Weight Loss
Yin & Yang of Stomach Pang!
Not all bellies are created equal, nor therefore, is all belly pain.
Stomach pain on the left tends to have more to do with organ function, whereas (in women) the left side might pertain more to ovarian function. Generally, belly pain that occurs above the umbilicus pertains to two of the three “yang” systems of the body, either “Shao Yang” or “Yang Ming,” either of which because of their connection to our intestines and digestive enzymes, might be accompanied by thirst for cold drinks, insomnia or agitation (not only as a result of the stomach pain), constipation, chest tightness, blurred vision, or blockage of the ears.
“Yang stomach pain,” as it were, tends to be constant—the abdomen feels firm and hard, resistant to touch. Conversely, pain that occurs below the umbilicus pertains to any one of the three “yin” systems of the body—gastrointestinal, endocrine, and/or hematological, tends to be more intermittent. The abdomen is softer, still tender to the touch, but it occurs more often in people who are prone to diarrhea and sensitive to the cold.
Thirst may still be present, though it is more likely for small sips of warm water, not big gulps of cold. That is because thirst of yin pathologies is a result of the GI tract’s lack of healthy fluids, whereas thirst of yang pathologies is from excessive inflammatory heat. If the same medicine is prescribed to both patients, one will improve and the other will exacerbate.
Yang pathologies might find relief with sour and/or bitter foods and medicinal—those whose mechanism is to drain, purge, and emolliate the abdomen.
Yin pathologies might find relief with sweeter (not by American standards) and more acrid (not by Indian standards) foods—those whose mechanism is to imbue the organs with more energy.
Another great way to distinguish diagnosis is by learning how people find relief.
If passing gas provides relief it is more likely a yang pathology, whereas if a complete bowel movement is needed it is more likely yin. If a hot compress feels good this is DEFINITELY a yin pathology, just as if ice water does it is DEFINITELY yang. A patient suffering from gastrointestinal, hormonal, or hematological weakness wouldn’t wish ice water on their worst enemy! That’s probably not true. People suffering with chronic “yin pathologies” tend to be understandably irritable, henceforth would very likely wish this on their enemies.
Then again, wouldn’t you wish acupuncture on your worst enemy, to transform them into a healthier, happier person to ultimately convert from worst enemy to best friend, or at the least, tolerable human being?
Where is your stomach pain, or that of a loved one?
What makes it better?
What makes it worse?
The answers to these questions and more can help us ascertain an accurate pattern diagnosis!
What Should We Be Drinking?
How much water should we be drinking? Is cold water okay? Is coffee healthy or not, already? What about decaf? What about green tea? Green juices? Prune juices? Sparkling water??? Please tell me sparkling water is OK! It’s all I’ve got…
Across the generations (and mediums) there have been many hydration gurus, and I suppose in this blog I’m throwing my hat into the ring, albeit really as just a hopefully qualified echo of Chinese medicine’s biological perspective.
Sparkling water is OK, but can irritate the bladder—should be kept to 1/day.
Room temp water is best, ideally half of our weight in ounces each day. Cold drinks can impair digestion, but again, once a day outside the context of a meal is no big deal, imo.
Juice is worse than people think—green juice not quite as good as people think. Green juices, without the sugars of fruit inside them, are fine, but should not replace real meals where salivary amylase is generated, we actually eat, and chew whole (green) vegetables.
One coffee/day should be fine for most people, but obviously has an excitatory and diuretic effect, so if one suffers with a lot of heat or dryness symptoms, should be minimized. These can include everything from insomnia and irritability to bloating or lack of appetite (dryness of digestive enzymes).
Green tea is preferable in people with “heat patterns,” and/or after a night of eating red meat, which can generate heat in the intestines. Again, because of its bitterness, people who tend to nausea, diarrhea, or lack of appetite should steer clear of green tea, and reach instead for…
PU-ERH TEA! Probably the healthiest thing one can drink besides clean, room temperature water, pu-erh is a black tea known for its naturally occurring pre and probiotics that enhance digestive and gut barrier function, the latter of which gets compromised by stress, medications, or alcohol. And I don’t know anyone who doesn’t check off at least one of these. Best taken hot.
