Its opposite condition is known as “Blood Stagnation” (or “Blood Stasis”) and is a concept unique to Traditional Oriental Medicine with no direct equivalent in Western Medicine. Blood Stagnation can be thought of as Blood that is no longer able to function as Blood. It is not circulating properly within the body and instead will actually create problems and disease.

One simple example of this would be the case of trauma suffered from a sports injury. The purple discoloration from the bruising that occurs is blood that has leaked out from the blood vessels, and is no longer available for use by the body.

Blood Stagnation is commonly associated with an extremely wide range of symptoms, including:

• heart problems such as arteriosclerosis & hypertension
• pressure sensation in the chest
• shoulder & upper/mid back stiffness
• dry mouth
• rough & dry skin
• liver disease such as hepatitis
• chronic constipation
• sciatica & lower back pain
• varicose veins
• cold sensation in the body, especially the lower back, legs, & feet, sometimes accompanied by heat sensation in the upper part of the body & face

Many gynecological health problems are also often seen in cases of Blood Stasis, including:

• irregular menstrual periods
• painful periods (dysmenorrhea)
• ovarian cysts
• uterine fibroids
• infertility or miscarriage
• other hormone imbalances

Besides the various symptoms that usually accompany Blood Stagnation, other methods are also used to confirm the diagnosis. For example, when examining the abdomen during acupuncture treatment, oftentimes there will be tenderness to the touch, especially either under the ribcage area or in the lower abdomen.

There are many combinations of factors that can lead to Blood Stasis, including infections, trauma & accidents, chronic Liver problems, and irregular menstrual cycles.

Some people also tend to have an hereditary predisposition which leaves them more susceptible towards this condition.

Finally, emotional disturbances, especially repressed anger, is another common contributing issue that needs to be considered when treating Blood Stagnation.

Tips for Reducing Blood Stagnation

1. Take care of your injuries – Bumps, bruises, sprains, fractures, surgeries – these are all forms of trauma to the body. However, Blood Stasis can take many years to develop before manifesting as health problems, so it’s important not to neglect or inadequately treat injuries at the time they occur.
2. Moxibustion – a form of heat therapy using the burning leaf of the Mugwort plant, moxa is often recommended for home treatment and when used on certain acupuncture points, has a regulating effect on the body’s Blood circulation. In the case of trauma & injuries, it can be used to facilitate the healing process and helps to prevent Blood Stasis from developing in the injured areas.
3. Relax the back – in acupuncture & shiatsu, the area between the shoulder blades contains vital points that correspond to the Heart and Liver systems, two of the most important organs involved with regulating Blood circulation. This region, especially in situations of Blood Stagnation caused by emotional stress, tends to become tight and constricted if left untreated. As the area becomes more relaxed, accompanying symptoms will often improve as well.

A keen awareness of our environment, both internal and external, is also an important concept in Traditional Oriental Medicine. Because symptoms are viewed as being the result of imbalances in the body, becoming more aware of ourselves and what creates these imbalances in our lives can be useful for improving our health.

Various factors can affect our health, such as:

• type of work we do
• location & climate we live in
• seasonal weather changes throughout the year
• thoughts & emotions, especially those that tend to be repressed
• daily eating habits
• exercise type and frequency
• trauma & accidents

One suggestion for people suffering from chronic health problems is to keep a health journal. By tracking changes on a day to day basis, patterns can often be discovered, such as certain trigger factors that tend to make symptoms better or worse.

Positive changes can then be made based on these observations. For example, if a person’s back pain tends to become more noticeable towards the end of the work week, then perhaps certain postures or movements at their workplace can be improved such as repositioning their computer screen or adjusting what type of chair they use. For others, perhaps they notice their hay fever allergies improve when they have been eating less dairy products and so know to minimize or avoid this in their diet to help prevent flareups.

Sickness can often be a wake up call to become more aware of ourselves and our health, and even if we are in relatively good health, maintaining awareness in our lives can help us to stay that way.

The main use of Dates in Traditional Oriental Medicine is to strengthen and support the digestive system. Some of the symptoms commonly associated with weak digestion include fatigue & general weakness, poor absorption of nutrients, a reduced appetite, and a tendency towards loose bowels & diarrhea.

Adding Dates as part of one’s regular diet can help to improve digestion and increase the body’s ability to make better use of the other foods and nutrients that one eats.

Because some herbs can be difficult to digest, many of the herbal formulas used in Chinese Medicine contain Dates to assist with absorption of the medicinal ingredients while also helping to prevent any stomach upsets or other similar side effects.

When eating Dates on their own, a typical dosage would be about 3 – 10 per day. They may also be added to soups & stews.

If Chinese Dates are unavailable, other types of dates such as the Mediterranean varieties may be used instead. However, because these tend to be much sweeter than the Chinese ones, the dosage should be reduced accordingly.

