Dosage Question

[Guest guest]

If one needs to utilize two separate formulas to fulfill the treatment

principle .... would one take 1/2 doses of each formula or full doses of

each? Thank you.

 

Lynn

[Guest guest]

>If one needs to utilize two separate formulas to fulfill the treatment

>principle .... would one take 1/2 doses of each formula or full doses of

>each? Thank you.

 

The way I learned is that if someone needs more of a particular class of

herb, instead of increasing the dosage of that particular herb, add another

herb from that class. For example, if one Yang tonic herb alone isn't

enough for a person who is Yang Deficient, instead of raising the dose of

the one Yang tonic herb beyond the recommended dose, add another Yang tonic

herb to the first one.

 

Sometimes it's possible to modify a formula to take care of other problems.

Chinese Herbal Medicine Formulas & Strategies compiled and translated by Dan

Bensky and Randall Barolet has suggestions on modifying formulas.

 

A classic example of modifying formuals according to individual needs is

Rehmannia Six which contains coked Rehmannia glutinosa (Shu Di Huang),

Dioscorea Orentatlis (Shan Yao), Alisma orientalis (Zie Xie), poria cocos

(Fu Ling), Cornus off. berries (Shan Zhu Yu), and Moutan peony (Mu Dan Pi).

Rehmannia Six is a very important basic Yin tonic formula, and often is the

base for a variety of Yin tonics. " Rehmannia Six is used for all symptoms

of aging, burnout, and wasting. It is specifically useful for joint pains,

aching lower back, diabetes, thirst, chronic urinary disorders. "

( " Integrating the Traditional Chinese Understanding of the Kidneys into

Western Herbalism by Michael Tierra, L.as, O.M.D. (from the acupuncture.com

website).)

 

Let's say the person is Yin Deficient with some very marked symptoms and

signs of coldness. Yes, a person can be both too hot (Yin Deficiency) and

too cold (Yang Deficiency and/or the invasion of External Cold). It's a

weird scenario, but it does happen What happens is that part of the body

may be too hot - like the upper trunk - while the arms and legs and lower

part of the trunk are too cold. This frequently appears in cases of

parasite infection or in some (not all cases) of menopause. Or, the person

may alternate between feelings of hot and cold. Sometimes an infection can

cause this, but sometimes it may be due to both marked Kidney Yin and Kidney

Yang Deficiency. What often happens in these cases (but not always) is the

person may tend toward being too cold in the mornings (definitely not a

morning person and a slow starter) and too hot in the afternoon and night.

This may be a person who has less energy than normal but has most of his/her

activity at night. Another scenario where there can be Yin Deficiency with

symptoms of cold is invasion by External Cold. There usually is going to be

some Protective Qi Deficiency problems (which allows Cold to invade easily)

and Qi Stagnation problems as a result of the Cold invading. This scenario

also can happen as a result of long-term Yang Deficiency. Exterior Cold can

invade very easily and quickly in cases of long-term Yang Deficiency.

 

Anyway, it is possible for a person to be Yin Deficient (which usually has a

symptom of the person being too hot and having trouble cooling off) but also

be too Cold and the Cold mask the Heat. (I know this sounds very confusing

to people new to TCM, but trust me here as a person who has had problems

primarily with Kidney Yang Deficiency but also had some marked Kidney Yin

Deficiency. During the worst of my health problems, the more servere Kidney

Yang problems completely masked the Kidney Yin Deficiency problems. It was

only after the Kidney Yang problems began to be corrected some that the

Kidney Yin Deficiency problems - including feeling hot in the afternoon -

began to be apparent. It wasn't a matter of taking too many Kidney Yang

tonic herbs and being warmed up too much as I still have problems with Yang

Deficiency (takes a long time to correct) and with being too cold during

part of the day and too hot sometimes in the afternoon and evening. Joint

Kidney Yang and Kidney Yin Deficiency doesn't always cycle like this, but

sometimes it does.

 

Anyway, let's say that a person who obviously is Yin Deficient also has " a

decided tendency towards weakness, impotence and coldness. " (Micheal Tierra

article on " Integrating the Traditional Chinese Understanding of the Kidneys

into Western Herbalism " from the acupuncture.com website.) One uses the

base Rehmannia Six formula and adds two ingredients - cinnamon bark and

prepared aconite. The formula is then called Rehmannia Eight.

 

If you'll let me know what the two formulas are and why they are needed, I

can look them up in Formulas & Strategies and see if there's any traditional

way to modify one or the other to take care of all the person's problems.

