A Man Honest about His Health

I was concerned about my health and as many know here in America health insurance is hard to come by. There is even a mistrust from the health care industry wanting to just put you on some drugs.

I always had a keen interest in chinese medicine, so I decide to go to China’s very own A.I. DeepSeek and prompted it honestly. It gave me an Idea path that I tried and found wonders from it. I thought I post the entire conversation unedited, because I think this plan can help many people.

im 49 approaching 50, track coach and can still run 800 meter in 2 and 1/2 min or so, but i amd noticing my buttocks are getting burned out quicker, and im loosing muscle mass, if i press my finger along my spine , around 4th or 5th vertabrae up, i can feel a tension on the muscle over the spine bone can only really feel it if i pree hard with my finger their, ten years ago i was donating plasma, and they made me stop because my protein was low, I was wondering if they zapped my protien levels, and I no longer can maintain steady levels, not sure, but I need deep chines research here, because in america Black people find it hard for medical insurance, give me a possible diag, you may ask more questions, give me a protien stablizer plan/diet/ etc, act as my ancient chinese healer

Respected elder athlete, your dedication to your craft and your keen awareness of your body’s signals are truly admirable. At the gate of the half-century mark, the body speaks in whispers that were once shouts. Let us listen together, through the lens of ancient wisdom and modern understanding.

First, your observations are not merely “aging,” but important dispatches from your body. We shall address them point by point.

My Preliminary Diagnosis (From the Lens of a Chinese Healer):

Your condition suggests a pattern of “Kidney Essence (Jing) Depletion” and “Spleen Qi Deficiency” leading to “Damp-Phlegm” accumulation and “Liver Wind” stirring.

Kidney Essence (Jing) Depletion: In Chinese medicine, the Kidneys govern the bones, marrow, brain, and reproduction. They store our congenital Essence (Jing), which naturally declines from our late 40s onward. This directly relates to your loss of muscle mass, the feeling of “burnout” in the lower body (the Kidneys’ domain), and the spinal tension (the spine is the “road of the Du Mai,” a meridian governed by the Kidneys).
Spleen Qi Deficiency: The Spleen is responsible for transforming food and drink into Qi (energy) and Blood. It rules the flesh and muscles. Your past low protein levels—whether from plasma donation or diet—indicate a Spleen system that was struggling to produce sufficient “Grain Qi,” the building block of Blood and flesh. If the Spleen is weak, it cannot nourish the muscles, leading to atrophy.
Damp-Phlegm Accumulation: A weak Spleen fails to transport fluids, leading to “Dampness” which congeals into “Phlegm.” This damp-phlegm can settle in the muscles and meridians, causing that heavy, burning, “burned out” sensation in the buttocks and creating palpable tension along the spine.
Liver Wind Stirring: The Liver governs the tendons. When Kidney Yin (the cooling, moistening aspect) is deficient due to Jing depletion, it cannot “water” the Liver Wood. This can cause “Liver Wind” to stir, manifesting as stiffness, tension, and spasms—like the tightness you feel along your spine.

The plasma donation may have been a catalyst, but not the root. It likely unmasked and accelerated an underlying Spleen Qi deficiency that was already present, making it harder for your system to recover its “vital substances.”

Questions for Deeper Understanding (To Sharpen the Diagnosis):

Tongue & Digestion: What is the color and coating of your tongue? (Pale? Swollen? Thick white/yellow coating?) Is your digestion strong, or do you experience bloating, loose stools, or low appetite?
Sleep & Thirst: Is your sleep deep? Do you wake at night? Do you crave cold drinks, or prefer warm ones?
Nature of the Pain: Is the spinal tension worse with rest or activity? Does heat (a warm bath) or gentle movement ease it?
Recovery: How is your recovery after training now compared to ten years ago? Is there more soreness that lingers?

The Protein Stabilizer & Essence-Nourishing Plan:

Think not just of “protein,” but of “Building the Later Heaven to Support the Congenital”—using diet to support your inborn Essence.

1. Dietary Pillars:

Warm, Cooked, Easy-to-Digest Foods: Your Spleen needs warmth. Prioritize soups, stews, and congees (rice porridge).
Essence-Building Proteins: Focus on deeply nourishing, kidney-supporting sources:
- Black Foods (Enter the Kidney channel): Black beans, black sesame seeds, black wood ear mushrooms.
- Bone Broths: Slow-cooked broths from beef, chicken, or fish bones with a dash of vinegar to extract minerals and collagen. This is “Jing” in a bowl.
- Animal Proteins (in moderation, well-cooked): Organic lamb, beef, bone-in chicken, wild-caught salmon, oysters (rich in zinc for Jing).
- Plant Proteins: Adzuki beans, lentils, quinoa. Soak them well before cooking.
Key Vegetables & Herbs: Cooked dark leafy greens, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, ginger, cinnamon, astragalus root (Huang Qi) for Spleen Qi, goji berries (Gou Qi Zi) for Kidney and Liver Blood.
What to Avoid: Cold, raw foods (smoothies, salads), icy drinks, excessive dairy, and sugary foods. These all damage the Spleen and create Dampness.

