Really? Have we lost our past? Like most practitioners of TCM I looked forward to seeing how the symptoms of the latest influenza would translate into a known pattern. Naturally so I would know how to treat if it came my way. What I see is that it fits with my training and experience. Simple. …
Category archives: Blog TCM
Yu ping feng san
True qi and Yu ping feng san Yu ping feng san has a reputation of increasing protection from sickness that we call tai yang wind strike and tai yang wind cold. In what way does it work and is this the best solution? We may lose sight of what makes us unique as therapists in …
Si ni san
Si ni san chai hu 12 zhi shi 12 gan cao 12 bai shao 12 This is the representative formula for deficient pivoting of shao yang due to dryness in jue yin and yang ming. When in shao yin disease there is counter flow cold of the limbs, the person may cough, or have palpitations, …
Bai he di huang tang
In lily bulb disease, without undergoing vomiting, purging or sweating, the disease manifestation is as in the beginning, bai he di huang tang governs. Water failing to cool Fire resulting in dryness of nutritive and blood. This is a yin formula in that it nourishes and cools. It clears jue yin deficiency dryness and heat …
Ba wei shen qi wan
Also known as shen qi wan, cui shi ba wei wan, jin gui shen qi wan, gui fu di huang wan Source Shang Han Za Bing Lun sheng di huang 24 shan yao 12 shan zhu yu 12 fu ling 9 ze xie 9 mu dan pi 9 fu zi 3 gui zhi 3 It …
Xiao yao san
Xiao Yao San, famous or misunderstood? Source is He ji ju fangdang gui 9 chai hu 9 bai shao 9 bai zhu 9 fu ling 9 pao jiang 6 bo he 6 zhi gan cao 6 This formula just may be the most famous in the west. It does seem like all our patients are …
Gui zhi tang is a yin tonic.
What? We all know gui zhi tang as the go to formula for an external attack on tai yang. We also learned in school that it induces sweating which clears the surface of wind. So how can it be a yin tonic Mr Freedman? Tai yang shang han is tai yang cold damage Tai yang …
Learning from the Decoction Classic
When I was learning about herbs it was said the formula structure of the Shang Han Lun was influenced by the Decoction Classic. I figured understanding the text from the Decoction Classic would teach me about structure and taste. Text from the Decoction Classic All pungent belongs to wood, for it is governed by gui …
Putting the Classic back in Chinese Herbal Medicine
When I first started learning acupuncture we spent a lot of time in class learning the basics. Like the yin yang, five element, and the six climatic qi theories. This would prepare us in our understanding of Traditional Chinese Medicine. The reasoning being that we needed this to better understand the Chinese way of thinking. …
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