nature
Ancient Chinese Medicine practitioners looked to nature and our connection to it to explain what happened in nature also happens inside the body. Theory grew from understanding the world in which humans live - we are the microcosm affected by the universe, the macrocosm. The belief is that there is always energetic connection between us and all that is around us, including the weather. When we consider our bodies are 70% water, just as the earth is, we begin to understand how the moon may affect our body; so do other aspects such as rain, sun, fog, or snow. Its why joint pain is worse for arthritis when it rains, or why injuries in the snow can get worse when re-exposed to cold weather. Essentially, the body is connected to it’s environment and what happens externally, can also cause changes internally. TCM views this connection to nature as key to understanding our health. Health is dynamically changing and not a static event; and as such care needs to be taken to maintain our health.
Longevity
There is a theory in Chinese Medicine that we are born with both of our parents constitutions (a sum of all their parents, experiences, traumas, age, fluid physiology, injuries, and strength) and how they lived. To explain it simply to an 8 year old, everyone gets a cup when they are born, but how you carry this cup throughout life will determine how much water spills and how much water stays in the cup. Every time you eat healthy or make a choice for your health, you keep water in the cup. Every time you make an unhealthy choice or experience traumas/ avoid emotions, you spill a drop. It’s the vitality savings account we call “Jing” or “Essence”. How we live is how we affect the balance and maintaining what we were born with for longevity.
5 elements
In Chinese Medicine theory, there are 5 elements, each element feeds the next, this is called the generation cycle.
In the generation cycle, When the mother is nourished, she will take of her child, but when she is exhausted, she can barely care for herself or her child, just as when there is enough water to nourish a plant, the plant will have the nourishment it needs to grow, if it does not, it will wilt. If the plant did not get adequate water, we would say the mother could not nourish the child, therefore the child was malnourished.
There is a check and balance system that skips elements to keep them from becoming too exuberant or excitable. We refer to the “checks and balances system” as the “grandmother cycle”, referring to the chinese cultural understanding of the grandparents raising the grandchildren with more backbone and structure than the parents, which will typically be more lenient.
Wood
Wood corresponds to spring, the time of flourishing growth.
The 5 element cycle begins with wood, the beginning of spring when plants begin to wake up and grow as quickly as possible depending on their nourishment and rest from winter (the season of water and rain). Flowers bloom, baby animals are born, and the wind is the pathological nature of what can go out of imbalance; think of trees growing fast then breaking off new growth in the wind when the wind is too strong. The Liver and Gallbladder are associated with wood, because they work constantly in an organized way to grow and filter out toxins in the body, as well as build blood. Wood type people are typically entrepreneurs, pioneers in the field, or military leaders because of their love for organized growth. When the wood element is out of balance in the body, shouting is the sound heard.
metal
Autumn which corresponds to the Element of Metal.
As stated earlier, the energy of Earth is to take in matter and transform it into something valuable like minerals and vitamins such as Metal, the next element generated in the cycle. The season of Metal is Autumn, when the seasons change from damp to a cold crispness in the air. The leaves fall from the trees and We are reminded it is time to let go of the past year and inhale new inspiration.The organs associated with Metal are the Lungs and the Large Intestine, both parts of the body that eliminate what is no longer serving them. The lungs are responsible for breathing in, and the Large intestine is responsible for letting go. The emotion out of balance for metal is grief, and when grief is abnormally felt for too long, it can impair functions of either of these organs.
Metal rules 3 am to 5 am for the lungs, the time of early waking for breath work, yoga, or someone that grieves, and 5 am to 7 am for the Large Intestine, the time to eliminate the bowels. When the metal element is out of balance in the body, weeping is the sound that comes from the voice.
Metal likes structure, arts, and tools. Metal type people are typically Musicians, Engineers, Architects, Medical workers, or involved with logic and reason. They like to be surrounded by other people and culture.
earth
Earth follows in the cycle and presents as the Late Summer.
When fire burns, it eventually dies down and becomes ash, that goes back into the Earth, creating the next element. The time of the year is late summer, when the weather is hot and muggy, or thick and damp in the air.
