Dietary principles for male menopausal syndrome and conditioning for liver and kidney yin deficiency type
**II. Dietary Therapy for Male Menopausal Syndrome**
Dietary health is very important for men entering menopause. Since improving gonadal function can fundamentally alleviate various symptoms of male menopause, attention should be paid to choosing foods that nourish the kidneys and enhance virility, as well as foods that help improve and strengthen gonadal function. These include shrimp, mussels, mutton, sheep kidneys, sparrows, leeks, walnuts, sesame seeds, animal organs, black beans, mulberries, honey, turtle meat, soft-shelled turtle meat, white duck meat, pigeon meat, toad oil, black-boned chicken, pig brain, goat milk, eel, loach, sparrow eggs, quail, dog meat, pig kidneys, chestnuts, and venison.
Traditional Chinese medicine dietary therapy often uses dishes such as Cistanche deserticola porridge, Cistanche deserticola stewed mutton, Eucommia ulmoides stir-fried mutton kidney, Cordyceps sinensis stewed duck, shrimp stir-fried with leeks, walnuts stir-fried with leeks, sparrow stir-fried with leeks, and premium yam to improve gonadal function and enhance physical constitution, which can achieve good results. It is also advisable to select foods with heart-nourishing and calming effects, which help improve the function of the nervous and cardiovascular systems, thereby alleviating and improving neurological and cardiovascular symptoms. These include sheep heart, pig heart, beef heart, yam, walnuts, red dates, longan, mulberry, Poria cocos, sunflower seeds, venison, lotus seeds, eggs, wheat, goat milk, honey, lily bulbs, pig liver, beef liver, as well as ginseng, Codonopsis pilosula, American ginseng, licorice, Schisandra chinensis, Angelica sinensis, donkey-hide gelatin, Ganoderma lucidum, Platycladus orientalis seeds, Astragalus membranaceus, deer antler, and placenta.
Traditional Chinese medicine dietary therapy often uses walnut porridge, yam and milk meat soup, yellow wine and walnut paste soup, poria cocos cake, ginseng and jujube rice, mulberry honey paste, candied longan, and roasted lamb heart with rose petals to treat symptoms such as headache, dizziness, insomnia, fatigue, palpitations, shortness of breath, cold hands and feet, and numbness in the limbs, with good results.
In summary, a balanced diet is the principle that men should follow during menopause, and a diverse diet should be maintained in three meals a day. To ensure an adequate supply of inorganic salts, various vitamins, and trace elements, attention should be paid to choosing foods such as whole grains, tubers, dairy products, eggs, lean meats, and seafood. Fresh vegetables and fruits, in particular, are essential natural health foods that should be consumed daily.
In addition, an optimistic mood, a cheerful disposition, a warm and comfortable environment, and moderate exercise can all help alleviate the adverse effects of menopause.
In traditional Chinese medicine, male menopausal syndrome is generally classified into four types: liver and kidney yin deficiency, spleen and kidney yang deficiency, heart qi deficiency, and liver qi stagnation. The clinical manifestations of different types are different, and dietary health care should also be different. According to the principle of TCM syndrome differentiation and treatment, eating certain foods in a targeted manner can effectively improve the clinical symptoms of male menopausal syndrome.
(I) Liver and Kidney Yin Deficiency
Men of this type gradually exhibit symptoms after the age of 50, such as lower back pain and weak legs, dizziness, tinnitus and hearing loss, memory decline, irritability, hot flashes in the palms, soles, and chest, dry mouth and little saliva, easy erection followed by premature ejaculation, decreased semen production, thin tongue coating, red tongue, and a thready and rapid pulse.
At this time, it is advisable to eat foods that nourish yin and reduce internal heat, and avoid spicy, pungent, hot, and yang-boosting foods that damage yin and deplete body fluids, such as chili peppers, cinnamon, ginger, pepper, Sichuan pepper, garlic, onions, cardamom, roasted peanuts, roasted soybeans, popcorn, dog meat, mutton, ginseng, fennel, longan pulp, lychee, cistanche, and cynomorium.
Foods suitable for those with liver and kidney yin deficiency:
Mulberries: Mulberries, also known as mulberry fruit or mulberry dates, are best when they are purplish-black. They are cold in nature and sweet in taste, and have the effects of nourishing the liver and kidneys, tonifying yin, and improving eyesight. They are often used to treat dizziness, blurred vision, tinnitus, dry mouth, and thirst caused by liver and kidney yin deficiency. For men with male menopausal syndrome due to liver and kidney yin deficiency, eating more fresh purplish-black mulberries in summer is particularly beneficial.
The *Ben Cao Jing Shu* states, "Mulberries are sweet and cold, nourishing the blood and clearing heat. They are a medicine for cooling the blood, replenishing blood, and benefiting yin. All five internal organs belong to yin, so benefiting yin benefits the five internal organs. When heat subsides and yin is generated, the liver and heart are free of fire, thus the soul is at peace and the spirit is naturally clear and tranquil. When the spirit is clear, intelligence arises from within."
Yam: Yam is neutral in nature and sweet in taste. It nourishes the kidneys, lungs, spleen, and essence. The Compendium of Materia Medica states, "Yam can strengthen the spleen and replenish deficiency, nourish essence and strengthen the kidneys, treat various deficiencies and injuries, and heal the five weaknesses and seven injuries." The Commentary on the Materia Medica states, "It can replenish the kidneys and replenish essence; when essence is sufficient, yin is strong, eyesight is bright, and hearing is sharp."
Therefore, it is evident that yam is highly suitable for men experiencing menopausal symptoms such as lower back and leg weakness, dizziness and tinnitus, easy erection followed by easy impotence, and decreasing semen volume due to kidney yin deficiency. It should be consumed frequently and in large quantities. Furthermore, it is also suitable for men with menopausal syndrome who are weak and timid, as it has kidney-tonifying and calming effects. As stated in the *Treatise on the Properties of Medicinal Herbs*: "Yam calms the mind and replenishes insufficient heart qi; it is especially beneficial for those with physical weakness."
Black sesame seeds: Black sesame seeds are neutral in nature and sweet in taste. They nourish the liver and kidneys and moisten the five internal organs. In folk medicine, they are often used for people with liver and kidney yin deficiency, as they are believed to strengthen the body, resist aging, darken hair, and strengthen tendons and bones. For male menopausal syndrome caused by liver and kidney yin deficiency, there is a folk remedy of mixing equal amounts of black sesame seeds with walnut kernels and mulberries, then mixing with honey. Take 2 tablespoons three times a day on an empty stomach.
Goji berries: Goji berries are neutral in nature and sweet in taste. They nourish kidney yin, replenish liver blood, and improve eyesight. They are suitable for those with liver and kidney yin deficiency, weak waist and knees, dizziness, forgetfulness, and seminal emission. They are especially suitable for men with menopausal syndrome.
Regarding this, Miao Xiyong, a medical scholar of the Ming Dynasty, said: "Seven or eight out of ten elderly people suffer from yin deficiency. Goji berries can nourish essence and replenish qi, and can clear the eyes of those with yin deficiency and internal heat. This is because when the heat subsides, yin is generated, and when yin is generated, essence and blood naturally increase. The liver opens into the eyes, and the black water and divine light belong to the kidneys. When the yin qi of these two organs increases, the eyes will naturally become clear." Not only does it improve eyesight, but men in their fifties and sixties often experience menopausal syndrome with liver and kidney yin deficiency and yin deficiency with excessive fire. Eating goji berries regularly can correct the syndrome caused by liver and kidney yin deficiency.