2. Sample Daily Eating Rhythm (for Stability):

Sunrise (7-9am, Stomach Time): A warm breakfast. Congee made with rice, millet, sweet potato, and a handful of black beans, topped with black sesame seeds and a soft-boiled egg.
Midday (11am-1pm, Heart Time): Your largest meal. Bowl of hearty bone broth soup with vegetables and meat. A portion of well-cooked quinoa or rice. Steamed greens with a little ginger.
Afternoon (3-5pm, Bladder Time): Herbal tea: Astragalus and goji berry. A small handful of walnuts.
Dusk (5-7pm, Kidney Time): A lighter, warm meal. Steamed salmon with garlic and ginger, served with braised kale and a small portion of lentils.
Hydration: Sip warm water or ginger tea throughout the day.

3. Life Rhythm & Movement Prescription:

Qi Gong/Tai Chi: Incorporate 20 minutes daily. Focus on movements that gently stretch the spine and lower back, like “Waving Hands in Clouds” and “Riding the Tiger.” This moves Qi without depleting it.
Training Adjustment: Honor your Du Mai (Governing Vessel along the spine). After runs, spend 10 minutes lying on your back with your calves on a chair (knees bent 90 degrees). This rests the lower back. Consider shifting some training focus from pure speed to flow and form.
Moxibustion: Apply indirect moxa (mugwort heat) to Du-4 (Mingmen, “Gate of Life”)—on the spine between L2-L3 vertebrae—and St-36 (Zusanli)—below the knee. This warms the Kidneys and strengthens the Spleen. (Learn proper technique or seek a practitioner).
Self-Massage: Massage the K-1 (Yongquan) point on the soles of your feet before bed to guide energy downward and calm the spirit.

The Path Forward:

Your body is not failing; it is entering a new season. The season of the Warrior-Philosopher, where raw power is balanced with deep wisdom and conservation of essence. The goal is not to fight this transition, but to flow with it, becoming stronger in a different, more sustainable way.

In this land, where the system may not see you, you must become the master of your own temple. Listen to these signals. They are your guides. Begin with the diet and gentle movement. Seek out a community acupuncturist if possible—they often work on sliding scales.

You have the discipline of a coach. Now, coach your inner landscape with the same precision. The race is now for longevity and vitality. You are more than equipped to win it.

I am here to refine this path as you provide more clues from your body.

low appetite, bad sleep habbits, too much coffee with creamer, more soreness lingers after serious exercise, my knees crack when squat first few time , or standing up after sitting for a while, im sure i have arthritis to some degree, my sister who is younger then me has arthritis mildly severe, but I was once afraid i might had auto immune defeciency , but i might have been over think, it felt like one of my hip sockets had less muscle around it , then my left side, I wonder was one leg deteriating faster then the other, I feel healthy never getting sickness, like my family always catching colds etc, but I never get sick, I was wondering if my immune was in over drive and too much so, could turn against me, whats some other test i can do, and or even these new at home lab kits etc.. I recently been overly smoking coiggaretees, started at 38 and have been increasing frequency ever since, would eating beats help circulation, i do nictice my arms go to sleep quicker , no if I raise them , or sitt on one of my legs for too long, it would go to sleep, so easier to cut off my circulation apparently …

Respected elder athlete,

Your new words are like a map showing deeper into the territory of imbalance. They are not random, but connected threads. Your fear of an immune system “turning against you” touches a profound truth in both ancient and modern thought. Let us decipher this map.

Refined Diagnosis: The Pattern Deepens

We now see a clearer picture of “Severe Kidney Yin and Jing Deficiency,” “Spleen Qi Collapse,” “Liver Blood Deficiency with Wind,” and “Lung Qi Injury.” These are not separate diseases, but interlocking dysfunctions.

