The stomach flu is going around. Several clients came in recently either having had it, or were just getting it. Besides needles, what can help relieve the upset?
When I was a kid with the stomach flu (or food poisoning, or the "heaves") my mom used to give me room temperature "coke syrup" that she got from the corner soda fountain. A teaspoon or sip of that would help to resolve my upset stomach. No other food would be given to me for a day or so, until my stomach had a chance to rest; only the thick syrup would comfort it. We didn't really use the carbonated form of the soft drink, because carbonation and coldness tend to upset the stomach more, and watering down the syrup decreases the sweetness that we needed.
Today, it's hard to come by coke syrup, although there are a couple of mail order companies that sell it (eg: The Vermont Country Store Catalog). Instead, I keep a can of heavy syrup fruit cocktail in the back of the cupboard for such needs. I drain the fruit out, and then sip on the reserved liquid.
In Chinese medicine, the flavor of sweet is said to nourish the stomach. That's why sweet things appeal to children, and why we feel we MUST have dessert after large meals. When Chinese herbal formulas are given, especially to those with weak digestive systems, herbs are added such as licorice or dates to sweeten up the formula making it more easily digested.
It's almost always true that your grandmother knew the best home-remedies for everyday illnesses. They are also almost always quite consistent with Chinese medicine.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Saturday, March 28, 2009
crowding out your pathology
I was in the treatment room this morning, when a patient asked why I was needling points on her "constitution". Of course there is no easy, short answer to such a question, so I pulled up my chair and talked about the garden.
Chinese medicine, which is a reflection of Chinese philosophy, says that we are conceived by our parents and are imbued with a destiny that belongs solely to us as individuals. That creation is a blueprint of our future in its shining possibility. It will come true if nothing gets in the way. Illness is what gets in the way. Like the acorn (which holds a perfect little oak tree) our fetus is the perfect us, just smaller.
A few years ago, I had so many thistles growing in my flower border that I could easily spend one to two hours weekly digging them up by their roots. But there were always more. I then had the bright idea to plant something desirable that would crowd out the thistles, making it tough for their roots to re-grow. So I planted this lovely groundcover which blossoms in the spring with bright yellow flowers. NO MORE THISTLES.
So what has this to do with Chinese Medicine and destiny? If I, as your acupuncturist, support your destiny (your constitution, your basic gifts, the things that you do really well,) then there will be NO ROOM for illness. As such, we want to crowd out pathology...make it hard to take root, difficult to generate.
So, in a given treatment, I have the option of eliminating a pathology, OR supporting what's healthy, and crowding out the pathology. Often I do both until the client becomes able to crowd out the pathology for him/herself.
I'm glad she asked the question.'
Chinese medicine, which is a reflection of Chinese philosophy, says that we are conceived by our parents and are imbued with a destiny that belongs solely to us as individuals. That creation is a blueprint of our future in its shining possibility. It will come true if nothing gets in the way. Illness is what gets in the way. Like the acorn (which holds a perfect little oak tree) our fetus is the perfect us, just smaller.
A few years ago, I had so many thistles growing in my flower border that I could easily spend one to two hours weekly digging them up by their roots. But there were always more. I then had the bright idea to plant something desirable that would crowd out the thistles, making it tough for their roots to re-grow. So I planted this lovely groundcover which blossoms in the spring with bright yellow flowers. NO MORE THISTLES.
So what has this to do with Chinese Medicine and destiny? If I, as your acupuncturist, support your destiny (your constitution, your basic gifts, the things that you do really well,) then there will be NO ROOM for illness. As such, we want to crowd out pathology...make it hard to take root, difficult to generate.
So, in a given treatment, I have the option of eliminating a pathology, OR supporting what's healthy, and crowding out the pathology. Often I do both until the client becomes able to crowd out the pathology for him/herself.
I'm glad she asked the question.'
Monday, July 16, 2007
The truth is in here somewhere....
It's been quite awhile since I began this blog. I find that I want the entries to be perfect, and thus don't write much. However, I find that if I just jump in, I might not be perfect, but there will at least be something on the page.
Today, I'm taken with how much pathology can look like health. I was out in my garden, pulling weeds. It takes a really trained eye to distinguish between some of the weeds and the desired plants. There is a "bush" growing right from the base of my bluberry bush that looks EXACTLY like the blueberry bush---but it isn't the blueberry. The leaves are the same color, shape and texture. Last year, I didn't find out it wasn't the blueberry bush until AFTER it had sucked all the nourishment out of the soil and grew and grew and eventually took over the blueberry. This year, I'm arguing with myself about poisoning the undesirable visitor so that the berry bush can re-claim it's victory in the garden. I'm also noticing that weeds growing in the groundcover try to mimic their surroundings---sporting the same height, the leaf density, and color, of the intentionally planted landscape. These parasitic plants are masquerading as invited guests so they will be fed and cared for and allowed to flourish!!! So what am I writing this for?
Well, in my acupuncture practice, another colleague brought a patient for a consultation. The patient's complaint was "painfully hot feet and hands." Indeed, her feet were very red and swollen, (and her hands less so) but to the touch, her feet were ICE COLD. To get relief from the subjective feeling of being hot, the patient has been soaking her feet in ice water and packing them with ice packs every night. The other signs observable in this patient resonate with COLD (her pulse, her tongue). The cold is masquerading as heat so that the cold will be "nourished" (fed) by outside pathogenic behaviours of the patient. ("Cold" can be experienced subjectively as "heat"---think: dry ice.) In this case, the treatment for her feet and hands is to warm them up.
