Abundant Kidney Energy

Ilana Sowter

6 years ago

This article explains the importance of your Kidney energy in Chinese medicine for your health.

Kidney Energy

The Kidney energy stores your Pre-Natal Essence and Original Qi. Your Pre-Natal Essence is the genetic health and vitality that was passed on to you by your parents. Original Qi is a mixture of Pre-Natal Essence and Qi and gives you:

Have functional activity of internal organ energies
Create a foundation of vitality
Allow energy to circulate throughout your body
Note it is the basis of Kidney energy and is located between the two kidneys
Is a precursor for Lung Qi (which governs immunity)

Ming Men (The Fire of the Gate of Life)

The Kidney Yang (warming) energy comes from Ming Men. Under physiological conditions, this Ming Men energy warms the reproductive sex organs and balances Yin (cooling) energy. It is also related to sexual desire.

Kidney Yin (true water) is the foundation of Yin (cooling) fluid for all of the body. It moistens and nourishes the organs and tissues.

Kidney Yang (true fire) is the foundation of Yang (warming) energy of the whole body. It warms and promotes the functions of the organs and tissues.

Kidney Yin and Yang are connected. Kidney Yin provides energy for physiological functions while Kidney Yang promotes storage of Kidney Yin. You need a good balance of both for great health.

Signs of Kidney Yin Deficiency

Soreness and weakness of lower back and knees
Dizziness
Ringing in the ears
Hearing problems
Dry Mouth & Throat
Getting hot palms, soles and/or chest
Spontaneous sweating or nightsweating
Constipation
Dryness or inflammation

Signs of Kidney Yang Deficiency

Soreness and weakness of lower back and knees
Aversion to cold
Cold extremities or limbs
Exhaustion
Frequent urination
Declining or No Libido
Oedema (water retention)

Kidney Qi Deficiency

Is a general deficiency of the kidney where cold or heat is not involved and includes:

Frequent urination
Nocturia (needing to urinate at night)
Issues with opening and closing orifices
Miscarriage
Irregular leaking of fluids (sex organs)

Now on to the important section, how can we restore our Kidney energy?

You are born with your constitutional Kidney energy, it is what it is. So the most important key to good Kidney energy is nourishing and preserving what you have so you can enjoy the rest of your life with good health. Your acupuncture and herbal medicine treatment will nourish your Kidney energy, but following and exploring these aspects will give you quicker and more lasting results. One tip, getting to bed early will nourish your body deeply. Staying up late takes precious healing time away from your body.

Nourish Kidney Yin

You live in a very busy and stressful world so nourishing your Kidney Yin will keep your feeling calm and grounded.

Lifestyle To Nourish Kidney Yin

Manage stress
Don’t overschedule yourself
Learn how to say no, delegate and ask for help
Be an example rather than try and fix or do everything for others
Minimise exposure to screens, lights, noise and EMFs (electromagnetic fields). Turn off your phone (flight mode) and wifi when you want to relax.
Nourishing exercise: yoga, tai chi, chi gong, going for a walk in nature, swim in the sea in summer.
Continue a favourite hobby you find relaxing, work out what it is?

Kidney Yin Diet

Drink plenty of warm filtered water and reduce heating beverages like alcohol, tea, caffeinated drinks and coffee
Dark foods like berries and black beans
Seafood & use a good quality Celtic Sea Salt for minerals.
Celery, cucumber, asparagus and fruits.
Grains, beans, seeds and nuts: especially millet, barley, flaxseed, sunflower, black sesame, walnut, chestnut.
A little salty food helps channel energy to the kidney. Kimchee, sauerkraut, miso, tamari.
Some meat, eggs, yoghurt and cheese.
Protein is a vital building block for Yin energy.
Soups and bone broths.
Nettle and nettle tea. A little soy products.
Dark green leafy vegetables.

Nourish Kidney Yang

Lifestyle To Nourish Kidney Yang

Get organised
Create some steady, regular goals
Don’t over-exhaust yourself, get in touch with what drains and energises you.
Exercising is very beneficial, getting the heart rate up and moving the body helps yang and qi circulate.
Over exercising eg marathons, doing too much too often can be draining
Yang is action, inspiring yourself to get into action will help your yang and flow
Give yourself little rest moments during the day to revitalise
Avoid living in damp or cold environments (cold house or mould)
Daily direct sunshine on the body
Colour therapy, choose warming colours for home and self like red and orange

Kidney Yang Diet

Drink plenty of warm filtered water and enjoy warming drinks like fresh ginger tea, turmeric latte, chai tea and rooibois
Eat your food warm. This is where the body gets extra qi, from the warmth and steam from your food. Avoid eating frozen or cold food straight from the fridge. Leave it out and then enjoy later.
Reduce raw and cold fruits and vegetables, they should be a more side accoutrement to a meal
Small amounts of dairy are good; grass-fed butter and ghee in particular as it is warming.
Healthy fats are good too: grass-fed lard, butter, ghee, coconut oil all help the body keep warm and produce yang. They also build hormones and stabilise blood sugars.
Seafood & use a good quality Celtic Sea Salt for minerals.
Warming and Root vegetables like pumpkin, sweet potato, beetroot, marrow etc.
You can eat these foods a little more often; pepper, onion, ginger tea, lamb or beef soup, venison.
A little salty food helps channel energy to the kidney. Kimchee, sauerkraut, miso, tamari.
Bone broth is very warming and nourishing.
Soups and bone broths.

Consultations

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