Yuan Chi                                       Interview With a Chinese Doctor

Comparing Western Medicine.

Vitamins are good starting point for research into interfaces of Chinese and Western medical knowledge. There is a wealth of western research into the effects of different vitamins. Here are a couple of interesting intersections I have come across while poking around in the library at the medical school and then the basic Chinese understanding which I gleaned from Amy and a basic Chinese medical text.

Here is the basic Western information (and references) on:

Vitamin B2-Riboflavin is a yellow water soluble B vitamin which is essential in regulating oxidation of food in your body. It is required in the making of glutathione reductase. B2 is an antioxidant co-factor, it is not an antioxidant itself. Reference: Goodman, Gillman Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics 4th ed., pp 1410-1411; Beutler, E., "Glutathione reductase: stimulation in normal subjects by riboflavin supplementation." Science vol. 165, pp 613-615 (1969) also Blood vol 28, pp 553 (1966) glutathione is a natural antioxidant recycling enzyme.

The Chinese doctor uses B2 in small amounts to take fire out of the liver. In Chinese Medicine "the liver functions to promote the free flow of chi, it dominates the tendons and opens into the eyes. Pathological changes of the liver mainly manifest themselves in dysfunctions of the liver in storing blood and in promoting free flow of chi, and in disorders of the tendons...Liver fire may be caused by liver chi turning into fire with upward disturbance of chi and fire to excessive indulgence in cigarette smoking, alcohol, and greasy food, which may lead to accumulation of heat and production of fire. The liver relates to the emotion anger and irritability is the consequence of hyperactive liver fire. Excessive liver fire burns the Liver Meridian and brings about burning pain at the costal and hypochondriac region." From: Chinese Acupressure and Moxibustion. Foreign Languages Press, Beijing.

The B2 is used in doses of 25 to 50 mg. and should be taken 30 minutes apart from any other vitamins. To clear the liver channel the TCM practitioner first strengthens the kidney channel. This can be done using Cassia seed tea and also by eating black beans.

When I looked further into western research done on B2 and the liver I found-"Regression of aflatoxin B1 induced haptocellular carcinomas by reduced glutathione." Science vol 212, pp 541-42 [May 1, 1981]. B2 is required for the enzyme glutathione reductase which recycles oxidized glutathione back into it's productive form. Reduced glutathione can actually cause aflatoxin induced liver cancers in rats to disappear, apparently reverting to normal liver tissue.

More research is needed into the connections between the channels, the organs and the vitamins. Which vitamins enter which channels would be primary information that could direct further research.

B12 in Chinese is Wu Shi. It strengthens the blood and increases the red blood count. This boosts the energy level to the whole system. If the patient has low iron use B12 to build the blood.

One interesting note, according to the Amy B12 is never to be taken at the same time as B2, their effects counter each other. This needs to be researched.

Hepatitus

Directions for Dangfeili, or "Ganbonin," use.

This herbal preparation is all natural, safe and effective if you follow these directions. Take four capsules three times per day, not on an empty stomach.

This medicine clears the liver channel and "gets the deep fire out." It can reverse liver damage and lower enzyme levels. This makes the chi circulate throughout the body, which promotes healing and feels wonderful. You will feel the fire come out at first and then you will feel more energy; old aches and pains will diminish, and you will have more sexual energy.

You must not put fire or cold energy into your system while you are taking any herbal medicine or else the energy can go in deep and become stuck. These things are forbidden- Tylenol, alcohol, deep fried foods, chips, chocolate, mango, eggplant, kiwi, prescription painkillers, and the herb Sorrel.

You need to eat a balanced diet that includes steamed leafy greens everyday. Your body can only get this specific kind of chi from leafy greens and it needs this chi to cope with the fire being taken out of your liver channel. You need to drink more water while you take Dangfeili. You also need to get regular exercise that makes you sweat. Use vitamins B2, C, and L lysine and drink Cassia tea to support the process of clearing the liver channel.
 

Women's Health - Amy specialized in women's health. She stayed two extra years past her seven year apprenticeship with her teacher to concentrate on women's health problems.

Menstrual Problems - general information.

A woman's points open when she begins her period and because of this they are susceptible to negative outside influences such as bad or inappropriate food (fire or cold can be introduced into the system) or damp, cold, and wind entering the channels from outside. Women generally live longer than men because they have a period each month and they expel toxins and reduce deep fire.

Amy-"Drink ginger tea, starting at least three days before you start your period. Ginger tea ought to be used every day. No bathing is allowed the first day, only showers the next two days and no hair washing at all. No long soaking in hot baths to relieve cramps. This allows the damp energy to invade the body. This causes more problems. No more than 10 to 20 minutes in the tub, and not before onset or while the flow is heavy. Shower only until spotting."

