Autumn and Winter Tonic and Herbal Paste
As the saying goes, "Tonify in autumn and winter, and you'll be as strong as a tiger in spring." As the Cold Dew solar term arrives, while people are still putting away their summer clothes, the demand for autumn and winter tonic herbal pastes is already booming. According to reporters at the Herbal Paste Service Center of Jiangsu Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, a continuous stream of patients come daily to inquire and register for prescriptions. It is understood that this largest general hospital of traditional Chinese medicine in the province has a history of over 20 years in preparing tonic herbal pastes. The hospital has brought together a large number of renowned TCM experts who are rich in clinical experience, have a solid foundation in TCM theory, and have dedicated themselves to studying the principles of tonic herbal pastes. Their proven efficacy has made them deeply favored by the general public. In recent years, with the increasing number of people seeking tonics, the hospital has continuously improved its management of tonic herbal pastes to meet the needs of patients. First, experts who prescribe pastes are qualified through training. Understanding that TCM pastes are tailored to the individual, based on syndrome differentiation, the hospital recognizes that pastes differ from ordinary herbal prescriptions, having a comprehensive effect of nourishment, tonification, and prevention. Currently, over 100 experts have received this training. The hospital also strictly controls the quality and origin of its herbal decoction pieces and enhances the training of paste-boiling staff. Veteran pharmacists personally supervise key stages such as the heat control during decoction and the final concentration of the paste, ensuring the purity and authenticity of the tonic herbal pastes. This year, the hospital's paste-boiling center was expanded to over 100 square meters, increasing the number of stoves to 62, capable of preparing more than 150 batches of paste daily. Patients can now receive their finished products in just five days from prescription pickup. Yesterday morning, the first batch of this year's autumn and winter tonic paste was brewed, igniting the first flame of the season. It is reported that nearly 100 people were able to enjoy the first batch on its first day. For inquiries, please call: (025-86617141-50303, 86618472)
Deficiency Syndromes and Winter Tonic Paste Regulation
Winter conditioning and tonification is a major feature of Traditional Chinese Medicine. The "Neijing" (Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon) advises, "Nourish yin in autumn and winter," and "Those who are nourished by essence enjoy long life." The human body can only have the capital for growth and flourishing in spring and summer if it properly nourishes and stores yin in autumn and winter. This means one should follow the changes of nature and live in harmony with its cycles of growth and storage. This is the embodiment of the principle "Do not go against the seasons; this is the highest form of governance" in winter treatment. Using tonic paste is a suitable form of supplementation. As the seasons change, we are now in the Cold Dew solar term, with temperatures dropping and all things showing signs of decline. It is once again time for winter conditioning and tonification. 1. The Concept and Scope of Deficiency Syndromes
Supplementation and deficiency are related; one only needs to supplement when there is a deficiency. Deficiency syndromes are the primary conditions for which supplementation is indicated. The "Neijing" states, "When essence and qi are lost, deficiency results." The root cause lies in the depletion and insufficiency of essence, qi, blood, and body fluids. Deficiency syndrome is a rather broad concept, referring not only to various sub-health states in modern medicine but also to symptoms during the recovery period after illness, as well as the intermittent or remission stages of malignant hematological diseases and cancer chemotherapy. A global survey by the World Health Organization found that only 5% of the world's population is truly healthy, 20% are sick, and 75% fall into the sub-health category, primarily characterized by chronic fatigue syndrome. The so-called sub-health state, as proposed by experts, can be preliminarily diagnosed if, after excluding diseases, an individual exhibits 6 or more of the following 30 clinical symptoms: (1) Mental tension, anxiety; (2) Loneliness, inferiority, depression; (3) Poor concentration, superficial thinking; (4) Irritability, getting upset without reason; (5) Memory loss, forgetting names of acquaintances; (6) Diminished interest, sudden decrease in desire; (7) Reluctance to socialize, low mood; (8) Easily fatigued, tired eyes; (9) Decreased energy, slow movements; (10) Dizziness, slow to recover; (11) Dizziness after standing for a long time, blurred vision; (12) Limb weakness, feeling powerless; (13) Weight loss, physical weakness; (14) Difficulty falling asleep, waking from dreams easily; (15) Unwilling to get up in the morning, frequent napping during the day; (16) Localized numbness, cold hands and feet; (17) Excessive sweating in palms and armpits, dry tongue and mouth; (18) Feeling of low-grade fever, night sweats; (19) Lower back pain, shifting and recurring; (20) White coating on the tongue, halitosis; (21) Mouth ulcers, recurring; (22) Diminished sense of taste, poor appetite; (23) Sour belching, indigestion; (24) Loose stools or constipation, abdominal bloating; (25) Prone to colds, lip herpes; (26) Nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat; (27) Shortness of breath, gasping, tightness in breathing; (28) Chest pain, chest tightness, feeling of pressure; (29) Palpitations, irregular heartbeat; (30) Tinnitus, hearing loss, prone to motion sickness. These symptoms are common manifestations of TCM deficiency syndromes. Tonic paste has two main functions: one is to nourish the zang-fu organs to address deficiency, and the other is to harmonize the qi mechanism of the organs to expel pathogens. Therefore, for individuals with deficiency syndromes, using tonic paste has the effect of "treating diseases before they arise." Through syndrome differentiation and treatment, prescribing a paste can alleviate uncomfortable symptoms.