茄子，是性寒者也；此瓜菜之分其寒热也。
至于果品，如龙眼、荔枝、大枣、饴糖、砂糖、白糖、莲子、葡萄、蜂蜜、胡桃、杨梅、木瓜、橄榄、青
桃、李子、栗子，温性也；榧实、黄精、枇杷、青梅、花生，平性也；梨子、菱角、莲藕、橘瓤、乌芋、百合、
甘蔗、白果、柿干、柿霜，寒性也；但生李性温，则多生痰而助温，生桃性燥，则多助热而生毒，此果品之分
其寒热也。
至于禽兽之物，如鸡肉、鸭肉、山雉、鹧鸪、犬肉、羊肉、牛肉、鹿肉、鹿筋、猫肉，是至温矣；燕窝、
斑鸠、雁肉、鹳肉、凫肉、竹鸡、猪肉，是至平矣；兔肉、麋肉、麋筋，是至寒矣；但山雉、鸡肉、鹧鸪性虽
温，而不免有发风壅毒之害，猪肉性虽平，而不免有多食动痰之虞，此禽兽之分其寒热也。
他如鱼鳖龟介虫类，其在鲫鱼、鲢鱼、鲥鱼、海虾、鳝鱼，皆温性也；鲤鱼、鲨鱼、鲍鱼、鳅鱼、纸鱼、
乌贼，皆平性也；鳢鱼、鳗鱼、田蛙、螃蟹、鳖肉、龟肉、田螺、蛤蜊肉，皆寒性也；但虾肉性燥，不免动
风助火之变，鳖蟹性寒有毒，不免动气破血之虞，此鱼鳖介虫之分其寒热也。再于诸味之中，又细分其气辛而
荤，则性助火散气，味重而甘，则性助温生痰，体柔而滑，则性通肠利便，质硬而坚，则食之不化，烹炼不熟，
则服之气壅，必审其于人之病症虚实是否相符，则于养生之道始得，且胜于药多多矣。
以上皆补益方法之纲要者也。谨述当补益诸症如下∶
气虚当补之候∶面色痿白，言语轻微，四肢无力，少气薄
力，动则气高而喘，或痞满痰多，或饮食难化作酸，或头晕自汗，大便泄泻，或咳嗽气短，舌苔白嫩，或淡红
而润。
血虚当补之候∶面白唇淡，头晕目眩，睡卧不安，五心烦热作渴，神志不宁，津液枯竭，健忘怔忡，肠
燥便艰，口干舌燥，或口舌生疮，舌苔嫩红而干，或绛底浮白，或舌绛而燥。
阴虚当补之候∶身体枯瘦，耳聋目眩，或视物不明，神倦多睡，腰膝痿软，骨节 痛，遗精梦泄，足后跟
痛；咯痰味咸，甚或盗汗失血，痰带血丝，咳嗽气喘；甚或虚火上浮，目赤颧红，大渴烦躁，舌绛无苔，或舌
黑燥而无刺；服清凉药渴不止身热愈甚，或烦热加重；服攻下药舌苔愈长，或芒刺燥裂愈甚；用利水药小便愈
不通；用疏散药周身骨节 痛不可移动。
阳虚当补之候∶多冷汗，汗出身冷经日不回，饮食少思，脐腹胀痛，小便清而多，大便利清谷，水泛为痰，
状如白沫；呕吐痞满用清降开导药愈甚，自利用清下药愈甚，甚或四肢厥冷，腹痛面赤，舌淡红而胖嫩，或微
白而圆浓。
茄子，属于性寒的食物；这是瓜果类蔬菜在寒热属性上的区别。
至于果品方面，如龙眼、荔枝、大枣、饴糖、砂糖、白糖、莲子、葡萄、蜂蜜、胡桃、杨梅、木瓜、橄榄、青桃、李子、栗子，属于温性；榧实、黄精、枇杷、青梅、花生，属于平性；梨子、菱角、莲藕、橘瓤、乌芋（荸荠）、百合、甘蔗、白果、柿干、柿霜，属于寒性；但是生李子的性偏温，食用过多会生痰并助长温热之邪，生桃子的性偏燥，食用过多会助热并生毒，这就是果品在寒热属性上的区别。
至于禽兽类的食物，如鸡肉、鸭肉、山雉、鹧鸪、犬肉、羊肉、牛肉、鹿肉、鹿筋、猫肉，属于极温性；燕窝、斑鸠、雁肉、鹳肉、凫肉（野鸭）、竹鸡、猪肉，属于极平性；兔肉、麋肉（鹿肉的一种）、麋筋，属于极寒性；但是山雉、鸡肉、鹧鸪虽然性温，却难免有诱发风邪、壅滞毒气的危害，猪肉虽然性平，却难免有多食后引发痰湿的忧虑，这就是禽兽类在寒热属性上的区别。
其他如鱼、鳖、龟、介壳类及虫类，其中鲫鱼、鲢鱼、鲥鱼、海虾、鳝鱼，都属于温性；鲤鱼、鲨鱼、鲍鱼、泥鳅、纸鱼（一种小鱼）、乌贼，都属于平性；黑鱼（鳢鱼）、鳗鱼、田蛙、螃蟹、鳖肉、龟肉、田螺、蛤蜊肉，都属于寒性；但是虾肉性燥，难免有动风助火的变证，鳖和蟹性寒且有微毒，难免有动气破血的虞患，这就是鱼鳖介壳虫类在寒热属性上的区别。再于各种滋味中，又细分其气味辛烈而荤腥的，则性助火散气；味道厚重而甘甜的，则性助温生痰；质地柔滑的，则性通肠利便；质地坚硬粗糙的，则难以消化；烹煮不熟的，服用后会导致气机壅滞。必须仔细审查这些食物是否与人的病症虚实相符，才能在养生之道上有所收获，这比吃药多得多。
