Tonify the qi (bu qi)

Herbs that tonify the qi are generally sweet and rich herbs that treat qi deficiency patterns where the functional capacity of the body is weak, especially the Lungs and Spleen that handle most of our acquired qi, resulting in symptoms of lethargy, shortness of breath, weak limbs, lack of appetite, abdominal distention and loose stools.

Commonly used examples include ren shen (Panax ginseng), dang shen (Codonopsis, Codonopsis pilosa), huang qi (astragalus, Astragalus membranaceus), bai zhu (atractylodes, Atractylodes macrocephela), da zao (jujube, Ziziphus jujube) and gan cao (liquorice, Glycyrrhiza uralensis).