Minor Snow this Year Marks the Beginning of Warm Disease Winter Period

Today marks the solar term called Minor Snow. Back in the beginning of the Year of the Pig, I wrote a prediction blog post for major climate and disease trends in 2019, a lot of which already came true. One key prediction of last period of this particular Year of Pig was the prevalence of warm disease (wen bing 温病 in Chinese), as 5 Yun 6 Qi this year suggests infectious factors in the etiology of communicable diseases to take effect during this period ranging from Minor Snow, which is today, November 22, 2019, to Major Snow near the end of Year of the Pig, which will fall on January 20, 2020. The theory behind the prediction, 5 Yun 6 Qi (a.k.a. Yun Qi Theory (Yun Qi is written as 运气 in Chinese, figurative translation “Luck” 😄) ), is so powerful and timeless, that it was the same theory that predicted the precise window for SARS in 2003 and other major climate and disease trends throughout all times. 

Although all of us have some ideas about warm disease theory, it is one of the most complex and misunderstood areas in Chinese medicine. One reason for its complexity is that it was developed during a time period – the Qing dynasty – when Chinese medicine was flourishing on many levels. Consequently, contributions from a multitude of doctors spanning more than 300 years resulted in the large array of books, theories, and case histories that now pepper our modern texts and formula books.

The treatment of warm disease is complicated and in the clinic one must grasp the core principles. This is particularly so since warm disease has had contributions from many sources and differing opinions exist in some areas, even up to the present. I will put forward what I have learned from my in-depth study and clinical experience, although there may be minor discrepancies compared to “the books”. Further study is needed.

Stages of warm disease 

Generally speaking, when faced with a warm disease patient there are several important items to consider:
1) Disease cause (etiology): A seasonal warm pathogen belongs to the category of externally contracted disease.
2) Classification: Because there are different seasons, complex factors and peculiar symptoms, we have many disease categories such as spring warmth, summer heat warmth, autumn warmth, winter warmth, wind warmth, damp warmth, warm toxin, and warm epidemic, but fundamentally we have to pay attention to wind warmth.
3) Nature: The nature of warm disease is that it belongs to heat. Hence its characteristic is that it easily transforms to heat, damages the fluids, damages the yin, and stirs the blood.
4) Transformations: One can track the location and transmission of a pathogen in the following parts of the body: three burners (upper, middle, and lower) and the four levels (defensive, qi, nutritive, and blood).

A normal transformation is from the upper burner-Lungs to the Middle burner-Stomach and Intestines and then to the lower burner-Liver and Kidneys. It also follows the sequence of defensive to qi to nutritive, and then to blood. Abnormal transformations go from the Lungs straight into the Pericardium, or from the defensive into the nutritive [skipping the qi aspect]. Signs of abnormal transmission within a pattern of normal transmission can also be seen, and are by no means peculiar. One should first understand a pattern within the constructs of normal transmission, and in learning to treat warm disease, one should focus on grasping the wind warmth onset of disease and the way that it transforms. After understanding the treatment principles of wind warmth, it is fairly easy to understand the different circumstances of other patterns and the methods to deal with those.

Four stages 

The diagnosis and treatment of wind warmth can be divided into four stages: aversion to wind, transformation into heat, entering the nutritive [aspect], and damage of yin. These are the four stages of the whole disease course and also are the four key points to understand for treatment. Although there are numerous transformations in warm disease, almost all will be included in these four stages.b Furthermore, these four stages can be understood within the context of the following parameters: eight-principle pattern identification, three burner pattern identification, defensive-qi-nutritive-blood pattern identification, zang-fu pattern identification and chief symptoms, indication of drugs (chief herbs), and key formulas. The chart and tables below help to illustrate. 

