Cold Sensitivity — TCM Food Therapy & Dietary Approach
In TCM theory, as stated in the Suwen, 'when yang is deficient there is external cold.
Traditional Chinese Medicine Patterns
In TCM, this concern is differentiated into several patterns, each with a classical herbal formula:
Kidney Yang Deficiency (Decline of Life Gate Fire)
Formula: Jingui Shenqi Wan (Golden Cabinet Kidney Qi Pill) — from *Synopsis of the Golden Chamber*
Insufficiency of kidney yang with decline of mingmen fire
Formula: Yougui Wan (Right-Restoring Kidney Yang Pill) — from *Jingyue's Complete Works*
Spleen Yang Deficiency (Spleen-Stomach Deficiency Cold)
Formula: Fuzi Lizhong Wan (Aconite Center-Regulating Pill) — from *Formulary of the Bureau of the People's Welfare Pharmacies*
These formulas are for reference under TCM syndrome differentiation and should only be used under the guidance of a qualified practitioner.
Food Therapy & Diet
Dietary Therapy Recipes
- Angelica-Ginger Mutton Soup: 500 g mutton, 20 g Chinese angelica (danggui), 30 g fresh ginger; stew until tender.
- Stir-Fried Chives with Walnuts: 50 g walnut kernels, 200 g chives; stir-fry.
- Ginger-Cinnamon Pork Stomach Stew: 150 g pork stomach, 50 g lean meat, 15 g fresh ginger, 5 g cinnamon bark (rougui), 25 g coix seed (yimi); double-steam for 2 hours.
- Three-Ingredient Mutton Soup: 250 g mutton, 30 g prepared aconite root (shu fuzi), 25 g eucommia bark (duzhong), 15 g prepared rehmannia root (shudi); simmer slowly.
Dietary Principles
- Prefer warming foods that may support yang: mutton, beef, chicken, chives, ginger, cinnamon, walnuts, loach, sea cucumber, scallion and garlic.
- Stay warm, soak the feet in hot water, and get moderate exercise.
- Avoid raw, cold, and cooling foods: pear, watermelon, water chestnut, cold drinks, green tea.
- Avoid overuse of bitter-cold heat-clearing herbs and herbal teas, and avoid staying up late or living in air-conditioned rooms for long periods.
Understanding the Condition
In TCM theory, as stated in the Suwen, 'when yang is deficient there is external cold.' Aversion to cold may be associated with weakened yang qi that fails to warm the body and generate sufficient heat, arising from constitutional weakness, excessive intake of raw and cold foods, prolonged illness, long-term exposure to cold, and late nights with overwork.
This content is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.