Chinese Medicine

In 2007, Dr. Li Ke, who is a famous Traditional Chinese medicine practitioner from Shanxi province, ever made a public lecture about natural health in Shenzhen. In his lecture about natural health tips, he gave the citizen a few advices according to the characteristics of climate in Shenzhen, which then stirred up another big controversial debate of Assisting Yang in the field of Traditional Chinese medicine.

Now two years has passed, personally I think it is still worth going it over again. Although the lecture was only targeting to the situation in the city of Shenzhen,there is still much food for thought in his lecture about natural health tips for all of us.

Natural health and air-conditioning

Dr. Li Ke thinks that though it is hot in southern China, syndrome of Yin deficiency induced by excessive heat is quite rare. On the contrary, nine cases out of ten are syndrome of Yang deficiency combined with cold-dampness. After many years of observation, he found that this phenomenon was associated closely with the living style of citizen in southern China. The main cause for high incidence of cold-dampness syndrome is that people’s dependence on air conditioning.

“People enter the cool air-conditioned room suddenly from the hot environment, which disrupt the biological function of human nature by this instant change between cold and heat. At the same time, it presses the cold repeatedly into deeper space inside the body. Therefore chronic rhinitis, convulsions and other symptoms of joint pain occur in a long run. In addition, children growing up in the air-conditioned environment are prone to asthma.”

So how to minimize the hazard of air-conditioning? Dr. Li Ke suggested that the temperature in air-conditioned room should be maintained at 25 degrees Celsius, while open the windows timely when the air conditioning is running.

“Let the natural wind expels the man-made chill.”

Natural health and life style

Furthermore, the life style of citizen living in big southern cities violates the rhythm of natural health care in ancient time, which is also another important cause for cold-dampness syndrome.

“For example, people in Shenzhen often have to work overtime at night. As the human body keeps in steps with nature, human body should have a rest after the sun set. Especially after 22 o’clock, bone marrow starts the work of hematopoiesis while the body begins to resolve the garbage inside. People should be in sound sleep at this critical time. “

It won’t be an immediate illness although biological clock is destroyed. However the effect is subtle and unconsciously influenced, such as complexion turning pale and dull gradually, decreased immunity. This sub-health state will lead to the discounted quality of life.

Natural health and reinforcing Yang

Dr. Li Ke still warns that attention should be paid to Reinforcing Yang in the season of spring and summer.

“The rule of human being is always consistent with that of the natural world, warm spring, hot summer, cool autumn and cold winter. A lot of animals have to hibernate in winter because Yang Qi has to be saved up for multiplying in following spring and summer. The is also true to crops, which begin growing in the seasons of spring and summer. The same is true to human body, which consumes most of Yang Qi in spring and summer. Therefore, we should pay special attention to the complementary and protection for Yang Qi in this stages. The theory of reinforcing Yang in the season of spring and summer has been proven correct for thousands of years in China, which is good to prevent from diseases. “

From the perspective of Traditional Chinese medicine, Yang Qi is the driving force for human life. Yang Qi and Yin Qi dominate different roles at different stages in one’s life time, which thus accounts for human being’s birth, aging, illness and death.

• In the period of adolescence, people is like rising sun and so energetic;
• In the period of prime, people is at the best stage of life with balanced Yin and Yang;
• In the period of old age, people are prone to a runny nose and urine incontinence due to gradual recession of Yang Qi.

“There is only one method in treatment of elderly patients, which is reinforcing Yang. We have a motto in treating diseases: ‘life or death, the priority is saving Yang’. No matter how critical the patient is, as long as there is a trace of Yang Qi, the cure is possible.”

Natural health tips

The concept of reinforcing Yang sounds quite subtle, actually it is easy to follow. Dr. Li Ke recommended natural health tips as follows:

• Foster a good life style;
• Prevent pathogenic cold from invasion;
• Medicinal food therapy, such as Si Ni Tang;
• Eat food with heat nature such as mutton, instead of food with cold and cool nature.