The above four stages are put forward based on my clinical knowledge, and are sufficient to outline the whole developmental course of warm disease. It should be noted that fatalities from warm disease usually follow the stage of damage to yin, but are not impossible in other stages. This is, of course, dependent upon whether the patient’s constitution has some special circumstances or if the treatment is delayed. Although we often discuss pattern differentiation of the above four stages in terms of the upper, middle, and lower burners or the defensive, qi, nutritive, and blood, this is not the only classification method that should be used. Instead one must stand back and reflect on the patient’s condition as a whole, observing the pathological changes in the physiology as the warm disease transforms and develops. Similarly, when classifying the problem using the three burners (upper, middle, lower) one cannot forget about the defensive, qi, nutritive, and the blood aspects, and vice versa. A warm pathogen that travels from the upper burner to the middle burner to the lower burner becomes deeper and deeper. A warm pathogen that travels from the defensive aspect to the qi aspect to the nutritive aspect and then to the blood aspect becomes more and more serious. Because of this, one must at all times think ahead and prevent the pathogen’s progression. Furthermore, once the pathogen is established, one must get the pathogen to transfer from the deep back to the more superficial and transform the serious into the mild, so as to reduce the chance of the condition worsening. Ye Tian-Shi said, “When a pathogen is in the defence aspect, one may use the sweating method. Once a pathogen reaches the qi aspect, only then can one clear the qi. When the pathogen enters the nutritive aspect, one can still evict the heat and shift it back to the qi aspect. Once it enters the blood, the fear is that the pathogen will both consume and stir the blood, so one must immediately both cool the blood and disperse blood heat.” Brief and to the point, he explains the development of the onset of disease, and puts forth the key points for treatment.

The Wen Bing Tiao Bian (Systematic Differentiation of Warm Pathogen Diseases) identifies diseases and treatments for warm disease, and includes a total of 238 methods and 198 formulas. It includes major categories such as windwarmth, summer-heat, lurking summerheat, winter-warmth, damp-warmth, damp-heat, autumn-dryness, warm-toxin, and warm malaria. Within the text it also discusses aspects of cold damp, dysentery, jaundice, and hernia-like mobile abdominal masses. Yet even the disease patterns that are included within the Wen Bing Tiao Bian do not cover completely the scope of warm disease. For example, within wind-warmth patterns, there are also many concurrent patterns and harmful patterns that must be dealt with and differentiated. By focusing on understanding wind-warmth, however, one can grasp the essence of warm disease, which is by no means that complicated. Hence, I think that in the treatment of warm disease, thoroughly understanding the chief signs and patterns of wind warmth should be fundamental. After one understands the chief patterns, chief signs, and chief formulas of wind warmth then one should combine this knowledge with that of the seasonal aspects of the onset of disease, and other complex factors. Consequently, if one understands all this, even conditions that are complex transformations are not difficult to solve.

References:

Wu Tang, 1758-1836. Wen Bing Tiao Bian. 温病条辨

Qin Bo-Wei. Warm Disease Made Simple. Translation by Jason Blalack.

https://www.chinesemedicinedoc.com/cold-damage-vs-warm-disease-qbw/

Daylight saving time: 4 surprising health effects of 'falling back'

It's been a year since we posted about this. It turns out daylight saving time shifts are linked to changes in our health, diet and may even make us more accident prone. Here are some tips to adjust.

A technician working on the clock of the Lukaskirche Church in Dresden, eastern Germany. 

Sebastian Kahnert / AFP - Getty Images file

Twice a year, switching between daylight saving time and standard time throws us off our usual routine. We might expect to feel a bit sleepy or maybe even a little “off.” But springing forward or falling back an hour can have other surprising effects: It’s linked to changes in our health, diet and even tendency to get into an accident.

“Sleep is a kind of outward symbol of the timing processes of our body,” explained Chris Winter, M.D., author of “The Sleep Solution” and president of the Charlottesville Neurology and Sleep Medicine clinic in Virginia. “Our bodies function on an internal schedule, from hormone release to body temperature to cognition – and sleep is linked to them all.”