Earth is the element that corresponds with the Spleen and Stomach, the center of our digestion and solar plexus energy. The function of earth is to Transform & Transport energy by breaking things down (food/life experiences), and taking qi where it needs to go next.
The energy of Earth is to take in matter and transform it into something valuable like minerals and vitamins (metal, the next element generated in the cycle after earth)- think of how microorganisms and worms in the soil transform burned wood, dead leaves and manure into valuable nutrient rich vegetables with the power of the sun, water, and a single seed! That is the power of the earth element in nature, just like in our own body’s system of the Spleen and Stomach. So many chemical reactions are taking place to break down food and create more energy in the body that can be harnessed from nature.
Our inner Earth element of the Stomach and Spleen also transports nutrients to where they are needed.
Earth rules 7 am to 11 am, the time of breakfast and morning energy for creativity. When the earth element is out of balance in the body, the sound heard is “singy-songy” type voice that goes up and down in pitch, and the emotion out of balance is worrying.
Earth type people are typically Chefs, Caretakers, and in the service industry. They symbolize the abundance at the end of summer and the fruits of labor.
FIRE
Summer corresponds to the element of Fire.
Wood generates fire. We can see this examples at bonfires, when there is not enough wood, the fire dies down, and when there is too much wood, the fire is exuberant and can become dangerous. The season of fire is summer. The days become longer, with sunsets later, we see ourselves enjoying life more, as the emotion of fire is joy. This is the time of the year to surround yourselves with those you love to warm your heart on the coldest days. Fire is the element that rules the Heart and Pericardium, the outer sac lining of the Heart. It also rules the Small intestine and the Triple burner, the peritoneal sac that lines all of the abdominal organs, and rules the fascia and metabolism. The heart is the ruler of whole body circulation and connection, and the heart channel is on the inside of the arms, where hugs are embraced.
Fire rules both times of the day: 11 am- 1 pm, and 7 pm - 9 pm. These times symbolize fire is 11 am - 1 pm, when the sun is at its highest point; when lunch is as much about connection as it is visceral nourishment, and 7 pm - 9 pm, when the fires of community are ignited for thousands of years to enjoy the company of our loved ones, at the sunset, around a fire, or in the bedroom with your companion.
Fire type people are typically performers, connectors, or travelers. When the fire element is out of balance in the body, the sound heard is inappropriate laughing.
water
Water, governs the season of Winter.
The last element is water, the season of winter, rainfall, snow and freezing of lakes. Stillness is the feeling of winter, everything seems still on the surface but it is alive underneath. The Kidneys and Urinary Bladder are associated with water, because they work to maintain and filter out toxins in the body, but also keep the integrity and manage the essence.
Water rules 3 pm to 5 pm for the Kidneys, and 5 pm to 7 pm for the Urinary Bladder, the time of siesta after lunch naps, adrenal crashing, the afternoon tea, and dinnertime. When the water element is out of balance in the body, groaning is the sound heard in the voice.
Fear or Fearlessness is the emotion of water, for they are the emotions you feel when faced with a giant wave or being without water for survival. Water type people are typically creative artists, dreamers, extreme sportsmen.
Yin & Yang
One main principle you may be familiar with is yin and yang, the opposing and interdependent forces of the sun and the moon, masculine and feminine, growth and the rest; we are always cycling between these two forces with each day and night.
What is yin and yang and how it relates inside the body? The human body has a “heating mechanism” and a “cooling mechanism” that is constantly working to keep our body in temperature homeostasis. If thats hard to grasp, I would say our bodies have their own refrigerator and oven always working to keep things at a steady temperature for the vital organs. Yin cools the body with fluids and yang warms the body with energy (qi) from food; aka energy from the sun, which is essentially kinetic energy always transferring, yet never being destroyed; just as physics describes.
We get yang nourishment from the sun, putting our body near a campfire, soaking in a hot spring, going in a sauna/ hot yoga, eating hot or spicy herbs, foods or alcohol, cooking our foods at higher temperatures (roasting/barbecuing), or being under stress (internal combustion of an oven creating fire). Our activity shows us how much yang we have. We get pathogenic yang (fire) in the body when too much alcohol, smoke, hot or spicy foods, over-sweating, or unfelt emotions accumulate. Instead of giving us yang for energy, it drains the yin energy and fire can become a personality trait (we all know these people).
