Article 46: Foods and Nuts for Nourishing the Kidneys in Winter, and Methods of Winter Tonification

What foods can nourish and tonify the kidneys in winter?

In winter, normal kidney function helps the body adapt to the harsh winter changes; otherwise, it can disrupt metabolism.

Metabolic disorders can lead to diseases, so it is very important for men to take care of their kidneys during the winter.

Kidney deficiency is divided into Yin deficiency and Yang deficiency. The deficiency refers to the deficiency of the kidneys that nourishes and moisturizes the various organs of the body.

Kidney yin refers to the warming and promoting function of all organs; kidney yang refers to the warming and promoting function of the kidneys. Middle-aged men should tonify their kidneys.

Treatment should be tailored to the specific type of kidney yin or kidney yang deficiency. For those with kidney yin deficiency,

Common symptoms include lung heat, dry throat, lower back and knee weakness, dizziness, tinnitus, and a reddish tongue coating. Sea cucumber can be used to treat these symptoms.

Goji berries, soft-shelled turtle, and white fungus are used for nourishment. Those with kidney yang deficiency often experience symptoms such as cold limbs and lethargy.

For symptoms such as fatigue, lower back pain, tinnitus, pale tongue, and obesity, one should choose mutton, deer antler, psoralea corylifolia, and cistanche deserticola.

It can be nourished with herbs such as Cinnamon, cinnamon, and Alpinia oxyphylla.

For men seeking to nourish their kidneys and protect themselves from the cold, dietary adjustments are also important. In winter, it's advisable to choose foods such as mutton and dog meat.

Meat and other foods that warm the kidneys and strengthen yang, and are high in calories, are especially beneficial for those with a weak and cold constitution. You can also eat some...

Foods that nourish and benefit the kidneys. Black foods, such as black rice, are also beneficial as they can nourish and strengthen the kidneys.

Black beans, black sesame seeds, black dates, black fungus, black-boned chicken, kelp, and seaweed are good choices. These are suitable to eat frequently during winter.

A warm, nourishing porridge, in which the above-mentioned foods are added and cooked, can dispel cold, provide nourishment, and even have therapeutic effects.

Illness. In winter, one should not eat too much salt, as salt enters the kidneys, making the kidney water even colder, which can disturb the heart yang. Also, avoid cold foods.

Avoid cold foods to prevent further damage to one's vital energy.

Why should we eat nuts to nourish our bodies in winter?

Winter is a season for health preservation, and it is suitable to eat more nuts with nourishing properties, such as hazelnuts and walnuts.

Peaches, almonds, and cashews are known as the "world's four major nuts" because these foods are rich in...

It contains beneficial unsaturated fatty acids, as well as abundant vitamins and trace elements, making it ideal for winter.

One of the foods eaten seasonally.

(1) Hazelnuts: Among the "four major nuts," they are known as the "King of Nuts." American Boehmeria...

Researchers at Lantau University discovered in experiments that hazelnuts contain potent anti-cancer components. Furthermore,

Hazelnuts are rich in trace elements such as magnesium, calcium, and potassium. Long-term consumption can help regulate blood pressure and lower cholesterol.

Hazelnuts are low in cholesterol and help prevent cardiovascular disease. Additionally, their fiber content can stimulate appetite.

It aids digestion and prevents constipation. However, hazelnuts are rich in oils, which can be harmful to those with severely impaired gallbladder function.

Those who are not accustomed to eating hazelnuts should do so sparingly. For the average person, eating 25-30 grams of hazelnuts five times a week is appropriate.

(2) Walnuts: Walnuts are known as the "longevity fruit" in China and as the "brain-boosting fruit" abroad.

Nuts are the most suitable food for those who do mental work. Besides being good for brain health, modern nutritionists believe that...

Walnuts contain various vitamins that can improve the physiological activity of the skin. Drinking easily digestible walnut tea regularly is also beneficial.

Consuming walnut porridge can make your skin smoother and your complexion more radiant. Furthermore, the linoleic acid in walnuts...

With an acid content of 65% and an alpha-linolenic acid content of 18%, these unsaturated fatty acids, like those in other nuts, are present in the diet.

It can regulate cholesterol metabolism and is very helpful for arteriosclerosis and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.

Regarding how to eat them, many people find the taste of walnuts bitter when eaten alone. Boiling, steaming, or other methods are recommended.

Stewing, stir-frying, or adding to pastries and candies can help reduce the astringent taste. In terms of food pairings...

Walnuts cooked into porridge with Job's tears and chestnuts can treat frequent urination; eaten with sesame seeds and lotus seeds, they nourish the heart and brain.

The effect is even better. However, people who are experiencing internal heat or diarrhea should be careful and eat less of it.

(3) Almonds: Almonds are a nutrient-dense nut, rich in unsaturated fats.

