In summer, the heat is intense, leading to excessive sweating and serious loss of bodily fluids, which can easily result in symptoms of yin deficiency. Especially since the kidneys govern the yin and yang of the whole body, it is more likely to experience kidney yin deficiency.
If you have the following three symptoms, it is very likely that you have kidney yin deficiency:
Discomfort in the head: difficulty concentrating, decreased memory, slowed reactions, lack of energy, dizziness, tinnitus, etc.
Five hearts hot: the palms of the hands, the soles of the feet, and the chest temperature are slightly higher than other parts of the body (such as the forehead), especially noticeable at night.
Spontaneous sweating and night sweats: involuntary sweating during the day without reason, or sweating while sleeping at night that stops upon waking.
As autumn approaches, the yin energy gradually becomes more robust, making it an ideal time to nourish kidney yin according to the seasons.
In this regard, a common “little fruit” in daily life can be of assistance.
“Golden Fruit” Raspberry
Nourishing kidney yin and reinforcing kidney essence, achieving two benefits at once
Raspberry, also known as red raspberry or wood raspberry, is rich in nutrients such as vitamins A and C, calcium, potassium, magnesium, and dietary fiber. It has a sweet and sour taste and is renowned as a “golden fruit.”
In traditional Chinese medicine, raspberry is considered the “essential medicine” for nourishing kidney yin and solidifying kidney essence. The origin of the name “raspberry” is closely related to its health benefits.
The “Bencao Yanyi” states that it “benefits the kidneys, reduces urination; when consumed, one should cover their urinal, hence the name”—because people at middle age often have kidney issues and wake up often at night to urinate. In ancient times, people would keep a small wooden basin by the bed for convenience. Those who frequently consume raspberries may not even need a urinal at night.
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â‘ Directly benefits kidney yin, does not harm the spleen, and does not generate heat
Raspberry can enter the kidney meridian, benefiting kidney yin. The “Bencao Zhengyi” recorded: “Raspberry is a medicine to nourish the true yin, with a slightly sour taste, capable of collecting and capturing the dissipated yin energy and generating essence.”
Moreover, unlike most yin-nourishing foods that prefer to grow in cool and damp places and are cold in nature, raspberries thrive in sunlight, with a slightly warm nature, which makes them easy for the spleen and stomach to absorb without hindering their function, thus minimizing dampness.
At the same time, there is no need to worry about generating excess heat; “Bencao Tongxuan” praises it for its ability to “strengthen the kidneys without the harm of dryness and heat… it is a treasure of gold and jade.”
â‘¡ Nourishing kidney yin by enriching kidney essence
Raspberries are aggregate fruits, with many small drupelets, each containing a “seed nucleus.” In traditional Chinese medicine, this is where it stores its “qi.” Corresponding to the human body, it can replenish kidney essence. Eating one raspberry is akin to consuming the essence of hundreds of small fruits, providing strong nourishing power!
Additionally, kidney yin is a part of kidney essence, so when kidney essence is abundant, kidney yin can be assured.
â‘¢ Reducing consumption by solidifying kidney essence
On the basis of nourishing kidney yin, the acidity of raspberries also acts to astringe and solidify, providing benefits for solidifying kidney essence.
Why emphasize “solidifying kidney essence”?
Because kidney essence is constantly being consumed; if kidney essence is not solid, then it’s like a reservoir with the gates open—no matter how much is replenished, it is of no use. By locking the kidney essence while replenishing it, it ensures that consumption is less than supplementation, making it more effective for replenishment.
