CFS Healing Timeframe Experiences/ Complexion

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Chinese Traditional Medicine , " za123z123a " <za123z123a

wrote:

> His complexion was dull pale for the last couple of

> years, but it has improved a lot with herbs - there's more color in

> the cheeks, especially when he wakes up.

 

This is some very basic info on complexion for those on the list who

are new to TCM.

 

If the face is uniformly red, this points to the possiblity of

Excess Heat. The color red usually means Heat (except in cases of

False Heat - True Cold).

 

In cases of Deficiency Heat, aka Yin Deficiency, the face may be

blotchy red. Maciocia refers to this as a " malar flush " . Yin cools,

calms, and moistens the body. When there is not enough Yin to cool

the body properly, this is called Deficiency Heat because the Heat

is caused by a lack of something. In contrast, Excess Heat comes

from things like the person consuming too many foods and herbs with

a warming effect on the body, too much heat in the environment (like

heat exhaustion and heat stroke), Qi Stagnation (like what happens

in a pressure cooker - when pressure builds up, so does heat), etc.

 

Shiny pale often points to Qi and/or Yang Deficiency. Dull pale

often points to Blood Deficiency.

 

Greenish tones can point to Liver imbalance, yellowish to Spleen

imbalance, red to Heart imbalance, white/ pale to Lung weakness, and

black/ dark to Kidney imbalance (like the " allergic shiner " (black

around the eyes) of some people with allergies or the black around

the eyes of some people with Kidney imbalance - in some cases they

may be the same thing).

 

Complexion is not the only thing that a TCM healer looks at. One

imbalance may mask the symptoms and signs of other imbalances. So

TCM healers don't go just by complexion. It's the total picture.

 

Not only does the Spleen play a critical (and perhaps the most

important) role in the body having enough Qi, the Spleen also plays

a role in the body having enough proper Blood. Blood is capitalized

because like so much in TCM it is not equivalent to the anatomical.

The concept of Blood Deficiency can include cases of anemia, but it

can include some (not all) cases of there being too many red blood

cells or the RBCs being misshapened and rigid. It can includes cases

where Western blood tests are normal. Key to what Blood Deficiency

is is the definition/ function of Blood. It moistens and nourishes

the tissues. If that criteria is not being met, there is Blood

Deficiency - regardless of what Western blood tests say.

 

In males, simply strengthening the Spleen often may be enough to

resolve Blood Deficiency due to weak Spleen. In females, Blood

tonic herbs may be needed because women lose blood every month when

they have periods. In some cases of Blood Deficiency in males, the

male may also need at least one Blood tonic herb. Dong Quai (aka

Dang Gui, aka Radix Angelicae Sinensis)is perhaps the best known of

the Blood tonic herbs. It also increases oxygenation of the blood.

Cooked rehmannia root (aka Shu Di Huang, aka Radix Rehmanniae

Glutinosae Conquitae, aka Chinese foxglove plant cooked in wine) is

another oft-used Blood tonic herb. In addition to being Blood

tonic, it also is Yin tonic and gets used in some cases of night

sweats (Yin Deficiency symptom) where there also is Blood

Deficiency). It benefits the Jing (Essence). It can be hard to

digest. It is to be used with caution in cases where there is Spleen

and/or Stomach Deficiency, Qi Stagnation, and/or Phlegm. Dong Qui is

contraindicationed in cases of Yin Deficiency with Heat signs. It's

also to be cautiously in cases of Damp obstruction.

 

When an herbalist needs to use an herb which is contraindicated or to be used

cautiously in an individual's case and can't find a substitute, the herbalist

may include other herbs in the formula which prevent the side effects for the

individual. For example, if a person is too Hot, the herbalist will include

other herbs in the formula which have Cold or Cool thermal energy to bring the

average of the forumal as a whole down to neutral or even Cool. Also, TCM

herbalists have an advantage that pharmacists don't have in that they can target

specific Organs and Meridians by the use of " guide herbs " Each healing substance

listed in the Materia Medica (think of it as a PDR for healing

substances used in TCM) will have info on which Organs/ meridians the herb has a

special affinity for " entering " . In addition, there are special herbs called

" guide herbs " which can lead the effects of other herbs into a specific meridian

or Organ. This is one of the ways TCM herbalists are able to target treatment to

where it is needed. For example, if the person is too Cold overall but has Heat

in the Liver, a good TCM herbalist can target cooling to the Liver where it's

needed while targeting warming to where it's needed.

 

Sometimes an herbalist or acupuncturists won't treat a problem directly (because

it's a " Branch " ) but will treat the " Root " , and that automatically takes care of

the problem. Strengthening the Spleen automatically will take care of some cases

(not all) of Blood Deficiency because the Blood Deficiency is coming from the

Spleen being weak. Strengthening the Spleen also will automatically take care of

some (not all) cases of Dampness because one of the main funciions of Spleen Qi

is to transport and transform water in the body.

 

In TCM the emphasis is on identifying and treating Roots. Sometimes symptoms

will need to be treated too, but in general, the emphasis is on identifying and

treating Roots.