cancer, gas pain (Food Stagnation)

[Guest guest]

Chinese Traditional Medicine , jeffAfrankel@a... wrote:

> I am sorry your husband is having difficulty, he had the side

effects, it is

> well published, do they have friendly bacteria in Chinese

medicine, because

> if they do, this may help. It sounds like they've killed his

friendly

> bacteria and now he has gas.

 

Some of the Herbs That Relieve Food Stagnation contain helpful

bacteria. The ancient Chinese didn't know about bacteria or enzymes,

but they observed that certain substances would ease the problem of

Food Stagnation. Some of these herbs just happen to contain bacteria

and/or enzymes, and/or do other things that aid digestion.

 

" From a modern biomedical perspective, most of the herbs in this

group stimulate an increase in gastrointestinal secretions, possess

enzymatic functions, and optimize peristalsis for better digestion. "

(Chinese Herbal Medicine Materia Medica, Revised Ed., Dan Bensky and

Andrew Gamble, p. 223.)

 

One of the " herbs " in this class is Massa Fermentata, aka shen qu.

It's a fermented mixture of things like wheat flour, bran, and

various appropriate herbs. (p. 226). It's not a standardized

recipe. There are several recipes.

 

Another " herb " in this class is Endothelium Corneum Gigeriae Galli,

aka Ji Nei Jin. That's the inner lining of a chicken's gizzard.

 

Barley spouts and rice spouts are also in this class of herbs.

 

Some of the herbs in this class are better for problems with

starches; others like Fructus Crataegi, aka Shan Zha, aka hawthorn

fruit are " better for accumulation due to meat or greasy foods " . (p.

224.)

 

In choosing herbs for Food Stagnation, one also needs to determine

if it's Hot or Cold Food Stagnation. " The principal manifestations

of the hot type are severe bad breath, a feeling of distention in

the abdomen, preference for cold food and beverages and an aversion

to hot ones, a yellow, greasy tongue coating, and a forceful,

slippery pulse. This condition usually arises with either

externally-contracted diseases or heat from constraint. In such

cases, herbs that clear heat are also prescribed. " (p. 223)

 

On the other hand, the " cold type of food stagnation is due to

Spleen or Stomach deficiency, or ingesting too much cold food.

Major symptoms include a brackish feeling in the throat, nausea,

spitting up clear fluids, feeling of distention in the abdomen,

preference for hot food and beverages and an aversion to cold ones,

a white, greasy tongue coating, and a weak, thin pulse. For this

pattern, herbs that warm the interior are added to the

pre4scription. If the food stagnation is severe, purgatives may also

be required. " (p. 223.)

 

The herbs in this class are very diverse in the way they work and in

their properties, so the contraindications are quite varied as

well. Readers will need to consult a MM (Materia Medica - list of

healing substances) for the contraindications for each herb. This

class of herbs isn't like some classes of herbs in which practically

every herb in the class has the same one or two contraindications.

The contraindications are quite diverse in this class.

 

The secondary properties are quite diverse as well. For example,

hawthorn fruit is also good for Blood Stasis. Radish seed (raphanus)

reduces Phlegm and causes Qi to descend. Barley sprouts also helps

Qi to flow smoothly. Etc.

 

In the intro to this chapter, Bensky and Gamble write, " The actions

of this group of herbs are those that reduce or dissolve (xiao) and

guide out (dao). These terms refer to their ability to reduce,

dissolve, or digest food stagnation, and to guide out accumulations

(ji) through the digestive tract. An accumulation is a disorder

characterized by abdominal masses, distention, and/or pain. It is

often cuased by an emotional disturbance which results in stagnant

qi or blood, but can also arise from injury due to improper dietary

habits, phlegm, or heat and cold disorders. Because accumulation

disorders often manifest as stagnant qi in the middle burner, ther

herbs in this group are usually combined with others that regulate

the middle qi. " (p. 223)