Acupuncture
How to Better Interpret Side Effect Lists
Generally speaking, for something to qualify to be listed as a common side effect of a medication on that medication’s web page or WebMD, it must occur in 1-10% of the population taking the drug. For example, with Prilosec, a proton pump inhibitor used to treat acid reflux and/or gastric ulcers, they list headaches, nausea, vomiting, bloating, diarrhea, gas, or constipation. But at least the reflux is resolved!
From a Chinese medical perspective, this tells us that ultimately what Prilosec does in its process of reducing harmful stomach acids, is eradicates beneficial stomach acids as well. Our diagnostic concept of the “dry stomach” includes precisely, but not limited to this list of symptoms.
Some people have constitutionally strong guts. They are able to withstand the robbing Peter to pay Paul of reductionist medicine for some time, then when it catches up to them it doesn’t show itself as a digestive ail—but a sequelae to the dry stomach, i.e. the Chinese concept of “ministerial fire” (over)rising in the body—excessive movement and secretion of excitatory substances.
This might manifest as tightness in the chest or rib sides, a dry throat, dry mouth or eyes, dizziness, blurred vision, urinary irregularities, or various manifestations of headaches. Patients and some doctors will hear this and figure it can’t be from the medication because none of these symptoms are listed side effects. From a holistic perspective, this is an oversight.
The impression I’ve gotten in my 13 years in practice is that many doctors suggest to their patients that if a side effect doesn’t show itself in the early goings, the medication is likely not harming them at all, which in my opinion is like saying if a smoker doesn’t contract emphysema early on then they won’t.
Only 1 out of 100 patients have to report having diarrhea for it be listed as a side effect. But how many patients have to report sequelae of what the drug is fundamentally creating? That is, a “dry stomach” with inflammatory heat harassing the upper portion of the body? This logic suggests that many directly connected side effects are going unreported, undocumented, unnoticed by their own sufferers (sorry for that sentence. I think I’ve accidentally read too many AI-generated articles lately).
Whereas the purpose of allopathic medicine is to mute symptoms and improve lab work results, the of purpose of holistic medicine is to aim for perfection. To be so precise in our understanding of each patient’s pattern and corresponding prescription that not only are there no side effects, but other physiological symptoms improve that they weren’t even coming to us for. Obviously, this is not easy, but it is always the intention of “Jing Fang” (classical formula) practitioners and most good acupuncturists.
Please don’t get me wrong. There is nothing wrong with life-saving medicine, which is outside my scope, nor with temporary, band-aid reductionisms to improve quality of life when it is truly necessary. My intermittently humble opinion is there are many cases where we could stand to narrow the definition of “necessary,” while broadening our comprehension of “side effects.”
Treatment & Prevention of Yeast Infections
Women who are most prone to vaginal discharge and yeast infections tend to be between the ages of 21-35. Generally, this is the time of our lives that is most indulgent converging with the very first waning of our vital substances and energy. We consider for the first time (especially guys) that we might not be immortal. Go figure.
What causes discharge and/or bacterial infections of the genitals?
As always, of course it is dampness, likely with the gut at its root, which is why some women are more susceptible in the week following their menses, when gastric fluids are deficient.
Deficient gastric fluids lead to imperfect metabolism, which leads to the production of more pathogenic dysbiosis than nutrients, and that dysbiosis has to find somewhere in the body to reside. Because men are more “yang,” it tends to get transported more outward towards the surface—think joint or muscle pains or various expressions of skin conditions. Since women are more “yin,” it tends in the opposite direction. Dampness sinks, from the gastrointestinal microbiome to the reproductive or urogenital microbiome and creates or perpetuates a pre-existing proclivity to bacterium.
The first line of defense is of course diet and lifestyle. Women with strong muscles tend to have stronger metabolisms and those with a healthy exercise routine are better able to purge and transform dampness. Sugar, alcohol, dairy, smoothies, and raw, uncooked foods are all damp-generating foods, so minimizing them should also aid in prevention. As for substitutes:
- Finding dairy-free milk has never been easier! As for vegan cheese, good luck. Your best bet is will power.
- For sweet-cravings I’d recommend taking the occasional spoonful of nut butters as needed, coconut yogurts, chunks of very dark chocolates, and Blue Stripes trail mixes.
- For raw foods I recommend following them with hot tea and/or accompanying with something cooked, and gradually getting used to eating only warm, cooked meals.
- For smoothies and/or alcohol the best thing to do is give the body breaks. In each week have more days not consuming them than consuming them.
The most important Chinese herb for “transforming dampness”—which is to say scouring trapped pathogenic fluids and turning them into functional ones to be transported elsewhere in the body is atractylodes root, or “Bai Zhu.”
Atractylodes is bitter, sweet, and warm. Its bitterness drains excess fluids—its sweet warmth helps to strengthen pancreatic function and irrigate other parts of the body. In its raw state it can reduce perspiration and transport functional fluids downward into the intestines to prevent constipation. When dry-fried it is called instead “cang zhu” and its chemistry is the opposite: up and outward to prevent diarrhea, promote sweating, and treat joint pains. It appears in several common gynecological formulas, including “Wan Dai Tang,” or “End Discharge Decoction.”