 

But sometimes modifying a formula by including one or more other herbs for

other problems is not the best thing for the individual. In these cases

more than one herbal formula will have to be used. Back when I was a lot

sicker, I was on more than one formula and more than one way of

administering herbs. There was a main formula which the TCM herbalist

concocted especially for me. (I had a lot of mixed problems.) There was

the formula tea Minor Blue Dragon for a while for the External Evils

Invading problems. There were capsules containing Dong Quai (Rx Angelicae

Sinensis) and wild yam for female reproductive health, a tinture with herbs

for the kidneys, a capsule with herbs that are laxative in nature for the

colonic inertia problem, and a tincture for the longterm infection problems.

Sometimes it is necessary to go with more than one formula instead of

modifying a traditional formula. It depends on the individual's needs.

 

As far as I know, none of the different formuals, capsules, and tinctures

had overlapping ingredients. What was included in one was not found in any

of the others.

 

You may want to consider concocting a formula from scratch instead of

relying on a traditional formula. Many herbal formula texts will give

information on what not to mix with what. The advantage of the traditional

formulas is they've been tried and tested and are very predictable. The

advantage of coming up with one on your own after learning the basics of

formulas is that one of these can be more fine-tuned. Learning what not to

mix with what is also a good idea if more than one formula is being used.

 

For those new to TCM: Formulas usually will list a range of dosages of

individual herbs. For example, Tierra lists the range of 9 to 12 grams for

poria cocos (fu ling) for the Rehmannia Six formula. Fu Ling is classified

as an herb for Draining Dampness. It pulls Dampness from all parts of the

body and promotes urination. Let's say an individual who in Yin Deficient

has a marked tendency toward being too Dry (not uncommon in cases of Yin

Deficiency since one of the things Yin does is to moisten). In this case

the herbalist may want to go with the lower dose of 9 grams. Let's say that

another individual who is Yin Deficient has a marked tendency toward

Dampness accumulation or edema in parts of the body. In this case the

herbalist may want to go with the maximun dose of 12 grams. (Note: It is

possible for people to be both too Dry and have Dampness accumulation

problems at the same time. Fu Ling is not just a diuretic. It doesn't work

like most diuretics. What it appears to do is pull edemanous water out of

spaces between cells. Some readers may be wondering why an herb with these

particular properties would be included in a Yin Deficiency formula when

people who are Yin Deficient tend towards Dryness. It's because this is not

the only property of Fu Ling. It also calms the Heart and Spirit, and one

of the possible and common symptoms of Yin Deficiency is agitation and

nervousness. In addition it strengthens the Spleen and can dissolve

Phlegm.)

 

In some cases an herbalist may need to drop below even recommended minimum

dosages of herbs. Sometimes this will have to be done when the person has

CFIDS. Another time this may have to be done is when the person is very

debilitated, especially when there is marked Spleen Deficiency. The full

dose - even the minimum recommended dose - may be too much for a person with

a very weakened Spleen.

 

Victoria

 

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In a message dated 05/24/2001 9:51:09 PM Pacific Daylight Time,

victoria_dragon writes:

 

<< If you'll let me know what the two formulas are and why they are needed, I

can look them up in Formulas & Strategies and see if there's any traditional

way to modify one or the other to take care of all the person's problems.

 

I just started to take Bu Yin Tang (Tang Kuei and Rehmannia Combination). At

Blue Poppy's online store under Herbs, this formula is listed as " Supplement

Yin " . If you below it for more information, there is a very

good explanation of the formula. (All of the formulas listed have similar

details) It is for both Yin and Yang deficiency, Spleen Qi deficiency with

Liver Qi Stagnation and Heat and possible Blood Stagnation. Bob Flaws then

goes on to list companion formulas. I never would have chosen this formula

based on information that I have in books, the detailed description was

extremely helpful. It is not listed in Bensky's Formulas and Strategies.

 

I only started to take this formula today, so it is too early to tell if I

will need to modify or add another formula. I may sit tight for a few days

to see what transpires just with Bu Yin Tang.

 

In any event I suppose I was just wondering what the standard rule of thumb

is for formula combining. For instance common dose for powdered formulas is

1- 2 grams, 3x per day. So should one not exceed 2 grams of a given mix at

one time?

 

<< Back when I was a lot sicker, I was on more than one formula and more

than one way of administering herbs. There was a main formula which the TCM

herbalist

concocted especially for me. (I had a lot of mixed problems.) There was

the formula tea Minor Blue Dragon for a while for the External Evils

Invading problems. There were capsules containing Dong Quai (Rx Angelicae

Sinensis) and wild yam for female reproductive health, a tinture with herbs

for the kidneys, a capsule with herbs that are laxative in nature for the

colonic inertia problem, and a tincture for the longterm infection problems.

