’s healthcare reform advisors visited Beijing, and Dr. He Jian arranged for him to meet many TCM practitioners. He initially planned to have dinner with me, but I was out of town and could not meet him. He expressed a strong desire to learn about TCM during a meeting with the Minister of Health, and the minister arranged for him to visit our TCM Academy, possibly to discuss establishing a certain academy. Dr. He Jian informed me that they are absorbing TCM at an incredibly fast pace, likening this collaboration to a highway.
Moreover, TCM also needs to progress. We must not only focus on inheritance but also research and advance. Our ancient TCM was never conservative; many of the herbs used in TCM are foreign, from the Western regions. We should not be conservative; understanding the specific issues within the leaves is not detrimental; at least it helps us know how to better water the roots.
︱Author Biography︱
Dr. Luo Dalun, born in 1968 in Shenyang, Liaoning, is a PhD in TCM Diagnosis from Beijing University of Chinese Medicine and a health manager. He previously served as the chief editor of the CCTV program “Health Hall.” Dr. Luo has been dedicated to introducing ancient TCM culture to modern people, widely disseminating TCM knowledge through the internet, television, newspapers, and other media. He has published over 800,000 words of TCM popular science works, including “Great Doctors of the Hundred Schools” and “Ancient TCM: The Legends of Seven Great Doctors.” He has long written column articles for publications such as “Health Times” and has been recognized as one of the “Top Ten Fashion Figures in Healthy China 2012.” Dr. Luo teaches courses on “Positive Energy: The Path of Body and Mind Cultivation in Traditional Culture” at various business schools in China, including Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, China Europe International Business School, Tsinghua University School of Economics and Management, and Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business.
Source: Luo Dalun’s Blog
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