The kidneys are the most crucial organ in the human body, and many people will have kidney deficiency. Kidney deficiency is due to insufficient body essence or diseases, and it is also divided into many types. This may be due to excessive body weakness. To treat kidney deficiency, it is necessary to pay attention to the body and eat more nutritious foods, as well as more kidney-tonifying foods.

Food for tonifying the kidneys

Leek

Leeks and leek seeds are both good vegetables for warming and tonifying yang qi, which can tonify kidney and liver deficiency and expel wind and cold. Leek seeds can be cooked alone and eaten, while leeks and walnuts are cooked with sesame oil and then eaten, which has the effects of tonifying the kidneys and warming the loins.

Walnut kernel

It has the effects of tonifying the kidneys and warming the lungs, and moistening the intestines and promoting defecation. The ‘Shennong’s Materia Medica’ lists walnuts as superior quality for lightening the body, invigorating the body, and prolonging life. People with insufficient kidney yang, malaise, cold pain in the waist and knees, frequent urination, and prolonged cough due to lung deficiency are most suitable.

Lychee

The ‘Yu Jiu Medicine Explanation’ says that it ‘warms and tonifies the spleen essence, and warms and nourishes the liver blood’. People with yang deficiency and both deficiency of qi and blood, excessive menstrual flow, and abdominal pain due to hernia can eat some lychee regularly.

Ginger

Ginger is good at dispersing coldness, while dried ginger has the effects of warming the middle and reversing yang, especially warming the spleen yang. People with yang deficiency and cold aversion, epigastric and abdominal cold pain, loose stools and diarrhea, and cold limbs are very suitable.

Cinnamon

It is a commonly used seasoning food with the functions of replenishing yuan yang, warming the spleen and stomach, promoting blood circulation, and dispersing coldness. Ancient famous recipes for treating yang deficiency, such as Yougui Pill and Jinji Kidney Qi Pill, all use cinnamon as the main medicine. Cinnamon is sweet, pungent, and very hot, and can both replenish yang qi and disperse cold evil, so it is most suitable for people with yang deficiency and cold aversion, cold limbs, poor appetite, and cold pain in the waist and knees.

Anise

It has the effects of warming yang and replenishing fire, and dispersing coldness and regulating qi. The medical expert Li Dongyuan of the Jin and Yuan dynasties believed: ‘Anise can replenish the fire of the mingmen’. Anise is pungent, sweet, and warm, and is suitable as a seasoning for people with yang deficiency and fire deficiency and cold congealed qi.

Mutton

It is a good warming and tonifying product with the effects of warming the middle and lower abdomen, and invigorating the body and tonifying deficiency. It is recommended that people with yang deficiency eat it regularly after autumn and winter, which can achieve the effects of tonifying deficiency, dispelling coldness, assisting yuan yang, benefiting the kidney qi, and warming and nourishing the qi and blood. People with kidney deficiency and back pain, cold aversion, epigastric cold pain, and postpartum body deficiency can all benefit from it.

Gecko

It can tonify the kidneys, invigorate the yang, benefit the essence and blood, warm the lungs, stop coughing, and stabilize asthma. Li Shizhen believed that the gecko has the effects of ginseng and mutton, and is very suitable for people with yang deficiency.