Chinese Origins
Chinese Medicine
The School of Replenishing the Spleen 
and the Stomach
Summer Seasonal Strategies and Chinese Herbs
Herbs that Calm Shen

Quite naturally, the various Chinese practitioners, forerunners of the traditional chinese medecines, have been dead for hundreds and even thousands of years. The temptation today is big to bend their findings in a way that suits the quoter. They will not be the ones to stand up and tell you wrong.

The fact remains that sciences such as acupuncture, which have been practiced in the same manner and tought at official schools for centuries, are credible when exerciced in their original way. However, their development to fit modern times and habits lacks in general the rigorism that is imposed on official medical science, and often stems from intuition rather than from scientifically established standards. Some of the recent applications claiming Chinese origins are an outright laughable imposture when using the title "acupressure". With very few exceptions, proven clinical tests cannot be traced.

When referring to the span of time separating the origin of traditional Chinese medecine from our present, estimations run from 2'500 to 5'000 years. That shows that reference to Chinese antecedents leaves a wide area to fantasy and personal appreciation. In fact, it is really not important to know how many thousand years the origin dates back; it is more of a decorum, like in ancient families where it is good form to point out the greatest possible number of preceding generations.

Chinese Medicine

Chinese Medicine has been practiced in Asia for over 5,000 years. The philosophy behind Chinese Medicine is holistic health care, from diagnosis to treatment to maintenance. Chinese Medicine works to regenerate the organ functions in one's body. Health is restored by bringing the bodily functions into balance and activating and increasing the body's natural immune system.

The practitioner of Chinese Medicine looks at the whole physiological and psychological person , not just at the disease in the person. It seeks to create a balance between the individual and the elements surrounding him or her.

In excess of 5,000 Chinese herb have been categorized and classified according to the various properties which they contain. Over the years, more than 25,000 formulas were created and refined for specific types of infections, illnesses and diseases. These formulas are specific combinations of herbs; most of them discovered over a thousand years ago. These combinations became necessary and more complex as experience showed that some herbs canceled out the effect of other herbs. It was also discovered that the medicinal properties of many herbs required certain other herbs to be present to act as a catalyst. Physiology and pathology of the human body, disease etiology, blood, bodily fluids, channels-collaterals, and differentiation of symptom-complexes. These all relate to the physical manifestations of an illness. The doctors then interpreted these physical manifestations through the basic theories of Yin-Yang, the Five Elements, Zang-fu, and Qi.

Chinese Medicine asks why the body is not functioning properly and attempts to use individualized organic herbal formulas to rejuvenate and restore the body to its natural state.

Chinese Medicine offers many advantages and can be used safely on its own or as a complement to Western pharmaceuticals. The most significant advantages of the Chinese approach are:

• Thousands of years of classification, testing, and refinement of herbal formulas.
• Few, and often no side-effects due to natural ingredients.
• Individualized treatment
• No chemical residues unlike many Western pharmaceuticals.
• No chemical residues unlike many Western pharmaceuticals.
• Treats the why, not the what.
• Rejuvenates the body's organs to correct symptoms at their root causes.
• Revitalizes the body's natural immune system.
• Long-term results.

In this age of abundant selection and information overload, we, as a people, no longer had access to the local practitioner, who, through years of study, could guide an individual in the proper diagnosis and subsequent application of herbal remedies. Traditional Chinese Medicine brings this system back as a complete system of healing evolved from traditional Taoist principles that easily combine with Western Medicine. Through this wonderful, comprehensive publication of Chinese herbal medicine, these principals are available to all.

The School of Replenishing the Spleen and the Stomach

In the development of the system of correspondences in Chinese Medicine there were certain individuals who put a great importance in the function of the Spleen and the Stomach. This paper explores the theories of Li Kao, originator of the "Spleen School" who was very influential in the development of Chinese Medicine.

Many of the conditions that we see as practitioners today relate to the concepts and theories discussed here. These theories are very important in treating conditions such as arthritis, immune system weakness, allergies, fatigue, digestive disorders, infertility and other especially chronic problems as well as problems arising from lifestyle imbalances.