以上都是补益方法的纲要。谨述应当进行补益的各种症状如下：
气虚应当补益的表现：面色萎白，言语声音轻微，四肢无力，气息短少且乏力，活动后气逆而喘，或者胸脘痞闷痰多，或者饮食难消化而泛酸，或者头晕自汗，大便泄泻，或者咳嗽气短，舌苔白嫩，或者淡红而湿润。
血虚应当补益的表现：面色苍白嘴唇色淡，头晕目眩，睡眠不安稳，五心烦热且口渴，神志不宁，津液枯竭，健忘心悸，肠道干燥排便困难，口干舌燥，或者口舌生疮，舌苔嫩红而干，或者舌底绛红表面浮白，或者舌质绛红而干燥。
阴虚应当补益的表现：身体枯瘦，耳聋目眩，或者视物不明，精神疲倦嗜睡，腰膝痿软，骨节疼痛，遗精梦遗，足跟痛；咯出的痰味咸，甚至盗汗失血，痰中带血丝，咳嗽气喘；甚至虚火上浮，眼睛发红颧骨潮红，大渴烦躁，舌质绛红无苔，或者舌黑干燥而无芒刺；服用清凉药后口渴不止且身热更甚，或者烦热加重；服用攻下药后舌苔更长，或者芒刺燥裂更严重；使用利水药后小便更加不通畅；使用疏散药后周身骨节疼痛不可移动。
阳虚应当补益的表现：多冷汗，出汗后身体冰冷经日不回暖，饮食缺乏食欲，脐腹胀痛，小便清长且量多，大便稀溏夹杂未消化食物，水湿泛滥形成痰饮，状如白沫；呕吐痞满若用清降开导药则病情更重，腹泻若用清下药则病情更重，甚至四肢厥冷，腹痛面赤，舌淡红而胖嫩，或者微白而圆厚浓腻。
Eggplant belongs to the category of cold-natured foods; this distinguishes the cold and hot properties among melons, vegetables, and fruits.
Regarding fruit products, such as longan, lychee, jujube, maltose, granulated sugar, white sugar, lotus seeds, grapes, honey, walnuts, bayberries, papaya, olives, green peaches, plums, and chestnuts, they are of warm nature; Torreya seeds, Polygonatum rhizome, loquat, green plums, and peanuts are of neutral nature; pears, water caltrops, lotus roots, orange pulp, water chestnuts (Eleocharis tuberosa), lily bulbs, sugarcane, ginkgo nuts, dried persimmons, and persimmon frost are of cold nature; however, raw plums have a warm nature, and excessive consumption generates phlegm and aids heat pathogens; raw peaches have a dry nature, and excessive consumption aids heat and generates toxicity. This distinguishes the cold and hot properties among fruits.
