Yin is the black side, and yang is the white side. The relationship between yin and yang is often described in terms of sunlight playing over a mountain and a valley.

Connell’s gender order theory, which recognizes multiple masculinities that vary across time, culture and the individual. Conceptually, hegemonic masculinity proposes to explain how and why men maintain dominant social roles over women, and other gender identities, which are perceived as “feminine” in a given society.

Third gender, or third sex, is a concept in which individuals are categorized, either by themselves or by society, as neither man nor woman. It is also a social category present in societies that recognize three or more genders.

When Yin is deficient or out of balance, the body shows signs of heating up. It develops slowly over several years and is often due to a lifestyle of overwork and little rest. The major clinical manifestation of Yin deficiency is dryness. This includes dry mouth, dry skin, dry eyes, and dry hair and nails.

Soy products such as tofu and beansprouts, crab (such as the Shanghai hairy crab), most fruits, and vegetables such as watercress, cucumbers, carrots and cabbage are considered yin foods.

Below, you’ll find some of the most common methods:

1. Get enough sleep. Being tired is a hallmark sign of a qi deficiency.
2. Work on your breathing. One way to improve a qi deficiency is through purposeful breathing.
3. Try tai chi or qi gong.
4. Give acupuncture a go.
5. Balance your diet.
6. Take care of your mental health.

The characteristic features of Spleen-Qi deficiency are fatigue, asthenia, atrophied muscle, pale tongue with thin white coating and moderate, weak pulse. Spleen-Yang deficiency is characterized by cold limbs, fear of cold, puffy pale tongue with slippery coating and slow fine pulse.