In daily life, it is common to hear such a saying: "Men should be strong in yang, women should nourish yin." Many health enthusiasts regard it as a standard and one of the health tips.
"Men should enhance their yang, women should nourish their yin."
Does this proverb conform to the principles of traditional Chinese medicine?
Both men and women should have a balance of yin and yang
Before answering this question, we need to understand its source.
The theory of Yin and Yang in traditional Chinese medicine holds that in both sexes, males belong to Yang and females belong to Yin. At first glance, this statement may seem reasonable, but in treating diseases and maintaining health, one should not simply preach it from book to book.
Traditional Chinese medicine believes that the balance of yin and yang should be maintained in both men and women, regardless of gender. Some people are influenced by the concept of "men are strong in yang, women are nourishing yin" and unilaterally believe that if men are pure yang, they are prone to yang deficiency, while if women are pure yin, they are prone to yin deficiency. Actually, it's not the case. Both men and women may have yin deficiency or yang deficiency.
How to replenish yin and yang?
For people who are prone to yang deficiency, the importance of yang qi is emphasized more; For people who are prone to yin deficiency, the importance of yin blood is emphasized more. Without differentiation of symptoms and solely based on gender, blindly promoting yang or nourishing yin may also have negative effects on the human body.
Adapting to changes in yin and yang is essential for health preservation
Mastering the law of yin-yang balance can unify with nature, adapt to the changes in natural phenology of heaven and earth, better guide health preservation, and achieve the state of unity between heaven and humanity. Traditional Chinese medicine theory believes that "nourishing yang in spring and summer, nourishing yin in autumn and winter", and people should also follow this principle in their diet and health preservation.
01 Spring
All things revive, and everything is in an ascending state. In addition to sleeping at night and waking up early, the diet should mainly focus on nourishing yang, and eat more spicy and warm foods, such as fermented soybeans, coriander, onions, chives, carrots, etc. This helps to promote the development of liver qi and promote the growth of yang qi in the human body. At the same time, one can drink moderate amounts of warm floral tea, such as rose tea, rose flowers, etc.
02 Summer
The weather is hot, and the body's yang energy is relatively vigorous, making it easy to sweat. Diet should focus on clearing heat and relieving heat, supplementing qi and nourishing yin. You can eat more bitter foods, such as luffa, bitter cabbage, red beans, etc., or drink some cool drinks such as green tea, black plum winter melon peel tea, sour plum soup, etc. in moderation.
03 Autumn
The weather turns cooler, everything converges, and the body's yang energy begins to accumulate, while the yin energy gradually becomes stronger. In terms of diet, one should eat more sour and sweet foods, such as lotus roots, grapes, lotus seeds, lilies, etc., and drink a moderate amount of fresh lotus root tea, honey pomelo tea, American ginseng and winter tea, etc., which can have the effects of moistening the lungs, promoting fluid production, nourishing yin and moistening dryness.
04 Winter
The climate is cold, with excessive yin energy, and the human body is prone to insufficient yang energy. Therefore, the principle of "nourishing yin in autumn and winter" can be followed to maintain yang energy. In terms of diet, it is recommended to warm and nourish yang qi, and eat more warm foods such as black beans, black chicken, beef, etc. Drinking moderate amounts of Codonopsis pilosula and jujube tea, longan and jujube tea, goji berry and jujube tea, etc., can help warm and nourish yang, and enhance the body's resistance.