Put hot water in a tea cup and hold it on the navel and the points around it. This is a milder form of heat therapy. Always put one layer of clothing between the heat and your skin. Use ginger compress and moxabustion in emergencies during cold weather to relieve cramps but this should be unnecessary when the balance is restored. In severe cases use Chi soup made with ginger, beets, and beef bones to bring the high quality nutrition into the channels for at least one month before acupressure treatments begin.

Use the points around the navel and Sanyinjiao. Use other points as needed to alleviate back pain, etc. Stressful, competitive work, excessive exercise, and other excessively Yang activities can damage the female hormone system. (A prime example would be the single mother who works and does aerobics.) This causes many headaches and a general lack of energy.

Cramps and pain are the most common complaint among women. They can be caused by a variety of different imbalances several of which result in blood stagnation. Blood filled with metabolic waste and fat is more likely to congeal and stagnate. Injuries and operations also cause the blood to stagnate at the point of the injury, causing pain. Use lime paste on contusions and old scars, avoid getting in a cut or open wound.

Eating cold, chilled, and iced drinks and food at the onset of the period, when they are craved, leads to deficient blood and painful periods. This is common in contemporary America as women try to relieve the liver and spleen fire they experience at onset by eating ice cream. If the patient isn't willing to do 50 percent, i.e., follow the diet and not give in to cravings, then the acupressure treatment is "of no use."

Differentiating menstrual symptoms:

Heat/excess -brings early heavy menstruation, abundant and bright red in color and swollen, tender breasts. Avoid red meat, alcohol, coffee and spicy foods in general.

Cold -Indicated by scanty purple/black menses. The cramps are eased by hot compresses. There is abundant clear urine, the patient is attracted to warm food and drink. Moxabustion may be indicated.

Deficiency -Indicated by pale colored scanty menses, weakness, pale tongue with no coating, weak pulse. For both cold and deficient Chi avoid raw, cold foods and raw fruit, especially citrus. Keep the patient warm and dry, no bathing.

Deficient Kidney Yang -leading to failure in warming and promoting. Indicated by lack of spirit, coldness and pain in the lumbar region and knees, aversion to cold, cold limbs, and impotence in men and frigidity and infertility in women. This is rarely seen in the West and when it is, it is usually due to cocaine abuse, combined with lifestyle choices which go with it, such as poor nutrition, prolonged drug abuse or disease, and sexual excess and exhaustion.

Absence of menstruation -often association with an extremely low fat diet which has to be some version of vegetarian and they eat too much raw food which damages the stomach and reduces appetite so that they become too skinny. They are unable to absorb the nutrition into their bodies. Give ginger tea and push the bellybutton points up and from the navel to the sternum every inch. Also Barong (St. 19) for loss of appetite.

The TCM diagnosis is deficient chi/insufficient blood. Indications are hot palms, nervousness, pale and sallow complexion, dryness, low body weight, intermittent fever, weak pulse, little or no tongue coating, dizziness, spots in vision, and weak limbs.

Modern research has shown that too much carotene equates to no menses. This usually is because the woman is taking a mega vitamin formula which is too high in beta carotene but, also avoid large amounts of green and yellow vegetables such as carrot, dark leafy green vegetables and micro algae for up to two months.

Excess type -Stagnant energy and blood in which blood flow is blocked, causing pain. Indications are painful swollen lower abdomen, upset stomach, purple tongue, bitter taste in the mouth, emotional depression. Often brought on by long term improper diet, especially too much intake of animal fat. Avoid heavy meat and dairy as well as raw and cold fruit. Beta-carotene is helpful in excess type syndrome.

Menstrual hemorrhage -Indicated by abdominal distention, rigid, inflexible body. Stagnant Liver Chi is the most common cause. Use kelp and seaweed along with ginger tea and Chi soup with beets, and black beans. Accupressure is needed. Push the point at the elbow first in the pattern because the liver chi gets stuck there. B6, B12 and zinc help overcome stagnant Liver Chi. B2 is contraindicated. Liver damaging foods and habits-use of poor quality oils and too much fat in the diet. Too much food, excessive meat and rich food intake, too spicy, alcohol, chemical ingredients, and some pharmaceuticals.

Deficiency and cold chi -indicated by coldness, pallor, weak and slow pulse, clear urine. The patient must eat a simple warming diet so that the nutrients can be metabolized and organ function restored. Avoid cold or cool foods, raw fruit and vegetables, all of which they will be drawn to.

Irregular cycle -women who are too thin often miss periods. If they gain weight while fortifying the blood through proper diet their period will resume. They need ginger tea, rice, black beans, and cooked leafy greens. Some women experience seasonal changes, going into cooler seasons the menses at full moon can change to the new moon or vice versa. When a group of women work or live together they will usually end up on the same cycle. This can be the cause of changes in a women's period if she has just entered a new group. When there doesn't appear to be reason for a change, it is often emotional. Irregular cycles indicates a chaotic or poor diet causing stagnant Liver Chi and nutritional deficiency. Use ginger tea, rose petal tea, eat leafy greens and black beans. Keep the feet and center warm, use hot foot baths. Push/hold sanyinjiao (Sp. 6).