We get yin nourishment, aka cooling substances from foods and herbs that grow on the shady side of the mountain, near waterways, eating foods from the sea, grown underground or near rivers and waterways, or require lots of water, darkness, or that have a sticky, denser type of consistency. We also maintain and build our yin every night good sleep and rest. There is the yin we want, and yin that we don’t want; the yin we want is substance in the blood, the yin we don’t want is “dampness” like a swamp-like stickiness we see from fried foods, dairy, or mold. Sometimes the body accumulates the not-so-good type of yin to replace the cooling system. It’s like putting a soggy towel on a hot sidewalk, instead of misting the sidewalk to cool it off. This is when we need yang to clear out the pathogenic yin.
For example, a Yin substance in our body is blood, it bathes the whole body to keep it lubricated, or “myelin sheath” the insulation around nerves to cushion nerves from burning with irritation. It helps hormones produce by being the substance of the blood to balance the body’s cooling system. Herbs that are yin are cooling in nature, or bitter, sweet, or “slimy” typically such as seafood, roots, or okra.
Yang in our body would be our digestive fire, adrenals, testosterone, or mitochondria activity- outward energy movement or force that requires us to have energy and force. Yang foods/herbs would be cinnamon, ginger, chili peppers, or meats.
When you are cold, you may crave warmth, and when you are hot, you may crave cold. Sometimes, we have both out of balance in different organ systems; your liver may have too much “yang” fire from drinking alcohol, while your GI system may have too much “yin” such as dampness from eating yogurt every morning. If you have insomnia (heat), but cold hands and feet, you will fall into a pattern, but it may not be clear as to if you are out of balance with yin or yang on your own.
We are made of both polarities, as is everything. yin and yang must exist with each other. Opposites attract, they are inter-dependent. One is not better than the other, they just exist and thats the basis of all of Chinese Medicine. Have you dedicated body awareness to what temperature your body is at?
what are channels?
According to Chinese medicine theory, the human body is interconnected through energy and blood pathway channel-like “rivers of the body”, that share information about the body. These rivers (fascia pathways) each originate from one of the 12 vital organs, and distribute throughout the rest of the body, sending messages when something is off balance internally. by mastering where the channels flow, and asking questions relating to all the systems to narrow down the channel pathway, we can confirm which organs are out of balance by blocked energetic pathways that will eventually affect other systems. Coming to the acupuncturist can be like jumping into a taxi on a friday night, saying “show me the crowd”. Taxi drivers know the roads of a city as good as anyone, they know the quickest and the round-a-bout ways to get there, as do acupuncturists when it comes to the body. This is how it can take 1 needle or 10 needles to take away the pain of the headache. Its like jumping on one freeway, or taking several because you have some other things to do along the way to that destination. This is how we can balance the entire body system with acupuncture treatment.
western philosophy
In Western medicine, we point to the interconnectedness of continuous fascia, lymph, and blood pathways, carrying messages from cells, the endocrine system, and the blood. Blood carries hormone messages, white blood cells to fight infections and heighten immunity, and nutrients from red blood cells to supply the tissues. Several vital organs filter and distribute this blood, all which can affect the messages in the laboratory work. Western medicine has various laboratory reports to confirm diagnostics and help treat the condition. by utilizing this tool, we can scientifically analyze body fluids such as saliva, urine, stool, hair, blood, or closely examine bone or soft tissue structures to complete the missing pieces to the story by adding a quantifiable number. This helps measure and have a baseline to measure from going forward.
pathology
What causes illness in Eastern medicine? Traditional Chinese Medicine takes into account the environment the individual lives in, the inherited traits from parents’s constitution and lifestyle, the imbalance of the circadian rhythm, unfelt emotions, trauma, mental stress, diet imbalance, temperature irregularities, cravings, medical mistreatment, and exposure to pathogens or parasites are potential causes to disease. Signs and symptoms are translated to a pattern diagnosis and confirmed with observing the tongue and the pulse to finalize the quality of the body fluids, the heating and cooling mechanism balance, where blockages are, the overall constitutional strength of the patient, and determine the treatment approach accordingly.