Li Kao (1180-1251) is one of the few medical practitioners of the Sung-Chin-Yuan epoch whose biography can be found in official histories. He was a Confucian scholar of the Yuan dynasty. There are two medical texts that are attributed to him. One is Chen-chu nang pu-i yao hsing fu (Correction of Deficiencies in the Pearl Purse and Poem of Drug Qualities) and Yung-yao fa nang (Regularities and Cosmological Correspondences in the Use of Drugs). Li Kao is considered to be the originator of the "Spleen School". His best known work is P'i Wei Lun (On the Spleen and Stomach). His thoughts were inspired by the Huang Ti Nei Ching. He stated, "When the digestive system and the stomach in the body sustain damage, all kinds of illness can occur!" Li Kao offered four postulates to back up this idea:

Human life is made possible by the yang influence of heaven absorbed by the body. These yang influences must accumulate in the stomach and the digestive region.

The development of man is made possible by the yin influences of the earth that flow to the body. These yin influences must undergo a transformation in the stomach and digestive region that renders them useful to the organism.

For nourishment the human body absorbs yang influences, which collect in the stomach and digestive region.

Through yin finest matter (jing) the human body achieves longevity. Yin finest matter has its origin in the stomach and digestive region, where it is formed from influences absorbed from external sources. Illness in the stomach or digestive region impairs the normal ability to assimilate, accumulate, transform, and distribute.

 

 

Li Kao stressed three factors that can lead to these conditions:
 

Irregular consumption of food and drink damages the stomach first. If the stomach is affected, it is unable to supply the digestive system with the requisite substances. Finest influences and finest matter, which arise from water and grain in the organism, no longer flow through the body resulting in depletions.

Excessive exhaustion of the body prevents the yang influences, normally radiated by the digestive region, from reaching the four extremities. The results are drowsiness and the need to sleep.

Excessive emotions such as joy, anger, sorrow, and fear cause the fire associated with the heart depot to flare up. In accordance with the doctrine of self-genesis among the five phases, fire is succeeded by soil, which is associated with the stomach and the digestive region. Bubbling up in the fire phase will spread to the soil phase and produce harmful effects there also.

Li Kao focused treatment on methods that replenish (pu) the stomach and digestive region. His doctrine was called Pu t'i p'ai ("the school of replenishing the soil phase") and also Pu p'i wei p'ai ("the school of replenishing spleen and stomach")

We can see how much the Spleen and Stomach and hence the general vitality is affected by lifestyle. Because diet plays such an important role in health, we must, as practitioners, council our patients to cultivate healthier eating habits. Recommending dietary changes can have very positive effects, but are often difficult to bring about because what and how we eat is tied into many factors, including emotional ones. In modern Western society there is often no problem with the availability of food; many people do develop irregular eating habits due to work schedule, emotional habits, and in some instances, poverty. Some people have embraced certain fad diets that foster unhealthy eating habits. For example, some people with chronic Spleen Deficiency may be under the impression that eating raw foods are healthy for them. In many modern industrial countries people eat modern industrial diets consisting of excessive amounts of sugar, fats, refined foods with little or no nutritional value, and foods withchemical additives.

Dietary recommendations can take three forms:
 

How we eat.

What food need to be avoided for certain conditions.

Which foods support healing of the particular condition.

 

 

Very simple things can bring about positive health changes for our patients. For example, the practice of just eating when one eats. Reading or watching TV can have a less than positive effect on digestion no matter how good the quality of food, as can eating when angry or upset. Instructing patients to practice eating slowly and mindfully, chewing their food thoroughly, can be of great help to them. Slow, mindful eating makes us aware of the food we are taking in, its affect on our body, how much we need to feel satisfied. This practice is especially helpful for people who have difficulty with eating too fast or too much. It can also help patients become more sensitive to what they are putting into their bodies.

Often what one does not eat is as important than what one does eat. I routinely instruct my patients to avoid white sugar, white flour, and foods with chemicals in them. I consider this a first step toward healthier eating. After that we can talk about fats, meat, dairy products and what is best suited for that particular individual. In the book Prince Wen Hui's Cook by Bob Flaws and Honora Wolfe there are specific recommendations as to which foods would be best avoided for problems with the Spleen and Stomach. They are as follows: salad, citrus fruit and juice, too much salt, tofu, undercooked grain, millet, buckwheat, milk, cheese, seaweed, agar, too much liquid with meals, and too much sweet. It is specifically advised to avoid raw and cold-natured foods. This book also contains some specific recipes to benefit Spleen Qi and Spleen Yang Deficiency.

