Herbal Medicine and Nutrition
Herbal medicine and nutrition are key to your body functioning in wellness.
While western medicine looks at how your body functions in sickness, we focus on your body functioning at the optimal levels for wellness.
To get the most benefit from acupuncture or herbal medicine, it is very important to support your treatment with the proper diet and lifestyle.
According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), every food has a nature and flavor. Nature refers to its effect on the temperature of the body. A food can be hot, warm, neutral, cool, or cold. In additioin, each food has one or more of six flavors (sour, bland, bitter, sweet, spicy, and salty). Each flavor is associated with one or more of the main organs. Foods, flavors, and temperature used in the proper way can help restore balance to the internal organs as well as fighting disease and prolonging life.
Qi and blood are closely related. Qi is carried throughout the body by the blood, and the quality of the blood is controlled by Qi. Blood provides the nutrients for Qi. A deficiency of either blood or Qi will result in disorders. Qi has five functions: promoting, warming, defensive, checking, and transforming. Qi is the fundamental and essential element in maintaining vital activities of the human body. The meridians and collaterals are the pathways of Qi and blood. They form a complete system to circulate Qi and blood to the whole body. Where there is poor circulation of the Qi, because of stagnation or obstructions, the vital activities of tissues and organs will be adversely effected. The result of poor circulation will be physical disorders.
The Rhythmic Circulation of Qi
Collectively, the twelve organ meridians can be seen as one continuous flow of chi. For two hours each day,
each meridian has a high tide of energy that flows from one meridian to the next, forming the body clock. For example, this crest of chi runs in the Lung meridian
from 3:00 am to 5:00 pm, then moves to the Large Intestines meridian until 7:00 am.
The body clock can be used in assessment; a meridian imbalance may show up at its associated time each day. For example, someone with a Lung meridian imbalance may wake or have lung congestion between 3:00 am and 5:00 am. Or, someone with an imbalance in the Kidney meridian may get drowsy around 5:00 pm, when the crest of chi begins to flow into that meridian. The time that each meridian is at its height is often the optimal time to treat it, although this isn't always possible. The body clock runs according to sun time, so be sure to compensate for Daylight Savings time.
If you have a problem at a certain time, you can look up the organ for that time, and find a way to treat it.
There are three classifications of Qi. The first and most important is the Yuanqi, or zhenqi; this is the primary Qi. Yuanqi is stored in the kidney and its main function is to promote normal growth and development. The second Qi is yingqi also known as nutrient Qi. Yingqi is derived from food essence and the main function of yingqi is to provide nourishment to the whole body. The third type of Qi is Zongqi or clear Qi. Zongqi is inhaled by the lung from nature and is stored in the chest in a place the Chinese call Tan-Zhong. Zongqi promotes the lung's function of controlling respiration. Zhongqi also fills the heart channel to promote and adjust the circulation of Qi and the blood. Zhongqi is closely related to body warmth, vision, and the strength of the pulse.
Chinese medicine includes plants, minerals, and animal products. It is a primary component of Traditional Chinese Medicine, which has been used in China and Asia for over 5,000 years. There are over 7,000 herbs identified in China. About 400 of them are commonly used in the United States.
Herbs can nourish and tonify the body, disperse and move Qi and blood, and purge and clear toxins. A skillfully crafted herbal formula can be as effective
(or more effective) as modern drugs without the side effects. We can create a formula that will address your particular needs.
Imperial Acupuncture features a complete herbal dispensary with over 250 raw Chinese herbs. A short list of some types of conditions Chinese medicine effectively treats (most are corroborated by the World Health Organization) includes:
Chronic, debilitating and autoimmune disorders: HIV/AIDS, chronic fatigue syndrome, multiple sclerosis, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and environmental sensitivities
Musculoskeletal disorders and pain: frozen shoulder, headaches, migraines, sports injuries, tennis elbow, low back pain, arthritis, neck pain, trigeminal neuralgia, toothaches, earaches and sciatica
Respiratory disorders: allergies, sinusitis, bronchitis and asthma
Digestive disorders: ulcers, colitis, Crohn’s disease, constipation, diarrhea, and irritable bowel syndrome (ibs)
Cardiovascular disease: high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, high cholesterol and heart palpitations
Reproductive disorders: infertility, PMS, impotence, painful menstruation, irregular menstruation, fibroids, fibrocystic breast disease and menopause
Emotional and spiritual problems: depression, anxiety, stress, anger, grief, fear, obsession and mania
Addictions: nicotine, alcohol, and drug withdrawal
Neurological problems: carpal tunnel syndrome, thoracic outlet syndrome, facial paralysis, post-stroke sequelae, inflammation of nerve endings, tremors, and seizure disorders
We also have herbs that are excellent for colds and flus, fatigue, insomnia, and more
