Carlos Becerra, R.Ac.
T: 604 788 2455
E: carlos@carlosbecerra.ca
W: www.carlosbecerra.ca
- Water
o ample water throughout the day
- Salty flavoured foods
o miso, sea salt, tamari (soy sauce), salted raw sauerkraut or kimchee (Korean cultured vegetables)
§ each of the five elements in TCM has a flavour attributed to it, and the Water flavour which governs Kidneys is salty
§ to support the Water element, get a healthy amount of salt[1], as too much salt will have the opposite effect
- Kidney shaped foods
o black beans, kidney beans
o most beans such as mung beans, mungbean sprouts, peas, string beans
§ because beans are kidney shaped as well as seeds with potential for new life, these foods have long been considered especially nourishing to the Kidneys
- Blue and black foods
o blueberries, blackberries, mulberry, black beans
§ the colors blue and black correspond to the Water element of the Kidneys
§ it is possible to strengthen the Water element by eating blue/black foods
- Seafood
o fish; abalone, clams, crab, cuttlefish, mussels, oysters, sea cucumber / Hoi Sam; shrimp[2]; seaweeds; whitebait
§ all support the Water element
- Seeds
o sweet apricot seed, flax, pumpkin, sunflower, black and white sesame
§ seeds relate to fertility and growth which is governed by Kidney energy
- Nuts
o walnuts, chestnuts (also nourishes Kidney yang)
§ nuts are seeds
§ these nuts are particularly recommended for Kidney energy
- Animal Products
o pork, duck, lamb, rabbit, chicken eggs, duck eggs, cheese, cow’s milk, yoghurt
§ small amounts of animal protein can be used therapeutically here
§ animal foods are the most direct way to get the building blocks and constituents of this Yin essence
§ pork and duck are considered moistening
§ since animal products are dense foods there are some cautions
· if there is digestive impairment, the high fat content of duck may be too much
· lamb is the most warming of the meats, so if you have a lot of hot flashes or night sweats, this may not be appropriate
· excess cheese may be too dampening for the Spleen
· too much meat, particularly without the balance of vegetables, will Stagnate the Liver and create heat
- Bone-Marrow Broths & Soups
o specially pork marrow
o this will nourish Marrow governed by Kidneys
§ especially beneficial for people wanting to prevent or heal osteoporosis
- Grains
o barley, millet, polished rice
§ these are both mildly cooling and nourishing to Yin
- Vegetables
o asparagus, deep green leafy vegetables
§ since it has diuretic properties, asparagus is especially helpful with opening the flow for those with dark, scanty urine
§ deep green leafy vegetables build the Blood, and since Blood is a Yin fluid, they are highly recommended
o also moist vegetables such as celery, cucumbers and tomato are helpful
- Fruits and Melons
o specially apple, bitter melon / bitter gourd / balsam pear, cantaloupe / muskmelon, dates, figs, kumquats, lemon, litchi, loquat, mandarin oranges, mangoes, pears, pineapples, pomegranates , red bayberries / myrica rubra / yangmei / yamamomo, star fruit / carambola, watermelon
§ these are emphasized since they are moistening and mildly cooling
§ too much fruit can be too cooling resulting in diarrhea, but 2-4 pieces of fruit a day should be fine
- Tonics
o spirulina, kelp, chlorella, wheatgrass
§ these mineral rich foods build the Blood which enhances Yin
§ they are also high in nucleic acids (RDA/DNA) which have been shown to reduce signs of aging
- Mineral rich herbs
o nettles, oatstraw
§ nettles is a gentle, cooling tonic that supports the Blood and Kidneys, while oatstraw strengthens the nerves
- Moistening herbs
o marshmallow, slippery elm, comfrey, aloe vera gel
§ they are moistening
o flax seed tea could be used here too.
- Chinese Herbs
o Rehmannia root - often found in the patent formula used for Kidney Yin Deficiency called “Six Flavor Tea Pills” or “Rehmannia Six”
- Others
o Tofu, bird’s nest, brown and white sugar, sugar cane, coconut milk, white fungus / snow fungus, honey, royal jelly, yams
SAMPLE KIDNEY YIN DAY
- Upon arising
o a glass of warm water
- Breakfast
o yoghurt with blueberries or blackberries, sunflower and flax seeds
o nettle tea
- Beverage Break
o a glass of water (room temperature)
- Mid-morning snack
o freshly toasted pumpkin seeds with a little sea salt
- Beverage break
o two teaspoons of aloe vera gel in a glass of water (room temperature)
- Lunch
o seafood on a bed steamed deep green leafy vegetables with a side of millet
- Beverage break
o a glass of water (room temperature)
- Afternoon snack
o fruits
- Beverage break
o a glass of water (room temperature)
- Dinner
o black bean and barley soup, flavoured with miso
o baked pear with walnuts and raisins
- Evening beverage
o marshmallow & oatstraw tea
RECOMMENDED ACTIVITIES TO PRESERVE AND NOURISH KIDNEY YIN
- gentle stretching
- tai qi
- qi gong
- meditation
- gentle exercise
- walking
- sleeping
[1] Most healthy adults need only between 1,500 and 2,400 milligrams (mg) of sodium a day; but if you have high blood pressure, are older than 50, are black, or have such chronic conditions as heart disease, kidney disease or diabetes, you may be more sensitive to sodium; in that case, aim for less than 1,500 mg of sodium a day; just 1 level teaspoon of salt has 2,300 mg of sodium.