“Blood Deficiency” is a concept unique to Traditional Chinese Medicine and can be thought of as a decreased ability of the Blood to provide the proper nourishment to the rest of the body.

Although somewhat similar in idea to anemia, Blood Deficiency encompasses a much broader range of symptoms, and Eastern Medicine relies on its own methods of diagnosis rather than blood tests to evaluate and treat this condition.

Some of the more common symptoms associated with Blood Deficiency include:

• fatigue & chronic tiredness
• pale complexion
• dry hair & skin
• brittle nails
• blurred vision & “floaters” in the eyes
• poor memory
• depression
• insomnia, especially difficulty in falling asleep

Other cases sometimes include symptoms such as:

• muscle spasms & cramps
• numbness in the limbs
• dizziness & vertigo

In addition, women may experience:

• scanty or irregular menstrual periods
• infertility or miscarriage

In Traditional Chinese Medicine physiology, the digestive system (often referred to as the Spleen-Pancreas system) is responsible for manufacturing the Blood, while the Liver system is the one that stores, distributes, and regulates the Blood flow throughout the entire body, so treatment of Blood Deficiency usually focuses on supporting both of these systems.

There are many different factors that can contribute to a Blood Deficient condition.

Improper diet is one common cause. Vegetarians are especially susceptible to this, and should make sure to add adequate amounts of Blood-nourishing foods to their diet.

Because of their connection to the Liver according to TCM theory, overuse of the tendons and the eyes is another common cause, and is frequently seen in athletes who over train their bodies or students who do a lot of computer work or reading.

Prolonged bleeding, especially menstrual or gastrointestinal bleeding disorders, may also lead to a Blood Deficient condition, but of course the underlying cause of the bleeding needs to be addressed first.

Tips for Nourishing the Blood

1. Add some berries – Gou Qi Zi, better known as the Goji berry, is one of the more famous Chinese herbs used for nourishing the Blood. However, other dark berries are also beneficial, including blueberries and blackberries.
2. Blackstrap molasses – rich in iron and other minerals, taking about 1 tablespoon a day on a regular basis can help to give the blood a boost.
3. Green protein – especially good for vegetarians and people who engage in a lot of physical activity, foods such as spirulina can be important additions to the diet when dealing with Blood Deficiency. Chlorophyll, the substance that gives these foods their green colour, has often been referred to as “plant hemoglobin” for its close resemblance in composition to blood. In addition, the protein provides the building blocks necessary for helping to rebuild and strengthen the blood.

As a New Year begins, many of us tend to make resolutions for ourselves, whether it’s losing weight, getting in better shape, or improving our overall health.

Unfortunately, most resolutions – however good-intentioned they may begin – don’t seem to last for very long. Our modern society, with a focus on quick fixes, immediate results, and instant gratification, makes it easy to fall back into old habits and patterns.

In the East, a different approach to self-improvement is taken. In fact, much could actually be learned from the Japanese manufacturing field where they used a concept known as kaizen to become world leaders in the automotive and electronics industries.

Rather than looking for huge breakthroughs and dramatic progress, kaizen is an approach to improving overall quality by making small, continuous improvements in day-to-day tasks. Over a period of time, these small, seemingly insignificant changes add up and the entire production line and final end product achieves a much higher level of quality.

A similar method can also be applied to our own health resolutions and help us reach our goals:

1. Small changes – although dramatic changes may seem more exciting, it’s the daily mundane details that usually have the greatest impact on us. Going for a 15 minute walk at lunch hour or doing some deep breathing for 5 minutes before sleep may not seem like much, but it’s small changes like these that can add up throughout the day.

2. Continuous improvement – once we’ve added a few good habits and made them a regular part of our daily lives, we can always look for a few more to add, being aware that trying to start too many at once can be overwhelming.

3. Long-term commitment – because smaller changes don’t tend to be as noticeable, we need to give ourselves time to see the results. Health problems rarely happen overnight – they usually develop over a period of time, and the same is true of good health.

]]> http://www.ayacupuncture.com/blog/220/healthy-habits/feed/ 0 http://www.ayacupuncture.com/blog/78/stress-an-eastern-perspective/ http://www.ayacupuncture.com/blog/78/stress-an-eastern-perspective/#comments Mon, 19 Oct 2009 20:07:58 +0000 Avery Yackel http://www.ayacupuncture.com/blog/?p=78 Although stress seems to be just an accepted part of everyday living in our modern society, it certainly is nothing new. In fact, one of the oldest Chinese medical textbooks, written over 2,000 years ago, was advising people on how to lower their stress levels so that they could live healthier and better lives.

In Eastern medicine, stress can be roughly categorized into 2 types – physical and emotional – although there is quite a bit of overlap between them because Traditional Oriental Medicine views the body, mind, and spirit as being inter-related to each other.

