What does Qi deficiency and sinking mean? How to regulate it?

Due to the changes in people’s lifestyles and living habits, many people will have some physical problems. So what is the cause of qi deficiency and sinking? What should I eat to regulate my body?

What does qi deficiency mean?

Qi deficiency generally refers to physical weakness, pale complexion, shortness of breath, weakness in the limbs, dizziness, sweating when moving, and low voice. It includes the deficiency of Yuan Qi, Zong Qi and Wei Qi, as well as the decline of Qi's promotion, warming, defense, consolidation and Qi transformation functions, which leads to the decline or decline of certain functional activities of the body, decreased disease resistance and other weakening phenomena. It is mostly caused by insufficient congenital endowment, or malnutrition, or excessive fatigue and depletion of Qi ("labor leads to depletion of Qi"), or long-term illness, or decreased function of organs such as the lungs, spleen, and kidneys, resulting in insufficient Qi production.

Pathological reaction

The pathological manifestations of Qi deficiency can involve all aspects of the body. For example, Qi deficiency will lead to weakness in the defense of the body, loose skin, and easy sweating; Qi deficiency will cause malnutrition of the muscles of the limbs, and fatigue and weakness all over the body; Qi deficiency will cause the clear yang to fail to rise, and the clear orifices to fail to be nourished, resulting in mental fatigue, dizziness, and tinnitus; Qi deficiency will lead to weakness in leading the blood circulation, and the pulse will be weak or fine; Qi deficiency will lead to imbalance in water metabolism, failure of water transformation, and obstruction of water distribution, which can lead to condensation of phlegm into drink, and even excessive water evils leading to edema; Qi deficiency can also lead to decreased function of the internal organs, thus manifesting a series of signs of internal organ weakness.

Common Qi deficiency syndrome

General Qi deficiency: general fatigue and weakness, lack of energy, shortness of breath and laziness to speak, low voice, spontaneous sweating and fear of movement, pale, plump and tender tongue, and weak pulse.

Lung Qi deficiency: symptoms such as shortness of breath, lack of breath, laziness to speak, low voice, etc. are prominent, and there are also symptoms such as cough and sputum.

Deficiency of heart Qi: Symptoms such as shortness of breath, palpitations, mental fatigue are prominent, and there are also symptoms such as irregular, slow or rapid pulse, but weakness, and restlessness.

Deficiency of spleen and stomach Qi: prominent symptoms include sallow complexion, mental fatigue, tiredness of limbs, loss of appetite, and often accompanied by abdominal distension, indigestion, loose stools, rectal prolapse due to sinking of Qi in the middle, and frequent urination.

Kidney Qi deficiency: dull complexion, dizziness, tinnitus and deafness, as well as soreness and weakness in the waist and knees, clear and long stools, decreased sexual function, pale and moist tongue, and weak radial pulse.

High-risk population

Qi deficiency is a common disease, which is mostly caused by congenital deficiency, malnutrition, old age, long-term illness, major surgery and excessive fatigue. According to a random sampling survey of 804 people, physical weakness caused by aging and weakness accounted for 51.4% (46-65 years old), which are the two highest points among various causes. This is related to the fierce social competition, excessive pressure and unhealthy lifestyle that modern people are subjected to. Experts remind everyone to pay attention to people in this age group.

Pathological etiology

Qi deficiency is mostly caused by inadequate congenital endowment, or malnutrition, or excessive fatigue and depletion ("fatigue depletes Qi"), or long-term illness, or decreased function of organs such as the lungs, spleen, and kidneys, resulting in insufficient Qi production. Comparing the causes, symptoms and pulse of modern medicine, Qi deficiency is very similar to the modern medical concept of "sub-health". The root cause of sub-health is insufficient yin and yang, qi and blood, and poor function of the five internal organs, which is also consistent with insufficient vital energy and qi deficiency. In terms of treatment, Chinese medicine uses the holistic concept and the principles and methods of syndrome differentiation and treatment to regulate the heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys as a whole, allowing the body to regularly renew and replicate itself and gradually restore vitality, thus transforming sub-health status into health.

What to eat for Qi deficiency

Foods that replenish qi deficiency: beef, chicken, pork, glutinous rice, soybeans, white lentils, dates, crucian carp, carp, quail, eel, shrimp, mushrooms, etc. You can change your clothes frequently.

Foods that should not be eaten when suffering from qi deficiency: hawthorn, bergamot, betel nut, garlic, kohlrabi, radish leaves, coriander, turnip, pepper, longan, middle finger, perilla leaves, mint, and lotus leaves.

Avoid or eat less: buckwheat, grapefruit, tangerine, kumquat, kumquat cake, orange, water chestnut, raw radish, ground skullcap, mustard greens, leek, Jundacai, Amomum villosum, chrysanthemum, tea, and tobacco and alcohol.

Dietary prescription for treating female qi deficiency

Si Shen Soup: Lotus seeds, coix seeds, Chinese yam and water chestnuts are boiled into soup. It is a health-preserving diet suitable for people with qi deficiency. You can also add spare ribs, chicken, etc. to the Si Shen Soup. To prevent overnutrition and weight gain, you can remove the attached fat before cooking.

Shiitake mushroom and loach porridge: Shiitake mushroom and loach porridge is very effective for people with qi deficiency and poor gastrointestinal function. Boil loach, garlic, mushrooms, rice and onions into porridge, which not only tastes good but also has high nutritional value.

Yam and coix seed tea: 9 grams each of Chinese yam and coix seed, boiled in water and drunk as tea. Drinking yam and coix seed tea regularly can make your vital energy sufficient, your spirits good and your complexion better.