acupuncture theory
There are many stories about the beginnings of acupuncture in the ancient teachings. My favorite story is the soldier that had shoulder pain went to battle, only to be shot in the arrow in his leg, and his shoulder pain was relieved. The concept of creating a micro trauma moved stagnant energy from a paired channel, so that the channel could flow freely again and relieve his shoulder. The Indigenous Native Americans used Stinging Nettle to help with inflammatory pain by stinging the site of injury with the plant. Essentially, by going to a site of injury, or knowing which channels are blocked, you can influence the flow of the energy and get it to flow again. The points on the arms and legs all go to sensory orifices and organs. This is why when you have abdominal pain, acupuncturists may needle your hands, arms, feet, or legs! There are also many strategies on how to influence different areas of the body according to where that part of the body is “mirrored”. For example the hand as a fist mirrors the head, and the wrist would mirror the neck, so we could provide acupuncture to points around the wrist on the channels that innervate the neck and flow down to the wrist.
Herbal Theory
Herbal theory is based on yin and yang, but also on the five elements. Each of the 2,000+ Chinese herbs has been categorized by Chinese name, latin name, common name, taste, function, channels entered, and dosage. Each herb has a personality, just like a person. The way it acts in the body, or with other herbs can say something about its personality. When learning herbs, its like learning about people and characteristics and how each herb has relationships. We have about 25 categorizes of herbs and each group has it’s strongest function in this group, but they also have secondary, this, or fourth functions. These functions come from thousands of years of trial and error, and there are thousands of formulas that have been based off of case studies and using specific dosage of herbs together. Here are some of the ways they initially learned about herb functions":
By observing plants in nature, it was noticed that some looked like particular parts of the body, and the theory became “eat what it looks like you are trying to heal”. Walnuts look like a brain, and coincidentally enough have Omega 3s, which promote brain health. When a carrot is sliced, it looks like an eye, coincidentally, Vitamin A, the main vitamin in carrots, helps eye health.
Some plants grow in a type of environment that seems to have specific needs. It was discerned that if the plant is able to grow in this type of environment, perhaps it can help with this type of environment in the body. For example, Plantain “weeds” grows near waterways in damp sticky environments. It was discovered that this plant is a diuretic and helps promote urination from dampness in the body, when dribbling or Urinary tract infections may be a symptom. River reeds also grow near bodies of water, and by noticing they look like ureters or urethras, they siphon up water from the environment that they grow, and coincidentally enough help promote urination in the body.
Another way to identify an herb function is by the color, according to 5 element theory. Peony is a flower that grows in the springtime, and you may notice the leaves have crimson red veins on the green leaves. It was discerned that perhaps this can help promote circulation or have something to do with helping blood flow, since fire rules the heart, circulation, and blood. Peony is one of the most widely used herbs in Chinese Medicine for blood deficiency, Blood stagnation, and cooling or moving the blood. The colors of the plant, root, flower, or fruit may give more clues towards the element the plant helps with in the body.
Although Chinese Herbal Medicine has been casted with a darker light in recent years for Pangolin scales with COVID-19, we want to remind you that we will not use or ever have access to endangered species as use for medicine. We do not support the use of rhino’s horn, tiger’s bone, pangolin scales, or any other animal product. If there is a insect that is called for in your classical formula, we will ask your permission before dispensing it to you. We value the earth and want to make sure you are in alignment with your values.
one medicine
Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western diagnostics are so woven together in today’s medical trainings, that concepts overlap and have a wealth of information, but they are incomplete without the other’s diagnostic and treatment tools for the ultimate healthcare experience. We believe that both Chinese Medicine and Western Medicine have a place in each person’s health journey. General wellness is a necessary part of optimal health, and that detoxing is essential to re-nourish for the next phase of growth in both eastern and western medicine. Our approach involves treating the branch, as well as getting to the root of the illness.