Is this your situation? Even though the weather is scorching hot, you still end up wearing more clothes than others. You feel cold hands and feet year-round, and the situation becomes even more obvious in winter. What's going on? Many people think this is simply a lack of Yang Qi, and that tonifying Yang will solve it. However, from the perspective of Traditional Chinese Medicine, the first step in regulation absolutely must not be directly tonifying Yang!

Traditional Chinese Medicine believes that Yang deficiency leads to cold, but the reasons for feeling cold and having cold hands and feet are actually divided into several types. Take young people nowadays, for example. They usually seem quite energetic, don't get tired easily, and don't show signs of decreased immunity, but once winter arrives, their hands and feet feel like they've been stuffed with ice. In reality, this isn't because their Yang Qi is insufficient; it's because their Yang Qi cannot circulate freely within the body.

Nowadays, young people face high levels of stress—either staring at computers and phones all day or lounging on the couch without moving—which can easily cause liver qi stagnation. Normally, yang qi flows smoothly to the tips of the hands and feet, but when it gets blocked by this stagnant energy, the hands and feet naturally fail to warm up. A characteristic of this type of coldness is that the areas above the elbows and knees often remain warm, while the tongue may appear slightly swollen on both sides when extended—this is a sign of blocked yang qi.

This is similar to having a heating system with plenty of heat generated, but the pipes are clogged, preventing the warmth from reaching the rooms, leaving the house chilly. In such a case, if you forcibly add more fuel to the furnace without clearing the pipes, the heat will build up inside the boiler, potentially causing issues. In the human body, this means that supplementing yang qi may lead to excessive internal heat, resulting in symptoms like a sore throat or mouth ulcers, which ultimately does more harm than good.

Therefore, in this situation, the focus should not be on supplementation but on—unblocking. At this point, one may consider using Sini San for regulation. It contains only four herbs: Bupleurum, Immature Bitter Orange, Peony, and Prepared Licorice. Although it does not directly supplement yang qi, it helps regulate the stagnant liver qi, allowing yang qi to flow smoothly again. However, it is important to remember not to confuse it with Sini Tang. Sini Tang is intended for those with genuine yang deficiency. These two formulas have similar names but serve very different purposes, and they should not be taken indiscriminately.

Ultimately, feeling cold is not a minor issue, but it is even more concerning to engage in misguided regulation without understanding one’s body condition, such as hastily supplementing yang qi. Be cautious, as this could worsen the situation. Before making any adjustments, it is essential to determine whether you are experiencing yang deficiency or simply blocked yang qi. Accurate diagnosis and tailored regulation are far more reliable.

The content of this article is intended for educational purposes only. If you experience any physical discomfort, please seek guidance from a qualified healthcare professional for proper diagnosis and treatment. Do not blindly follow trends and self-medicate, as this may delay proper medical care.