Physical stress can be caused by many factors, including overwork, not enough rest, environmental toxins, and simply pushing the body too much.

In terms of acupuncture theory, it is the Kidney system which is mostly affected by prolonged physical stress. In Eastern medicine, when talking about the Kidney meridian system, it relates not only to the urinary and reproductive organs, but also encompasses aspects of the entire endocrine system, including the adrenal glands.

Adrenal burnout is a relatively new medical term, but the symptoms are very similar to those classically described in Chinese medicine as “Kidney Deficiency“:

• chronic fatigue
• poor memory & concentration
• blood sugar imbalances
• lower back pain
• blood circulatory problems
• weight gain / loss
• hormonal imbalances

On the other hand, the second main type of stress – emotional stress – affects mostly the Liver meridian system, which in Eastern medicine includes not only the liver organ, but other related functions including blood circulation throughout the body, as well as the connective tissue and tendons.

Symptoms of this emotional stress on the Liver system can include things such as:

• anxiety & depression
• anger & irritability
• poor blood circulation
• menstrual problems
• headaches
• neck & shoulder pain
• digestive issues

Unfortunately, stress will always be a part of our lives, although efforts should be made to reduce it whenever possible. However, helping to regulate and strengthen the Liver and Kidney systems can be useful in allowing us to better cope with our stress and stay healthier.

Tips for dealing with Stress

1. Eat some seaweed – regularly adding moderate amounts of various seaweeds to your diet can be useful in strengthening the Kidney system. Some varieties commonly available include kelp, dulse, nori, and wakame, which can easily be added to soups and other recipes.
2. Breathe deep – besides being useful in calming down the mind when stressed, slow and deep abdominal breathing has other health benefits in regulating the Liver & Kidney systems. Focused breathing into the lower abdomen can help reduce neck and shoulder tension as well as improve overall blood circulation. One simple method that can easily be done at night when lying down in bed is to place both hands, one on top of the other, just slightly below the navel. Concentrate the mind on where the hands are places. On the inhale, imagine the sensation of a balloon gently inflating beneath the hands, and on the exhale, it should be a feeling of gently deflating. Let the inhalation last for approximately 4 – 6 seconds, and the exhalation for 6 – 8 seconds. Even just 5 or 10 minutes of daily breathing practice can have noticeable and beneficial results.

To add further to this concept is what can be described as the “see-saw” effect – when one side of something increases, the opposite side tends to decrease in the opposite direction.

In Eastern science, this was most clearly seen observing things in nature such as the sun and moon – as the sun came up in the morning, the moon lowered below the horizon, and mid-day was the brightest when the sun reached the highest point in the sky. The exact opposite then happened as the sun disappeared below the horizon and the moon came up and reached its peak at night.

Although it appears to be a simple concept, it has extremely important clinical value in acupuncture. One common example of this is in the treatment of migraine headaches. The acupuncture pathway usually corresponding to the headaches is called the Gallbladder meridian – this pathway starts at the eyes, travels through the temple area and the sides of the head, down the neck and the tops of the shoulders, and then down the body and legs, ending at the feet. In Traditional Oriental Medicine, it views migraine headaches as usually being caused by stagnant and congested circulation along this Gallbladder pathway.

Treatment is often focused on its opposite pair, which in this case is the Liver system. By working to strengthen the Liver, the see-saw effect is achieved: the Liver becomes stronger, in essence siphoning off the excess that had been trapped in the Gallbladder pathway. As both systems reach a better state of balance, the symptoms of the migraine headaches tend to improve as well.

Other health problems are viewed in a similar way – strengthening the weak areas of the body, and calming down the tense ones. As a healthier state of equilibrium is reached, the body is then better able to recover and heal itself.

What kinds of things in your life are creating imbalance in your health?

Fortunately, the Eastern medical approach can be very useful in the treatment of these kinds of injuries and pain, allowing us to recover faster and get back to our activities.

In order to better follow this approach, it’s useful to understand how Traditional Chinese Medicine views health and injury in terms of the acupuncture meridian system.

Because much of ancient China was an agricultural society, many of the concepts pertaining to this meridian system were traditionally described as being like a network of irrigation channels providing water and nutrients to the surrounding farmland.

In a similar way, the acupuncture meridians of the body can be thought of as an interconnected system of pathways bringing energy, blood, and nourishment to every area of the body, both internally to the organs and externally to the bones, tendons, muscles, connective tissue, and skin.

With injuries such as sprains, strains, fractures, or other similar trauma, these meridians can also get damaged, with their flow becoming impeded.

In Eastern medicine, physical traumatic injuries can usually be classified under the 2 general categories know as “Energy Stagnation” and “Blood Stasis“, although in real life, most injuries tend to have aspects of both.

