QI Deficiency

In the traditional Chinese medicine, Qi refers to the energy which flows within our body. Our bodies need this energy for a variety of functions such as movement, keeping the diseases at bay, digesting food, basically all those things that are needed for survival. There are two types of Qi in our body, namely Congenital Qi and Acquired Qi. Congenital Qi is that which a person inherits from his parents at the time of conception. It is stored in kidneys and aids immensely in growth and development. Congenital Qi can only be conserved and can never be replenished. On the other hand, acquired Qi depends on the lifestyle a person leads, the kind of food he eats and the air he breathes. Acquired Qi's quality can be improved with a change in one's eating habits, by exercising regularly, by remaining stress free and by undertaking alternative medicine treatments such as the traditional Chinese medicine.

A Qi deficiency in the body indicates that any one or some of the organs or structures in our body are not functioning properly. It can affect the body's structure and organs. For example, the lungs may get affected, producing symptoms such as shortness of breath. Below is a list of symptoms which are observed in the body due to Qi deficiency, followed by the traditional Chinese medicine treatment for the same.

Symptoms

• A person feels tired all the time.
• The breathing becomes shallow.
• Food intake of the person decreases considerably.
• Headache, especially after indulging in strenuous physical activity is a common symptom observed in people with a Qi deficiency.
• The skin color changes to pale.
• Discomfort in the abdominal area is experienced.
• Indigestion, gas and bloating occur.
• A general weakness and laziness is experienced by the person.
• The tongue acquires a pale color and the pulse is weak and empty.

It produces symptoms such as dizziness, poor memory, vertigo, sweating in the night, hearing problems, dryness in the mouth, back pain, changes in urine color, constipation, tiredness, a floating sensation, stress and anxiety. One peculiarity is that the symptoms become severe in the morning.

Treatment

Diet
The diet should include foods like whole grains such as oats and rice, fruits such as dates, cherries, grapes and figs, vegetables such as potato, sweet potato, yam and squash, meats such as chicken, goose, beef and ham, herbs such as licorice, supplements such as Chinese ginseng, American Ginseng and algae and some other foods such as tofu and molasses.

To treat this deficiency, a variety of food should be included in the diet which provide the body with vitamins, minerals, flavonoids, carotenes and amino acids. Kidney shaped foods such as blackberries, mulberry and blueberries,seafoods such as fish, seaweeds and shrimp, nuts and seeds, animal products such as pork, eggs, cheese, lamb and duck, bone marrow soups, vegetables such as the green leafy ones and asparagus should be included in the diet. Chinese herbs which help in overcoming this deficiency are Rehmannia root, marshmallow, comfrey and Aloe Vera.

In addition, food such as wheat bran, asparagus, mushrooms, cabbage, peas, pumpkin, potatoes, tomatoes, yam, apples, dates, cherries, grapes, figs, tofu, nuts, seeds, fish, oysters, mussel, chicken, beef, duck, liver, ham, goose and lamb, should also be included in the diet.

Some of the foods that should be avoided are processed sugars, oily foods, starchy foods and sweeteners. The water intake should be increased to provide proper moisture to the body.

Exercise, Meditation and Prayer
According to the traditional Chinese medicine, to maintain the right Qi balance, it is important to keep the mind calm and collected. For this, exercising everyday, engaging in meditation and prayer or going in for the Chinese massage therapy is recommended.

Qi deficiency can be cured by following certain changes in one's diet and lifestyle. By making intelligent choices such as going in for natural, organic foods instead of junk food, sleeping on time and taking enough rest, along with exercising daily, can help in treating the deficiency.