Sometimes it is necessary to go with more than one formula instead of

modifying a traditional formula. It depends on the individual's needs.

 

So you took full doses of all of these?

 

Lynn

[Guest guest]

>I just started to take Bu Yin Tang (Tang Kuei and Rehmannia Combination).

>At

>Blue Poppy's online store under Herbs, this formula is listed as

> " Supplement

>Yin " .

 

>It is for both Yin and Yang deficiency, Spleen Qi deficiency with

>Liver Qi Stagnation and Heat and possible Blood Stagnation. Bob Flaws then

>goes on to list companion formulas. I never would have chosen this formula

>based on information that I have in books, the detailed description was

>extremely helpful. It is not listed in Bensky's Formulas and Strategies.

 

I couldn't find Bu Yin Tang in any of my books, but I did find some

information on the Internet. It appears Flaws has changed the formula

slightly, substituting codonopsis for ginseng. This is in line with the

body of work which indicates that ginseng can aggravate certain gu

conditions, and with these formulas being especially formulated for dealing

with " knotty " (complex) problems. Flaws believes that Gu problems often are

involved with conditions like CFIDS, MS, etc.

 

>I only started to take this formula today, so it is too early to tell if I

>will need to modify or add another formula. I may sit tight for a few days

>to see what transpires just with Bu Yin Tang.

 

How is it working out?

 

>In any event I suppose I was just wondering what the standard rule of thumb

>is for formula combining. For instance common dose for powdered formulas

>is

>1- 2 grams, 3x per day. So should one not exceed 2 grams of a given mix at

>one time?

 

I'm not very familiar with taking powdered formulas. In my particular case,

hot teas made from bulk, whole herbs usually are the most effective way for

me to take herbs. (For those new to TCM, sometimes the way the herb is taken

will affect its effectiveness. For example, some herbs or formulas of herbs

are best taken as a hot tea, some as a cool (room temperature) tea, some in

tincture form, some as pills, and some as powders. I'm curious about the

" Tang " in the formula name. Is the powered formula to be mixed with water?

 

If the dose says " 1-2 grams, 3X per day " , one should not exceed 2 grams at a

time. I would check with the manufacturer to make sure this mean a total of

3-6g per day, taken in 3 dosages of 1-2g at a time.

 

For those new to TCM, dosages of herbs and formulas frequently are given in

ranges. This allows more leeway in fine-tuning treatment. The obvious

example is that a larger person will tend to need a higher dose than a

smaller person will. In some cases, a person who is very debilitated might

require an even smaller dosage than the lower dose in the given range.

>

> << Back when I was a lot sicker, I was on more than one formula and more

>than one way of administering herbs. >So you took full doses of all of

>these?

 

As far as I know. I know the dosages for the various capsules and tinctures

were standard because they were printed on the bottle. I assume the dosages

for the herb teas were too. The main tea was to be taken twice a day. I

forget the schedule for the Minor Blue Dragon.

 

I remember the herbalist was admant about taking some of the formulas in the

form of a tincture even though as a PWC alcohol tends to make me sicker and

I have that problem with the liver and spleen swelling when the CFIDS is

flaring and the mono is active. But it worked out fine. (He really knew

his stuff.)

 

I also remember his being admate about the teas being hot in my case because

of the nature of my chief problem (Deficiency Cold) and the nature of the

herbs.

 

Victoria

 

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In a message dated 06/08/2001 10:52:03 PM Pacific Daylight Time,

victoria_dragon writes:

 

<I only started to take this formula today, so it is too early to tell if I

>will need to modify or add another formula. I may sit tight for a few days

>to see what transpires just with Bu Yin Tang.

 

>> How is it working out?

 

 

IT DIDN'T. I had been doing very well on my own mix of neutral Kidney Yang

(cuscuta) and Yin tonics this past spring. I had been doing so well in fact

that I thought I'd try this formula. I wasn't paying enough attention

however ... not realizing that we were heading into summer. I started this

formula towards the end of May. Stagnation city. According to The Treatise

on the Spleen and Stomach, the Earth's energies do not have a season of their

own, but are more predominent during the changing of the seasons. Typically

March, June, September (primarily) and December. All of my stagnation

symptoms were those created by Dampness. Earth is damp. A Yin formula would

not be indicated for me during this time. Those with weak digestion and who

are more proned to developing dampness will suffer the worst. I played

around with modifications for a few weeks, but once I realized that the

problem was the dampening aspect ... I stopped it. Duh. It took me a while

to figure out but I now seem to be getting a grip on it. According to

Ayureveda this can last until mid-July when the Vata season (dryness) begins.