I try to limit myself to 2 caffeinated beverages/day (I think no one should have more than 3), which are routinely a cup of Purity black coffee, followed by a cup of pu-erh, from either ARBOR or YUNNAN SOURCING, both of which offer organic and fair trade, high quality products. Highly recommend!
Acupuncture’s Abdominal Diagnoses
Contrary to popular belief, there is a great deal of overlap between Chinese and Western medical diagnoses and systems. A good clinician from either should inquire about your metabolism—fluid or otherwise. How often do you pee and poop? Drink water or eat? We both feel patients’ pulses, at the wrist and sometimes even the carotid (throat) and dorsal pedis position on top of the feet. Additionally, I was reminded while (binge)watching The Pitt that Chinese medicine is not the only paradigm that places emphasis on abdominal palpation.
In Western medicine, my understanding is doctors are feeling for any number of things: fluid retention, organs size and shapes, masses or tumors, tenderness, or pain.
Our assessment process is not much different, though as expected, most acupuncturists are less adept at detecting tumors or misshapen organs, and most doctors are not applying their findings to a global/holistic diagnosis. They are ruling out emergency, which has its own obvious value. Acupuncturists, instead, are searching more for subjective signs to fit a pattern diagnosis.
A COLD abdomen means metabolic organs are lacking in blood or healthy gases and requires moxibustion therapy and/or herbal families such as dry fried ginger or aconite stone.
A SOFT abdomen generally indicates fluid retention because of some subjective deficiency of mitochondria and might require herbs such as poria mushroom and tangerine peel to drain the excess fluids, but also aconite stone to engender cellular energy and adrenal function with the hope of preventing further fluid retention.
Tension in the upper abdomen might indicate inflammation, dryness, and a tendency to constipation, whereas tension or sensitivity below the umbilicus points more towards weakness again, and possibly diarrhea. The former often requires rhubarb root, whereas the latter might need a combination of ginseng and evodia fruit. The wrong herbal formula will make symptoms temporarily though immediately worse.
Tension anywhere can indicate local fluid retention and/or blood stagnation that may or may not be the final piece of the puzzle in getting some chronic illnesses to resolve. Local needling and moxibustion can be helpful, as can herbal formulas with peach kernel or peony root.
To the left of the abdomen pertains to metabolic function, specifically and especially between the pancreas and portal vein to the liver, as it is said in Chinese medicine: “Liver blood ascends on the left (side of the body).” In its ascension it acts as a courier for healthy gases and immunological substances, which is why tension here might point to immunodeficiency.
To the right of the abdomen pertains more to the reproductive organs, ovarian function or otherwise. It might also be implicated in chronic constipation, so if you suffer from both for example—menstrual irregularity and constipation—the focus of treatment should be on the lower right abdominal quadrant, hypothesizing that once the bowels regularly move the reproductive organs can regularly function, sans obstruction.
How does your abdomen feel? Is it tight, taut, and thus “dry,” or soft and yielding, thus “damp?” Excessively cold or hot? Tender? Have you ever thought about how it can and should inform your physician? BTW, The Pitt was great! Highly recommend.
Tryptophan Foods & its Benefits
The ancient Chinese stressed the importance of eating foods that are “rich in qi and blood,” which upon scientific reflection, was in many cases referring to foods that are dense in the amino acid, tryptophan. Why?
The amino acid, tryptophan, is the precursor to the neurotransmitter, serotonin, which in turn regulates sleep and emotions, also digestive function, blood clotting, bone, and cardiovascular health. Circling back to Chinese medical terms, when your acupuncturist says that your gut is reliant upon strong and healthy “qi” to produce strong and healthy blood, this is what they mean. We need amino acids to produce not only literal blood, but also the neurotransmitters whose functions are synonymous with that of “the blood,” from a Chinese medical perspective.
Most people think of tryptophan around Thanksgiving and its effects of making us tired after the enormous holiday meal, but that fatigue is actually more likely due to the profound overconsumption of carbs and calories.