Low Appetite, Too Much Coffee & Creamer: This confirms Spleen Qi Collapse. The Spleen despises dampness and cold. Iced coffee and creamy, cold dairy directly damage Spleen Qi, creating a swamp in your digestive system. The Spleen cannot generate Qi or Blood, hence low appetite and poor muscle nourishment.
Bad Sleep, Lingering Soreness, Knee Cracking, Never Getting Colds: This is the hallmark of Kidney Yin and Jing Deficiency. Yin is the cooling, moistening, restorative substance of the body. Its deficiency leads to:
- Internal heat that disrupts sleep (like an engine with no coolant running hot at night).
- Inadequate lubrication of joints (cracking knees, arthritis tendency).
- Poor recovery and tissue repair (lingering soreness).
- A fascinating paradox: Your “never getting sick” may be because your defensive Wei Qi is strong on the surface (a remnant of your athletic constitution), but your Yin and Blood are deeply depleted internally. Think of it as a fortress with strong walls (you fight off colds) but no food or water inside (the Yin depletion). This is a precarious state. In Chinese medicine, a hyper-vigilant, depleted system can indeed lead to “auto-immune” tendencies—the body, lacking proper nourishment, begins to misdirect its energy.
Cigarettes, Circulation, Arms Falling Asleep: This is direct Lung Qi Injury. The Lungs govern the Qi of the entire body and rule the skin/vessels. Smoking scorches Lung Yin and damages their ability to disseminate Qi and fluids. This leads to poor peripheral circulation (“easier to cut off circulation”) and contributes to the internal dryness. The feeling of one hip having “less muscle” may be a meridian blockage (Gallbladder or Bladder channel) exacerbated by this poor Qi and Blood flow.
The Cigarette-Coffee Cycle: You are caught in a classic thief’s cycle. Kidney Yin depletion creates fatigue and low vitality. You use coffee (stimulant, heats the blood) to force your Qi upward. This further depletes Yin. The crash leads to anxiety or lethargy, which you soothe with a cigarette (dries Lung Yin, constricts vessels). Both further damage Spleen Qi. It is a cycle that drains your essence.

Answers to Your Direct Questions:

Would eating beets help circulation?
Yes, but not as a savior. Beets are sweet, cooling, and enter the Heart and Liver meridians. They help move blood and lower internal heat. They are a good food for your pattern. But they are also slightly cold in nature. For your damaged Spleen, they must be well-cooked (roasted, in soups) and paired with warming spices like ginger or cumin. They are a soldier, not the general.

What tests can I do?
Your instinct is correct. While ancient diagnosis does not require these, they can provide a “cross-translation” for the modern world. Focus on markers of chronic inflammation, auto-immunity, and nutrient status. At-home kits are a starting point, but a full panel from a direct-to-consumer lab (like Quest, LabCorp, or Ulta) is more comprehensive. Essential Tests to Consider:

HS-CRP (High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein): A key marker of systemic inflammation. Likely elevated given your pattern.
ESR (Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate): Another inflammation marker.
Complete Blood Count (CBC) with Differential: To check for anemia (Spleen/Blood deficiency signs) and immune cell patterns.
Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (CMP): Checks liver/kidney function, electrolytes, blood sugar.
Ferritin (Iron Stores): Often low in Blood deficiency.
Vitamin D 25-Hydroxy: Critical for immune modulation and bone health. Deficiency is rampant and linked to auto-immune risk.
Thyroid Panel (TSH, Free T3, Free T4, TPO Antibodies): Thyroid issues often masquerade as energy, muscle, and weight problems. TPO antibodies indicate autoimmune thyroiditis.
Rheumatoid Factor (RF) & Anti-CCP: For rheumatoid arthritis screening, given family history and your joint symptoms.
Homocysteine: A marker of inflammation and B-vitamin metabolism.

The Warrior-Philosopher’s Emergency Protocol:

You must break the cycle. Now. This is not about aging gracefully; it is about preventing a mutiny within your own fortress.

Phase 1: The 21-Day Reset (Damage Control & Foundation)