The best time of the year for me to incorporate Yin tonics would be

mid-summer through November with the exception of September.

 

I am learning ... it will take me at least one full year to witness these

changes but so far I have found them to be right on the mark. I am still

finding that I need to shift focus as far as to what properties I utilize for

supplementation, and which I utilize for drainage according to the season we

are in.

 

For instance .... I have never had any luck with Dang Gui. I am

unquestionably Liver Blood deficient, it really seems to be the worst of my

imbalances. Dang Qui always made me much worse. It didn't seem to matter

what I combined it with, or which formula I tried that seemed appropriate for

Liver Blood deficiency. I always tried it during the cold seasons. Warm

drains in the fall and winter and supplements in the spring and summer. Dang

Qui is warm and targets the Liver, Heart and Spleen. Taking it in the cold

weather would have accentuated the imbalance.

 

I put it to the test, I have never tried it during the warm months. Dang Gui

seems to be exactly what I need right now to pull me out of the mess I made.

I have never before now been able to make changes in my tongue for the better

that I have in the past few days. I am combining it with cooling herbs that

drain from the Stomach and Lungs. I haven't refined my formula yet, but I am

now doing much better. Wow.

 

Lynn

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 06/12/2001 10:27:50 AM Pacific Daylight Time,

victoria_dragon writes:

 

<< Healers will tend to see more cases and more severe cases of Cold

imbalance

in winter, more cases and more severe cases of Heat imbalance in the summer,

more problems associated with Wind during prolonged periods of wind (like in

the spring in most cases), etc. Being aware of what the weather is also can

be an analysis tool.

 

People tend to eat more Yang and hot foods in winter than in summer to

compensate for the time of year being more Yin and cold. (Though healthy

people also need to eat some foods which are in tune with the season in

order to store this energy.)

 

Also be alert to artificial weather conditions - those created by heating/

cooling systems, sitting in a draft at work or school (Wind Heat or Wind

Chill), the use of hair dryers, etc. Some people are sensitive enough that

artificial weather conditions also can worsen imbalances. For example, a

person comes in with dry eyes, dry nasal passages, etc. Ask about how

drying the heating or cooling system is. Sometimes changing the system or

compensating for it (like using a humidifier in the winter) can improve

things for the person. (A lot of TCM is very basic, very common sense.)

 

Back in the winter I (with the problems I have with Cold) was taking a lot

more Yang tonic and warming herbs than I am now. I haven't needed them

since it got warmer. The dose of Yang tonic and warming herbs that I needed

in springs past was too much this spring. I have improved greatly, so much

that the usual spring dose was starting to create problems with making me

too Hot.

 

>Those with weak digestion and who

>are more proned to developing dampness will suffer the worst.

 

For those new to TCM, the Spleen (which is paramount in good digestion) is

most vulnerable to Dampness. If the Spleen becomes damaged by Dampness or

whatever, it in turn will generate even more Dampness problems.

 

>I played

>around with modifications for a few weeks, but once I realized that the

>problem was the dampening aspect ... I stopped it. Duh. It took me a

>while

>to figure out but I now seem to be getting a grip on it. According to

>Ayureveda this can last until mid-July when the Vata season (dryness)

>begins.

 

The important factor is the prevailing weather conditions where you live.

Right now, a lot of areas in the U.S. are Damp. Mid-July here is not when

Dryness begins but when this area usually (hopefully) sees the most rain and

Dampness. Spring here tends to be the driest time of the year. The fall is

drier than the monsoon period, but this area of the desert southwest does

tend to get some rain in late October and some rain and snow occasionally in

the winter. BTW, not all deserts are the same. They have different average

rainfall amounts, weather patterns, and flora and fauna. The desert I live

in is wetter in general and in particular in the winter than the deserts to

the west. Those armed castuses (saguaros) that Hollywood insists on

sticking in so many Westerners only grow in the Sonoran Desert. So if you

see them in Westerns about Cochise or Geronimo, or Westerns set in Texas or

New Mexico, they're out of place. They do belong in Westerns set in Tucson

or Phoenix because these two areas are part of the Sonoran Desert.

 

Sometimes people, like plants, do better in one area than another.

