Goji Berries - a Natural Jing Tonic

What is Jing? In Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jing is our basic vital energy, it’s kind of like the car battery - (where Qi energy is more like the petrol). We as humans need to have both strong Jing & abundant Qi to be able to function well & feel really good, like a car needs both battery & petrol in order to work. So what causes it to run low and how can we restore jing?

Our Jing ‘leaks’ away as we age, & this leaking of vital energy is exacerbated by:

• illness
• stress / fear / anxiety
• inflammation
• being stuck in toxic relationships
• playing rough sports
• ongoing sleep disturbance
• emotional upheaval
• extreme weather
• excessive sexual activity
• not drinking enough water
• pregnancy / childbirth / lactating esp multiple consecutive pregnancies

…these all drain our vital energy, making us age quicker. We can help to restore ‘Jing’ & slow ageing by a) stopping the leaking / addressing the above aggravating factors; & b) incorporating more Jing tonifying foods, herbs & activities into our lives.

Signs your Jing is really running low & could use support:

• burn out / fatigue
• low libido & / or infertility
• premature ageing
• weakness
• dizziness

How To Tonify Your Jing:

• stress management
• meditation
• yoga
• acupuncture
• gentler martial arts (Qi Gong / Tai Chi)
• recreation
• hobbies
• giving & serving
• adaptogenic herbs (Astragalus, Rhodiola, Ginsengs, Withania & Goji).
• good sleep habits
• holidays / time out
• ensuring good help & support in the period post birth & spacing pregnancies
• eat more slow-cooked / wintery foods like soups & stews
• black foods (ie black sesame, black beans)
• bone broth
• chlorella, spirulina, seaweeds
• oats, quinoa, amaranth, millet, barley, rye
• roasted nuts
• watercress, celery, asparagus

So if you feel like your battery is dying from any of the aforementioned Jing - depleting things, you need to start tonifying ASAP! Goji berries are a nice easy addition into your diet - add to smoothies, breakfast, trail mix, salads, stews & curries, or just eat plain to help boost your Jing. The advice from TCM practitioners is don’t go overboard, approx 20 gojis a day (a small handful) is plenty. I can personally confirm that it’s best not to eat too many in one sitting - you may need to race to the loo after a few too many handfuls!! I literally had to run from the beach, across the street & up 3 flights of stairs to my unit at the time! You’ve been warned - as with anything, the difference between a poison & a medicine is the dose! If you’re interested in the western / scientific explanation, here’s a fairly comprehensive link to read on active constituents. Have a question? Ask me at: jeanie@goodmix.com.au