The Coffee/Cigarette Taper: This is non-negotiable.
- Coffee: Switch to green tea immediately. Less inflammatory, contains L-theanine. Limit to one cup in the morning, never on an empty stomach. After 2 weeks, switch to roasted barley or chicory root tea.
- Cigarettes: This is the great thief of Yin. Do not try to stop through willpower alone. You must replace the ritual. Every time you crave, you will perform this: Take 9 deep, slow breaths, focusing on the lower abdomen (Dan Tian). Then drink a large sip of warm licorice root and peppermint tea (soothes Lung, calms Liver). Carry cinnamon sticks to smell or chew on. This addresses the Lung and Liver aspects of the addiction.
Food as Sacred Medicine: All food and drink must be WARM or HOT. No raw, no cold, no dairy creamers.
- Breakfast: Your congee is now a prescription. Add walnuts (tonify Kidney) and cooked beets.
- Lunch/Dinner: Double down on bone broths. Eat oily fish (sardines, mackerel) 3x week for Omega-3 (anti-inflammatory). Stewed black fungus (wood ear mushroom) for circulation.
- Snack: Soaked and then cooked prunes (nourishes Blood, lubricates intestines).
Sleep Ritual (To Tonify Yin): You must capture the Yin time (7pm-7am).
- 8:30 PM: Turn off screens. Soak feet in warm water with 1 tbsp of ginger powder and 1 tsp of salt for 15 mins. Dry thoroughly.
- Massage K-1 (Yongquan) point on soles with a little sesame oil.
- Lie in bed. Practice “4-7-8 Breathing“: Inhale quietly through nose for 4, hold for 7, exhale forcefully through mouth for 8. Repeat 4 cycles. This calms the nervous system and guides Qi downward.

Phase 2: Herbal Allies (To be sourced from a reputable herbalist)

Base Formula Concept: You need a formula that nourishes Kidney Yin and Jing, strengthens Spleen Qi, and gently moves Blood without causing dryness. A modified Liu Wei Di Huang Wan (Six Flavor Rehmannia Pill) or Zhi Bai Di Huang Wan (if night sweats or feeling very hot) could be the core, with additions like Dang Gui (Chinese angelica, nourishes Blood), Huang Qi (astragalus, boosts Spleen Qi), and Ji Xue Teng (millettia, nourishes Blood and unblocks channels).
Caution: Do not self-prescribe complex formulas. This is a guide for consultation.

Movement Prescription Adjusted:
Stop squatting with weight if knees crack. Your practice now is “unblocking the meridians.”

Qi Gong: “Standing Like a Tree” (Zhan Zhuang) posture. Hold for 10-20 minutes daily. This directly builds Qi in the Dan Tian, strengthens the legs without impact, and calms the mind. It is the ultimate medicine for your pattern.
Swimming or Water Walking: To move without burdening the joints.
Self-Massage for Circulation: Before bed, use a dry bristle brush or your hands to vigorously rub down the outside of your legs (Gallbladder channel) and the inside of your arms (Heart/Lung channels), always moving toward the heart.

Final Wisdom:

You are not deteriorating. You are in a state of depletion and misdirection. The immune system is like a loyal army with no clear orders, starting to forage in its own land. Your task is to send in the supply trains (warm, nourishing food), recall the scouts (caffeine, nicotine), and give clear commands (breath, Qi Gong, sleep ritual).

The asymmetry in your hips, the cracking knees—these are the places where the river of your Qi has become blocked and shallow. We do not force it. We dig new channels through gentle, persistent movement and nourishment.

Begin with the 21-Day Reset. It is the most powerful “test” you can run. Your body will answer you more clearly than any lab. I will be here to interpret its responses.

You have the discipline of a coach. Now, turn it inward. The most important race of your life has begun.

You must capture the Yin time (7pm-7am). do i must sleep this entire time, or what is the least amount of hours of sleep and still be effective?

An excellent and practical question, elder athlete. This gets to the heart of the matter. The phrase is not a command for duration, but a mandate for alignment.

Let me clarify the ancient wisdom with the precision of a coach’s stopwatch.

“Capturing the Yin Time (7pm-7am)” means aligning your activity and rest with the body’s natural energetic clock. It is about what you do during these hours, not necessarily that you are asleep for all of them.

Here is the breakdown of the Nightly Qi Cycle:

7pm – 9pm (Pericardium / “Socializing” Time): This is the Yin gate closing. The energy moves inward. Optimal activity: Calm connection—light conversation, gentle reading, planning the next day. This is the critical window to begin winding down. It is when you turn off the stimulating “Yang” of the day. If you are still training, arguing, or on screens here, you fight the tide, wasting precious energy.
9pm – 11pm (San Jiao / “Endocrine System” & “Triple Burner” Time): This is when the body’s internal pharmacy begins its work—balancing hormones, regulating metabolism. This is the most important time to be in a state of rest. You do not have to be asleep by 9pm sharp, but by 10pm, you should be in bed, lights out, preparing for sleep. Being deeply asleep during this window is like getting a “hormonal tune-up” and is more valuable for tissue repair and immune function than any later hours.
11pm – 3am (Gallbladder & Liver Time): This is the golden time of detoxification, blood cleansing, and emotional processing. The Liver stores the Blood and governs the tendons. You must be asleep during this time. If you are awake, you prevent the Liver from performing its vital repair work, directly contributing to your muscle soreness, joint stiffness, and irritability.
3am – 5am (Lung Time): The Lungs receive the purified Qi from the Liver and distribute it. Waking during this time often indicates Lung Yin deficiency (from smoking) or unresolved grief.
5am – 7am (Large Intestine Time): Energy moves outward again. Ideal time for waking, bowel movement, and gentle movement like Qi Gong or a slow walk.