 

>For instance .... I have never had any luck with Dang Gui. I am

>unquestionably Liver Blood deficient, it really seems to be the worst of my

>imbalances. Dang Qui always made me much worse.

 

Are there Blood Stasis and/or Qi Stagnation problems too? BTW, Maciocia

writes that Stasis of Liver-Blood " always derives from that of stagnatiuon

of Liver-Qi. When Qi stagnates, in the long run it leads to stasis of

Blood. The Liver sotres Blood and is particularly affected by stasis of

Blood. " (Foundations, pp. 218-219) If there are Qi Stagnation and Blood

Stasis problems, any tonic herb can create problems. It's like putting more

water into a hose with a blockage in it. Until that blackage is removed,

the water just backs up behind it instead of flowing like it needs to.

 

Trying some acupressure may help the Liver Blood Deficiency problems.

Maciocia recommends " tonify the Liver, nourish Blood. " BL 18 (Bladder 18)

tonifies Liver-Blood, BL 20 tonifies the Spleen to produce Blood. BL 23

tonifies the Kidneys to produce Blood, BL 17 with moxa tonifies Blood, Liv

(Liver) 8 tonifies Liver Blood (this also can be a good one in some cases of

nausea), ST (Stomach) 36 and SP (Spleen) 6 tonify the Post-Heaven Qi to

produce Blood, and Ren 4 " tonifies Blood (with direct moxa). " (Foundations,

p. 225)

>>

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 06/12/2001 10:27:50 AM Pacific Daylight Time,

victoria_dragon writes:

 

<< Healers will tend to see more cases and more severe cases of Cold

imbalance

in winter, more cases and more severe cases of Heat imbalance in the summer,

more problems associated with Wind during prolonged periods of wind (like in

the spring in most cases), etc. Being aware of what the weather is also can

be an analysis tool.

>>

 

 

Whoops .... sorry about the previous post. I somehow accidentally sent it

while I was trying to copy Victorias response.

 

Anyway:

 

From " Chinese System of Food Cures " by Henry C. Lu, pg. 44:

 

" It is important to remember, whichever your body type, you should eat more

hot and pungent foods in the summer, more warm and sweet foods in spring,

more neutral and light foods in between summer and autumn, more cool and sour

foods in autumn and more cold and bitter foods in winter. This may seem to

contradict the principle stated earlier that to create the yin-yang balance

people with a hot body type should eat more cold foods and people with a cold

type more hot foods, which implies that one should eat more cold foods in

summer, more hot foods in winter to create a yin-yang balance. Nevertheless,

the two seemingly contradictory principles are resolved by the fact that

foods and seasons have a difference in their impact on the human body:

Foods, when eaten, become part of the human body; the four seasons (as

environmental factors) are external to the human body. When a person with a

hot body type eats cold foods, for example, the cold energy of foods is

absorbed to become part of his body so that the heat of the body is reduced

and the yin-yang balance within the body is achieved; on the other hand,

summer heat is always external to the body and in the summer, the body

surface is constantly under the impact of summer heat that creates an

imbalance between the internal body region and the body surface; for this

reason, in summer, it is necessary to eat more hot and warm foods to increase

internal body heat so that a yin-yang balance between the internal region and

body surface can be achieved. By the same token, in winter, the body surface

is constantly under the impact of winter cold that creates an imbalance

between the internal region and the body surface, and it is necessary to eat

more cold and cool foods to cool the internal region to achieve a yin-yang

balance between the internal body region and surface. "

 

When I first read this a few years ago I remember thinking ... " who is this

guy and what kind of a nut is he??? "

 

I am finding that what he states is true and is really working for me. Not

only with myself but with my dog. He is 2 years old and has been one very

healthy HOT pup from day one. I have consistantly been feeding him a cooling

diet, and consistantly tearing my hair out trying to figure out how to get

him to calm down, stop scratching until he's bloody and stop trying to push

me around. He always did do better in the winter but did especially well

this past winter when I added barley (more cooling than rice) to his regime

(I feed him a homemade diet). Well ... spring hit and there we were again,

everything was getting worse. I never liked giving him beef all the time but

I felt stuck between a rock and a hard place. Dogs need meat .... but

chicken always made him much worse (physical and temperament). BUT ... I

always tried giving him chicken (more warming than beef) in the cold weather.

I figured that if he reacted so badly in the winter, why would I want to try

in the summer???? Adding more heat to too much heat?

