One topic that cannot be avoided in men's health is kidney health. It is better to nourish than to supplement, and prevention is better than cure. This is what is truly beneficial for men. When it comes to kidney health, traditional Chinese medicine has its own tricks. Let's take a look at how traditional Chinese medicine regulates kidney deficiency.
8 Tricks from Traditional Chinese Medicine for Kidney Health
1. Take care of your feet
Keeping your feet warm is one way to nourish the kidneys. This is because the kidney meridian starts at the soles of the feet, and the feet are susceptible to cold. Therefore, it is important to keep your feet warm and avoid placing them directly in front of air conditioning or fans while sleeping. Avoid walking barefoot in damp areas for long periods of time. In addition, there are many acupoints on the soles of the feet, such as the Yongquan acupoint. "The kidneys come from Yongquan, and Yongquan is located in the soles of the feet." Massaging the Yongquan acupoint before bedtime can help nourish the kidneys and solidify essence.
2. Maintain smooth bowel movements
If your bowel movements are not smooth and waste accumulates, turbid Qi will rise and not only make you feel irritable and restless, but also harm the kidneys, leading to lumbar soreness, fatigue, and nausea. Therefore, maintaining regular bowel movements is also a way to nourish the kidneys. When you have difficulty with bowel movements, press your hands against the area of your kidneys and massage vigorously to stimulate kidney Qi and facilitate bowel movements. When walking, use the back of your hands to massage the kidney area to relieve lumbar soreness.
3. Drink water
Water is the source of life. Insufficient water can cause stagnation of turbid toxins and increase the burden on the kidneys. Therefore, drinking water regularly is important for kidney health.
4. Don't hold back urine
When the urine stored in the bladder reaches a certain level, it will stimulate the nerves and trigger the urination reflex. At this point, it is important to urinate in a timely manner and empty the bladder. Otherwise, the accumulated urine can become turbid and harm the kidneys. Therefore, it is best to urinate when you feel the need to do so, which is also one of the best ways to nourish the kidneys.
5. Swallow saliva
The saliva in the mouth is divided into two parts: clear and thin saliva, controlled by the spleen, and thick saliva, controlled by the kidneys. You can do an experiment: if you spit out saliva every time it accumulates in your mouth, within a day, you will feel soreness in your waist and fatigue. This proves that swallowing saliva can nourish the kidney essence and protect the kidneys.
6. Diet
There are many foods that can nourish the kidneys. In addition to black foods such as black sesame, black fungus, black rice, and black beans, walnuts, chives, shrimp, and lamb kidneys can also help nourish and support the kidneys.
7. Sleep
Adequate sleep plays an important role in the biochemical processes of Qi and blood and the maintenance of kidney essence. Clinical observations have found that many patients with renal failure have experienced excessive staying up late, excessive fatigue, and lack of sleep. Therefore, it is important not to stay up too late, develop good sleeping habits, and go to bed and wake up early, which is beneficial for the maintenance of kidney essence.
8. Exercise
Movement is life. Exercising to nourish the kidneys and correct deficiencies is an actively advocated measure. Here, we introduce a simple and effective exercise method for nourishing the kidneys: rub your palms together until they become warm, then place them on your waist, palms against the skin, and massage the waist up and down until you feel heat. Do this exercise once in the morning and once in the evening, about 200 times each time. This exercise can replenish the kidneys and absorb Qi.
A few medicinal diets for nourishing the kidneys in men with kidney deficiency
Warm and Tonify Kidney Yang Medicinal Diet - Braised Dog Meat with Ginger and Prepared Rehmannia
Ingredients:
30g prepared rehmannia, 1000g dog meat, 150g ginger, vegetable oil, garlic, and scallions as needed.
Preparation:
Wash the dog meat and cut it into small pieces. Simmer the ginger and set aside. Put the prepared rehmannia in a clay pot, simmer for 2 hours, then add the dog meat, garlic, and ginger, and simmer with enough water until the meat is tender.
Effects:
Tonifies and nourishes kidney yang. Suitable for yang deficiency symptoms such as impotence, nocturnal polyuria, aversion to cold, and cold limbs. It is also suitable for patients with chronic bronchitis and chronic nephritis with a cold body.
Replenish Kidney Yin Medicinal Diet - One Dish Yam
Ingredients:
500g fresh yam, 150g flour, a few walnuts, assorted candied fruit, honey, 100g sugar, a little lard, and starch.
Preparation:
Wash the fresh yam, steam it, peel it, put it in a porcelain bowl, add flour, knead it into a dough, then make it into a cake, and place a suitable amount of walnuts and assorted candied fruit on top. Steam for 20 minutes. After removing from the steamer, pour a layer of honey syrup (1 tablespoon of honey, 100g sugar, a little lard and starch, heat and mix) on top of the round cake.
Effects:
Nourishes and replenishes kidney yin. Suitable for symptoms of kidney yin deficiency such as thirst, frequent urination, and nocturnal emission.
As we age, some people may develop gray hair. However, if gray hair appears on the top of the head or the back of the head, it may indicate kidney deficiency. We must pay attention to timely kidney nourishment!
