In summer, the sun makes people sweat profusely, yet some folks have hands and feet that feel cold to the touch, feel chills at the slightest breeze, and think about taking things like deer antler velvet or mutton to nourish their Yang Qi. However, they immediately suffer from excess internal heat, developing blisters at the corners of their mouths and a throat so dry it feels like it's on fire. What's going on here? From the perspective of Traditional Chinese Medicine, unblocking Yang in summer is more important than nourishing Yang. Only by smoothing the pathways of Yang Qi can the body truly feel comfortable.

In summer, the outside world is like a huge furnace, and the Yang Qi in the universe is at its peak. The Yang Qi in our bodies is also dispersing outward. At this time, forcefully taking Yang-nourishing substances is like pouring hot oil onto a red-hot iron wok—it's no wonder things "blow up." Strong tonics like ginseng and aconite, when they encounter the external summer heat—two sources of heat clashing—how could a person not suffer from excess internal heat?

From a Traditional Chinese Medicine perspective, many people don’t feel cold due to a lack of Yang energy—it’s because the Yang energy is blocked along the way. Just like when a home’s heating system is producing plenty of heat, but the pipes are clogged with limescale, the room remains chilly. Similarly, when dampness accumulates in our bodies, it acts like this limescale, tightly blocking the pathways of Yang energy, leading to cold hands and feet and a constant feeling of chilliness.

This type of person often feels tired, unwilling to move, has an oily face and scalp, and feels mentally sluggish. Eating cold foods can easily cause diarrhea, and stools are sticky and hard to flush clean. These are all signs of dampness blocking the pathway of yang energy, preventing it from circulating freely. Forcibly supplementing yang energy in this situation is like applying high pressure to a clogged pipe—it won't clear the blockage and can instead lead to damp-heat stagnation, resulting in symptoms like heavy fatigue throughout the body and a bitter taste in the mouth, making it even harder to regulate.

Therefore, the key to nourishing yang in summer lies in unblocking rather than supplementing. For this situation, the Four Gentlemen Decoction can be considered for regulation: Codonopsis to tonify qi, Atractylodes to strengthen the spleen, Poria to dispel dampness, and Licorice to harmonize. When these four herbs are combined, they do not aggressively supplement but instead help the spleen and stomach transform and expel dampness. Once the spleen and stomach functions improve and dampness is eliminated, the pathways for yang qi naturally become unobstructed, and the hands and feet gradually warm up.

That being said, the content of this article is for informational purposes only. Each of us has a different constitution. If you consistently feel unwell, avoid self-medicating and consider seeking timely medical advice for targeted and appropriate treatment.