Brain fog

[Guest guest]

This is not TCM. It is something that lifted my brain fog. HOWEVER, I

don't know if it would help you. I don't even know when it's indicated.

 

Surprisingly, my brain fog lifted with the ingestion of large dosages

of vitamin A. I didn't take the A for that reason. I took it because I

got tired of the pain from chronic pharyngitis (a soreness behind the

nose), and knew that vitamin A along with vitamin C and zinc and

magnesium can help the body fight infection. I have CFIDS (Chronic

Fatigue Immune Dysfunction Syndrome), and at the time I also still had

an active case of mononucleosis (glandular fever).

 

It took over 48,000 IU of vitamin A, but not only did the soreness

start to disappear, my head also became clearer. The next day the

symptoms started to come back. Again, it took over 48,000 IU. For a

while (a couple of weeks) I had to take 48,000 IU per day. Then I could

get by with only 40,000 IU per day. Eventually I reached a point where

it took 24,000 per day. I stayed at that point a very long time. Every

time I went below that amount, the symptoms began to return. Finally I

was able to go beneath it and eventually to not have to take vitamin A

daily.

 

Vitamin A is fat-soluable so it can build up in the body and create

problems. Anyone considering taking vitamin A in any amount should

familiarize him or herself with the symptoms of too much A. BUT, it

also should be pointed out that sometimes when a person is very ill and

the illness has gone on for some time, 1. vitamin A reserves in the

body are depleted (you're playing catch-up) and 2. the absorption and

utilization of the vitmain (as well as other vitamins and minerals) is

not very good. The person may be taking say 48,000 IU, but the body is

only absorbing and utilizing say 2,000 IU.

 

I don't know what the TCM indications for vitamin A therapy would be. I

wasn't seeing a TCM healer at the time (didn't even know what TCM is),

but when I finally saw a TCM healer, my primary problem was Kidney

imbalances with Kidney Yang Deficiency really standing out. There also

was some severe Spleen weakness.

 

Note to readers new to TCM: It's not a particular herb coming from

China that makes something Chinese medicine. It's the framework in

which a healing substance is used. The TCM framework can be applied to

just about any healing substance or technique. Which is exactly what

the modern Chinese are doing. Among other things they're analyzing

drugs to determine their TCM properties. Does the drug have a cooling

or heating effect on the body? What is its taste (bitter, sweet, sour,

salty, spicy, bland)? How does it affect the TCM Organs? Does it

trigger any TCM imbalances? Etc.

 

Note to the TCM students on the list: " Brain fog " is a term that many

PWCs (People With CFIDS) use to describe some of the mental and

perception problems associated with CFIDS. However, " brain fog " isn't

limited to people with CFIDS. The point I want to make is that you will

be surprised just how often the descriptions that people use to

describe something will give you insights into the TCM imbalance(s) the

people have. A lot of time, not being very " sharp " mentally will have a

Root of Dampness. It's no coincidence that the term " brain fog " is used

in many of these cases. Even people with no knowledge of TCM often

will choose very revealing terminology. In this case " fog " definitely

calls to mind " Dampness " .

 

TCM pays a lot more attention to weather conditions (and articial

weather conditions like heating and cooling systems) than allopathic

medicine does. During overcast, rainy days - especially when the bad

weather has gone on for more than a day - people will tend to be

less " sharp " mentally than they are at other times. They will tend to

make more mistakes than they normally do. This applies even to people

with no recognizable medical condition. (People may be OK according to

allopathic standards but may not be in optimal health/ balance from a

TCM standpoint.) For the list members who are new to TCM: Cold, Wind,

Heat, Dryness, and Dampness are called " Pernicious Evils " . Pernicious

Evils can " invade " from the environment, or they can arise within the

body because of things like diet, infection, not handling emotions

well, the outcome of certain imbalances (for example Blood Deficiency

can give rise to Internal Wind), the side effects of treatment, etc.

Later on you'll be learning about how a special kind of Qi

called " Protective Qi " or " Defensive Qi " plays a vital role in

resistence to Pernicious Evils in the environment.

 

BTW, the term " Wind " includes not only the actual wind but changes in

barometric pressure and ion concentrations.