Appetite

Blame this one on the hormones. “Appetite in general is often not the body requesting food; it’s the body anticipating food,” Dr. Winter explained. “When your body knows you eat lunch around 12:30 p.m. or so every day, it anticipates and prepares for the meal.”

Your body receives those signals from hormones, like ghrelin, which increases our cravings so we’re motivated to eat, and leptin, which affects feelings of satiety. “These two hormones are intimately associated with sleep, which is part of why when we’re not sleeping well, we tend to overeat,” Dr. Winter said. “It’s a tight hormonal balance and daylight-saving shifts can absolutely throw it off.”

Accidents

Speaking of being thrown off, you may find daylight saving time shifts make you feel mentally fuzzy or slow. Sleep disruptions can conversely affect cognitive performance.

Back in 1999, Johns Hopkins and Stanford University researchers published a comprehensive study that analyzed 21 years’ worth of fatal car crash data. They found a small but notable increase in car crash deaths on the Monday after the switch to daylight saving time in the spring: 83.5 deaths, compared with 78.2 deaths on the average Monday.

And studies of workplace-specific accidents have uncovered similar links. Research published in 2009 showed the Monday after switching to daylight saving time saw a 5.7 percent jump in workplace injuries, and nearly 68 percent more workdays lost to injuries, meaning they were more severe. These conclusions were reached by analyzing U.S. Department of Labor and Mine Safety and Health Administration injury data from 1983 to 2006.

Mood

Here again, disruptions in our normal sleep schedule can throw off hormonal balances. Lack of proper sleep can exacerbate depressive feelings, anxiety, irritability, and mental exhaustion.

Studies show even partial sleep deprivation can have a negative effect on mood, and as Dr. Winter pointed out, this effect can snowball: When you feel stressed and anxious thanks to lack of sleep from the previous night, it’s hard to settle down for that night’s rest, too.

If you have teens in the house, take special note: “The effects of [daylight saving time] can have more impact on adolescents,” said André U. Aguillon, M.D., assistant professor at the University of Toledo’s medical school and program director of the university’s Sleep Medicine Fellowship Program. “Not only do they require more sleep than adults, but their habitual sleep-wake timing is typically delayed.”

The spring forward has links to heart attack and certain strokes
“The heart has a pretty significant circadian rhythm,” said Winter, who has studied brain-blood flow during sleep. “We tend to see that disrupted sleep may make people more vulnerable when we wake up – not causing a heart attack but perhaps exacerbating underlying conditions.”

A 2014 U.S. study showed one hour of sleep during the "spring forward" to daylight saving time raised the risk of having a heart attack the following Monday by 24 percent compared to other Mondays during the year. By contrast, when “falling back” later in the year to gain an extra hour of sleep, heart attack risk fell 21 percent on the following Tuesday after returning to standard time.

Similarly, a study presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 2016 conference showed daylight saving time transitions may be linked to an increased risk of ischemic stroke.

Tips to adjust: Do's and don’ts

Do get as much light as possible when you wake up. Sure, you may not feel like throwing open those curtains as soon as you open your eyes. But this is “by far the most effective way to jumpstart the change,” Dr. Winter said. “Your body sets its rhythm in large part by light.”

Do exercise in the A.M. This gets you up and moving, as well as exposing you to light and raising your body temperature – all great ways to wake your body up.

Do go to bed at your typical time Saturday night before the clocks change. “As we are a typically sleep-deprived society, we should take advantage of the extra hour of sleep,” Dr. Aguillon said.

Don’t over-caffeinate. Enjoy your morning cup, or whatever your usual coffee habit may be. But don’t alter your caffeine routine by, for example, chugging a cup or two in the afternoon because you feel a slump.

Don’t take a nap. “This is where people fall off the wagon,” Dr. Winter said. “They’re tired so they nap in the middle of the day, but then when it’s time to go to bed that night or the next night they’re not ready, which can have a bad snowball effect.”

