I got such great feedback on my first post about dairy, I figured it would be worth pursuing another one. If you haven’t read Part 1, please head over and read that first because I am going to proceed here like you are all very astute Chinese medicine thinkers. That being said, today we need to talk about Dryness because this is a condition or an imbalance that dairy can actually help with. To understand why, you need to have a little bit of a background on something called Yin Deficiency.
I left off saying in my last post that giving up dairy entirely would not serve everyone. Take me for example, dairy is my BFF. I get along well with dairy, it doesn’t cause me any issues and I have a body type and a genetic makeup that tends more in the direction of Dryness and Yin Deficiency rather than Dampness and Phlegm (conditions that I talked about it my last post). Stay with me, I’ll explain this seemingly complicated lingo, I promise.
Dryness is intimately connected with this concept of Yin Deficiency in the acupuncture world. In very simplified terms, Yin Deficiency is what happens when fluid starts to dry up in the body. This is most easily understood when thinking about a woman’s menstrual cycle. Women have a period every month for a good percentage of their lives; in other words, women lose blood every month. Over time and around a certain age, we are all aware that women stop having their period when they go through menopause and people often joke about the middle-aged body ‘drying up’ as it ages. Well, there is actually more truth to that than you may have thought.
Let’s think of blood and body fluids collectively grouped under the term, “Yin”. Over time, the more blood and body fluids we lose either through menstruation, or other means like childbirth or trauma start to deplete our “reserves.” Another way we can deplete our Yin is through sweating heavily. (Side note: this is why I’m not the hugest fan of hot yoga, but that’s another blog post for another time.)
So, how do you know if you might be experiencing signs and symptoms of Yin Deficiency? Some of the common symptoms of Yin deficiency include: feeling hot in the afternoon and/or at night, low grade fever, hotness in the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet, thirst, dryness in the mouth, red/flushed cheeks and/or lips, constipation, and burning urination. These are just some of the main symptoms, but as you can see they tend more towards someone feeling warm/hot and that is because Yin in general is cooling in the body so when we deplete our Yin, we tend to feel warmer. When you are Yin deficient, other physical signs may also be present, such as wrinkling and dryness of the skin, muscles and skin that just hang off the bones, or dry and brittle hair. For these people, dairy might actually really help!
Women, (as you might have already imagined) are more prone towards Yin Deficiency. Older women (typically) are particularly more prone towards Yin Deficiency BUT, one of the beauties of Chinese medicine is that it is a very extensive system of preventative health care. While older women may be the population that might experience more of the severe Yin deficient signs, younger women and even men should still be mindful of any imbalance in this direction as well.
The following example may shed some light on what this may look like in ‘real life’; one of my acupuncture professors once told my class the story of a woman who tried very hard to exercise and keep her body in great physical shape by lifting weights and doing hot yoga 3 times a week. As hard as she tried though, she could not improve her muscle tone and her skin just hung off of her. She was vegan and had been for quite some time and while that dietary choice may work for some people, it was NOT working for her. This particular woman looked about 20 years older than she actually was and she was suffering severely from premature menopausal symptoms which worried her because she wanted to have kids and she felt like her time was running out. My professor suggested that she drink a gallon of milk and eat two hard boiled eggs every day. Now, I know that suggestion sounds extreme and I can honestly say I have never given anyone the homework of drinking an entire gallon of milk, BUT he said the results were unbelievable. Within just a few weeks the woman started to look younger, feel better, and her muscle tone greatly improved.
This is an example of a woman whose Yin was drastically depleted. I know that example is extreme and I’m HOPING from the bottom of my heart you can read this and understand how different we all are. I’m HOPING that if you have some wrinkles on your face you don’t overlook some of the other signs and symptoms that might be going on in your body and ignore them just to chug a gallon of milk on your way home from work to preserve your youth! The point I want to make is that dairy can greatly help some people with symptoms of Yin deficiency, as long as they are not adversely affected by it. I strongly urge you to play detective in your own life and avoid extreme diets, cleanses, and fasting. I also strongly urge you to start understanding and looking closely at what your body may be telling you and what it needs.
Again, I want to remind you that if anything I mentioned today leaves you saying, “Oh that’s me,” it may behoove you to take charge of your health and talk with a professional. Acupuncturists are very well versed and educated in nutrition, so don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions. If you’re not local, I can easily find you a referral in your area!
Let’s keep the conversation going; I’m here for you. I offer an extensive reset & cleanse program in the Spring, learn more here!
