What does it mean to replenish qi and consolidate the exterior?

In traditional Chinese medicine, the so-called symptoms are different from those in Western medicine, so the best treatment for symptoms in traditional Chinese medicine is Chinese medicine treatment, which mainly focuses on conditioning. However, people still have some lack of understanding about traditional Chinese medicine, so they don’t know what to do when faced with the diseases described in traditional Chinese medicine. Take the example of "Yi Qi Gubiao" (invigorating qi and strengthening the exterior), what disease does this mean in traditional Chinese medicine?

To invigorate Qi means to strengthen the spleen and replenish kidney Qi. The spleen and stomach are the foundation of the acquired constitution and the sea of ​​water and grain. To "solidify the exterior" simply means to strengthen the body's protective function, which is the same as reinforcing the city walls during a war. Jianzhong: It is a transitional word, meaning Hezhong. Waking up the spleen: a therapeutic term. It refers to the use of aromatic spleen-strengthening drugs to strengthen the spleen and treat symptoms of spleen dampness and inability to transport and transform.

The term "awakening the spleen" was first seen in the Tang Dynasty. Waking up the spleen is one of the commonly used treatment principles in traditional Chinese medicine, but there is no unified understanding of it among Chinese medicine practitioners. From the evolution of the method of awakening the spleen, we explore the essence of the method of awakening the spleen, aiming to promote the standardization of TCM terminology.

There are many foods that can replenish qi and strengthen the exterior, including traditional Chinese medicine, and the best is ginseng. Although it is a bit expensive, it is also the most effective. There are also fangfeng, astragalus, loach, red dates, oats, bird's nest, sheep tripe, and glutinous rice. The key to treating this disease is to replenish Qi. Foods such as yam and pseudoginseng have the effect of increasing the Qi in the middle. When the Qi in the middle increases, the Wei Qi will naturally be sufficient and the resistance will be strong. However, there seems to be no food that can purely increase Wei Qi. Glutinous rice is sweet and warm in nature. It has the functions of tonifying the middle and replenishing Qi, consolidating the exterior and stopping sweating. It is suitable for frequent urination, loose stools, spontaneous sweating due to exterior deficiency, etc.

The glutinous rice food we eat daily is sweet and warm in nature, and has the effects of tonifying the middle and replenishing Qi, consolidating the exterior and stopping sweating. Sheep tripe can nourish the stomach and replenish Qi, regenerate tissue and quench thirst. Red dates are warm in nature and sweet in taste, and can replenish Qi and consolidate the exterior. Bird's nest has the effects of invigorating Qi, replenishing deficiency, nourishing yin and nourishing the lungs.

Additional information

It can strengthen the exterior and stop sweating, one of the methods of strengthening and astringing in traditional Chinese medicine. A method of using astringent and antiperspirant drugs to treat sweating due to deficiency syndrome. Also known as the sweat-retaining method.

This method is suitable for spontaneous sweating and night sweats, and the prescription is usually composed of drugs such as astragalus, floating wheat, ephedra root, and oyster. Since the pathogenesis of spontaneous sweating and night sweats is different, spontaneous sweating is mostly caused by yang deficiency, while night sweats are mostly caused by yin deficiency and excessive fire. Therefore, the method of astringing sweat is often combined with drugs that invigorate qi or nourish yin and clear heat to treat the root cause. For example, if there is spontaneous sweating due to yang deficiency, the symptoms include frequent spontaneous sweating, which worsens with movement, susceptibility to colds, fatigue, pale tongue, and weak and thready pulse, it is advisable to invigorate qi, consolidate the exterior and stop sweating, and the prescription for treatment is Yupingfeng Powder; if there are night sweats, or spontaneous sweating, fever in the five hearts, or hot flashes in the afternoon, thirst, red tongue with little coating, and thin and rapid pulse, it is advisable to nourish yin and reduce fire, consolidate the exterior and stop sweating, and the prescription for treatment is Danggui Liuhuang Decoction.