I am curious if you know of any resource that classifies some supplements ( other than Chinese herbs) as warm, cold,etc. etc. ie. VitB12. I don't know even how to word it to google.
Hi Tammy,
I have tried finding that same information before as i am also currently taking supplements for general health maintenance. It is a difficult task no matter how you word it, is my experience. This information is sparse and widely spread out multiple various sites. It will be more readily available on Chinese-based websites probably, but i usually search anything online via English as i read English much faster than i do at reading Chinese. Personally, i have been taking afew of this supplements on a non-constant mixed ratio and frequent basis over multiple years and still do. For the sake of accuracy, i will tell you only 4 items that have common consensus in the TCM community and also corroborates with my personal consumption experience:
1.
American Ginseng/Xi Yang Shen:
"Slightly Cold". In TCM, can be said to be the "best herb at almost instantly" nourishing "yin" of alot organs especially in serious chronic deficiency. Nourishes "Qi"/immediate usable energy, but effects at nourishing "Qi" are still much weaker than Red Ginseng (Korean and China). American Ginseng is commonly used in Asia for diabetes patients especially.
http://old.tcmwiki.com/wiki/xi-yang-shen
2.
Chlorella:
"Cold" thermal property. Said to be one of the best "Jing/stored energy reserves" tonics due to the fact that the "Chlorella Growth Factor/CGF" allows chlorella it to reproduce 4 times in less than a day. It nourishes "kidney yin" and "Qi"
Personally: i find it very amazingly good at nourishing "Jing"/stored energy reserves, but it is too "Cold" and for people with "Dampness", there should be care in consumption/low consumption here as TCM says that "Cold" slows things down and indirectly contributes to "Dampness". Hence, i personally consume it together with "Warm" Spirulina to balance the thermal properties on a 1:1 ratio and maximum 2:1 ratio for times when i get too "Cold". In TCM, one symptom of too much "Cold" other than feeling "Cold" easily is when you get very loose watery stools and diarrohea though this is subjective because Chlorella is said to also have a detox function on digestion.
I have also personally observed detox characteristics over short time periods here, including flushed faces and rashes too etc) so the reactions might be too strong for some to handle.
Another side of the story here about Chlorella: I have had quite afew relatives consuming Chlorella and afew of their reactions was that it was extremely "hot" in property. My personal interpretation/theory (not TCM's) here is that this might occur because they have no "Jing/Stored energy" deficiency, so more "Jing" tonification here causes excessive heat.
3.
Spirulina: Spirulina is "Warm'. Tonifies "blood-deficiency" and liver and Yang-Energy. Said to partially tonify "Jing/stored energy reserves" too.
Personally: i find that taking Spirulina gives me noticeably-improved "short-term brain energy that doesnt last if not taken (if sufficient dosage), while taking Chlorella over a longer time-duration seems to give the same effect too but the brain-energy impact seems to have a longer enduring timespan even after non-consumption.
4.
Royal Jelly: In TCM, royal jelly is said to strongly tonify "Jing"/stored energy reserves, tonify "Heart, Spleen, "Liver" and improves the immune system dramatically.
TCM caution here (one TCM doctor told one of my family members): For people with sensitive nasals/environmental allergies, while Royal Jelly is very good, some sensitive allergies people might find their allergic symptoms (sneezing) getting worse, so caution must be exercised here. This is also confirmed by a family member who has slight unknown environmental allergies consuming it and getting worse in sneezing symptom till consumption was stopped.
Personally: i find that Royal Jelly has an overwhelming ability to simulate the immune system and improve body resistance to illness and as i am a relatively healthy individual, i find it abit strange/unsettling/disturbing somewhat (due to the vastly simulated immune system) so i have stopped consuming it after 6 months or so of daily constant consumption afew years ago.
http://old.tcmwiki.com/wiki/royal-jelly
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"Brain Fog":
As you've probably noticed, one common point of all above is that i consume supplements that tonify "Jing"/stored energy reserves. This is due to my sickness experience 15 years ago for which i've experienced "brain fog" severely too, and at times not knowing how to walk home too. In TCM's view, one common cause of "brain fog" is due to "Jing"/stored energy reserves Deficiency, though there are also other factors like "dampness" too.
Over the multiple years since the time i have healed, i have found that whenever i feel a temporary lack of brain energy (over a afew hours or a day or so), consuming "Jing"/store energy reserve tonics never fails to improve my "brain energy" level.
My personal favourite for improving brain energy is Chlorella as i find it best if taken daily (at 2000+ mg) over a month (with additional accompanying Spirulina to balance thermal property), but great care is exercised here as i eat it only on my "less damp days". My personal view is that Chlorella can easily cause cold and dampness issues even for a healthy person. I have also found that the above supplements also give the same personal effects as TCM herbs that tonify "Jing"/stored potential energy too such as Rhemannia for instance
In TCM, the concepts/issues of Winter season, "Jing"/stored energy reserves and "Brain Fog" are highly related. If anyone is interested in hearing about this, yell out and i'll do a post on it sometime
Wish you all a Good Day Ahead
Wintersky