Uterine tumors or cancer -caused by stagnant blood. Indicates are fixed stabbing pain in low back through to the abdomen. Menses are purple clots, dark purple tongue with red spots. Herbs and acupuncture are needed. This cannot be treated with acupressure only. Women who are obese and cannot get pregnant have fat deposits in their uterus which prevent the Chi from passing through. They must drink ginger tea and sweat every day and lose weight by eating balanced nutrition.

Prolonged labor -lasting over twenty-four hours. It is often due to weak contractions and forceless contraction/dilation of the womb, narrow pelvis or malposition of fetus. The woman can be affected by intake of cold during the delivery which hinders circulation of blood and chi and prolongs labor.

If the mother expends too much energy (through premature contractions, premature amniorrhea, and depletion of blood due to hemorrhage) too early in the labor she becomes exhausted before the baby is delivered, this indicates deficiency of Chi and blood. Other indications are dull and paroxzysmal labor pains, or profuse hemorrhage with a light color which indicates deficient Chi.

She will exhibit a pale complexion, lassitude, palpitation, shortness of breath, pale tongue, weak pulse, and dry vagina. This is usually brought on by poor nutrition and lack of exercise during pregnancy causing physical weakness in the mother.

If the mother has sharp pains in the waist and abdomen, scanty hemorrhage dark red in color, bluish complexion, frequent nausea, and is very depressed, this indicates Chi stagnation and blood stasis.

This is often seen in young first time or unwed mothers who are scared or worry too much about the forthcoming delivery. They often lay down too much during the gestation and are subject to depression. The retarded Chi flow gives rise to the sharp pain and prolonged course of delivery.

Methods other than acupressure and moxabustion (i.e., C-section) are needed for prolonged labor due to uterine deformity or narrow pelvis. This should be found out in prenatal exams.

Malpositioned fetus -breech birth, transverse position, usually seen in multipara or those with a lax abdominal wall. Often not found until prenatal exam.

Men's Health

Prostate enlargement  is often associated with Spleen stagnation which effects the Liver channel, the fire goes the wrong way and goes in deep, right to the very center. Prostate enlargement can be caused by long term or repeated VD exposure/infection. It eventually goes so deep that antibiotics don't reach it. It is associated with cigarette smoking, coffee drinking, stress and excessive, in either direction, sex practices. Celibate priests have much higher rates of prostate cancer than the general public for example. No sex and too much sex are equally bad.

Very early, before it really gets bad, when the test just shows a problem it can be handled by taking vitamin B2 100mg 4 times per day and drinking cranberry juice for two weeks. Patient must eliminate all fried food and other fire foods from diet and have any current VD treated.

Men over fifty have hormone changes that can cause depression but which often goes undiagnosed.

Depression is an indication of stagnant Liver Chi which becomes stuck in the chest. If you ask the questions they will frequently tell you that it feels like a weight is pressing down on their chest. The reasons for this can really vary and if it is not caught at the very beginning it can be very hard to treat successfully. Anger damages the liver and can contribute to chi stagnation, this type may need counseling and acupuncture. Often the Liver stagnates because the Kidney is deficient and the doctor must strengthen the Kidney Chi before the Liver can be cleared.

If the condition is truly at the beginning then it can be treated by using vitamins, specific exercises, and relaxation. Take vitamin B2 50mg. every six hours this helps get rid of Liver fire, as do exercises that open the chest such as the plow in Yoga, bench press or do push ups to make the energy move in the chest. Hike outside in the fresh air several times a week, or go bike riding, and be sure to get out in the sunshine everyday that it is possible. Listen to classical music, this promotes smooth chi, learn Tai -Chi this also promotes smooth chi, and learn to "sink your chi" in other words make it move down the front of the body and not be stuck in the chest and head.

Amy- Depression can be caused by a number of factors that can have complicated interactions. Many times people suffering from depression will refuse treatment. It needs to be their idea, they have to want to get better. First ask the questions, the person may have a good reason to be depressed. Ask about diet and make appropriate changes. Ask what drugs they take now, and what powerful drugs they have taken in the past. Ask about how much, the quality of, and when they sleep.

Exercise is very important when treating depression. They need to exercise until they sweat everyday. They should take up a hobby which relaxes them and which doesn't include people needing or wanting something from them. (This is yin, taking energy from you, adding stress.)

TCM First Aid Kit

Yunnan Baiyao- this root powder stops bleeding, makes wounds heal fast.-

DO NOT eat the little pill inside! The pill is used in cases of gun shot wounds or other life or death injuries where you think the patient might bleed to death.

Possum On- peppermint oil liniment-use on sore muscles. A little bit under someone's nose will clear their head, push the point under the nose at the same time if they are unconscious.

American ginseng tea- helps stamina; helps get over a cold faster. /font>