Energy Stagnation refers to when the flow of energy through a meridian pathway becomes disturbed, similar to a river of water coming to a turbulent stretch of whitewater rapids. A common example of this would be when perhaps starting a new type of sports activity or exercise routine and then feeling sore and achy the next day. Pain of this type is usually a more generalized feeling and tends to move around. It typically responds well to some gentle stretching and movements to help encourage the flow of energy through the affected areas.

On the other hand, Blood Stasis is a more severe blockage of the meridians affecting the blood circulation in the local and surrounding regions, much like a river of water becoming dammed up and blocked. A common example of this would be spraining a joint or breaking a bone, where the pain is more focused into a fixed location. Swelling and bruising often occurs, and the pain is usually much more intense. In fact, Blood Stasis pain, in its most severe form, is classically described as feeling like being stabbed with a red-hot knife.

As mentioned, most injuries tend to involve blockages of both energy and blood, so treatment usually focuses on reducing inflammation and improving the circulation in the affected area, thereby allowing the body’s natural healing process to occur more efficiently.

Tips for healing and recovering from sports injuries

1. Heat or Cold? – Although using ice, especially in the first 24 – 48 hours of an injury, can be useful for dealing with the initial pain and swelling, in the Eastern medicine view it’s regarded as actually slowing down the long-term healing process. Muscles, tendons, and bones all rely on good energy and blood circulation to be healthy, and this is even more important when recovering from an injury. The Eastern approach is to use Heat for most types of injuries, and the treatment of choice is Moxibustion, a form of heat therapy using the leaf of the Mugwort plant. The heat from the burning Moxa, along with certain chemicals in the herb that get absorbed into the affected area, is useful in reducing pain and inflammation as well as promoting the healing process.
2. Rub it in – Traditional Oriental Medicine has a long history of using herbs, not just internally, but topically as well, especially when dealing with external traumatic injuries. Various herbal formulas, usually oil or alcohol based, applied several times a day to the site of the injury, can be quite helpful in reducing pain and swelling while also promoting circulation to the affected area.

Yin – Yang is actually a concept that comes from ancient Chinese science and philosophy and was an important part of their approach to viewing nature. Originally meaning “the shady side of the mountain” and “the sunny side of the mountain”, Yin and Yang came to symbolize opposing forces of Nature, such as:

• Moon & Sun
• Winter & Summer
• Darkness & Light
• Water & Fire

(It is interesting to note that much of Western science is also based on this concept, such as positive & negative terminals for electricity, north & south poles for magnetism, acids & bases for chemistry, etc.)

This Eastern way of categorizing everything in Nature as Yin and Yang was later introduced into their system of medicine, and is one of the main ways that both sickness and health is analyzed.

Although at first glance Yin – Yang theory appears to be a very simple and basic idea, it is one of the most important concepts in Traditional Oriental Medicine, including acupuncture and shiatsu treatments.

An example of using these opposite-quality pairings can be seen when treating someone experiencing pain:

• is the pain acute or chronic?
• is it at a fixed location or does it move around?
• is the pain sharp and piercing or more of a dull ache?
• does it improve with rest or with movement?
• is it better with heat or cold?

Because health problems are regarded as an imbalance in the body, treatment is intended to bring a person back into a healthy state of balance thereby allowing their body to heal itself. For acupuncture, this can be viewed as regulating the meridian energy pathways that flow throughout the body – some of them may be weak and need to be strengthened and nourished, while others are stagnant and blocked and need to flow better.

However, it’s also important to realize that everything we do in life can also be categorized in a similar way, and that nothing can truly be considered as neutral – it’s either creating balance or imbalance in our lives.

As you go about your daily routine this week, why not try to take some time just to observe how you respond to various things such as:

• the foods you eat or crave
• how much sleep you get
• the thoughts in your head
• your work environment
• the people you spend most of your time with
• your posture throughout the day
• exercise habits

Can you identify anything that’s helping to improve your health, or is there something contributing to the problem?

Eastern Medicine also places great emphasis on the Heart system and in fact describes it as being like the Emperor of the body – all of the other organ systems are there to work for and support the health of the Heart, as without healthy blood and energy circulation disease soon follows.

The Heart is vitally important in Traditional Oriental Medicine, not only for proper circulation but also for mental and emotional well-being. The Spirit, or Shen as it’s known in Chinese, is regarded as literally residing inside the physical heart.

Many everyday expressions in the English language also demonstrate this close connection between the Heart and Spirit:

• to express heart-felt appreciation for something
• to have a heart-to-heart talk with a friend
• to have your heart set on something
• to love someone with all of your heart
• to die of a broken heart

All of these expressions convey a deep sense of meaning that reaches into the inner core of a person.

The Heart system is also often traditionally described as being like Fire – just like the Sun provides warmth and energy for life here on Earth, the Heart also gives warmth and energy to the body to support life.