Do not self-prescribe. While herbal formulas such as Wan Dai Tang are proven to be effective in treating yeast infections and vaginal discharge, they can also be very drying, which means taxing of a woman’s blood if taken over time and/or without proper holistic customization.
Combating Heat Waves with Herbs
With the first heat wave of the year upcoming, what is the best way to mitigate the outdoor climate and not get overheated?
Fundamentals of Chinese medicine 101: Our bodies’ “yang qi,” or warming and excitatory chemicals and substances, are responsible for metabolizing fluids and foods and warming the body, but it is our “yin fluids,” or cooling and inhibitory chemicals and substances (think estrogen, serotonin, oxytocin), whose responsibility it is to keep our minds sane, naturally bring down fevers when we’re sick, and of course combat the heat waves of summer.
The more “Yin” one has, the more equipped they are to tolerate heat, hence why women who either just gave birth or are embarking on menopause tend more to hot flashes, night sweats, and/or a preference for strong air conditioning.
Unfortunately, cold band-aids such as cold drinks or foods might temporarily cool us off, but they do so at the expense of harming our functional gastric acids and gases, thereby impairing the body’s long term ability to manufacture healthy yin substances in the gut. This doesn’t mean don’t ever enjoy a cold drink or ice cream in the summer months—just to respect these indulgences enough to use and enjoy them sparingly instead of as your daily intake of default.
Beyond a balanced diet, exercise, and sleep habits, yin is nourished through the internal biochemistry induced by sweet and savory, bitter and sour flavors, therefore it is important to keep in mind the logic that any (empirical) substance that generates yin, be it food or herbs, may also generate dampness in the body. Duck and pork meat, eggs and butter might be exactly what the doctor ordered for people who are particularly thin, have a dry, red tongue with many cracks in it, and are sensitive to heat. These people tend to pee a lot, poop a little, and have ravenous appetites for food and cold drink. However, for those who have more fluid retention, poop a lot and are never thirsty, summertime recommendations might need to be more tactful and/or in smaller doses. They’ll do better with sauteed kale with lemon, unsweetened lemonade, (hot) green tea with lemon, dark chocolate, eggs, and more steaming of foods instead of cooking with butter.
You can’t go too wrong having a nightly cup of peppermint (Bo He) and/or chrysanthemum (Ju Hua) tea (with small amounts of honey), both of which are very mild Chinese herbs that have a tropism for clearing heat from the upper portions of the body, as with heat-induced headaches, dizziness, sinus congestion, or mild conditions of the eyes.
For more serious patterns of summer heat, the best classical formula I know of, whether prophylactically or in response to symptoms, is Mai Men Dong Tang (Ophiopogonis Decoction). It contains ophiopogonis root, ginseng, white rice, red dates, and licorice, all of which generate metabolic fluids, but then crushed pinellia root to mitigate this effect, improve digestion, and dry out residual pathogenic fluids.
Each patient’s pattern will determine the dose of each ingredient. For example, if you are someone who has to remind themself to drink water the pinellia will be much higher than for someone who is ravenously thirsty all the time, for whom we might remove or replace the pinellia altogether, lest we would not be practicing holistic medicine. If you or someone you know might benefit from Mai Men Dong Tang this summer or this coming heat wave please reach out to learn how we can modify and customize according to your specific body type!
The 5 Elements of Chinese Medicine for Knicks-Mania
For the first time in 53 years and the first time in my life it looks like the Knicks can do it. I never thought this would happen. Even in the past few years, as they improved and made progress in the playoffs, my non-expert understanding was that we were a second-tier team. We’d make some runs, it’d be exciting and interesting for the first time in a quarter century, and that was enough to stoke the passion of hometown fans. But we’d always fall short of the top tier.
Now here we are, atop the mountain, two games to win to be considered the best, and I’ve already lost sleep over it. Like a kid on Christmas, but instead of sugar plums, visions of dancing in the streets with strangers, causing a ruckus, crying tears of joy in embrace with old friends who I watched the Knicks of the 90’s with as a kid.
It only happened once, but last week I tossed and turned for hours, intermittently frustrated but also laughing at how ridiculous I was, a victim of my own “heart fire,” an over-stimulated central nervous system, hyper-secretion of serotonin, and/or cortisol. So how do we treat this?
“Excessive joy,” as it is referred to in the Yellow Emperor’s Inner Classic, which sounds almost paradoxical. Why should any amount of joy be labeled “excessive?” What it means is over-excitement. Excessive indulgence, as in intoxicants or sexual pleasures, manic behaviors, and/or over-celebration, as in if your team should win a title for the first time in half a century. Of course, keep in mind for purposes of practicality, that none of these overt examples are requisite to induce heart fire. Some of us are just more so inclined—more prone to anxiety, insomnia, ruminating thoughts, or panic. For heart fire patterns, the following is advisable:
Avoid spicy foods, which induce upward surging of chemicals, the last thing they need. Prioritize bitters: green tea, coffee, and cooked leafy greens. Herbal formulas must be customized by a licensed clinician, but will revolve around medicines such as coptis root, gardenia fruit, scutellaria root, and/or rhubarb root. Keeping in mind that excessive consumption of bitter foods and medicines can weaken metabolism. It can be mitigated by exercise and foods that are mildly bland or sweet, such as yams, rice, and steamed vegetables.