 

He's doing better than he ever has .... now ..... since spring arrived ....

on chicken and oatmeal (warming). Now who would think oatmeal, the grain

that warms everyone in the winter would be my answer. No lie. I tried

oatmeal in the winter and ended up with him developing " Liver invading the

Spleen " (he would vomit yellow bile and swallow continuously ... not good).

But now on chicken and oatmeal .... he's calm, we can walk without him

pulling like a mad dog (less willful, more co-operative), he's comfortable.

OK .... a little scratching .... but not much worse than and occasional " it

feels good " type scratch. Some could say " maybe he's just growing up! " , but

I find it a bit too coincidental that he " grew up " the same week that I

employed these principles.

 

This is good stuff ... think about it.

 

Lynn

PS: Thank you very much Victoria for the accupressure points for Deficient

Liver Blood.

 

 

 

Lynn

[Guest guest]

> >> How is it working out?

>

>

>IT DIDN'T. I had been doing very well on my own mix of neutral Kidney Yang

>(cuscuta) and Yin tonics this past spring.

 

I usually do better on the formulas I concoct than on the classical

formulas. Some people need very specialized formulas while others do fine

on classical formulas.

 

>I had been doing so well in fact

>that I thought I'd try this formula. I wasn't paying enough attention

>however ... not realizing that we were heading into summer. I started this

>formula towards the end of May. Stagnation city. According to The

>Treatise

>on the Spleen and Stomach, the Earth's energies do not have a season of

>their

>own, but are more predominent during the changing of the seasons.

>Typically

>March, June, September (primarily) and December. All of my stagnation

>symptoms were those created by Dampness. Earth is damp. A Yin formula

>would

>not be indicated for me during this time.

 

For those new to TCM, this is fine-tuning. This can be the difference

between say a 70% success rate and a 90% success rate. Formulas will need to

be adjusted according to the season of the year and the prevailing weather

patterns in the particular location. For example, right now the desert area

I live in is extremely dry. Even though I have Dampness problems, I need to

be careful about any herbs to get rid of Dampness because the weather is so

dry here. In my case I also have Dryness problems in addition to Dampness

problems, and if I'm not careful with Dampness relieving herbs, what

normally is ok for me to use can become too much when conditions are

unusually dry. Also, we use a heat pump for cooling (which takes moisture

out of the air) instead of using an evaporative cooler (cools by putting

moisture into the air) like many folks in desert areas use.

 

We're right at the point where the humidity should start to build as the

monsoon approaches. The days leading up to the monsoon can be very

uncomfortable here. The temperature continues to rise plus humidity starts

to rise. Under these conditions, evaporative (aka swamp) coolers get less

and less efficient. So people who tend toward both Dampness and Heat

problems tend to have their problems worsen in the pre-monsoon period if

they're relying on evaporative coolers. Many locales have been having 100+

degree F temps for two or more weeks now. At 5 pm yesterday, the temp in

Tucson was 100. In Phoenix (which tends to be hotter than Tucson) it's

common in the summer for the temperture to not drop below 100 F until after

10 pm at night. A plum assignment for the airmen and airwomen stationed at

Luke Air Force Base outside of Phoenix is to get stationed at Ft. Tuthill,

the recreation area for Luke Air Force Base, in the summer. Temps in the

Luke Air Force Base area can hit 120 + degrees F in the summer. Phoenix is

at about 800 feet above sea level. But Ft. Tuthill is located outside of

Flagstaff which is sitting at almost 7,000 ft above sealevel. Because of

the difference in altitude, when Luke is hitting 120, it may warm up to the

very low 90s at Tuthill. In the " winter " the situation is reversed. It can

and does snow in Flagstaff in September and May. People in Flag can be

shoveling snow while people in Phoenix are enjoying their backyard pools.

 

Needless to say, the predominate imbalances in both areas are different

because the predominate weather is different. In Phoenix one tends to see

far more cases and worse cases of Heat imbalance than in an area like

Flagstaff, and one tends to see far more and worse cases of Cold imbalance

in a place like Flag than a place like Phoenix. They're both dry (compared

to an area like the southeast U.S.), but Phoenix tends to be drier than

Flagstaff. Much drier. Phoenix is desert; Flagstaff is forested.

Consequently, one tends to see more and more severe problems with Dryness in

Phoenix than in Flagstaff.

 

Learn to pay attention to predominate weather conditions. They will affect

health imbalances and in turn affect formulas and treatment. In some cases,

tendencies to certain imbalances will affect where the person can live best.

