🌿 Folk Prescriptions

Perhaps everyone has experienced dizziness at some point. Beyond medical causes, many don’t understand why they feel dizzy. Dr. Wang Linpeng, head of the Acupuncture Department at Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, explains from a TCM perspective that unhealthy habits are the primary cause of dizziness.
First, diet: you might not realize that consuming too much greasy food can lead to dizziness. Overindulgence in rich, fatty foods damages the spleen and stomach. According to TCM, the spleen and stomach normally allow clear qi to ascend and turbid qi to descend. Greasy food impairs this normal function. Additionally, rich foods easily generate dampness and phlegm—both contributing factors to dizziness.
Second, due to faster lifestyles, many, especially young people, habitually stay up late, which is also a reason for daytime dizziness. "Liver yang disturbance" refers to dizziness caused by disrupted yin-yang balance due to lack of nighttime rest. Furthermore, individuals who are naturally yin-deficient and stay up late experience brain activity even when the body should be resting, easily leading to dizziness. TCM holds that the liver regulates qi movement and closely interacts with blood, qi, and yin-yang. If liver function becomes imbalanced, dizziness may result. Regarding the liver, TCM also mentions "excess liver yang," primarily manifesting in emotional issues. If someone is emotionally unstable or frequently angry, liver yang ascends abnormally, making dizziness unsurprising.
Moreover, depressed or gloomy emotions also disrupt qi movement, causing dizziness and blurred vision. Thus, to avoid persistent dizziness, one must eliminate unhealthy habits and maintain good emotional health. Dr. Wang concludes that dizziness is merely a symptom, categorized as either excess or deficiency. The aforementioned conditions—excess liver yang and stagnant qi—are classified as excess syndromes. Those prone to "arousing liver fire" should drink more chrysanthemum tea and mung bean soup. Fruits like watermelon and pears can help clear heat. Vegetables should include bitter melon and celery. For deficiency syndromes caused by qi or blood deficiency—common among women—foods like peanuts, goji berries, ginseng, and black chicken are recommended. For frequent dizziness, Dr. Wang’s dietary prescriptions include: Shan Yao Yu Rou Porridge: Combine 60 grams shan yao, 30 grams raw rehmannia, 15 grams cornus fruit, and 100 grams rice, then boil and consume. Wu Ji Yi Mi Porridge: Use one black chicken and 50 grams coix seed, stewed gently. Alternatively, use 500 grams chicken and 50 grams polygonum multiflorum, stewed gently and eaten regularly. Red Date Glutinous Rice Porridge: Use 10 red dates, 30 grams goji berries, appropriate glutinous rice, and a little rock sugar, boiled into porridge and consumed regularly.