However, Fire can sometimes get out of control and when it does, things tend to overheat. The same thing can also happen in the body. When the Heart system becomes diseased and out of balance, it can “overheat” – resulting in physical symptoms such as heart palpitations, and a rapid or irregular heartbeat.

This Heat can also affect the mental aspect of the Heart and cause a disturbance of the Shen, or Spirit. In mild cases, this may cause problems including insomnia or vivid dreams that disturb the sleep. In more severe cases, it may manifest as mental illness, such as schizophrenia or the manic phase associated with bipolar disorder.

With such a wide range and important effect on the overall mental and physical health of a person, the Heart system truly is the Emperor of the body, and we should do everything we can to ensure its good health.

Some conditions often related to the Heart

• angina
• heart attack
• hypertension
• tachycardia
• arrhythmia
• palpitations
• anxiety
• insomnia
• agitation
• mental illness

Tips for keeping the Heart healthy

1. Calm your mind – various contemplative practices, including deep breathing exercises and meditation, can help to calm the Spirit. Modern society tends to bombard us with information and sensory overload from the outside, while on the inside, our own minds race with incessant chatter that never seems to stop. Taking just a few minutes every day to allow the mind to quietly settle down can have a positive effect on your overall health.
2. Work on your upper back – the back, especially the area starting at the top of the shoulders and extending down between the shoulder blades, is an extremely important region of the body in Traditional Chinese Medicine. There are vital acupuncture points here that connect directly with the Heart and affect the blood and energy circulation to the rest of the body. People suffering from heart problems almost always have rigid and inflexible upper backs and should work on relaxing and improving their flexibility.

Mint, or Bo He as it’s known in Chinese, is quite useful for the treatment of a sore throat. In Eastern Medicine, sore throats are usually viewed as Heat becoming trapped in the acupuncture meridians which travel through the throat area.

Treatment, whether through acupuncture or herbal medicine, is aimed at promoting the flow of energy in these meridians in order to release this stagnant Heat.

The pungent and cooling properties of mint, either alone or in combination with other medicinal herbs, can be helpful in relieving cases of sore throat, especially those brought on by a cold or flu.

To brew mint tea, use 1 – 2 Tablespoons of mint leaf and steep in 1 cup of hot water for about 5 minutes. Be sure not to cook it for too long, otherwise the volatile oils which contain most of the medicinal properties may evaporate. Several cups of the tea may be sipped throughout the day as needed.

So next time you are starting to feel a sore throat coming on, try mint tea to bring some relief.

Words quite familiar to most dieters. However, in Traditional Oriental Medicine, the approach to weight loss is quite different.

According to Eastern Medicine, the digestive system, referred to as the Spleen-Pancreas system, includes many other organs such as the stomach and intestines and has the 2 primary functions of “Transformation” and “Transportation“.

The Transformation function refers to the process of breaking down food, digesting it, and absorbing the nutrients – taking food and transforming it into usable energy for the body, a view quite similar to the Western understanding of the digestive system.

On the other hand, the Transportation function of the Spleen-Pancreas system is more unique to Traditional Chinese Medicine and refers to how fluids are kept in balance throughout the body. Under normal healthy conditions, fluids are extracted from food during the Transformation process and are then transported to the various parts of the body to be used as needed, with the rest being removed as waste.

However, when this Transformation function is weakened and no longer properly processing these fluids, some of the excess can get trapped in the body, creating a condition referred to as “Dampness” which can manifest in various ways, including being stored as excess body weight.

Treatment to help lose weight, whether through acupuncture, herbal medicine, or dietary and lifestyle changes, is based on a two-fold approach of strengthening the digestive system as well as helping to directly get rid of the excess Dampness being stored in the body.

Certain foods can assist the body in draining this Dampness and should be emphasized in the diet, while other foods actually contribute to the problem and should be minimized or avoided altogether.

Incorporating small positive changes into your lifestyle and diet can assist you in achieving lasting improvements in your health as well as maintaining a healthier weight for yourself.

Tips for assisting Weight Loss

1. Don’t skip meals – having irregular eating patterns or skipping meals entirely, especially breakfast, can weaken the digestive system and should be avoided. Eating smaller, more regular meals can actually assist with losing weight. A good rule of thumb that many people find useful is to eat before you’re extremely hungry, but stop before you are completely full. It was traditionally advised to only eat until you are 4/5 full.
2. Slow down and chew well – thoroughly chewing your food allows the digestive system to work more efficiently – you’ll end up eating less food but absorbing more nutrition.

Foods to Add (Strengthen the Spleen-Pancreas)

• whole grains, especially oats, rye, & amaranth
• legumes, especially adzuki, lentils, & mung
• vegetables, especially celery, lettuce, radish, kohlrabi, & turnip
• kelp & kombu seaweed

Foods to Avoid (Remove Dampness)

• refined sugar & flour
• artificial sweeteners
• animal products in general, but eggs & dairy in particular
• refined oils, including margarine & shortening

In a particular section of this acupuncture textbook, the Emperor was asking his court physician why people of their day weren’t living as long, compared to those of ancient China.

