The Winter Solstice, also known as "Dong Jie" or "He Dong", falls on December 21st this year. As the saying goes, "Spring brings drowsiness, autumn brings weariness, and summer brings naps, leaving one perpetually sleepy throughout the long winter." During the deep winter, the natural world lacks Yang Qi. This Yang Qi is like the sun in the sky, the very foundation of our lives. On the Winter Solstice, it's a good idea to drink a cup of kidney-tonifying tea.
According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the kidney is the origin of Yang Qi. The kidney stores essence, providing the fundamental driving force for life activities. The human body maintains a balance with the natural world. At this time, the body can become deficient in Yang Qi, naturally leading to drowsiness. Therefore, tonifying the kidney is particularly important. When nourishing the body, it's crucial to distinguish between different constitutions, as there are differences between cold, heat, deficiency, and excess.盲目进补 (Blindly tonifying) not only fails to achieve the desired effect but can also lead to illness. Furthermore, on sunny days during the cold winter, going outdoors to bask in the sun on your back or to take a walk or a run can warm the kidney's Yang Qi, helping to enhance the body's vitality and refresh the mind. However, be careful to avoid overexertion. Excessive sweating can cause the body's Yang Qi to leak out, which violates the principle of "storing essence" during winter. Here are a few more excellent tea recipes for tonifying the kidney:
Du Zhong Tea
12 grams of Eucommia leaves, 3 grams of black tea. Chop the Eucommia leaves, place them in a teacup with the black tea, and steep with boiling water for 10 minutes before drinking. It has the effects of tonifying the liver and kidneys, and strengthening the bones and muscles. It is also beneficial for treating frequent urination, urgency, and soreness in the lower back and knees caused by liver and kidney Yang deficiency, as well as for conditions like hypertension and heart disease.
Walnut and Honey Tea
10 grams of walnuts, pounded into a fine powder. Add 15 grams of black tea, steep with boiling water, and adjust with an appropriate amount of honey when drinking. This tea can warm the kidneys and assist Yang, improving conditions of liver and kidney Yang deficiency and Qi and blood deficiency.
Dried Ginger and Goji Berry Tea
10 grams each of dried ginger and goji berries. Add 500 ml of water, bring to a boil for 10 minutes, and then drink. Adding a few chrysanthemum flowers can prevent "internal heat." It is used as an adjunctive treatment for chills, cold limbs, soreness and weakness in the lower back and knees, and fatigue caused by kidney Yang deficiency.
Longan, Goji Berry, and Ginger Tea
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