When we behave in a way that SEEMS to reflect our needs, can the behavior be "wrong?" Yes indeed. Think of all of us out here that are addicted to sugar or fats. We can SEEM hungry, when in fact it has only been an hour since our last meal, and there is no way we could be legitimately hungry. The pull toward consuming more and more of what we crave is, in itself, an illness. The illness perpetuates itself in the craving. This is also true with those of us addicted to working, caffeine, etc. When we overdo, and can't stop, then the activity itself is perpetuating the problem, just like the over-tired child who just can't go to sleep because he is over-tired. This is when we have to let our common sense intervene, and stop the cycle of getting deeper and deeper into the weeds.
Tending ourselves like a garden, we must be able to recognize which behaviors are the "weeds" needing elimination, and which are the plants needing cultivation. When the Chinese talk of "cultivating the qi" they mean to promote health and discourage un-health. It an be harder than it appears at first blush, because those damned weeds often appear to be healthy plants. But are they?
Today, I'm taken with how much pathology can look like health. I was out in my garden, pulling weeds. It takes a really trained eye to distinguish between some of the weeds and the desired plants. There is a "bush" growing right from the base of my bluberry bush that looks EXACTLY like the blueberry bush---but it isn't the blueberry. The leaves are the same color, shape and texture. Last year, I didn't find out it wasn't the blueberry bush until AFTER it had sucked all the nourishment out of the soil and grew and grew and eventually took over the blueberry. This year, I'm arguing with myself about poisoning the undesirable visitor so that the berry bush can re-claim it's victory in the garden. I'm also noticing that weeds growing in the groundcover try to mimic their surroundings---sporting the same height, the leaf density, and color, of the intentionally planted landscape. These parasitic plants are masquerading as invited guests so they will be fed and cared for and allowed to flourish!!! So what am I writing this for?
Well, in my acupuncture practice, another colleague brought a patient for a consultation. The patient's complaint was "painfully hot feet and hands." Indeed, her feet were very red and swollen, (and her hands less so) but to the touch, her feet were ICE COLD. To get relief from the subjective feeling of being hot, the patient has been soaking her feet in ice water and packing them with ice packs every night. The other signs observable in this patient resonate with COLD (her pulse, her tongue). The cold is masquerading as heat so that the cold will be "nourished" (fed) by outside pathogenic behaviours of the patient. ("Cold" can be experienced subjectively as "heat"---think: dry ice.) In this case, the treatment for her feet and hands is to warm them up.
When we behave in a way that SEEMS to reflect our needs, can the behavior be "wrong?" Yes indeed. Think of all of us out here that are addicted to sugar or fats. We can SEEM hungry, when in fact it has only been an hour since our last meal, and there is no way we could be legitimately hungry. The pull toward consuming more and more of what we crave is, in itself, an illness. The illness perpetuates itself in the craving. This is also true with those of us addicted to working, caffeine, etc. When we overdo, and can't stop, then the activity itself is perpetuating the problem, just like the over-tired child who just can't go to sleep because he is over-tired. This is when we have to let our common sense intervene, and stop the cycle of getting deeper and deeper into the weeds.
Tending ourselves like a garden, we must be able to recognize which behaviors are the "weeds" needing elimination, and which are the plants needing cultivation. When the Chinese talk of "cultivating the qi" they mean to promote health and discourage un-health. It an be harder than it appears at first blush, because those damned weeds often appear to be healthy plants. But are they?
Sunday, February 11, 2007
Introduction
This is the first, albeit short, entry to MovetheQi, an occasional posting about Chinese Medicine, lessons from the classical Chinese Medical Literature, learnings from my clients, nature and my teachers. Thanks to those who tune in.
I have been in the practice of acupuncture for neigh on 18 years at this point (since 1989: the year of Tienenman Square and the fall of the Berlin Wall). At that time, the walls of my perception came tumbling down, when I realized the poetry and Truth of this ancient medicine. From that time, I have been amazed at the changes that can happen when the healing comes from the inside out. I started looking seriously at Chinese Herbal Medicine about 10 years ago, and found that all maladies that currently affect humankind have always existed. In the old texts, they describe remedies that address things that we arrogantly think of as "modern"---HIV, heart disease, strokes, migraines (although they weren't called such) etc. I have since come to think of herbal formulas as "those things that are missing from our diets." So with this meager knowledge, I write.
Why a Blog? One foot in the 21st century, and the other foot in the year 1000 (or so) is why. My clients are tech-savvy (some of them). They are also tuned in to their bodies, nature and know that wisdom can come from anywhere. It's also a place for me to record my observations about nature, so that I can learn and have a record of it.
So here goes. Pardon if the posts are irregular or maybe a bit esoteric. But I'll try to make them understandable to all by referring to what's going on in nature.
Thanks for checking it out occasionally.
CS
I have been in the practice of acupuncture for neigh on 18 years at this point (since 1989: the year of Tienenman Square and the fall of the Berlin Wall). At that time, the walls of my perception came tumbling down, when I realized the poetry and Truth of this ancient medicine. From that time, I have been amazed at the changes that can happen when the healing comes from the inside out. I started looking seriously at Chinese Herbal Medicine about 10 years ago, and found that all maladies that currently affect humankind have always existed. In the old texts, they describe remedies that address things that we arrogantly think of as "modern"---HIV, heart disease, strokes, migraines (although they weren't called such) etc. I have since come to think of herbal formulas as "those things that are missing from our diets." So with this meager knowledge, I write.
Why a Blog? One foot in the 21st century, and the other foot in the year 1000 (or so) is why. My clients are tech-savvy (some of them). They are also tuned in to their bodies, nature and know that wisdom can come from anywhere. It's also a place for me to record my observations about nature, so that I can learn and have a record of it.
So here goes. Pardon if the posts are irregular or maybe a bit esoteric. But I'll try to make them understandable to all by referring to what's going on in nature.
Thanks for checking it out occasionally.
CS
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