His doctor replied:

“These days, people have changed their way of life. They drink wine as though it were water, indulge excessively in destructive activities, and deplete their energy… Seeking emotional excitement and momentary pleasures, people disregard the natural rhythm and order of the universe. They fail to regulate their lifestyle and diet, and sleep improperly. So it is not surprising that they look old at fifty and die soon after.”

This description, written over 2,000 years ago, sounds much like our own current situation and the doctor’s advice seems just as relevant for today’s society:

“Previously, people led a calm and honest existence, detached from undue desire and ambition… They were active, but never depleted themselves. Because they lived simply, these individuals knew contentment, as reflected in their diet of basic but nourishing foods and attire that was appropriate to the season… Since they were happy with their position in life, they did not feel jealousy or greed. They had compassion for others and were helpful and honest… They treated others justly, regardless of their level of intelligence or social position… They avoided over-stressing their bodies and minds, and refrained from overindulgence of all kinds. They maintained well-being of body and mind; thus, it is not surprising that they lived over one hundred years.”

Living simply and in moderation – as we face the challenges of life, this advice seems even more important than ever. As more of us search for solutions to improving and maintaining our good health, the time-tested wisdom of Traditional Oriental Medicine is able to continue to lead us into healthier and more balanced lives.

In addition, the skin and mucous membranes are also regarded as an extension of the Lung system. This connection is commonly seen in children who suffer from asthma or allergies and may later on develop skin conditions such as eczema or psoriasis. Treatment is aimed at strengthening the health and functioning of the lungs, resulting in improvement of both the asthma and the skin.

In Eastern medicine, the Lung system is responsible for circulating “Defensive Energy” which travels along the surface of the skin, regulating the body temperature while also protecting the person from outside diseases. It is similar in concept to the immune system, and it is interesting to note that Western medicine views the skin barrier and mucous membranes as an important defense against infectious diseases, something recognized in China well over 2,000 years ago.

When a person catches a cold or flu, the typical symptoms – chills and fever, achy body, sore throat, nasal congestion, coughing – are due to this “Defensive Energy” becoming weak and not circulating properly. Many folk remedies for colds, such as eating hot soup or covering up the body with lots of warm blankets, are intended to open up the skin pores and induce a sweat which helps to restore the proper circulation of the “Defensive Energy“. Acupuncture and herbal medicine can also be used to help out, as the sooner this circulation can be restored and strengthened, the quicker the recovery time, and if done early enough, the full symptoms of a cold or flu can often be averted.

The acupuncture meridian pathway relating to the Lung travels from the chest, through the shoulders and arms, down the inside forearms and wrist, and into the thumb and index finger area. Because of this, other health conditions associated with the Lung system, besides lung and skin problems, can include things such as frozen shoulder, tennis elbow, and carpal tunnel syndrome.

Finally, in Traditional Oriental Medicine, little distinction is made between the body, mind, or emotions – everything is seen as being interconnected. As a result, each organ system corresponds to a specific emotional state, and in the case of the Lungs is associated with sadness and grief. The action of crying, with its strong physical contraction of the lungs as well as runny nose, shows this connection to the Lung system. People who suffer from chronic sadness and depression often experience a sense of tightness and constriction of the chest and lungs. Acupuncture, moderate exercise, and deep breathing can all be useful in releasing this lung constriction, while at the same time helping to improve the person’s overall mood.

As can be seen, the Lung system has a wide range of influence on the entire body and keeping it in shape is an important part of staying healthy.

Some conditions often related to the Lungs

• asthma
• cough
• bronchitis
• tonsillitis
• laryngitis
• pneumonia
• sinusitis
• hay-fever allergies
• frequent colds
• psoriasis
• eczema
• sweating problems
• carpal tunnel
• tennis elbow
• sadness & grief

Tips for keeping the Lungs healthy

1. Moderate exercise helps to strengthen the Lungs as well as to improve the entire body’s circulation. Breathing in lots of fresh air as well as working up a gentle sweat can be very beneficial for the Lung system, but it’s important to remember that too much of a good thing can actually have the opposite effect, so moderation is key.
2. Skin brushing is a simple and easy way to stimulate and strengthen the Lung system and only takes a few minutes to do. A dry loofah brush is used to massage the entire body before a shower or bath. To follow the same direction of flow as the acupuncture meridians, the strokes should be towards the feet and downwards for the outsides of the legs and the back, and away from the feet and upwards for the insides of the legs and chest. For the arms, the inward sides are stroked towards the fingertips but the outer sides away from the hands and up towards the shoulders.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the Spleen-Pancreas system (also commonly just referred to as the Spleen) encompasses all the other organs of digestion, including the stomach and small & large intestine.