For patients with Stomach/Spleen issues a healthy diet is centered on whole grains and cooked vegetables. Foods that are naturally sweet and yellow in color such as squash, pumpkin, sweet potato, yam, carrot benefit the Spleen. Other beneficial foods include: turnip, leek, rice, oats, small amounts of chicken, turkey, mutton; cooked peach, cherry, and strawberry, dried litchi and fig; cardamom, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, black pepper; tapioca and other custards; kudzu root, arrowroot; moderate amounts of sweeteners, especially barley malt, and rice bran syrup. Beef has traditionally been considered beneficial to the Spleen. Of course, in China especially in the past people did not eat meat in the enormous quantities that are consumed in modern industrial society. The hormones, antibiotics and chemicals that livestock are forced to ingest add a new dimension to consuming meat. Foods should be well cooked and well chewed. Congees and rice porridges are very easy to digest and beneficial to the Middle Burner. Specific information and instruction on the making of congees can be found in The Book of Jook by Bob Flaws.

Patients are sometimes curious about Chinese energetics and how they relate to food. I have found that Bob Flaws' Arisal of the Clear to be helpful in educating patients about healthy eating.

Many of the patients that come to see me have cultivated the "excessive exhaustion" that Li Kao speaks of. In this modern lifestyle we have collectively created a pace that consumes us as human beings. Instant telecommunications, rapid travel and non-stop media have created an astonishingly rapid way of life. Excessive emotional stress is something that challenges us as human beings. Our lifestyles have not assisted us in coping with the normal challenges of our emotional lives. Sometimes working with balancing emotional stress will help the patient retain the energy you may be cultivating with acupuncture and herbal treatment. Many patients are consumed with worry and think too much. Often I will use an acupuncture treatment balance the "ko cycle" relationship between the Liver and the Spleen to work with a pattern of excessive mental activity. Asking patients to make a plan to over come the worry is a useful practice. With patients who are consumed with too much mental activity, I recommend activities that are more physical in nature such as Tai Chi, Qi Gong or breathing exercises.

Some people will use an over-busy lifestyle to hide from their emotions. Sometimes during an acupuncture treatment they will get in touch with feelings they are trying to avoid. Our psycho-spiritual relationship to nourishment is also a factor that will affect the Spleen. It can sometimes be productive to look at the "5 Virtues" of the Zang organs to give focus or insight to the treatment. Patients with imbalances in a particular organ will usually have issues around the aspect of the virtue of that organ. The virtue of the Spleen is "faith." Assisting patients to be in contact with and cultivating their virtue will help bring balance to the system.

Acumoxa Treatments for Building the Stomach/Spleen
Moxa to supplement Yang and needle Shu and Mu points Bl20, 21 CV12, Lv13
St36 strengthens transporting function of St/Sp
St36, Sp3 strengthens St/Sp
Bl20, St36, Sp6 supplements St/Sp
Moxa Cv6,12,13 to dispel Cold from the Sp/St
Bl 20 promotes circulation through the Spleen Qi
Sp 8 regulates Spleen Qi
Sp6,9 drains Damp Heat relating to the Spleen
Sp4 harmonizes the St
Moxa Sp1 to control bleeding, needle St36, Sp6
Moxa Cv6,12 to dispel Cold Damp of St/Sp
Moxa Bl 20 to fortify Spleen Yang
Moxa Sp4, St36 to strengthen splenogastric function
Moxa GV20 to bring up sunken St/Sp Qi
St44 drains heat in the Stomach channel
Cv17,12, St36 corrects counter-flow of Stomach Qi
P6 Cv12 calms Stomach checks vomiting
St36,44,45 calms Stomach and relieves stagnation

Chinese Five Phase Supplementation Treatment
using tonification point and horary point on "controlling" or "mother" channel
Stomach: tonify St41, SI5 Spleen: tonify Sp2, H8

Korean Five Phase Four Needle Tonification Treatment
Spleen: tonify H8, Sp2; sedate Lv1, Sp1
Stomach: tonify SI5, St41; sedate GB41, St43

