(Source: hi.baidu.com)

Those Chinese people believe that the common cold is yin pathogens and easily damages the yang. Since the yang qi of the human body is rooted in the kidneys, the yin pathogens may hurt the kidneys in winter. If the kidneys are hurt, it may cause pain in waist or legs, susceptible to cold, nocturia, impotence and other diseases. If the kidneys are not protected well, it may lead to mouth parched and tongue scorched, or dizziness due to the deficiency of the kidneys’ yin. Therefore it is very important to protect the kidneys against the cold air. Chinese people tonify the kidneys in the following ways:

First, distinguish the deficiency of yin from the deficiency of yang. The deficiency of kidneys is divided into deficiency of yin and yang. If one is deficient in yin, he must eat sea cucumber, medlar, turtles or white fungus to nourish his kidneys. Meanwhile, if one is deficient in yang, he will take antler, psoralen or cinnamon.

Second, insist on doing exercise. "Life is movement." According to traditional Chinese medicine, physical activities, including the movement of joints, bones and other organizations are controlled by the kidneys. Thus in winter, people should do exercises to nourish the liver, tonify the kidneys, stimulate the circulation of the blood and cause the muscles and joints to relax, which enhances the body’s resilience. Exercises such as walking, jogging, playing with balls, boxing and swordplay, are all suitable for winter. Of course, during exercise, one needs to keep warm and avoid catching a cold.

Third, massage therapy. Massage therapy is very effective for tonifying the kidneys. It is divided into two types. One is to press and rub the waist: first, rub your hands until they are warm and press the waist and rub at least 30 times. It is said in certain circles that the waist is the home of kidneys. Rubbing the waist can dredge the muscles and vessels and improve the function of the kidneys. The other is to rub the dan tian (lower belly): rub your hands until they are warm, and massage 30 to 50 times. This can help to enhance one’s immune functions, tonify the kidneys, and prolong one’s life.

(Source: weather.com.cn)  

There are also other methods, such as knocking one’s teeth, washing one’s feet in hot water and rubbing the arch of one’s foot or basking in the sun. The back should keep warm by wearing a cotton or wool vest to protect the yang of one’s kidneys.

Source: weather.com.cn

Translated by Zhang Min

Editor: Wen Yi & Zhang Min