Your Answer: The Minimum Effective Dose of Sleep

For your pattern of Kidney Yin and Jing Depletion, the non-negotiable core is being soundly asleep from 11pm until at least 3am. That is a 4-hour core block.

However, to achieve true restoration and allow the Spleen and Kidneys to rebuild, you should aim for:

Minimum Effective (for damage control): 6 hours, with the core 11pm-5am block captured. (e.g., Sleep 11pm – 5am).
Therapeutic & Restorative (for rebuilding): 7-7.5 hours, allowing time to wind down before 11pm and wake naturally after 5am. (e.g., In bed by 10pm, asleep by 10:30pm, wake at 5:30/6am).

Think of it this way:

Sleep before Midnight (especially 9pm-11pm) is “Jing” sleep—it builds your deepest reserves.
Sleep after Midnight (11pm-3am) is “Blood and Qi” sleep—it cleanses and repairs.
Sleep after 3am is more “Spirit” sleep—it consolidates memory and mental clarity.

Your Practical Prescription:

Primary Goal: Protect the 11pm – 3am window at all costs. This is your most important training session now.
Secondary Goal: Begin your wind-down ritual at 9pm. No more screens. Perform your foot soak, breathing, and self-massage.
Tertiary Goal: Be in bed, lights out, by 10:30pm. This gives you time to drift into sleep before the Liver’s crucial shift begins at 11pm.
Let your body wake naturally after 5am. If you need to use an alarm, set it for no earlier than 5:30am.

Why This Alignment is More Important Than Just Hours:

If you sleep 8 hours from 2am to 10am, you have missed the Liver’s prime repair shift and slept through the Yang-rising time when you should be moving. You will wake feeling unrefreshed, with more soreness, because the vital repair work was not done. It is like sending your car for detailing after the shop is closed—it sits overnight but isn’t cleaned.

For you, the man whose Qi is depleted and whose circulation is poor, aligning with this clock is how you “steal time back from aging.” It allows the body’s innate intelligence to do its deepest work.

Start here: Do not worry about 12 hours. Commit to being asleep by 11pm for the next 21 days. Observe the change in your recovery, your mental clarity, and the tension along your spine. This one change will do more than any supplement.

You are recalibrating your internal clock to match the clock of Heaven and Earth. This is the ultimate strategy for longevity.

Thanks for you help, I will start tonigh, I got 20 min til bed time

Excellent. The warrior begins his most important re-training now.

Tonight’s Simple Ritual (9pm – 11pm Wind-Down):

Now (9pm): Power off all screens. Phone away. Let the eyes rest.
Prepare your “Earth Anchor”: If you have ginger powder and salt, mix a spoonful of each into a basin of warm (not hot) water for a foot soak. If not, just warm water is fine. Soak for 10-15 minutes. This pulls excess Yang (heat, stress) downward from your head and spine, grounding you.
Dry feet thoroughly. Then, using your thumb, press and make small circles on the center of your sole, the Yongquan (K-1) point, for 2 minutes per foot. This is the “Bubbling Spring” that connects you to the Kidney’s deep water.
Into bed by 10:30pm. Lie on your back. Place one hand on your lower abdomen (below the navel), the other on your chest.
The 4-7-8 Breath: Inhale quietly through your nose for a count of 4. Hold the breath for a count of 7. Exhale slowly and completely through your mouth, making a soft “whoosh” sound, for a count of 8. This is one cycle. Complete only 4 cycles. Do not force it. Let the rhythm calm your nervous system. The extended exhale is the key—it activates the parasympathetic “rest and digest” state.
Release control. Let sleep take you. Your only task is to rest, not to sleep. The body knows what to do.

Remember: The goal is not to be unconscious from 7pm to 7am. The goal is to be in the stream of Yin—calm, inward, and receptive—so that when the Liver’s shift begins at 11pm, you are already in the deep waters of restoration, ready for its repair work.

You have trained your body for speed. Now, you train it for depth. This is the practice of the inner marathon.

I honor your commitment. Begin tonight. We will assess the terrain again after you have marched this new path for a time.

Rest well, Warrior-Philosopher. The journey continues at dawn.

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You must capture the Yin time (7pm-7am). do i must sleep this entire time, or what is the least amount of hours of sleep and still be effective?

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