Korean Five Phase Four Needle Treatments for Hot and Cold
Cold Pattern Stomach: tonify St41, SI5; sedate St44, Bl66
Heat Pattern Stomach: tonify St44, Bl66; sedate St36, Bl54
Cold Pattern Spleen: tonify Sp2, H8; sedate Sp9, K10
Heat Pattern Spleen: tonify Sp9, K10; sedate Sp3, K3

Summer Seasonal Strategies and Chinese Herbs

Each season has its own seasonal energies. Each season presents its own challenges. In the summer, we often encounter symptom patterns attributed to Heat, Fire, and Summer Heat.

According to the classic literature of Chinese Medicine, Heat and Fire can injure the Yin of the body, as all extremes can affect the body adversely, and lead to an insufficiency of body fluids. Heat and Fire are Yang pathogenic factors which manifest in such symptoms as high fever, restlessness, thirst, sweating, mouth and tongue ulcers, swollen and painful gums, headache and congestion of eyes. Heat and Fire can disturb the mind creating insomnia, restlessness, mania, emotional excitement, and coma or delirium. When pathogenic Heat and Fire disturb the Blood we see such symptoms as bleeding and skin diseases. Heat and Fire affect the Heart, which is the most vulnerable in the summer. The Yin of the Kidney is also affected since it is the source of all Yin of the body.

In the Nei Ching (The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine) it is stated: Su Wen Chapter 3: "Summer Heat is harmful in the summer, and when the Summer Heat resides in the body persistently, it will cause malaria that attacks every other day in the following autumn."

Su Wen chapter 5: "When Heat predominates, it will cause symptoms characterized by swelling....Heat is harmful to the energy. When energy is harmed, it will cause pain, when physical shape is harmed it will cause swelling.....Heat is harmful to the skin and hair....Yin should be treated in case of a Yang disease.....The South Corresponds to Heat in the heaven, it corresponds to Fire on earth, it corresponds to the meridians in the human body, it corresponds to the Heart among the five viscera, it corresponds to red in color, it corresponds to Zeng in the five sounds, it corresponds to laughing in the five voices, it corresponds to worry in change, it corresponds to the tongue among the openings, it corresponds to bitter in flavors, it corresponds to joy in emotions. Joy is harmful to the heart, fear can overcome joy; heat is harmful to energy, cold can overcome heat; bitter is harmful to energy, salt can overcome bitter."

The following is a summary of some specific formulas especially useful for helping to cope with symptoms arising from Heat, Fire and Summer Heat:

Coptis Relieve Toxicity Formula (Huang Lian Jie Du Tang) is an excellent formula for clearing Heat and for Summer Heat. It clears Heat from all three heaters of the San Jiao. It is a strong acting formula especially used for people with strong constitutions, but can be used for short durations and in smaller doses for people with weaker constitutions. It is especially indicated when there is mania, insomnia, skin rashes, dry constipation, boils, incoherent speech, nosebleed, dry throat and mouth. The pulse will be rapid, rolling, and big. The tongue will have a yellow coat and a red body.

Heavenly Emperor's Formula (Tian Wan Du Xin Dan) is a very good formula for tonifying the Yin of the Heart and Kidney, with Deficiency Fire. It is good for people with a weak or strong constitution, but if the patient has weak digestion it is recommended to use it in combination with a Spleen tonic like Six Gentlemen Formula. Heavenly Emperor's Formula is indicated in cases of insomnia, excessive mental activity, restless sleep, hyperactive thyroid, inability to think or concentrate, forgetfulness, urticaria and nocturnal emissions. The pulse will be thin and rapid and the tongue will have a clear or white coat and a red body.

True Yin Formula (Zuo Gui Yin Er Zhi Wan) is used for tonifying the Yin of the Kidney. The Yin of the Kidney is the source of all of the true yin of the body. It is useful when the Heat is not as extreme and doesn't affect the Heart very much. It can be used with patients with either a strong or weak constitution in the absence of extreme Heat. It is especially indicated in cases of blurred vision, night sweats, dizziness, dream disturbed sleep, dry mouth and throat, weakness of lower back and knees, weakness of legs, spontaneous emissions and other Yin insufficiency signs. The pulse will be thin, rapid and perhaps deep in the third position on the left hand. The tongue will have a clear shiny coating or no coat and may be slightly red.

