How to Nourish Yang

How to Nourish Yang – Yang Deficiency

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is based on the principles of Yin and Yang. I am sure you have seen the symbol!

For someone to be in good health Yin and Yang need to be in balance, working in harmony.

Yin is:

· Feminine

· Nourishing

· Nurturing

· Cool

· Moist

· Night time

Yin relates to the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle.

Yang is:

· Masculine

· Active

· Dynamic

· Strong

· Hot

· Day time

Yang relates to the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle.

Menstrual Cycle and Yang

The balance of Yin and Yang is well demonstrated in the menstrual cycle. By charting your temperature during your cycle, you can clearly see the interplay between Yin and Yang. In a healthy cycle the temperature in the follicular phase is lower than the temperature during the luteal phase as demonstrated by this BBT chart:

This is because Oestrogen (Yin) is cooler than Progesterone (Yang).

Yang energy is seen as the catalyst for the reproductive processes, triggering ovulation and implantation. Yang energy, which is uplifting and supportive in nature, is also responsible for allowing a pregnancy to continue.

Conversely Yang Deficiency may correlate with fertility issues such as:

· low progesterone

· low luteal temperatures

· implantation failure

· luteal phase defect

· miscarriage

This is because for an embryo to embed and thrive, the endometrium (the lining of the uterus), needs a strong blood supply from the capillaries that feed into it. A ‘Warm Womb’ is one in which there is a good blood flow, as opposed to a ‘Cold Womb’ where capillaries are constricted with the cold and therefore not generating a nutrient rich blood supply to support life.

Therefore, it is vital that both Yin and Yang are both supported, balanced, and thriving.

Sadly, modern life can disrupt Yang. Often people lead very busy lives and are always on the go, exercise too intensively, don’t get enough sleep, don’t take enough time out and consume an excess of cold food – all of which can result in Yang deficiency.

Signs of Yang Deficiency Include:

· Tiredness

· Pre-menstrual lower back pain

· Irregular periods

· Short luteal phase

· Fertility issues

· Sore lower back

· Feeling colder than other people around you

· Oedema

· Low libido

· Feeling fearful

· Waking in the night with a need to urinate

· Frequent urination during the day/incontinence

· Early morning diarrhoea

· Menstrual pain that feels better with a hot water bottle

· Lack of willpower

Exercise

Light exercise is best to support Kidney Yang:

· Tai Chi

· Qi Gong

· Yoga

· Pilates

· Walking

Sleep

Although night is the Yin time of day, sleep is still vital to nourish Yang. Ensure you have 8 hours sleep a night.

Time Out

Like a Duracell bunny you cannot just keep going! Eventually your batteries will run out and if this happens it invariably means your body cannot function effectively. To avoid burn out it is important to restore your energy on an ongoing basis e.g.:

· Meditation

· Massage

· Holidays

· Time with friends

· Reading

· Watching a film

Anything that you enjoy that allows you to just ‘be’.

Keep Warm

· Keep the soles of your feet warm. Avoid bare feet on tiles, concrete or timber floors. The Kidney meridian, in acupuncture theory, originates on the sole of the foot and travels up to the uterus. The cold in the floor is then flowing directly to the uterus.

· Don’t allow your body to get too cold. Dress warmly, especially when in air-conditioning. Pay special attention to keeping your legs, abdomen and lower back warm. Invest in a Haramaki to keep your core warm.

· Avoid sitting on cold floors as this allows cold to permeate through your lower body and then to your uterus.

· Don’t swim when you are menstruating. At this time of the month the cervix is open, which can allow cold to enter directly into the uterus.

· Moxa the low abdomen, to warm the uterus and build Yang. Moxa is a traditional Chinese therapy where dried mugwort is burned above parts of the body, such as the uterus. Warming certain acupuncture points on the legs and abdomen with moxa can help build Yang and Qi. If you would be happy to do this at home, please just let me know and I will give you some moxa and instructions on how to use it.

Diet

Given you eat three times a day, every day, diet is a powerful way to support health. When eating the right foods, it is also an effective way to nourish Yang.

To nourish Yang all food should be cooked and warm in temperature as cooking food increases the Yang Qi in food.

Long, slow cooking is excellent – stews, broths, soups. At the same time avoid raw, cold food and iced drinks. All drinks should be warm or room temperature. Even in a hot climate, regular consumption of chilled beverages is damages Yang and affects your ability to conceive. Try a homemade ginger tea instead. If it’s too hot for tea, let it sit until it’s at room temperature.

Yang Foods

Warming foods that nourish Yang include:

· Anchovies

· Cherries

· Chestnuts

· Chicken

· Crab

· Game

· Lamb

· Lobster

· Mustard greens

· Nuts

· Pistachios

· Prawns

· Quinoa

· Shrimp

· Strawberries

· Trout

· Venison

· Walnuts

Warming herbs:

· Aniseed

· Basil

· Cardamom

· Cayenne

· Chive seed

· Cinnamon

· Clove

· Cumin

· Dill seed

· Fennel seed

· Fenugreek seed

· Garlic

· Ginger

· Mustard seeds

· Nutmeg

· Rosemary

· Sage

· Savory

· Star Anise

· Thyme

You do not need to eat these foods exclusively but add them into your diet where possible.