For example, I have a marked tendency to problems with cold, so I cannot

live too far north. People with severe Dampness problems and an innate

tendency to Dampness problems may do better in desert areas than in more

humid areas. In the desert areas they don't have Exterior Dampness

aggravating Interior Dampness. This does not mean that a move to a desert

area is going to solve all the person's Dampness problems. It means that it

may be easier to overcome the Interior Dampness problems if the environment

also isn't quite so Damp.

 

Healers will tend to see more cases and more severe cases of Cold imbalance

in winter, more cases and more severe cases of Heat imbalance in the summer,

more problems associated with Wind during prolonged periods of wind (like in

the spring in most cases), etc. Being aware of what the weather is also can

be an analysis tool.

 

People tend to eat more Yang and hot foods in winter than in summer to

compensate for the time of year being more Yin and cold. (Though healthy

people also need to eat some foods which are in tune with the season in

order to store this energy.)

 

Also be alert to artificial weather conditions - those created by heating/

cooling systems, sitting in a draft at work or school (Wind Heat or Wind

Chill), the use of hair dryers, etc. Some people are sensitive enough that

artificial weather conditions also can worsen imbalances. For example, a

person comes in with dry eyes, dry nasal passages, etc. Ask about how

drying the heating or cooling system is. Sometimes changing the system or

compensating for it (like using a humidifier in the winter) can improve

things for the person. (A lot of TCM is very basic, very common sense.)

 

Back in the winter I (with the problems I have with Cold) was taking a lot

more Yang tonic and warming herbs than I am now. I haven't needed them

since it got warmer. The dose of Yang tonic and warming herbs that I needed

in springs past was too much this spring. I have improved greatly, so much

that the usual spring dose was starting to create problems with making me

too Hot.

 

>Those with weak digestion and who

>are more proned to developing dampness will suffer the worst.

 

For those new to TCM, the Spleen (which is paramount in good digestion) is

most vulnerable to Dampness. If the Spleen becomes damaged by Dampness or

whatever, it in turn will generate even more Dampness problems.

 

>I played

>around with modifications for a few weeks, but once I realized that the

>problem was the dampening aspect ... I stopped it. Duh. It took me a

>while

>to figure out but I now seem to be getting a grip on it. According to

>Ayureveda this can last until mid-July when the Vata season (dryness)

>begins.

 

The important factor is the prevailing weather conditions where you live.

Right now, a lot of areas in the U.S. are Damp. Mid-July here is not when

Dryness begins but when this area usually (hopefully) sees the most rain and

Dampness. Spring here tends to be the driest time of the year. The fall is

drier than the monsoon period, but this area of the desert southwest does

tend to get some rain in late October and some rain and snow occasionally in

the winter. BTW, not all deserts are the same. They have different average

rainfall amounts, weather patterns, and flora and fauna. The desert I live

in is wetter in general and in particular in the winter than the deserts to

the west. Those armed castuses (saguaros) that Hollywood insists on

sticking in so many Westerners only grow in the Sonoran Desert. So if you

see them in Westerns about Cochise or Geronimo, or Westerns set in Texas or

New Mexico, they're out of place. They do belong in Westerns set in Tucson

or Phoenix because these two areas are part of the Sonoran Desert.

 

Sometimes people, like plants, do better in one area than another.

 

>For instance .... I have never had any luck with Dang Gui. I am

>unquestionably Liver Blood deficient, it really seems to be the worst of my

>imbalances. Dang Qui always made me much worse.

 

Are there Blood Stasis and/or Qi Stagnation problems too? BTW, Maciocia

writes that Stasis of Liver-Blood " always derives from that of stagnatiuon

of Liver-Qi. When Qi stagnates, in the long run it leads to stasis of

Blood. The Liver sotres Blood and is particularly affected by stasis of

Blood. " (Foundations, pp. 218-219) If there are Qi Stagnation and Blood

Stasis problems, any tonic herb can create problems. It's like putting more

water into a hose with a blockage in it. Until that blackage is removed,

the water just backs up behind it instead of flowing like it needs to.

 

Trying some acupressure may help the Liver Blood Deficiency problems.

Maciocia recommends " tonify the Liver, nourish Blood. " BL 18 (Bladder 18)

tonifies Liver-Blood, BL 20 tonifies the Spleen to produce Blood. BL 23

tonifies the Kidneys to produce Blood, BL 17 with moxa tonifies Blood, Liv

(Liver) 8 tonifies Liver Blood (this also can be a good one in some cases of

nausea), ST (Stomach) 36 and SP (Spleen) 6 tonify the Post-Heaven Qi to

produce Blood, and Ren 4 " tonifies Blood (with direct moxa). " (Foundations,

p. 225)

 

If left untreated, in time, Blood Deficiency can give rise to Jing

Deficiency because Post-Heaven (after birth) Jing (aka Essence) is

manufactured from Blood and Qi. If Blood and/or Qi is Deficient, Jing

doesn't get made.

