"It does not matter whether medicine is old or new, so long as it brings about a cure. It matters not whether theories be Eastern or Western, so long as they prove to be true." ~Dr. Jen Hsou Lin, DVM, PhD
The quotation above is from one of my favorite mugs (thanks, Evergreen herbs!). Inspiration can find you in interesting places, even while sipping tea from an old mug. And I love the simplicity of this quote: to just do what works.
Itchy eyes, sneezing, sinus congestion--the tell-tale signs of allergies. Luckily Chinese medicine treats seasonal allergies very well by using a combination of acupuncture, herbal medicine, and possibly dietary changes.
There is a type of Qi called Wei Qi. It travels on the outside of the body, and works sort of like an immune system, in that it protects the body from pathogens. If the Wei Qi is abundant and strong, the body will be protected and symptoms will not appear. If the Wei Qi is weak, allergens and irritants can invade the body, causing symptoms to arise.
Acupuncture and herbal medicine can build up the Wei Qi so the body is less reactive to the environment, which causes allergy symptoms to decrease. As treatments continue, the Wei Qi becomes abundant and allergies disappear.
(image of prepared He Shou Wu, from ganeshaherbs.com)
He Shou Wu (aslo called Fo Ti) has been getting a lot of press lately as a longevity tonic. It is most widely talked about as being able to maintain one's youthful appearance, specifically in preventing graying of the hair. But us herbalists know it does so much more than that!
He Shou Wu is the prepared root of Polygonum Multiflorum. The root is sliced, prepared in a black bean 'soup', and then dried. It then has the amazing longevity properties that current media is all abuzz over.
The health properties of this herb are many. It is a powerful kidney and liver tonic. It diminishes knee and back pain. It improves the endocine system and the cardiovascular system, and can enhance immune function. It also is quite famous for it's ability to increase sex drive. In terms of Traditional Chinese Medicine, He Shou Wu is said to increase essence and blood, which means that it is an excellent fertility tonic for both men and women.
What's not to love about an herb that can keep you looking good and feeling sexy?
Today is the Chinese New Year, the year of the Wooden Horse. The Chinese new year is a time to clean house, both physically and metaphorically. Sweep the floors, get the dust out, clear space for new things. But this is also a time for reflection--to think about what has been working during the past year, and also what has not. Make the necessary changes to have a propserous new year.
The year of the Horse can be an exciting one. Horses are free-spirited and love to run wild. This year can be exciting, filled with travel and adventure. But the trick with a Horse year is to act promptly and not procrastinate. If you are unsure about something it is probably best not to do it. Horses gallop full speed, so make sure you're going in the right direction.
Best wishes for a very happy, healthy and prosperous new year!
I remember sitting in my first class of graduate school. We began discussing the pinciples of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), and I had my "a-ha!" moment: finally the items I was drawing in the margins of the paper were front and center, on the main side of the page. This is where I wanted to be!
According to Chinese medicine, the world can broken down into Yin and Yang. Let's look at the yin-yang symbol as an example. There is a dark side and a light side, both fitting together to form the whole. Certain things are said to be Yang: masculine, activity, lightness, the sun; while other things are said to be Yin: feminine, passivity, darkness, the moon.
Accordingly, there are foods that are either Yin or Yang. Yang foods are warming, energizing, and cause your energy to ascend. Yin foods are cooling, building of blood and fluids, and cause your energy to descend. Depending on what ails you, eating certain foods in line with your yin-yang diangosis will help heal you.
As we endure the heat summer, keep these principles in mind:
(image from AcupunctureAmerica.com)
Kidney 3, Tai Xi (Great Stream), is located on the medial aspect of the ankle, just by the achilles tendon. This point has many uses clinically-- it nourishes the kidney yin, clears heat, anchors the qi, and strengthens the spine. As we age our kidney yin, yang, and essence decline, so this point is very useful in combating that aging process. If our yin is nourished and our qi is anchored, we will remain soft, supple, strong, and grounded. In fact, I had a teacher in acupuncture school who would nap with pins in these points, just to 'recharge the battery."
(Herbs from top left, clockwise: Gou QI Zi, Sheng Jiang, Feng Mi, Hong Zao)
Chinese herbs do not have to be scary or obscure. In fact, you can find some of the herbs in the pharmacopeia right in your kitchen. They are easily found at a market like Whole Foods, and can be a nice addition to your routine.
Gou Qi Zi, also known as goji berry or wolfberry, is a sweet, red dried fruit that tonifies the kidney and nourishes liver. It is a blood builder and a lung soother. It can help with cough, blurry vision, dizziness, and build the immune system. I like adding it to oatmeal.
Sheng Jiang is ginger. It is the spicy, warm herb herb that we all know in ginger-ale. It is excellent at soothing the tummy and reducing nausea and vomiting. It also warms the lungs so it helps reduce cough. This herb is so easy to cook with--just add it in where you'd use onion or garlic. I like to steep it in water for a few minutes to make tea.
Feng Mi is honey. It is sweet and moistening to the lungs, making it is very helpful for coughs and sore throats. It is also tonifies the Spleen and Stomach, aiding in digestion. Honey is so delicious and easily avaialble there is no reason not to try a little--just pour some into your tea.
Hong Zao is also known as the jujube. These little red dates are sweet and warm and are a digestive tonic. They may a little more difficult to find, but I've seen them at specialty stores and certainly online. If you should pass by these little sweet beauties, definitely pick them up and try them.
(Chinese character FENG, meaning wind)
Wind is a funny thing--you can't see it, but you certainly feel it. According to five element theory in Chinese medicine, Spring is the season of wind. While this may sound esoteric, every spring I am reminded of this as I see patients with wind pathologies.
One of the most profound examples is bell's palsy. With this ailment, wind has entered the channels of the face, and is causing the temporary paralysis. After a bit of probing, I can usually isolate a single event where the patient was bombarded by wind. To name a few, I've heard of camping in a windstorm and sticking one's head out the window of a moving car. After this 'wind event' there is facial tingling, numbness, and eventually paralysis. The good news is that acupuncture treats this very well. With my most recent bell's palsy patient, we've had three session so far, and the paralysis is mostly gone.
Wind is an inevitable part of spring. So please do yourself a favor--protect yourself from wind. Wear a scarf if it's windy outside!
Sofie had her first very high fever the other night. She was hot, irritable, and listless. And like most moms, I wanted to make her misery go away quickly. So I decided it was time for her first acupuncture! I only needled one point (Du14, Dazhui, for those who are curious), just a real quick in-and-out with a very small pin. Her reaction was both of surprise (hey ma, what are you doing?!?!) and a few tears. But then about an hour later, the fever broke! She started sweating and was immediately cooler to the touch. It was pretty amazing to witness how quickly a child responds to acupuncture. Since then Sofie is happily on the road to recovery. She's back to being her sweet and sassy self, and is elated to be back at the playground.