It contains acids, vitamins, and minerals such as calcium and iron. Traditional Chinese medicine believes it can moisturize the lungs and relieve dryness, making it especially suitable for those with cold constitutions.

Suitable for consumption during the cold, dry winter months. Almonds have the highest selenium content among all nuts. Studies have shown that selenium is beneficial for preventing...

Selenium is a trace element with strong anti-cancer properties. Furthermore, selenium is a negatively charged non-metallic ion, which plays a vital role in human health.

It can bind with positively charged metal ions in the body, removing metals such as lead, mercury, and cadmium that can induce disease.

Selenium is excreted from the body. Therefore, selenium is also known as a "natural detoxifier." Selenium and vitamin E in almonds...

The combination of these ingredients can better eliminate free radicals in the body, prevent diseases, and resist aging.

Generally, eating almonds twice a week, about 30 grams (20-25 almonds) each time, for a long period of time is recommended.

If you consume almonds regularly, your risk of heart disease or coronary heart disease will decrease by 50%. It's important to note that almond skin contains...

It has a high content of antioxidants, so it's best not to peel it when eating it.

(4) Cashews: The most prominent feature of cashews is their high sugar content, which accounts for a significant portion of their total nutritional content.

Cashews contain about 25% of the kernel, which is why they have a slightly sweet taste before processing.

The fat it contains is mostly unsaturated fatty acids, with linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid playing a role in prevention.

Cashews are believed to help prevent arteriosclerosis and stroke. However, compared to other nuts, cashews are less effective in preventing diseases such as arteriosclerosis and stroke.

Walnuts have a slightly higher content of saturated fatty acids, which are harmful to the body, accounting for about 20%. Among the four major nuts, walnuts...

It has the lowest saturated fatty acid content, at only 6%, while almonds have 10% and hazelnuts have 7%. Therefore,

The amount of cashews consumed should be controlled appropriately to avoid eating too much.

In addition, cashews contain various allergens, which may cause allergies in people with allergies.

There is a risk of allergic reactions. Therefore, people who are eating cashews for the first time should be cautious.

How to nourish the body in winter?

Traditional Chinese medicine believes that winter tonics are beneficial for balancing Yin and Yang, clearing the meridians, and harmonizing Qi and blood.

When the temperature is low, the body's metabolism slows down accordingly, and vital energy is stored away, making it easier to absorb tonics and supplements.

Storage is most beneficial to health. Many people have indeed experienced good results after several winters of nourishing their bodies.

However, due to individual differences in constitution and age, there are things to do and things to avoid when it comes to dietary supplements, and this should be approached flexibly.

I understand. The principle of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is to replenish what is deficient, so tonification primarily focuses on replenishing deficiency. And replenishing deficiency mainly involves supplementing...

Deficiencies in Qi, Blood, Yin, and Yang, and tonification of the five internal organs: Heart, Liver, Spleen, Lung, and Kidney.

(1) Replenishing Qi: Suitable for those with Qi deficiency, that is, those with insufficient Qi and weak primordial Qi, which may be manifested as pale complexion and dizziness.

Symptoms include tinnitus, palpitations, shortness of breath, sweating upon exertion, weak voice, and fatigue. These are generally indicative of spleen qi deficiency and lung qi deficiency.

See below. ① 6 grams of Korean ginseng or Jilin ginseng, half a black-boned chicken, stewed and consumed. ② 6 grams of American ginseng, lean pork.

300 grams, stewed and consumed, suitable for those with both qi and yin deficiency, i.e., qi deficiency accompanied by symptoms of internal heat such as dry mouth. ③ Codonopsis pilosula 15g

15g Astragalus membranaceus, 120g Dioscorea opposita, 6 jujubes, 500g lean pork, simmered in soup.

(2) Blood replenishment: Suitable for those with blood deficiency, especially those who have lost too much blood, with symptoms such as pale complexion and dizziness.

Symptoms include pale complexion, palpitations, and a lack of luster in the lips and tongue. These are commonly seen in cases of heart blood deficiency, liver blood deficiency, or deficiency of both the heart and spleen. ① When

Angelica and Ginger Mutton Soup: 10g angelica root, 100g ginger, 1000g mutton, simmered into a soup. ② Deer antler 6g

3. 400g lean pork or black-boned chicken, used for soup. ③ 20g Polygonatum sibiricum, 20g Rehmannia glutinosa, 20g Lycium barbarum.

Use 8 jujubes and 400 grams of lean meat to make soup.

(3) Nourishing Yin: Suitable for those with Yin deficiency, whose symptoms include red cheeks, red lips, dry mouth, and dizziness.

Symptoms include tinnitus, weakness and soreness in the lower back and legs, night sweats, seminal emission, constipation, and hot palms and soles. Generally, these are symptoms of heart yin deficiency.

