Winter is the time to enjoy an alcoholic beverage in moderation. This gives us a good opportunity to explore alcohol in Chinese Medicine.
Wine is pungent, bitter and sweet and enlivens the Spleen, warms the digestive system, expels wind and cold, promotes circulation of Qi & Blood, improves appetite and dispels fatigue. It is dry and warm (or hot) and can be used to dispel dampness and cold. Its yang nature enables these positive effects to reach everywhere in the body including the head, skin, and extremities. It’s particularly useful when the weather is windy, cold, raining and damp. In moderation, alcohol is a great tonic, particularly as we get older. And a little wine can add good times with friends — which is important.
Alcohol is also poisonous — so only drink amounts your particular body is comfortable with. Drinking too much will impair the mind, blood, stomach and increase production of phlegm-fire. The legendary Ming Dynasty (1368–1644) physician and herbalist, Li Shi-zhen wrote:
‘Wine, a beauty bestowed by heaven — drinking a small amount harmonizes the blood and moves the Qi, strengthens the Spirit and wards off cold, disperses worry and dispels moodiness. Drinking an extreme amount damages the Spirit and consumes the Blood, causes detriment to the stomach and death to the essence, engenders Phlegm and stirs fire… Addiction to wine and getting drunk on a regular basis leads to disease and decay at best and to humiliation of one’s nation, ruination of one’s family, and loss of one’s life at worst’.
The Yang nature of alcohol means that if you go to sleep immediately after drinking or when drunk, too much heat is trapped in the body. This heat is harmful to the eyes and Heart – hence red eyes. The bad mood and headache are linked to the Liver. People suffering from diseases of the Gallbladder, Liver, Kidney, or from fever should completely avoid alcohol.
Winter is the season of medical liqueur. Alcohol speeds up the actions of any herb it is mixed with. Delivered with herbs, the alcohol delivers a fast acting pick me up. You’ll need to create your medicinal liqueurs up to a month in advance to allow time for the herbs to soak in the alcohol sufficiently. Typically, high percentage (above 40%) alcohol is required to extract the medicinal ingredients so rice-wine or vodka is the best alcohol to use as a base because it is neutral.
You will see that at this time of year, Chinese Medicine encourages moderation with salty foods and increasing bitter flavors. Think about traditional bitters in Europe that were drunk in winter. Or medicinal liqueurs like Jagermeister.
“In winter drink a small cup of wine in the morning to expel the cold; in the evening take some bitter herbs that eliminate internal heat. In this fashion, you will harmonize your Heart Qi and prevent toxic heat from flushing up.”
— Gao Lian, Zunsheng Bajian (Eight Pieces On Observing the Fundamental Principles of Life), fl. 1575
Notes on why the capital ‘S’ is used for the spleen and other organs
The capital ‘S’ is used for Spleen to indicate that the Spleen in Chinese medicine represents not only the physical organ but also the functions as described by Chinese Medicine, including the channel of the Spleen system, and also the emotional and spiritual energies of the Spleen. Capital letters throughout this article indicate Chinese medicine concepts. The italic is used for Chinese words and concepts.
