Do you also face this dilemma: You clearly feel yang deficiency, with hands and feet as cold as ice, and on winter nights, even after a long time under the covers, they just won’t warm up. So you buy all kinds of yang-tonifying herbs and foods, but what's the result? Your hands and feet remain just as cold, and on top of that, you start experiencing "internal heat" symptoms like dry mouth and throat, acne breakouts on your face, restlessness, and insomnia.

What's going on here? Could it be that you've been supplementing incorrectly?

In fact, the problem likely isn't with the "supplementing" but with the "circulation." To put it simply, our bodies are like a complex city heating system, with yang qi acting as the heat source. If the pipes (meridians) are blocked or the control center (qi mechanism) goes on strike, then no matter how much fuel (tonics) you add to the boiler, the warmth won't reach every household (the body's extremities). Instead, the boiler room (the body's middle burner) will overheat, leading to "internal heat."

So, blindly supplementing is like adding to traffic congestion. If you want yang qi to truly warm your whole body, the key is to "first unblock, then supplement." The following three steps are the core principles for clearing obstacles and paving the way for your yang qi.

Step One: Unblock the "Main Arteries"—Meridians

Traditional Chinese Medicine believes that "the meridians are the pathways that facilitate the flow of qi and blood, nourishing yin and yang." This means that the meridians are the channels through which yang qi and blood circulate. If these pathways are blocked, yang qi naturally cannot move freely.

Why are modern people prone to blocked meridians? Prolonged sitting is one of the main reasons. Staying in one position for too long causes muscles to stiffen, slowing down the circulation of qi and blood, which makes the meridians more susceptible to stagnation. You may experience symptoms like neck stiffness, back tightness, and soreness in the waist and legs—all signs from the meridians signaling "this path is blocked."

Especially on our backs, there is the "Governor Vessel" (Du Mai), which oversees the yang qi of the entire body and is referred to as the "sea of yang meridians." When the Governor Vessel is unobstructed, the yang qi throughout the entire body can be invigorated.

How to do it?

Stretch frequently and stay active: During work breaks, stand up, expand your chest, stretch your back, and move your shoulders, neck, and waist. A simple movement called "interlocking hands behind the back" can effectively stretch the meridians of the shoulders and back.

Bask in the sun with your back facing it: On sunny days, turn your back to the sun for 15–20 minutes. Allowing the warmth of the sunlight to warm the Governor Vessel is the simplest and most natural way to replenish and unblock Yang Qi.

Step Two: Restart the "Chief Dispatcher"—Qi Mechanism

If the meridians are like roads, then Qi mechanism is the "traffic control center" directing the flow of Yang Qi. Only when the Qi mechanism is smooth can Yang Qi proceed in an orderly manner to where it needs to go. This control center is closely linked to our emotions.

In traditional Chinese medicine, it is said that "the liver governs free flow," and this "free flow" function includes regulating the Qi mechanism throughout the body. If you are often under high stress, tend to hold in your anger, and keep everything bottled up inside, it is as if you are causing this "chief dispatcher" to become depressed and go on strike. Once liver Qi stagnates, the Qi mechanism becomes chaotic, and Yang Qi naturally gets stuck, blocked halfway.

How?

Learn to take deep breaths: When you feel frustrated or anxious, try taking a few deep, slow diaphragmatic breaths. Inhale while expanding your belly, and exhale while drawing it in. This simple movement can effectively soothe liver qi and help "knotted" qi flow smoothly.

Moderate stress relief: Don’t bear everything alone. Go for a walk, listen to soothing music, or chat with friends to release your inner discontent. Only when your qi flows smoothly can yang qi find its path.

Step Three: Clear the "Roadblocks" – Cold and Dampness

The road is clear, and the traffic flow is normal, but if the road is piled up with "trash," the vehicle of yang qi still won't run fast. The most common "trash" on this road is cold pathogens and dampness.

"Cold causes contraction, and dampness is sticky and lingering." Coldness causes the channels and blood vessels to contract and spasm, like a river frozen in winter; dampness is like muddy water, sticky and viscous, obstructing the flow of yang qi. When the two combine, yang qi faces even greater difficulty in moving forward.

Why are modern people prone to excessive cold and dampness? Greed for cold drinks and raw foods, excessive use of air conditioning, and not drying hair promptly after washing—these habits unknowingly invite cold and dampness into the body.

Control your diet: Drink fewer cold beverages and eat less raw, cold fruits and salads. When cooking, you can appropriately add ingredients like ginger, scallions, and garlic, which are warm and pungent foods that help dispel cold.

Soaking feet in warm water: Soak your feet in warm water at around 40°C for 15–20 minutes every night until you sweat slightly. The soles of the feet have many acupuncture points, and soaking them in warm water can warm and unblock the meridians, guide fire downward, draw excess fire stuck in the upper body down, and simultaneously expel cold-dampness from the body. Adding a few slices of ginger during foot soaking yields even better results.

In summary, before replenishing Yang, ask yourself first: "Is my energy flowing freely?" Unblocking the meridians, soothing liver Qi, and dispelling cold-dampness—these three steps are fundamental. Once the pathways in your body are unobstructed, even a modest supplement of Yang energy will yield twice the result with half the effort. Soon, you’ll rediscover that warm, glowing sensation from the inside out, reaching all the way to your hands and feet.