Liver yin deficiency and kidney yin deficiency are common. ① Snow frog fat 10g, taken orally. ② Snow fungus 50g, lily bulb 30g.

30 grams of Adenophora stricta and 30 grams of Polygonatum odoratum, simmered in water to make a soup, then add 50 grams of white sugar or rock sugar before eating. ③ Two snow pears, 100 grams of...

Combine 30g of white fungus, 50g of snow fungus, and 300g of lean meat to make soup. ④ Take Liuwei Dihuang Pills (a traditional Chinese medicine) orally.

(4) Tonifying Yang: Suitable for those with Yang deficiency, symptoms include pale lips, wheezing cough, body swelling, spontaneous sweating, dizziness.

Poor appetite, swollen abdomen and thighs, cold skin, loose stools, impotence, weak sperm, and weak legs. Generally, these symptoms indicate spleen and kidney deficiency.

Yang deficiency is common. ① Simmer 6 grams of deer antler in 500 grams of lean meat, chicken, or mutton to make a soup. ② Simmer 8 grams of prepared aconite root.

10 grams of dried tangerine peel and 500 grams of dog meat or mutton are used to make soup. ③ Take the traditional Chinese medicine Jin Kui Shen Qi Wan or Zhuang Yao Jian Shen Wan orally.

Why shouldn't you take tonics indiscriminately?

Traditional Chinese medicine believes that, in addition to cold and heat, the nature of diseases can also be categorized as deficiency or excess. Deficiency syndromes are...

Due to congenital deficiencies and acquired imbalances, there is a deficiency of Qi, blood, Yin, and Yang; in cases of excess, it is mostly caused by the invasion of pathogenic factors.

This is due to the body's constitution. All deficiency syndromes should be treated with tonifying medications. Excess syndromes should be treated with...

Treatment involves selecting medications that dispel pathogenic factors. The principle of "tonifying deficiency and purging excess" can help the patient...

Gradually restore health; otherwise, further use of tonifying drugs will inevitably worsen the condition and cause complications.

Positive consequences. For example, both ginseng and lepidium can treat asthma, but ginseng, which tonifies the lungs, is suitable for those with lung deficiency and shortness of breath; while lepidium has a purgative effect.

It is suitable for treating excessive phlegm and shortness of breath. However, if used incorrectly, it can be very harmful.

Even in cases of deficiency syndromes, such as those involving insufficiency of Qi, Blood, Yin, and Yang, tonification should still be administered according to the specific condition.

When an organ is diseased, appropriate tonifying medicines should be selected, while also taking into account the differences in Qi and blood and the imbalance of Yin and Yang.

Decline. Yu Tinghong, a famous physician of the Qing Dynasty, said: "One should not arbitrarily supplement medicine when seeing an illness; if one day of incorrect supplementation is taken, recovery will not be seen for ten days, and the patient will suffer greatly."

"Should we not be too careful?" This illustrates that the use of tonics must be approached with extreme caution. Therefore, middle-aged men should be cautious when using tonics.

It is also essential to adhere to the principle of syndrome differentiation and treatment. Any tonics used must be employed cautiously under the guidance of a doctor.

It can have a therapeutic effect.

The Yin and Yang in the body are mutually influencing each other. For example, excessive use of Yang-tonifying drugs can easily damage Yin; excessive use of Yin-nourishing drugs can damage Yang.

All of these factors, if they inadvertently harm the body, can lead to an imbalance of Yin and Yang, disharmony of Qi and blood, and a host of other diseases.

Why is it harmful to take sexual health products indiscriminately?

As people's living conditions improve, many middle-aged men are paying more attention to nourishing their sexual function.

Based on advertisements and their limited medical knowledge, they indiscriminately consume sexual health products.

It's easy to fall into common misconceptions about sexual health.

Among middle-aged men, there are two types of people who indiscriminately consume sexual health products: one type actually has sexual function.

One type is people with sexual dysfunction; the other type is people with normal sexual function who hope to increase their libido with aphrodisiacs in order to have a more pleasurable sexual experience.

The first type involves individuals in real life who do indeed suffer from sexual dysfunction and require medication.

Health supplements. In traditional Chinese medicine, there is indeed a treatment method called "using organs to nourish organs," which believes...

Animal genitalia (commonly known as animal penises) and other fleshy creatures such as deer antlers, seahorses, and geckos.

This product can nourish and replenish the body's yin and yang, qi and blood. However, individual differences are significant, even regarding sexual function.

The obstruction may be due to various reasons, including Yang deficiency, Yin deficiency, damp-heat accumulation in the lower body, or liver stagnation.

Qi stagnation can be caused by factors such as mental stress. What exactly is the cause of your illness? What kind of health supplements should you take?

People without medical knowledge generally cannot accurately determine the nature of a substance. The only way to do this is to consult a specialist doctor.

