Recently, many friends have come to ask me: "Doctor, why do I feel more dry and hot when I use Astragalus (Huangqi) to make tea for replenishing Qi in the summer?" Actually, this is quite simple to understand! In summer, Yang Qi tends to rise to the surface, the weather is hot and stifling, and even mild activity can make one sweat. This sweat doesn't just contain water; it also carries Qi and body fluids from our body. Simply replenishing Qi without replenishing body fluids is like only adding firewood to a stove without adding water—it will certainly burn hotter and hotter. It's no wonder one feels "heaty"! Don't worry, today I will share several excellent Astragalus combinations for you. These will allow you to replenish Qi in the summer while also strengthening the spleen, promoting fluid production, and clearing heat!

First: Astragalus (Huangqi) + Ophiopogon Root (Maidong) — Replenishes Qi and Nourishes Yin

Though astragalus is the ace player for replenishing qi, using it alone in summer can easily lead to over-supplementation. The golden combination of astragalus with ophiopogon is highly effective: ophiopogon can nourish yin and generate fluids, helping to clear the heart and relieve restlessness, as well as moisten the lungs and clear the stomach. If you often experience symptoms like dry mouth and throat, restlessness and insomnia, hot flashes and night sweats, or even dry cough and constipation during summer, these are mostly signs of both qi and yin deficiency. In such cases, consider brewing a cup of tea with astragalus and ophiopogon. Once both qi and body fluids are adequately replenished, these discomforts will naturally be alleviated.

Second: Astragalus + Dendrobium (Shihu) – Nourishes Yin and Clears Heat

The combination of astragalus and dendrobium is especially suitable for those with yin deficiency and internal heat. If you often feel a deficiency heat in your body, thirst and desire to drink water, loss of appetite and nausea, or heat in the palms and soles of your feet at night—especially for those with kidney yin deficiency who frequently experience a burning sensation deep in the bones—you should definitely try this pairing. Astragalus boosts qi and generates fluids, while dendrobium nourishes yin and clears heat. Together, they can quickly reduce deficiency heat.

Third: Astragalus + Honeysuckle (Jinyinhua) – Boosts Qi and Strengthens the Spleen, Clears Summer Heat

Honeysuckle has a sweet taste and cold nature, belonging to the lung and stomach meridians. It possesses the effects of clearing heat and detoxifying, reducing inflammation and swelling, and relieving summer heat. When combined with astragalus to make tea, it not only tonifies qi but also alleviates thirst and irritability caused by summer heat. It also helps improve skin conditions like eczema and prickly heat.

The content of this article is for informational purposes only. Please exercise caution when it comes to medications, choose appropriate combinations based on your own physical condition, and it is recommended that you use medications under the guidance of a professional physician!