Eastern medical theory describes the Spleen as being like the Earth – just as the earth provides food for our nourishment, so the digestive system produces the energy and nourishment needed by the rest of our bodies. Because of this, it plays a central role in our overall health – if we have a strong and healthy Spleen system, we usually have a greater ability to recover from sickness. This effect can easily be seen in serious cases such as the late stages of cancer – once the person’s appetite and digestion deteriorates, the rest of their health often rapidly follows.

According to Eastern medicine, the Spleen is also important in controlling how fluids are distributed throughout the body. Symptoms such as abdominal bloating, fluid retention, edema, and heaviness of the body are all signs of an imbalance in the Spleen system and its inability to properly regulate the fluids.

Other conditions such as phlegm and mucous buildup in the respiratory system are also viewed as being related to the Spleen. The person’s digestive system, along with their diet, is commonly seen as an important factor in all of these conditions, and some people may notice that certain foods such as dairy products or other items tend to worsen their condition.

Finally, in Traditional Oriental Medicine, the Spleen controls our mental ability to think and concentrate. Common examples showing this connection include students who notice an increase in their appetite and particular food cravings while studying hard for exams, or someone suffering brain-fog due to low blood-sugar levels. With an imbalance in the Spleen system, people often experience things such as difficulty to focus, feeling foggy-headed (especially after meals), and a tendency to over-think & over worry.

Hopefully, this brief introduction to the Spleen-Pancreas system gives a better understanding of how Traditional Oriental Medicine views the body and how a healthy digestive system is a foundation for our overall wellbeing.

Some conditions often related to the Spleen

• nausea
• colic
• irritable bowel
• fatigue
• bloating
• water retention
• over thinking
• anxiety
• worry

Tips for keeping the Spleen-Pancreas (Digestion) healthy

1. Nourishing foods – try do avoid overly processed & sugary foods, as they tend to weaken the digestive system. In addition, animal products, especially dairy, tends to produce mucous which further weakens the digestion. Instead, whole grains such as barley, buckwheat, oats, and rice provide a slow release of energy & nourishment for the body. Other excellent foods to include in the diet are root vegetables such as squash, turnips, and yams.
2. Slow down & chew well – thoroughly chewing our food releases enzymes which assist in proper digestion. Take your time when eating meals. Eating on-the-run puts a tremendous strain on the digestive system and should be avoided.
3. Warm it up – consuming ice-cold drinks and excessive cold raw foods puts additional strain on the digestive system, as energy is used up to heat it to body temperature. In Eastern medicine, the Spleen prefers warmth, so warm drinks and lightly steamed vegetables are helpful, especially for those with weak digestion.

Traditional Oriental Medicine always views the physical organs, along with their corresponding energy meridian pathways, as an integrated whole. Because of this, when Eastern medicine talks about an organ, it is referring to the entire system which often includes other associated parts of the body, not just the local area of the physical organ.

Emotions in general are said to be controlled by the Liver system, but in particular, anger and frustration are closely related to the Liver.

In the case of an angry, irritable person, the Liver energy is too active and is described as a Fire that rises up towards the top of the body. The normal direction of Liver energy flow, upwards and outwards, has been taken to an extreme, and this can clearly be seen as their voice becomes loud, their body movements become agitated, their blood pressure rises as blood rushes upwards to their head, their face turns red and the eyes become bloodshot, and veins in the forehead become distended.

At the other extreme of the emotional spectrum would be someone who suffers from depression. Instead of the Liver energy travelling upwards and outwards, it begins to stagnate and turn inwards on itself, causing symptoms such as pent-up emotions, frustration, depression, and an inability to express feelings. 

Another aspect is that in Traditional Oriental Medicine, the energy meridian system is described as functioning in pairs. In the case of the Liver, it is directly coupled with the Gallbladder meridian which starts from the temple area, travels down the sides of the head and neck, through the tops of the shoulders, down the ribcage, through the hips, and down the sides of the legs to the feet.

Because of this pathway, other common health conditions often related to the Liver include migraine headaches, neck & shoulder tension, and sciatica pain. Other body parts are also associated with the Liver system such as connective tissue, tendons, and the eyes.

Finally, in Traditional Chinese Medicine, the Liver is described as storing and regulating the Blood. Because of this close association with Blood, the Liver system is extremely important when treating women’s health issues.

Some health problems such as menorrhagia or amenorrhea are related to blood flow (too much or too little), while other problems such as dysmenorrhea (painful periods) and PMS are more to do with the energy flow of the meridians. In all cases, regulating the Liver system is an important aspect of treatment.

Hopefully, this brief introduction to the Liver system gives a better understanding of how Traditional Oriental Medicine views and interconnects the entire body.