Doctors prescribe medication based on the patient's condition, carefully selecting suitable drugs. This is because many so-called aphrodisiacs...

Medicines are all pungent, warm, and drying in nature, which can easily deplete the body's fluids and cause other diseases.

The second type involves men who want to rely on aphrodisiacs to increase their libido and have more pleasure, which is also not advisable.

That's reasonable. The rise and fall of a person's physical condition follows certain objective laws. After middle age, one should follow the natural rhythms of age...

Increased sexual activity followed by a gradual decrease is a characteristic of declining kidney energy and physiological function. This disregard for...

The objective laws governing the rise and fall of the human body dictate that attempting to compensate for bodily deficiencies caused by excessive indulgence with medication is futile.

It is extremely harmful.

The human body is a complete organism; to regulate the body and enhance libido, one should rely on physical exercise.

Exercise, dietary supplements, and proper regulation of sexual activity are all important. Only when the body is ill, or when there is an imbalance of Yin and Yang...

Only when the time is right can medicine correct imbalances and achieve a therapeutic effect.

Why should ginseng be avoided when taking it indiscriminately?

Ginseng has the effects of greatly replenishing vital energy, calming the mind and improving intelligence, promoting the production of body fluids and quenching thirst, as well as anti-cancer and anti-aging properties.

It is one of the most precious tonics. However, middle-aged men should not take ginseng as a tonic too casually.

(1) The use of ginseng varies from person to person: Ginseng should be taken according to the principle of "tonifying deficiency and purging excess".

The treatment principle is to address the high fever, constipation, dark yellow urine, and yellow tongue coating in a middle-aged man with a condition of excess heat.

Not suitable for use.

(2) Do not take ginseng in large quantities for a long period of time: According to the Institute of Neurology at the University of California...

Dr. Siegel's research discovered that ginseng contains dammarane diol sugar and triol glycosides, continuously...

High doses can easily cause central nervous system excitation, leading to insomnia, neurasthenia, hypertension, and other health problems.

It can cause agitation, or manifest as symptoms such as depression, loss of appetite, low blood pressure, and allergies.

(3) It is best to take it in the morning: Traditional Chinese medicine believes that ginseng is best taken in the morning after rinsing your mouth on an empty stomach.

Taking ginseng and then having breakfast after physical activity will allow for better absorption without causing bloating.

(4) Ginseng should not be taken with strong tea: Ginseng has the effect of greatly replenishing vital energy, but it should not be taken with strong tea.

Tea. Because tea contains caffeine and other components, it can react chemically with certain components in medicines, leading to...

This reduces the efficacy of the drug.

What are the taboos associated with drinking tonic wine?

Most of the medicinal wines people usually drink are made by soaking medicinal herbs in sorghum liquor or rice wine.

These are commonly used traditional Chinese medicines, such as leopard bone wine, Guogong wine, Acanthopanax senticosus wine, and papaya wine.

Other tonic wines include ginseng wine, tortoise jelly wine, and ginseng and wolfberry wine. Medicinal wines contain many beneficial components.

Wines containing effective Chinese herbal ingredients can be stored for a long time without spoiling and can be taken internally or used externally. Using medicinal wines...

The purpose is to allow traditional Chinese medicine to utilize the pungent, warm, and dispersing properties of alcohol to invigorate the meridians and promote blood circulation, thereby preventing and treating diseases.

It has health benefits.

Medicated wine is treated as medicine in medical practice; it differs from ordinary wine and has certain therapeutic effects.

After the illness is cured, it is generally unnecessary to continue taking the medication, and the dosage is usually small, depending on the patient's tolerance to alcohol.

The dosage is 15-30 ml per dose, depending on individual capacity. The alcohol content in medicinal wine is low, although many sources suggest that...

It contains some harmful substances, but because the amounts are small and healthy people's livers have a certain detoxification function, it is safe to consume these substances.

Yes, it will not have harmful effects on the human body. Many scholars believe that drinking a small amount of alcohol can increase saliva and stomach acid levels.

Increased secretion of fluids can promote digestion and absorption in the stomach.

Therefore, men should follow their doctor's advice; drinking small amounts of medicinal wine is fine. However, medicinal wine should not be consumed all at once.

Excessive use may lead to drug poisoning and affect liver and kidney function.

Generally speaking, autumn and winter are the best times for tonifying the body, and also the most suitable times to consume tonic wines.

It is warm in nature and has the effects of warming yang and dispelling cold, nourishing qi and blood, and regulating liver and kidney. It is beneficial for those with yang deficiency and qi and blood deficiency.

This tonic is most suitable for people with deficiency of liver and kidney. In spring, as the weather warms and yang energy rises, this tonic wine is generally more suitable.

It is not advisable to take this medication again. Additionally, it is not suitable for people with yin deficiency and yang excess exhibiting low-grade fever, or for patients with hypertension.