NONI AS A YIN/YANG FOOD SUPPLEMENT REGULATOR

YIN/YANG: AN IMPORTANT PART OF TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE
The Yin/Yang theory has been used in many different ways in Chinese philosophy, but it has been extensively used in the biological and medical fields. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, the human body is an integrated whole. Diagnosis and treatment of the body is founded on this concept. A healthy body depends on the balance of Yin/Yang. All diseases result from an imbalance of Yin/Yang. When these two forces are in balance, harmony and equilibrium are achieved. The basic nutritional theories of Traditional Chinese Medicine arise through the concepts of Yin/Yang and Qi. Yin, meaning "in the shade," is considered to represent darkness, the moon, coldness, and passivity. Yang, meaning "in the sunlight," represents light, sun, heat, and activity. Too much Yin results in physical symptoms such as cold, fatigue, and general weakness. Too much Yang results in physical symptoms such as fever, hyperactivity and swelling. Qi is a vital energy that represents various functions of the body.

There are millions of Yin/Yang pairings in the human body. Every element, cell, organ, and system has its own Yin/Yang. The net results from the interaction of these micro-Yin/Yang pairings are manifested as a macro-Yin/Yang status of health. They interact and strike a dynamic balance to achieve normal well-being. The basic theory of Chinese medicine is based upon the regulation and balance of Yin/Yang by using herbs, food, massage or acupuncture, and nutrients.

Noni acts as both a micro-sized Yin/Yang regulator and as a macro sized Yin/Yang regulator. Its regulatory power is seen in the way the fruit can benefit two opposite health conditions such as diarrhea and constipation, or high or low blood pressure. While noni's ability to benefit two opposing diseases baffles some and even discourages others from using noni. I believe it is wonderful proof of its Yin/Yang regulating abilities. In fact, the Yin/Yang theory may be the best way to explain the beneficial effects of the noni plant - the regulation of the balance between Yin/Yang to achieve a harmony in the body. Yin/Yang is why one simple plant can do so many things in so many different ways. Along with this theory, noni also appears to be able to tonify Qi, clear heat and toxins, and invigorate the blood. The properties of this plant are sweet, stinky, and neutral. Noni Juice enters the lung, spleen, liver, and kidney meridians. Therefore noni is beneficial for many different health conditions.

In order to better understand Yin/Yang, I want to share a few examples of other herbs that have limited Yin/Yang regulating abilities. Take for example Asian ginseng (Panax ginseng). The herb is often given for weakness and is considered a Yang tonic. In a double-blind study, thirty-six noni insulin-dependent diabetic patients were treated with ginseng (either 100 mg, 200 mg, or placebo). The result was that ginseng elevated mood and improved physical performance. However, American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) is considered a Yin tonic and is given for hot constitutions. That is why American ginseng is recommended for women with hot flashes. Its effects as an adaptogen are similar to those of Asian Ginseng, but women often respond better to this form. Proxeronine in noni juice* is also an adaptogen that balances the Yin/Yang through the dual regulation that originally strengthens the Yin and then enhances the Yang.

An adaptogen is an agent that increases the body's ability to adapt to environmental and internal stress by strengthening the immune, nervous, and glandular systems. An "adaptogen" is able to enhance human body resistance to stress, disease, and the environment as well as normalize metabolic functions. It is able to increase metabolic efficiency, heighten in an unspecific way the resistance of the organism to various environmental influences, and reduce the predisposition or susceptibility to illness. It is also able to improve our ability to adapt to different external or internal disturbances, and enhance the body's non-specific resistance to external stresses or to noxious effects that are physical, chemical, or biological. An adaptogen allows you to maintain your health and allows for a higher quality of life and longevity. As an adaptogen, noni qualifies as perhaps the ultimate Ying/Yang regulator since it helps bring balance to the body regardless of the disease or chaos at hand.

Noni juice* works like a very powerful tonic herb to maintain the balance of Yin/Yang perfectly. Let me be more specific with just one example. Many have had a hard time understanding noni's dual regulation of blood pressure. Noni juice* benefits both high and low blood pressure in humans. Except for a known component of scopoletin, which is known to benefit high blood pressure, we do not know why noni juice* helps low blood pressure. This is where the Yin/Yang balancing comes into play. Specifically, I believe the substance proxeronine noni juice* (which later the body converts into xeronine) is a key chemical molecule in our body that balances, regulates, and modifies Yin/Yang on a micro level.

**From the book, "TAHITIAN NONI® Juice, The Ultimate Yin/Yang Balance" by Mian-Ying Wang, M.D. & M.S.