Source: 
https://www.nbcnews.com/know-your-value/feature/daylight-saving-time-4-surprising-health-effects-falling-back-ncna929546
https://yourwellnesswecare.blogspot.com/2018/11/boo-to-clocks-falling-back.html

Reaching Optimal Eye Health with Chinese Medicine

Do you think 6-6 have a little resemblance to a pair of eyes? Yes, pictograh, pictogram, or hieroglyph is at the heart of 

how ancient Chinese as well as modern people who can read and write Chinese language think. The 24th China National Sight Day is observed on June 6, 2019. I have gathered in Chinese some resources for eye diagnosis before, and here's a crude introduction to the view of eye health from the point of view of Chinese Medicine (TCM).

According to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), the eyes relate to the internal organs. In Chinese medicine, each part of the eye is associated with a particular element and corresponding zang organ. The iris is represented by the liver zang. The heart zang relates to the corners of the eyes or the canthi, the upper and lower eyelids correspond to the spleen, the conjunctiva the lung, and the pupil the kidney.

Chinese medicine recognizes six environmental, or external, pathogens that can lead to vision loss. A person’s resistance to environmental pathogenic factors is based on how healthy their immune system is, which, in turn, is a function of qi (a person’s energy, similar to a life force). Basically, if a person has strong qi and good resistance, he or she can ward off potential hazards associated with these external factors. According to TCM, a person with poor qi flow or imbalances in qi in any of the zang organs relating to the parts of the eye will have decreased resistance to the six specific environmental pathogens that can influence vision.

Environmental Pathogenic Factors Affecting the Eyes:

      Heat – Leads to swelling, inflammation, and the redness commonly found in many eye diseases such as conjunctivitis

      Cold – Will yield pain and slow vision loss over time, as in chronic degenerative conditions such as macular degeneration and glaucoma

      Wind – Results in sudden and dramatic onset of vision loss

      Dampness – Causes secretion of mucus, and swelling

      Dryness – Results in dry itchy eyes and redness

      Summer Heat – Inflammation and mucus discharge

These pathogens can damage the eyes and possibly cause vision loss. Many of these influences are closely related to the seasons and commonly arise during seasonal changes. Wind and fire are associate with the eyes in acute cases. These are considered “Yang conditions of the eye.” Wind is the leading pathogenic factor, and can often lead to other environmental “evils” affecting the eyes. Wind is characterized by rapid change and sudden onset. Fire is characterized by inflammation, ulceration, and redness. Other pathogenic factors can easily be turned into fire toxin.

The other environment pathogens, cold and dampness, result in “Yin” conditions. According to TCM, the most common cause of poor vision is exposure to cold and dampness, which results in poor circulation to the eyes. The invasion of cold blocks the flow of qi, depriving the eyes of vital warmth and nourishment. Coldness also settles into the muscles, vessels, and skin around the eyes, resulting in further degeneration of visual acuity.

One of the foundations of Chinese medicine is the belief that no issue is an isolated problem, but rather, is rooted in a person’s overall wellbeing. This includes a person’s lifestyle, stress factors, diet, activity level, and genetic makeup. This is why a person’s qi—and any blockages in a person’s qi flow–profoundly affects the entire body. As Marc Grossman puts it in his article Healthy Eyes with Chinese Medicine, “The skin of the entire body is covered with tiny electric eyes known in Chinese medicine as acupuncture points. These points follow along the flow of energy streams called meridians. In Chinese medicine, when the meridians are flowing smoothly, there is neither pain nor illness. When blockages exist in the meridians, pain and illness result. Each acupuncture point is a window of heightened sensitivity close to the surface of the skin, providing the acupuncturist with easy access to the meridians to clear blockages.”

Acupuncture is a primary modality of traditional Chinese medicine, and can be used to treat some of the most well-known eye disorders such as retinitis pigmentosa (RP), glaucoma, and macular degeneration. Andy Rosenfarb, LAc, who has treated these eye conditions and many others, notes in his article Researching Retinitis Pigmentosa (Night Blindness) with Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine that “Results have shown that acupuncture is clearly an effective means of managing most chronic and degenerative eye diseases. Results have shown measurable improvement in approximately 70-80% of all cases treated.”