Conversely, what if the Knicks lose? Then the stages of grief, beginning with anger, or “liver fire.”
Liver fire—that is uncontrollable fury—can be calmed by consuming sweets. Not sweet by modern American standards, although plenty of us have reached for junk food in moments of stress and can attest to having felt temporary relief. Instead, foods like rice or yams, even breads, butter, honey, or fruits can behave accordingly functional and are advisable for PMS cravings. Herbal formulas revolve around licorice, red dates, longan fruit, and/or rehmannia root. Keeping in mind that excessive consumption of sweet foods can also weaken metabolism by creating fluid retention in the gut. It can be mitigated by exercise and foods that are mildly bland or acrid, such as ginger, cooked onions, and steamed vegetables.
Finally, we have grief. Logically the opposite patho-mechanism to heart fire, grief causes vital substances to plummet in the body. Fluid metabolism is impaired as a result and we feel heavier, lethargic, depressed if you will. The body requires the opposite of bitter: Spicy, when appropriately dosed, can help metabolize fluids and bring our energy back up. Ginger, garlic, onions, turmeric, and even moderate doses of chili pepper. Herbal formulas might revolve around dry-fried ginger, Sichuan peppercorn, aconite, cinnamon, or ephedra. Keeping in mind that excessive consumption of “acrid” foods can weaken metabolism by dehydrating the gut’s mucosal fluids and digestive enzymes. It can be mitigated by exercise and foods that are mildly sour or sweet, such as yams, rice, and lemon water.
Clearly, and unlike my daughter, we are rooting for BITTER! Sleepless nights, heart palpitations, and a touch of anxiety, are symptoms any die hard Knicks fan would sign up for a few days of in exchange for a title. So get your green tea, kale, and dandelion greens ready. GO KNICKS!
How 9/11 Caused Bladder Cancer
While smoking cigarettes is the leading cause of lung cancer, only about 10-20% of smokers actually contract the disease, reminding us that there is almost never a 1:1 correlation between some objective disease and etiology, logically implying that nor should there exist any 1:1 prescription for cures.
Smoking is also the leading cause of bladder cancer, and maybe not coincidentally there have been nearly 1,200 recorded cases of bladder cancer from the 9/11 attacks’ residual toxins.
From a Classical Chinese medicine perspective, this makes perfect sense.
The bladder vessel was originally named the “Foot Tai Yang,” meaning it ascends from the lower limbs and the bulk of its oxygenated blood, or “Qi,” exists closer to the surface of the body (most Yang) than all other organ vessels. The lung vessel was originally named “Hand Tai Yin,” meaning it ascends from the upper limb and the bulk of its oxygenated blood exists closest to the surface of the three Yin layers, but still inferior to the three Yang layers.
The Foot Tai Yang bladder and Hand Tai Yin lungs share in a mutually interdependent relationship of fluid exchange. The lungs’ job is to descend vital substances downward to imbue the organs located beneath them with ample blood and energy. The bladder’s job is of course to excrete urine, but then from a Chinese medical perspective, take those vital fluids that are not excreted and circulate them upwards to imbue the central nervous system, upper orifices, and musculature with ample blood and energy. In Chinese medical school we are taught that a point along the wrist, “Lung 7,” is used to treat neck pain. What was never explained to us (unless I was absent that day) is that this dynamic is the reason why it works—also that it is logically most effective for neck pain located close to the center, that is along the bladder vessel. “Neck pain” located closer to the trapezius is a result of a different mechanism.
Whenever we treat urinary issues, from UTI’s to enlarged prostate, it is important confirm optimum functionality of the lungs and their corresponding vessels. It is also why exercise and deep breathing exercises can greatly benefit urinary dysfunction. Common Chinese herbs that share a common tropism for both vessels include plantain seeds (Che Qian Zi), schizandra fruit (Wu Wei Zi), and of course cinnamon branch (Gui Zhi).
Acupuncture that treats this “Water/Metal” dynamic of Kidneys and Lungs includes Lung 5 at the crease of the elbow or Kidney 7 just above the inner ankle, a point pair that is as useful for treating asthma or sinusitis as it is urogenital conditions—especially when the two coincide.
The inverse is less common. While some respiratory ailments are due to a failure of the urogenital microbiome to effuse fluids upwards, they are more commonly a result of GI issues, as seen in the coinciding of obesity with asthma and/or sleep apnea, or even rudimentary snoring at night. Urinary dysfunction tends to be further along down the domino effect. Commonly used herbs to drain dampness from the bladder and at the same time strengthen the gut include poria mushroom (Fu Ling), bitter tangerine (Chen Pi), or again, cinnamon branch (Gui Zhi), making cinnamon branch, per usual from Han Dynasty thought, the grand winner!
