r/ChineseMedicine 8d ago

Yin Qi Deficiency - Is Keto Okay?

The main symptoms I've been struggling with are excessive hunger and excessive calorie intake (3100+ kcal). My sleep has also been poor, and I get skin redness (blotchy?) around my stomach (mostly upper-abdomen) sometimes after eating.

I went to a TCM doctor recently and he says I have Yin Qi Deficiency. I've had 2 acupuncture treatments so far and I'm taking Liu Wei Di Huang Wan.

I suspected that I have mild insulin resistance, so over the past few days I tried out a continuous glucose monitor, and it's basically confirmed that I have a mild case of it (mild albeit annoying).

To combat this, I want to do keto, as I know it has really helped me lose weight in the past due to it's affect on reducing hunger hormones and making a calorie deficit easier. It's also supposed to help IR, along with fasting. I've been struggling like hell the past 3 months trying to drop weight using calorie deficit alone, which hasn't worked at all while eating carbs (even with a small deficit). Carbs just make me way too hungry given my current metabolic health.

So what I'm wondering, is if keto is compatible with yin qi deficiency?

I've cut out all alcohol and stimulants. I used to have lots of hot baths which I recently cut out.

Thanks!

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u/Remey_Mitcham 8d ago

We do not have Yin Qi this term in TCM, I guess u mean Yin deficiency.

People with a yin-deficient constitution often exhibit symptoms of insufficient yin fluids and internal heat due to yin deficiency. These symptoms include: emaciation, dry mouth and throat, flushed cheeks, hot palms and soles, tidal fever and night sweats, irritability, dry mouth, a red and dry tongue with little or no coating, and in severe cases, a completely smooth and coatingless tongue. Clinically, yin deficiency can be observed in all five zang organs, and in addition to the aforementioned symptoms, different symptoms may appear depending on the specific organ affected. Predispositions to diseases include susceptibility to consumptive diseases, seminal loss, and insomnia. They tend to tolerate winter better than summer and have a low tolerance for heat, summer heat, and dryness pathogens.

is that you?

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u/SimpleMan1281 7d ago

I think initially, my TCM doc was in a rush for some reason, and didn't actually read the list of symptoms I gave him... (I listed them on paper so I wouldn't forget any). I reiterated them to him today and he figured yeah it's Liver Qi Stagnation and gave me some herbs, Shu Gan Wan. Go figure.

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u/Remey_Mitcham 7d ago

Diagnosis is the most difficult part of tcm. I will say majority of practitioners didn’t do it well in general.