However, TCM treatment for eye disorders and vision loss can also include the use of oral formulations of herbs in varying combination known to improve the eyes and related zang organs, and application of herbal heat using moxibustion (a technique that involves the heating of herbs).

Herbs used to Treat Eye Disorders:

      Ju hua (chrysanthemum flower): Clears the liver. Improves red, eyes, and decreases excessive tearing, clears floaters, and blurred vision.

      Qing Xiang Zi (Celosia Seeds): Used for painful, red, swollen eyes, and cataracts.

      San Qi (Pseudiginseng Root): Repairs broken blood vessels in the eye, clears “blood spots”,

      Chan Tui (Cicada Moulting): Clears blurred vision and reduces redness, also used to treat painful, swollen eyes.

      Mi Menghua (Buddleia Flower Bud): Improves sensitivity to light, and excessive tearing

      Qou Qi Zi (Chinese Wolfberry Fruit or Lycium Fruit): Acts on liver and kidney deficiencies of Qi , correcting blurred vision and vision loss

      Huai Hua Mi (Pagoda Tree Flower): Used to treat dizziness, blurred vision and red eyes due to liver heat.

Patients who have turned to TCM for the treatment of chronic eye conditions found that they have been able to significantly reduce their reliance on drugs and corticalsteroid eye drops. Many patients who sought TCM for their eye conditions also discovered that their eye condition was related to a different, seemingly unrelated, health concern such as eczema, asthma, and gastric distress. Patients discovered this when the other ‘unrelated’ issue improved in conjunction with the Chinese herbal remedy for the eye condition. 

References:

https://www.iapb.org/news/24th-china-national-sight-day-to-be-observed-on-june-6/

Grossman, Marc, O.D., L.Ac. “Healthy Eyes with Chinese Medicine” https://www.acufinder.com/Acupuncture+Information/Detail/Healthy+Eyes+with+Chinese+Medicine

Rosenfarb, Andy, ND, L.Ac. “Researching Retinitis Pigmentosa (Night Blindness) with Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine”  Oriental Medicine Newspaper. February, 2012

Source:

Pacific College of Oriental Medicine

Commonly Available Natural Sleep Aids & Supplements

I have posted some natural proven Chinese medicine remedies for improving sleep quality, some friends expressed inaccessibility to those methods and herbs. Hence copy the post -- assuming the things are more easily accessible to friends here. 

Alternatives to Medication

If you’re among the nearly half of Americans who sometimes have trouble with sleep, you may be interested in how to slide into slumber without drugs. Herbal teas, tinctures, and other supplements may help. But talk to your doctor first. Even natural sleep aids can cause side effects or interfere with how your medicines work. And the FDA doesn’t check supplements for safety or quality. So know exactly what you’re taking.

Melatonin

This hormone tells your body when to sleep and wake. Some research suggests that melatonin supplements can ease sleep issues like jet lag and trouble falling or staying asleep. For the most part, melatonin is safe for healthy adults if taken for only a few weeks or months. Side effects include headache, dizziness, and nausea. Try taking 1-3 milligrams 2 hours before bed.

Lavender

Try sniffing this purple flower before your bedtime. Its scent slows your heart rate and lowers your blood pressure and skin temperature. This can set the stage for slumber. A study found that people who snoozed in a lavender-infused room had more restful deep sleep than those who didn’t. Want to try it? Run an essential oil diffuser in your bedroom, or add a few drops to your pillowcase.

GABA

It short for gamma-aminobutyric acid. It’s a chemical in the brain that boosts relaxation and sleep. Some sleeping pills work by helping GABA work better. But there’s no proof that taking GABA itself as a supplement works. Scientists aren’t sure that GABA can even pass from your bloodstream into your brain.