Rehmannia & Scrophularia (Zhi Bai Di Huang Wan) is used for tonifying the Yin of the Kidney when there are signs of Deficiency Fire. This formula is used when the Yin Deficiency is more severe than with the True Yin Formula, but not yet affecting the Heart. It can be used with patients with a weak or strong constitution, but like the Heavenly Emperor's Formula should be used in combination with the Six Gentlemen Formula when digestion is especially weak. It is especially indicated in cases of night sweats, urinary difficulty, lower back pain and consumptive Heat, night sweats, vertigo, restlessness, premature ejaculation, low grade fever, afternoon or tidal fevers, insomnia and low back pain or pain at the midline. The pulse will be rapid and large only at the rear position. The tongue and mouth will be dry and red and or glossy.

Lily Preserve Metal Formula (Bai He Gu Jin Tang) is used for tonifying the Yin of the Lung and Kidney. It is especially useful when there is a drying up of fluids due to Heat. When Heat injures the fluids it will affect the Lungs and then the Kidneys. This formula is indicated when there is dry cough, wheezing, dry sore throat, cough with blood-streaked or sticky sputum, dry lips, mouth or nose, hot palms and soles, night sweats, and dry sore throat. The pulse will be thin and rapid and the tongue will be red with little coating.

HERBS THAT CALM SHEN

SUAN ZAO REN	BAI ZI REN	YUAN ZHI	HE HUAN PI / HUA
Sour Jujube Seed	Biota Seed	Polygala	Mimosa Tree Bark / Flower
Semen Zizyphi Spinosae	Semen Biotae Orientalis	Radix Ploygalae Tenuifoliae	Cortez Albizziae Julibrissin / Flos
Neutral	Neutral	Slightly Warm	Neutral
--	--	Acrid	--
--	--	Bitter	--
Sweet	Sweet	--	Sweet
Sour	--	--	--

--	--	--	LI	L	--	--	--
H	--	H	--	H	--	H	--
LVR	--	--	--	--	--	LVR	--
--	--	K	--	--	--	--	--

#1 Shen calming herb. Use raw to  calm shen, toast for astringency.	--	Stimulates secretion of  ST mucus membranes.	Pi=bark Hua=flower
Reduce Sweating	Moisten Intestine to Relieve Constipation	Expel Phlegm to Open Orifice	Invigorate Blood Stagnation/  Reduce Swelling
--	--	Reduces Swelling	--

Used as a tonifying  shen calming herb. - tonifies Yin & Blood. - tx insomnia, palpitations from LVR & H Yen def. Slow but long lasting. - Formula: Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan.	Nourishes the heart to calm shen. - not as strong as Suan Zao Ren. - better for palpitations.	Calms shen by expelling phlegm to open the orifices. - combo: Shi Chang Pu, Yu Jin. - for excessive phlegm plus Bai Ming Fan.	Pi and Hua (better) calm  shen & tx depression. - tx: insomnia, poor memory, poor concentration, depression.
Produces Astringency. - tx spontaneous sweating & night sweats due to deficiency	Can moisten LI to relieve constipation due to blood  & body fluid deficiency. - nourishing for weak constitution.	Cough with profuse phlegm. - esp. yellow sticky phlegm  with expectorant action. - combo: Yi Yi Ren,  Gua Luo Pi, Jie Geng.	Pi and Hua invigorates blood stagnation to tx injury and trauma. - Formula: Tao Hong Si Wu Tang. - abscesses, esp, L. - combo: Lu Gen, Yi Yi Ren,  Jie Geng, Lian Qiao, Dong Gua Ren.
--	--	Reduces swelling & disperse masses. - esp. breast abscess. - acute mastitis: Yuan Zhi 12g, Alchohol 15g, Soak 10-15 minutes, Cook 20 minutes, Drink tea warm. May be used internally or externaly.	--
--	--	Yin Deficiency with heat signs. May cause N/V.	--
9-18g 1.5-3g for swallowing Take HS for insomnia.	3-10g	3-10g	10-15g Pi 3-10g Hua (better for insomnia.) Dry in the sun.