Some conditions often related to the Liver

• migraine headaches
• neck tension
• sciatica pain
• irritability
• stress
• depression
• PMS
• irregular or painful menstrual periods
• endometriosis

Tips for keeping the Liver healthy

1. Eat your greens – green foods are particularly nourishing for the Liver. Some excellent green foods include broccoli, kale, cabbage, chard, spinach, spirulina, chlorella, and barley greens.
2. Regulate your emotions – because the Liver regulates all emotions, it is important to try and keep them in balance. If you’re the type of person who tends to be irritable and easily angry, find ways of easing your stress levels, and deep breathing is an important tool for maintaining composure. On the other hand, if you are the type who tends to hold things in, find ways of better expressing yourself in order to maintain a healthy flow of Liver energy.
3. Stretch your Liver meridian – the Liver meridian starts from the big toe and travels up through the inside of the leg and thigh before entering the torso. A particularly good stretch is a groin stretch, where you sit on the floor with the soles of your feet touching each other in front of you. Let your knees settle downwards towards the ground and hold this position for 1 minute, making sure to breathe into the tight areas.
4. A little bit of alcohol – in small amounts, alcohol actually helps to promote blood circulation so is healthy for the Liver. However, moderation is the key, as too much of a good thing can actually have an opposite effect.

Probably the easiest way to get some insight into Eastern medicine is to look at the extremes of both a young infant and an elderly person, and how similar their characteristics are. In the case of the child, the Kidney system is still in development while for the older person, a weakening Kidney function is just a progression of the natural aging process:

• bald / balding
• no teeth / loosing teeth
• bed-wetting / incontinent
• weak back & legs / hunched back
• soft bones & open fontanel / brittle bones
• undeveloped memory / poor memory
• undeveloped reproductive organs / declining sexual function

As can be seen from just this brief list, the Eastern view of the Kidney system involves many other parts of the body as well:

• urinary system
• reproductive system
• hormones
• growth & development
• bones & marrow, especially the spine
• brain function & memory

According to Traditional Oriental Medicine, the Kidney is also in charge of controlling the Fluid metabolism throughout the body and could be thought of as the coolant system that prevents things from overheating. For example, a condition commonly treated with acupuncture is the typical menopausal woman where the Kidney system is not doing its job of cooling the body. As a result, this extra heat rises up and collects towards the top of the body, producing symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, shoulder pain, and insomnia.

In addition, the Kidney is regarded as a measure of strength of a person’s constitution, similar to what Western medicine might refer to as hereditary and genetic factors. For instance, the grandma who has her 3 gin & tonics every day, smokes cigarettes like a chimney, has never been sick a day in her life, and yet lives to 100 would definitely be described as having a strong Kidney system. On the other extreme, the frail, sickly, asthmatic kid who’s always coming down with a cold has a weak Kidney system and will probably have to work extra hard for the rest of their life just to maintain average health.

Finally, Eastern medicine makes special connections between specific organs and their corresponding emotions. In the case of the Kidney, its emotions are associated with fear, shock, and willpower. An obvious example of this would be someone who gets a sudden scare and loses control of their bladder. Another less common example could be someone who experienced a traumatic event and seemed to age overnight as a result.

With regards to willpower, references to this exist even in our everyday language, such as describing a weak person with no ability to stand up for themselves as “spineless” or “having no backbone“, which especially makes sense from the Eastern perspective since the Kidney and Bladder acupuncture meridian pathways actually travel through the back and spine areas.

Hopefully, this brief introduction to the Kidney system gives a better understanding of the way Traditional Oriental Medicine views a person and how it interconnects everything together.

Some conditions often related to the Kidney

• back pain
• knee & foot pain
• fatigue
• diabetes
• menopause / hot flashes
• hypothyroid / hyperthyroid
• urinary problems
• insomnia
• poor memory
• lack of willpower

Tips for keeping the Kidney healthy

1. Stay flexible – because both the Kidney meridian and its related Bladder meridian travel through the back and the legs, maintaining flexibility in these areas is very important. Yoga poses such as Downward Dog and Child’s Pose, along with stretches for the hamstring muscles help to gently stretch out and improve the energy circulation of these meridians. You’re only as young as your back!
2. Keep warm – because the Bladder meridian travels through the top of the head and neck, exposure to drafts can allow cold to enter here, where it can then travel along the meridians and penetrate deeper into the body. For a similar reason, the abdomen and lower back should always be covered up and kept warm (even if fashion trends say otherwise).
3. Breathe deep – so many of us are shallow breathers, especially when stressed out. By focusing on deep relaxed abdominal breathing, it helps draw energy downwards to help strengthen the Kidney system.
4. Don’t stress out – unlike our ancestors who had to deal mostly with immediate physical threats such as war or hunting, we have to deal with more prolonged stress (physical and mental) since modern society usually doesn’t allow us to either fight or run away from danger. This continuous stress tends to build up in the body and depletes the Kidney adrenal system.

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