Other sources of tryptophan besides turkey are as follows, complete with warnings of their potential side effects and how to mitigate them:
- Chicken
- Is mass produced, so be sure to always consume in good, organic quality. Also can overstimulate the liver vessel, so ideal to consume with sour foods, such as lemon or sauerkraut to offset this effect. Unfortunately, the worst way to consume chicken is with hot sauce or spicy foods, which potentiates this effect.
- Beef
- Can generate excessive heat in the intestines, so should be consumed alongside bitter greens. Again, sad news: the worst way to consume is alongside alcohol, which can potentiate the heat effect. Eat plenty of bitters to counteract!
- Fish
- Beware of high mercury fish, as my wife always reminds me! Other than that, as the many centenarians of Okinawa and the Mediterranean know, there are little side effects to wild fish
- Eggs
- They’re just too expensive these days, and the inorganic variety are a problem. Other than that, eggs are nearly as perfect as fish 🙂
- Dairy
- Dairy has health benefits, but it is very cold and damp in its physiological behavior in the body. If you tend to low appetite, brain fog, diarrhea, bloating, or skin conditions you should avoid as much as possible.
- Soy
- Soy is also cold and damp and should be cooked alongside plenty of spices, onions, garlic, ginger, and even hot peppers, to offset its effect.
Besides tryptophan, another Thanksgiving cliche that benefits qi and blood is gratitude 🙂
Transitioning from Summer to Fall
Although it remains deftly hot and humid, according to the traditional calendar and evidenced in the shorter days and longer nights, we now find ourselves in the transition between summer to autumn.
Summer corresponds with the heart and central nervous system, autumn with the lungs and immunity, but each quarterly transition of the seasons corresponds with the gut and microbiome, thereby further underscoring the importance of digestion in engendering all other organ systems. This one might be most directly significant, as in Chinese medicine’s cycle of the five elements earth is “mother to” metal, which is to say the stomach is primarily connected to pulmonary health. Anyone who’s ever suffered with an asthma attack due to dairy consumption or sleep apnea due to a weight problem can attest.
To compile the challenges posed by American diets and grocery options, we are simultaneously confronted with the humidity, which might further aggravate pre-existing dampness in one’s gut, depending on their constitution, diet, and body type. As always, I recommend going gluten, dairy, sugar, and alcohol free as much as possible.
To avoid gluten, there is always rice or great gluten free pasta brands now, such as Glutiniete. To avoid dairy, you can occasionally sprinkle nutritional yeast on foods and/or make vegan parmesan cheese with this simple recipe:
To avoid sugar I recommend increasing your tolerance for dark chocolates, and/or eating spoonfuls of nut butters with a touch of maple syrup or honey. If you must have alcohol, then vodka, tequila, mezcal, and organic wines are preferable. People often forget (especially when seeking a buzz) that grapes are always on the dirty dozen list, which means their inorganic versions are ridden with pesticides.
Those are a lot of DONT’s, I realize. As for DO’s:
- Eat a warm breakfast with protein: Eggs, oatmeals, congees, etc.
- Sweet potato, sweet potato, sweet potato! An excellent digestive aid and coming into season in fall. I like to roast them either with salt, pepper, and garlic, or cinnamon and maple syrup. For the latter I add sliced apples for my toddler in the last 15 minutes.
- Small amounts of fermented pickled foods, such as kimchi, sauerkraut, or pickles for their naturally occurring probiotics.
- Pu-Erh tea instead of green in the morning, also for its naturally occurring fermentation. Green tea, even when consumed hot, has a cold quality that can harm weak stomachs.
- Hot ginger, licorice, and/or barley tea in the evenings.
Finally, in our classical texts it is said that excessive standing harms the kidneys, excessive celebration harms the heart, and excessive sitting harms the stomach. What is meant by the latter is something the ancient Chinese understood and has only in recent generations become common knowledge in the west: sedentary lifestyles compromise metabolism. No matter how well we eat, it won’t much matter if we never get up and move.