Regarding poultry and beast meats, such as chicken, duck, partridge, francolinin, dog meat, mutton, beef, venison, deer tendon, and cat meat, they are extremely warm in nature; swallows, turtle doves, goose meat, stork meat, wild duck meat, bamboo chickens, and pork are extremely neutral in nature; rabbit meat, elk meat, and elk tendon are extremely cold in nature; however, although partridge, chicken, and francolinin are warm, they may inevitably cause wind-stirring and toxin-accumulating harm; although pork is neutral, excessive consumption may inevitably lead to phlegm generation. This distinguishes the cold and hot properties among poultry and beasts.
Other than fish, turtles, tortoises, shellfish, and insects: Crucian carp, silver carp, hilsa shad, sea shrimp, and eel are all of warm nature; common carp, shark, abalone, loach, paper fish (a type of small fish), and cuttlefish are all of neutral nature; snakehead fish, eel, pond frogs, crabs, soft-shell turtle meat, tortoise meat, river snails, and clam meat are all of cold nature; however, shrimp meat is dry in nature and may inevitably cause wind-stirring and fire-assisting changes; turtles and crabs are cold in nature and slightly toxic, and may inevitably cause qi-dispersion and blood-breaking risks. This distinguishes the cold and hot properties among fish, turtles, shellfish, and insects. Furthermore, among these flavors, those with pungent aromas and strong odors aid fire and dissipate qi; those with heavy tastes and sweetness aid warmth and generate phlegm; those with soft and slippery textures promote bowel movement and relieve constipation; those with hard and tough textures are difficult to digest; if not cooked thoroughly, ingestion leads to qi stagnation. One must carefully examine whether these foods match the deficiency or excess patterns of the patient's condition to achieve health preservation benefits, which surpasses taking numerous medicines.
The above are the general principles of tonification methods. The following are the symptoms indicating the need for tonification:
Symptoms requiring Qi tonification: sallow complexion, faint voice, weakness in the four limbs, shortness of breath and lack of strength, panting after exertion, epigastric fullness with excessive phlegm, indigestion with acid regurgitation, dizziness with spontaneous sweating, diarrhea, cough with shortness of breath, white and tender tongue coating, or pale red and moist tongue.
Symptoms requiring Blood tonification: pale face and lips, dizziness and vertigo, restless sleep, five-palm heat with thirst, mental restlessness, depletion of body fluids, forgetfulness and palpitations, dry intestines with difficult defecation, dry mouth and tongue, mouth and tongue ulcers, tender red and dry tongue coating, crimson base with floating white coating, or crimson and dry tongue.
Symptoms requiring Yin tonification: emaciation, deafness and vertigo, blurred vision, mental fatigue and somnolence, soreness and weakness of the lower back and knees, bone joint pain, seminal emission during dreams, heel pain; salty-tasting expectoration, night sweats and hemoptysis, blood-streaked sputum, cough and wheezing; floating deficiency fire with red eyes and malar flush, extreme thirst and irritability, crimson tongue without coating, or black and dry tongue without prickles; thirst persists and fever worsens after taking cooling herbs; vexatious heat intensifies after taking purgatives; tongue coating grows longer or becomes more cracked and prickle-like after purgatives; urination becomes more obstructed after using diuretics; bone and joint pain throughout the body becomes immovable after using dispersing herbs.
Symptoms requiring Yang tonification: profuse cold sweat, body coldness persisting for days after sweating, loss of appetite, abdominal distension and pain, clear and frequent urination, loose stools with undigested food, water overflowing to form phlegm resembling white foam; vomiting and epigastric fullness worsen with clearing and descending herbs; diarrhea worsens with purgative herbs; even cold extremities, abdominal pain with flushed face, pale red and swollen-tender tongue, or slightly white and thick-coated tongue.