What is Qi Deficiency? Create Balance and Optimize Health
In English, Qi (also known as chi) translates into simply "vital life force". However, that doesn't even begin to scratch the surface of what it actually means. According to Classical Chinese Philosophy, Qi can take a more literal- and scientific meaning. One as a form of energy that makes up everything in this world including ourselves. In this blog we will be discussing what Qi Deficiency is, how it affects our body and mind, and give you some simple tips on how to keep your Qi levels balanced.
Qi is the energy that connects all living things, both organic and inorganic. It's what makes life possible by giving it a chance to come together from seemingly nothingness.
Through practices such as yoga, meditation, Qi Gong and acupuncture we can increase the flow of energy, leading to a healthier body. This increased flow helps us feel better in our day-to-day life by optimizing health homoeostasis among other benefits.
What is Qi Deficiency?
Qi deficiency describes the natural decline in energy that happens as we age. The internal organs, particularly the kidneys, become less effective as we age. This produces an energy deficiency that manifests itself in many different ways.
In Chinese medicine, a Qi deficiency can take many forms. It could be lack of sleep, food, shelter or even too much stress to name just a few. The same idea is applied to mental stimulation and social interaction - without these our well-being can suffer greatly!
Symptoms of low Qi: how to tell if you are deficient?
Each person's Qi deficiency will present itself differently, and that is different from each individual. Some of the main signs of a low energetic level that you might experience include: poor concentration & memory. As well as an inability to focus, loose stools or constipation, and particularly in women absent or irregular periods. It can also take the form of a skin rash. Or in some cases, cause deep exhaustion that doesn't seem to subside and even depression.
There are five tell-tale signs of chronic Qi deficiency. According to a study published in 2015 in the Journal of Traditional Chinese Medical Sciences these are:
fatigue
shortness of breath or no desire to talk
spontaneous sweating
swollen tongue with teeth marks on the side
and weak pulse
The idea behind Chinese medicine is not a specific approach for curing each individual ailment. Rather, it is about creating energetic balance through acupuncture & herbs so that all symptoms can subside. The beauty of this medicine is that it addresses the root cause of an imbalance, instead of simply addressing symptoms.
What are the causes for lowered Qi?
In Chinese medicine, there are many different causes for a qi deficiency. The most common factors include: lack of sleep, food or water deprivation, excessive alcohol consumption and prolonged intense stress or trauma that disrupts your natural flow of energy.
There are many people that come to us with a diagnosis of adrenal fatigue. This is now very common in the western world. However, what they really need is acupuncture treatments and herbal formulations to help heal their Qi levels. This type of treatment doesn't focus on directly boosting your energy (which won't solve much long-term) but rather healing the root cause of the imbalance.
How to treat Qi deficiency: What are the best practices?
The first step in treating a Qi deficiency is identifying what the root cause is. Understanding the root cause helps us treat it directly rather than just treating the symptoms individually. Once you know what caused the deficiency, you can work with your health care practitioner to aid in treating the root of the issue and balance out these deficiencies.
The more westernized approach is immediate gratification, which is treating symptoms individually. For example, if you want more energy you, the Western approach recommends herbs that specifically target that area. In other, even worse scenarios they recommend a caffeine boost! Not only is this hard on your adrenal glands, but it doesn't actually solve the root issue or treat your whole body.’When you suffer from a low level of Qi energy, there is no one herb remedy that will work for everyone. We have to focus on treating each individual case with individual care!
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Prevention: How can you maintain Qi balance?
What can you do to prevent and/or heal a Qi deficiency? The first step is to get plenty of sleep. Eating well and drinking lots of water is also important. Lastly, make sure you move your body on a regular basis. All of these provide your body with the resources needed to function on a daily basis and heal itself. Overall this helps maintain a balance of symptoms!
Qi, or vital energy in the body, is made up of four different types:
Parental Qi is responsible for reproduction and growth. The parental, or Yuan Qi is what we inherit from our parents at conception. This Qi stores itself within the kidney after conception has occurred.
Pectoral Qi regulates breathing which keeps one alive. We create pectoral Qi when we breathe. Our bodies store this Qi in the chest area. We can use this energy to help strengthen our bodies, minds, and emotions.
Nutritional Qi provides nourishment to maintain bodily functions like digestion. Nutritional, or Ying Qi, comes from eating foods and circulates nutrition throughout the body.
Defensive Qi guards against external threats such as bacteria and viruses. Wei Qi is the yang of nutritional Qi, and it also comes from eating foods. It helps protect your body against illness while also being a part of our immune system!
In Chinese Medicine, we talk about clearing out pathogenic factors. This means eliminating any toxicity from our environment. The toxicity could be food, drink and even emotions which allow us to maintain a healthy state of being. To learn more ways to prevent the occurrence, talk to your health care practitioner and be proactive!
Sources to learn more about Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) such as acupuncture:
Our website: www.acumantras.com/blogs
This blog is a way for us to answer your questions or address topics that are important to you in the field of Holistic and Chinese Medicine.
You may not know this, but your environment is a contributor to Qi deficiency and can make you feel sick. We all have the power to prevent or heal. We do this by eating well, drinking water, sleeping more than 7 hours nightly (try for 8-9), and moving our bodies on a daily basis. If you’re feeling tired despite taking these steps, it might be time to seek professional guidance from someone who specializes in Traditional Chinese Medicine!