The Yellow Emperor’s Inner Canon asserts that the brain is the sea of marrow. Given that the kidneys engender marrow, it is thus said that nurturing the brain necessitates first nourishing the kidneys. For the brain marrow derives from the kidneys.
The method of nourishing the kidneys involves the prominent use of prepared rehmannia, specifically employing Six Flavor Rehmannia Pills, alongside yam, wolfberry, and the intellect-enhancing ginkgo biloba, salvia, and acorus leaves. After around a dozen such remedies, peaceful sleep can be achieved. The prime choices for nourishing the kidneys and brain lie with deer products, followed by animal bone marrow broth. Foods rich in lecithin also nourish the kidneys, such as fish, black sesame, and various nuts like sunflower seeds, peanuts, and egg yolks. Additionally, one may partake in Six Flavor Rehmannia Pills and Lycium Chrysanthemum Rehmannia Pills.
Apart from emphasizing methods of health preservation, dietary habits crucially contribute to brain nourishment. Besides the well-known consumption of nuts, the Book of Changes also imparts some dietary wisdom regarding brain nourishment. For instance, individuals represented by the Qian hexagram, associated with metal, which resides in the heavens, correspondingly align with tree fruits, such as hazelnuts and longan, both of which grow on trees.
Regular consumption of walnuts is advised due to their resemblance to the hemispheres of the brain, symbolizing them as the epitome of “pictorial foods” in the Book of Changes. Ingesting fish heads and chicken heads is indeed adhering to the principle of “nourishing the head with the head, and replenishing the body with the body.” Animal brains, in particular, offer profound nourishment for the human brain.
Supplementing the mind with food sourced from lofty heights, such as chestnuts and black dates, which thrive in the uppermost branches of tall trees, harnesses the celestial purity. These provisions serve to invigorate the brain and nourish the kidneys.
