How to distinguish between kidney yin deficiency and yang deficiency?
The "kidney" in Chinese medicine is the abbreviation of a group of functional systems. The kidney stores essence, is the warehouse for storing human energy, and is the driving force for maintaining human life activities. Therefore, the kidney is the foundation of the human body. This function is present at birth, so it is also called the innate foundation of human beings. Kidney qi is divided into two types: yin and yang. Kidney yin refers to yin essence, and kidney yang refers to yang and life fire. Only the relative balance of kidney yin and kidney yang can maintain the normal operation of kidney function. The decrease of one side will cause two different clinical symptoms of kidney yin deficiency and yang deficiency.
Yin deficiency leads to heat: The main external manifestations of kidney yin qi deficiency are fever, such as heat in the palms and soles, hot flashes and night sweats, dry and hard stools, red tongue with little coating, and a very thin and beating pulse. Soon, it will also be accompanied by symptoms such as soreness and weakness in the waist and knees, insomnia and forgetfulness.
Yang deficiency leads to coldness: When kidney yang is deficient and life fire is insufficient, the external manifestations are mainly cold syndrome, such as cold hands and feet, clear urine, frequent nocturia, loose stools, and pale tongue. A weak pulse may also be accompanied by soreness and weakness in the waist and knees, insomnia and forgetfulness.
Kidney qi deficiency, whether it is yin deficiency or yang deficiency, will affect the reproductive and water-controlling functions of the kidneys. Kidney deficiency may lead to infertility, body edema, and urinary and defecation disorders.
Because of age, the Nei Jing says that "over forty, the Yin Qi will be half", which means that when a person reaches forty, the essence in the kidneys has been reduced by half, and the kidney Qi will increase as the age increases. This is the reason why people gradually age. We cannot prevent aging, but we can slow it down by reducing other causes of kidney deficiency.
Overwork: Moderate labor or exercise can smooth blood circulation and contribute to health, but excessive labor or exercise will deplete vitality, that is, kidney qi, and cause kidney deficiency. So avoid overexertion.
Excessive sexual activity: Moderate sexual life can enhance the relationship between husband and wife and is beneficial to health, but excessive sexual activity consumes the most kidney energy and will lead to kidney deficiency in the long run. Therefore, sex life should be moderated.
Excessive emotions: excessive joy will cause sadness, worry will cause qi to condense and damage the spleen, anger will cause qi to rise and damage the liver, sadness will cause qi to fall and damage the lungs, and excessive fear will damage the kidneys. Excessive emotions can cause disorders of the functions of the five internal organs and consume vitality. So a good attitude can make you healthier.
Long-term illness and serious illness: Traditional Chinese medicine has a saying that "a long-term illness must reach the kidneys", which means that no matter what kind of illness it is, it will eventually consume the kidney qi; serious illness will also consume the vitality of the kidneys. . Therefore, early treatment of illness is also the key to reducing kidney deficiency.
Abnormal daily life: snoozing or staying up late will damage the kidney essence and cause kidney deficiency; wearing too little in winter will cause cold, and the cold will damage the yang energy and cause kidney yang deficiency.