Valerian

This perennial plant has been used as a sleep aid for hundreds of years. Studies suggest that valerian helps you get more sound ZZZs. But the evidence is mixed. It may raise the levels of GABA, which boosts relaxation. Valerian is thought to be safe in the short term, but it sometimes may give you headaches and stomachaches. Take 300-600 milligrams up to 2 hours before bed. Or brew 2-3 grams of the dried root in a cup of water.

CBD Oil

Cannabidiol, or CBD, is a compound in marijuana and hemp plants. It doesn’t get you high, but it can help you nod off. CBD oil may work by taking the edge off. One study found that people who took it felt less anxious and slept better within a month. CBD may make some people tired or want to throw up. Experts are still looking at how much is needed, but research suggests a dose of 25-175 milligrams a day.

Kava

This South Pacific native plant is taken for anxiety. Research suggests kava is also useful for sleep. It may ease insomnia caused by stress. But kava supplements have been linked to a risk of serious liver damage. Talk to your doctor if you’re thinking about taking kava. It’s thought that supplements made from only the root, not the stem or leaves, may be safer.

California Poppy

It’s related to the opium poppy but is a different flower species. California poppy has been used in traditional medicine as a sedative. Scientists have found that it helps raise the levels of GABA, the relaxation-boosting chemical. But there’s little research on whether California poppy extracts work. You could try 600 milligrams before bedtime. It’s likely safe to use for short periods. Possible side effects include stomach problems.

Glycine

This tiny amino acid can have a big impact on your sleep. It may raise the amount of serotonin, a brain chemical that affects slumber. It also helps your blood flow and drops your body temperature, both of which encourage you to nod off. Glycine supplements are viewed as safe. Try taking 3 grams about an hour before bedtime.

Chamomile

Many people enjoy it as a soothing herbal tea, and for good reason. This daisy-like plant has a calming effect thanks to an antioxidant called apigenin. It works on certain brain cell receptors that help you relax and fall asleep. Chamomile is safe, but it can interact with certain medicines. Sip a mug of tea before bed. Or take 200-270 milligrams of extract, twice a day.

5-HTP

It’s short for 5-hydroxytryptophan, a compound that your body makes from foods. Your body uses 5-HTP to make melatonin, an important hormone for sleep. Some studies suggest, but don’t prove, that 5-HTP supplements made from plant seeds may help you log more sleep. Experts recommend 100-300 milligrams of 5-HTP before bedtime. Side effects include nausea and headaches.

Passionflower

It’s a type of climbing vine. Native Americans have long used passionflower for its calming properties. The plant contains GABA, the brain chemical that affects your mood and sleep. One study found that people reported getting a better night’s rest when they sipped a mug of passionflower tea beforehand. Experts say that passionflower seems safe to take in the short term.

Magnesium

Low levels of this mineral may make it harder for you to fall or stay asleep. Studies show that magnesium supplements may improve slumber in older people and those with restless legs syndrome. Get enough with foods like nuts and leafy greens. Women need 310-320 milligrams per day, while men need 400-420 milligrams. Ask your doctor if you should take a supplement: Too much magnesium can lead to cramps and nausea.

Tart Cherry Juice

Tart cherries are a natural source of melatonin, a key sleep hormone. Early research shows that drinking tart cherry juice raises the amount of melatonin in your body. It also helped people sleep more soundly and for longer. The more common Bing and other sweet cherries don’t have the same effect, so look for the tart variety. Sip a cup about an hour of two before bedtime.

Magnolia Bark

Chinese medicine uses this to treat anxiety and depression. Experts are studying whether magnolia bark might work on sleep, too. It has a compound called honokiol, which may improve your slumber. Magnolia bark also may keep your body from releasing the stress hormone adrenaline. It appears safe for short-term use, but it sometimes can give you heartburn. 

Source:
https://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/ss/slideshow-natural-sleep-remedies