Fwd: [discusschineseherbs] trying to conceive

[Guest guest]

Colleen DeLaney gave permission to forward this over. It has some good

advice on trying to conceive. However, being aware of what is happening

from a TCM standpoint during a woman's menstrual cycle also can be very

helpful in treating many menstrual problems.

 

Victoria

 

>Colleen DeLaney <herbdocs

>discusschineseherbs

>discusschineseherbs (AT) eGroups (DOT) com

>Re: [discusschineseherbs] trying to conceive

>Sat, 02 Sep 2000 12:37:05 -0700

>

 

>I have to agree with Xxx-- hormone shots are much stronger and will

>override herbs until

>they're sufficiently dispersed from the body. (You know they're much

>stronger-- we

>wouldn't rely on herbs for birth control!)

>

>As for herbs: I can only give a generalized approach to illustrate how TCM

>might

>approach using herbs to assist with conception.

>

>One method divides the normal menstrual cycle into distinct opportunities

>for varying

>herb formulas to normalize and reinforce the Qi and Blood. Of course, TCM

>doesn't talk

>about hormones per se, but not surprisingly the herbs recommended for

>various parts of

>the cycle reinforce healthy hormonal balance.

>

>Note that the herbs listed are generic suggestions: These generalities

>would work best

>when (as always!) tailored to the individual woman's unique situation.

>

>*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

>During the menses, yang is transforming to yin:

>

>1) During Menses

>Principle: Open Channels, Vitalize Blood

>Herbs: Guizhi, Chuanxiong, Danggui, Yanhusuo, Honghua, Mudanpi

>

>The end of the menses opens a window of opportunity to tonify Yin, Blood,

>and Qi:

>

>2) Post-Menstrual Phase

>Principle: Build Qi, Blood, Yin, and address the ROOT of any deficiencies:

>Herbs: Ginseng, Danggui, Baishao, Shudihuang, Longyanrou, Gouzizi, Shanyao

>

>As you approach ovulation, yin is now transforming to yang:

>

>3) Pre-Ovulatory and Ovulatory (Fertile) Phase

>Principle: Open Channels, Vitalize Blood

>Herbs: Guizhi, Gegen, Danggui, Taoren, Danshen, Chishao

>

>Now that fertilization may have taken place, it's time to build yang and

>disperse Qi:

>

>4) Post-Ovulatory

>Principle: Tonify Yang

>Herbs: Duzhong, Huangqi, Rougui, Lujiao

>

>5) Pre-Menstrual

>Principle: Disperse Qi, Activate Blood

>Herbs: Wuyao, Xiangfu, Zhike, Danggui, Chuanxiong, Taoren

>

>*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

>Acupuncture is also quite helpful for normalizing cycles.

>

>---->Colleen

>

>*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

>Want to learn more about Chinese herbs?

>For our FREE newsletter, or info about our self-paced

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>

>

>

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>

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[Guest guest]

Colleen gave me permission to forward this over. It illustrates some

important points in TCM herbalism. Sometimes the species does matter,

sometimes not. For example, Chinese licorice root is not as bad as other

species of licorice when it comes to raising blood pressure. Sometimes where

the herb is grown and under what conditions will make a difference. For

example, really good and powerful cayenne can be grown in Florida and the

southern part of the U.S. Southwest and south Texas. All the intense

sunlight and long stretches of sunny days produces a cayenne which is very

hot and strong. BTW, the Chinese not only import American ginseng because

it has different properties from the oriental varieties, they pay top dollar

for panax ginseng grown in forests instead of under artificial shade. China

doesn't have enough forested areas to grow enough panax ginseng or American

ginseng under natural conditions to meet the demand in China.

 

This post also points out how different part of a plant can have different

properties. The most famous example is that the twigs and " leaves " of

Chinese Ephedra (Ma Huang) have properties that are the opposite of those of

the roots (Ma Huang Gen). You definitely don't want to get these two mixed

up. The bark of cinnamon is Hot and will Warm the Interior, cinnamon twigs

are Warm and will dispel Wind Chill in the Exterior. However, some times

the fine-tuning of treatment will go even beyond these examples, and a part

of a part of a plant can make a difference as she shows with Dang Gui. BTW,

there's a lot of different species of angelica, and species definitely does

make a difference when it comes to angelica.

 

Victoria

 

>Colleen DeLaney <herbdocs

>discusschineseherbs

>discusschineseherbs (AT) eGroups (DOT) com

>Re: [discusschineseherbs] trying to conceive

>Mon, 04 Sep 2000 11:25:08 -0700

 

>

>xxxxxxxxx wrote:

>

> > coleen,I dont mean to be dumb but could you tell me what some of those

>herbs are I

> > dont know any of the names you used.sounds like you really

> > know your stuff ,i just dont know what those names mean.

>

>Dear Xxx--

>

>Sorry for the confusion-- those are the Chinese names of the Chinese herbs

>that would

>be used for regulating a woman's cycle. (In the herbs you listed that you

>are taking,

>Dang Gui is the Chinese name for Chinese Angelica root-- some of the names

>are more

>commonly known than others). With a shorter list of herbs I usually

>translate both the

>English or botannical name along with the Chinese name. However, in many

>cases there is

>no western equivalent of the Chinese herb, and listing it could just add to

>the

>confusion.

>

>There's a reason why I always emphasize the Chinese name of the herb over

>the more

>readily recognized English name: the Chinese equivalent of an herb is

>different from

>the western equivalent, and they shouldn't be substituted, so if I say red

>sage root

>instead of danshen, someone might not know that the western red sage root

>differs from

>the danshen that is used in China, just as American ginseng has entirely

>different

>properties from Chinese ginseng. (The Chinese import American ginseng from

>us because

>they value its different properties.)

>

>The properties and actions of the Chinese herbs have been known for

>thousands of years.

>There are even certain Chinese herbs that will differ in properties if you

>get them from

>a northern versus a southern province due to differences in soil and

>climate

>conditions. So, again, I apologize, but I'm not trying to be difficult or

>academic by

>giving the Chinese names of herbs-- doing so really does denote very

>specific

>properties of those herbs!

>

>I listed the herbs in detail for students of the course, many of whom are

>on this list,

>and to demonstrate a treatment principle that takes into account how the

>patient's needs

>can change from week to week, necessitating a weekly formula change. This

>ability to

>shift and adapt a formula to changing circumstances is one of the strengths

>of TCM and

>is especially useful when treating women for fertility or irregular

>cycles.

>

>For this reason, I'm hoping you'll conclude that you would get the best

>results possible

>if you were to consult a trained Chinese herbalist for this matter!

>

>BTW, for students of the course, the form of Dang Gui that is used can also

>change from

>week to week in this progression of formulas:

>

>Dangguitou is the *head* of the root, and is considered more tonifying and

>less blood

>invigorating-- it would best be used during the week after menses.

>

>Danggui by itself balances the tonifying and blood-invigorating properties,

>and would be

>used during the middle, or ovulatory cycle.

>

>Dangguiwe is the *tail* of the root, and is considered more blood

>invigorating than

>tonifying, and would be used during the menses. Dangguiwei is also often

>used more in

>formulas for trauma, bruising, and blood stagnation.

>

>--->Colleen

>

>*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

>Want to learn more about Chinese herbs?

>For our FREE newsletter, or info about our self-paced

>home-study course visit http://www.herbdocs.com

>To join our discussion group, send a blank e-mail to

>discusschineseherbs-

>*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

>

>

>

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>

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>

 

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