Kidney Yin Tonic

Overview:

The Kidney Yin Tonic is a classic formula used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), called Liu Wei Di Huang, which supports the Kidney, Liver, and Spleen organ networks. These organs all have an integral role in storing, maintaining, and utilizing the body's Yin energy.

The Kidneys are the most Yin organ of the five organ systems, and have the most Yin job of cooling, moistening, and nourishing the body, as well as storing our most Yin form of Qi, which is called jing, or Essence. The Essence is the foundational reservoir of primordial material constituents from which the body draws to construct all of our tissues, fluids, bones, and even the Hair.

Stress, work, thinking, exercise, and trauma, i.e. Yang energy, all deplete our Essence, as well as create Heat, which evaporates moisture, both of which, in excess, will impair the Kidney's ability to perform their Yin function of drawing upon the Essence to make the fluids and other materials that cool, moisten, and nourish the body. This will cause (supposed) age-related illnesses, such as wrinkles, joint pain, lower back and knee weakness, low energy, infertility, and Hair loss.

This herbal formula supports Kidney Yin by replenishing the Essence, as well as the nourishing fluids from which the Kidney Yin draws from that Essence. This indirectly supports the Liver function of generating Blood and circulating Qi by strengthening Liver Yin, which draws from Kidney Yin. In addition, the formula supports the Spleen's job of generating Qi, which supplies the Kidneys with the Qi that it stores as Essence, by clearing excess dampness for improved digestion. Finally, herbs are included to purge excess Heat from the body, a byproduct of Yin Deficiency, addressing the main energetic disturbance pathways of the disorder.

Hair Benefit:

One of the main Hair principles in TCM is that "Hair is the surplus of Blood." Blood originates from the Essence. It provides the material basis that eventually becomes Blood, which becomes our Hair. In this manner, Kidney Essence is the primary substance that determines Hair growth, color, and vitality. A deficiency of Essence will manifest as weak, thin, brittle, and greying Hair, whereas an abundance will make it thick, dark, and lustrous.

Kidney Yin is the energy of the Kidneys that stores the Essence, as well as material constituents for the Yin fluids that nourish and moisten the Hair, along with all of our organs and tissues. In doing so, it keeps our Hair supple, rooted, and protected from excess Heat and dryness. Furthermore, Kidney Yin and Essence are mutually dependent. Tonifying Essence helps build Yin, and filling the Essence tonifies Yin. By replenishing the reserve of Yin fluids and helping the Kidneys fill the Essence, the herbs in this formula serve to restore the positive feedback loop that is at the foundation of Hair, and overall, vitality.

In addition, by clearing dampness from the Spleen, the herbs in this formula facilitate Essence storage through strengthening digestion. The Spleen requires strong digestive fire in order to extract the Qi from our food that becomes Essence. The fire of Spleen is extinguished by dampness, which is created by certain foods in excess (e.g. cold, fat, dairy), lifestyle factors (e.g. poor sleep, irregular/late meal times), and emotional disturbances (e.g. worry, intellectual thinking, rumination). Dispersing dampness from the Spleen is absolutely critical to support Kidney Yin in its effort to fill the Essence. Furthermore, some of the Qi from the Spleen is sent directly to the Liver to be transformed into Blood. The rest of the constituents are supplied by the Essence, as well as the activating energy from the Kidneys to spark its transformation. Therefore, Kidney and Spleen function are integral to proper Liver function, which generates the physical Blood that becomes Hair.

In order to generate Blood and regulate the smooth circulation of Qi, the primary function of the Liver, Liver Yin must be adequate. Liver Yin draws its resources from Kidney Yin, as a tree draws water from the water reservoirs in the Earth. Without adequate Kidney Yin, the Liver will overheat, which impair its ability to generate Blood and restrain the rising Yang tendency of Qi. This results in Blood deficiency, which reduces the surplus quantity that becomes Hair, as well as leads to chronic rising Qi into the head, which can stimulate unwanted skull growth and cause pattern loss. By tonifying Kidney Yin, and helping to cool the Liver, this formula helps to indirectly support Blood production and proper Qi circulation to nourish the Hair and stop pattern loss.

Herbs:

Rehmannia (Prepared) - Shu Di Huang:

This herb is a powerful Yin tonic, that tonifies both Kidney Yin and Liver Blood. It replenishes the Kidneys' Yin fluids, the Essence, and even the supply of Liver Blood. It is even said to "fill the marrow", which is a vital function of the Kidneys and Essence. Note that It must by used in its "prepared" form (shu di huang), which has different properties than its raw form (di huang).

Cornus Fruit - Shan Zhu Yu:

Cornus fruit, or cornelian cherry, consolidates Essence. In doing so, it helps to replenish the supply of Essence by preventing it from leaking out, wastefully, which often occurs in the form of night sweats and seminal emissions due to excess Heat in the body when yin deficient.

Dioscorea - Shan Yao:

Dioscorea is a wild growing yam that strengthens the Spleen, aiding in its primary function of generating nutritive qi from our food and air. This helps replenish the Essence, as surplus Qi is sent down to the Kidneys, supporting its role in foundational storage. In addition, it assists Cornus in astringing the Essence.

Moutan Peony - Mu Dan Pi:

Moutan Peony, tree peony root bark, helps clears heat from the blood and improves circulation. In doing so it clears deficiency Heat and cools the Liver, which supports Liver Yin function restraining Liver Yang from rising.

Porus - Fu Ling:

Porus, a fungus, strengthens the Spleen by draining pathological dampness from it. It complements Dioscorea to tonify Qi, and works with Alisma to drain dampness.

Alisma - Ze Xie:

Alisma, or water plantain rhizome, is a Kidney and Bladder draining herb (xie = "draining"). While Rehmannia will build fluid to support Kidney Yin, Alisma will drain the turbid fluids through urination to prevent them from accumulating along with the more pure and nourishing yin fluids. This ensures that "true Yin" fluids can be restored in the Kidneys. It also clears Heat from the Kidney and Bladder.

How to Decoct:

1. Gather the following amounts of herbs in a glass or ceramic jar or bowl:

• Rehmannia (prepared): 15 - 24 g

• Cornus: 10 - 12 g

• Dioscorea: 10 - 12 g

• Moutan Peony: 6 - 9 g

• Poria: 6 - 9 g

• Alisma: 6 - 9 g

2. Soak herbs overnight in 4 cups of water. Ideally, use spring water.

3. Bring herbs to a boil in a stainless steel pot (or best ceramic). Reduce heat and simmer uncovered until 1 cup of liquid remains (30-60 mins).

4. Strain liquid from herbs, and set aside.

5. Using the same herbs, refill the pot with 3 cups of water (or 1 cup less) and boil again (30-60 minutes) until 1 cup of liquid remains. The pot may be covered this time to prolong boiling.

6. Strain liquid, and combine with the liquid from the first boil for a total of 2 cups of decoction.

• Drink two servings daily (1 serving = 1 cup).

Additional Instructions

• Wait at least ½ hour before eating, or 1 ½ hours after eating when taking a dose.

• Use spring water, or a combination of structured-filtered (*) water and spring water to decoct.

• Decoctions last 3-5 days in the refrigerator. Scale up proportionally to make several day's worth.

• Always reheat before drinking.