🌿 Yin-Yang Balance — The Foundation of Life

 

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) emphasizes that the balance of Yin and Yang is the foundation of life.

Only when Yin and Yang are in harmony can a person remain healthy and full of vitality; when this balance is disturbed, illness, premature aging, or even death may follow.

 

During my year of study at Alhambra Medical University, I have learned that the principle of Yin-Yang balance runs through every aspect of TCM. From The Yellow Emperor’s Inner Classic (Huangdi Neijing) to various clinical courses, I have come to understand that restoring Yin-Yang harmony is not only the goal of TCM treatment but also the essence of maintaining life. These teachings have deeply influenced me and benefited me immensely.

 

👵 A Lesson from My Mother’s Experience

 

Last summer, I returned to China to visit my 90-year-old mother who lives in a nursing home. She had always been relatively healthy, but this time I noticed that her heartbeat remained between 90 and 115 beats per minute, her tongue was red with no coating, and she suffered from constipation, restless sleep, and irritability.

 

After some inquiries, I learned that her attending physician had prescribed Huangqi Shenmai Yin and Guipi Wan, both formulas designed to tonify Qi and strengthen the spleen.

 

However, based on my observation and the knowledge I gained from TCM, I believed my mother was suffering from severe Yin deficiency. Continuing to tonify Qi would only worsen the imbalance between Yin and Yang. I therefore suggest stopping these two herbal formulas.

 

At first, my advice was met with doubt and resistance from both the doctor and my family—after all, I was only a second-year TCM student studying in the United States. Fortunately, at my request, another experienced TCM practitioner in the nursing home, Dr. Shi, was invited to evaluate her condition.

 

To my relief, Dr. Shi agreed with my assessment and supported discontinuing Huangqi Shenmai Yin and Guipi Wan. He also accepted my suggestion to use Tianwang Buxin Dan (Heavenly Emperor Heart-Nourishing Pill) as the base prescription.

 

Amazingly, after one day of taking the new formula, my mother’s constipation improved. After three days, her heartbeat returned to normal (68–78 beats per minute). The caregiver also reported that my mother began sleeping peacefully at night and no longer felt agitated.

 

🌸 Reflections

 

Looking back, I realized that if I had not studied TCM, my mother might have continued using those Qi-tonifying medicines—keeping her heart racing above 100 beats per minute, as if a 90-year-old woman were running all day long. The consequences could have been devastating.

 

This experience taught me a profound lesson:

Not all herbal medicines are inherently good; they must be used correctly and suited to the individual’s condition. Only the right treatment for the right person can truly restore Yin-Yang balance and promote health and longevity.

 

I am deeply grateful for the year of study at Alhambra Medical University, where I received my first true enlightenment in Traditional Chinese Medicine. It helped me understand not only the theoretical foundation and clinical significance of TCM, but also its deep wisdom in harmonizing the body, mind, and nature.

 

Yan Yu 

11/3/2025