 

>drain from the Stomach and Lungs. I haven't refined my formula yet, but I

>am

>now doing much better. Wow.

 

Good!

 

Victoria

 

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>From " Chinese System of Food Cures " by Henry C. Lu, pg. 44:

>

> " It is important to remember, whichever your body type, you should eat more

>hot and pungent foods in the summer, more warm and sweet foods in spring,

>more neutral and light foods in between summer and autumn, more cool and

>sour

 

>foods in autumn and more cold and bitter foods in winter. This may >When I

>first read this a few years ago I remember thinking ... " who is this

>guy and what kind of a nut is he??? "

 

I did a double take when I first read it too. It actually depends on the

individual, and diet, like everything else in TCM is tailored to the

individual. I had some extreme Yang Deficiency problems, so unlike the

suggestions for a healthy person to eat more cold and bitter foods in

winter, I had to consume more spicy and hot foods and herbs in winter.

 

But I also included some Yin and cooling foods. Not just because if there

is Kidney Yang Deficiency there almost always is Kidney Yin Deficiency in

lesser degree, but because of what the seasons do.

 

For those new to TCM, there is a different quality of energy in each season

of the year. This is a big part of what the 5 Element Approach is about.

It's like cirdadian rythms on a longer scale. For most people the body

quiets down each night and they sleep. Without this sleep they would sicken

and die. Something similar happens with the seasons of the year. Winter,

the most Yin time of the year, is a time when the season and the body are

supposed to settle down, become less active, turn more inward, etc. Healthy

people are in tune with the seasons. In a way, it's like we recharge and

store Yin energy at that time of year. (This is a very simplified picture.)

If the person does not partake of and refuses to be in tune with the

predominate energy at a certain time of year, it can trigger imbalances and

deficiencies later on.

 

In the case of someone already in imbalance, it may be necessary to supply

what is opposite to the season in order to help the person balance out. In

my case, even though also Yin Deficient, I was way, way too Yin compared to

Yang. Hence, I needed to eat more Yang and warming herbs and foods than is

normally the case in winter just to bring me up to something approaching

normal. It also took a while because Yang Deficiency can take a while to

correct, especially if it's been going on for a very long time.

 

If you ever live in an area which is predominately hot or cold, one thing

you'll hear from people is they miss the changing of the seasons. When they

first move to a very hot area, they often think, " This is great. No more

real winter! " But after so many years, they start to miss winter. They

discover they need that very Yin time of rest and turning inward and slowing

down.

 

It doesn't bother some people - especially people who have never known

anything else because they were born in the area and are suited to it - but

it does bother other people and creates imbalance. Believe it or not, day

after day after day of sunshine and high pressure can leave a person " burned

out " and longing for a nice overcast day that can aid their sleeping late

and deep. In these cases, the exterior environment (day after day of

nothing but sunshine and warm or hot weather) triggers them to be more

active, and they can be active to the point where they burn out. The

environment doesn't provide enough of certain energies they need to be

healthy and in balance.

 

Diet also needs to be modified sometimes according to how far north or south

a person lives. The closer to the polar regions, the more Yang the diet

needs to be in winter. The closer to the equator, the more Yin the diet

needs to be in summer. This is because these are extremes. (These are

general guidelines, and may differ according to individual needs.)

 

>He's doing better than he ever has .... now ..... since spring arrived ....

>on chicken and oatmeal (warming). Now who would think oatmeal, the grain

>that warms everyone in the winter would be my answer. No lie. I tried

>oatmeal in the winter and ended up with him developing " Liver invading the

>Spleen " (he would vomit yellow bile and swallow continuously ... not good).

>But now on chicken and oatmeal .... he's calm, we can walk without him

>pulling like a mad dog (less willful, more co-operative), he's comfortable.

 

There are a lot of paradoxical reactions like this in TCM. Sometimes the

key to treating Dampness accumlation and even Phlegm will be to increase

fluids, the key to treating hot will be to heat, etc. Often it's the

opposite to bring balance, but sometimes it's the same.

 

>PS: Thank you very much Victoria for the accupressure points for Deficient

>Liver Blood.

 

You're welcome. Those are just one set of points. In time you may discover

other combinations of points that work as well or better in your case.

 

Victoria

 

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