Oku Acupuncture & Herbs

Happy Lunar New Year

Cheering for the new phase of life.

Herbal snacks are the best. Glutinous rice cake either mulberry, taro, and black tahini filling.

長
樂
無
極

Aromatic herbs from over 2000 years ago.

Finally found time to work on my topical herbal product.

Resolving Gynecological Symptoms with Chinese Medicine -- Gui Zhi Tang, aka Cinnamon Twig Decoction-based Formulas

Gui Zhi Tang (Cinnamon Twig Decoction) is the first formula recorded in the classical Chinese medical text, Shanghan Lun, aka Treatise on Cold Damage. It is the No. 1 formula in history of Chinese medicine not just because it has been the most widely used formula to treat cold and flu, but also an important formula to treat gynecological issues. In Western natural medicine, cinnamon bark has been traditionally used for therapeutical purposes, while in Chinese medicine, smaller branches 枝 (Zhi) have been chosen in Gui Zhi Tang because from an energetic perspective, the smaller branches have more "growing" and "moving" momentum than the bark, which has been more stabilizing and tonifying in nature.

First, let’s look at all the functions of Gui Zhi Tang:

Expelling “Wind Stroke,” or exterior cold symptoms — the most well-known function of the formula. It treats a cold with the following symptoms: chills, fever, sweating, body ache, fatigue, nasal congestion, sneezing, headache, etc.

Tonifying the Spleen. Gui Zhi Tang is especially good for children with poor appetites, low calcium levels, under development, emaciation, hyperhidrosis (easily sweating), and who easily catch a cold. It is also effective in treating pathological thirst due to Spleen deficiency.

Regulating the Chong Mai (the Surging Vessel). Chong Mai is an extraordinary channel that runs through the axial center of the body, governing the deep upward and downward movements of vital forces (hormones and nutrients) between the upper and lower parts of the body. When Chong Mai is diseased, a person may experience symptoms such as vortex headaches, nausea, dry retching, heartburn, chest pain or discomfort, palpitations, nosebleeds.

Alleviating muscular symptoms. This does not limit to treating pain of the skeletal muscles, but also smooth muscles and cardiac muscles. This function is especially important in treating menstrual cramping as well as some cardiac diseases such as systolic heart failure.

Before discussing the treatment of pregnant women, we need to understand the physiology of pregnancy. A few prerequisites need to be fulfilled in a mature woman’s body before pregnancy can become possible. Uterus is enwrapped and stabilized by four extraordinary channels: Chong Mai (the Surging), Ren Mai (the Conception), Du Mai (the Governing), and Dai Mai (the Girdling) vessels.

To read the full article, please visit my substack platform:

https://okuhealth.substack.com/p/resolving-gynecological-symptoms

Thank you for your support!

Resolving Gynecological Symptoms with Chinese Medicine Gui Zhi Tang, aka Cinnamon Twig Decoction-based Formulas

Dragon acquired features of many animals when it chased the pearl of wisdom across the world: whiskers of a catfish, face of a horse, ears of an ox, mouth of a tiger, eyes of a rabbit, mane of a lion, horns of a deer, paws of a tiger, talons of an eagle, scales of a koi, the body of a snake.

Your house was on fire, your alarm ran off. Would you put out the fire, or remove the alarm?
You got sick, your tonsils became sore, swollen and red. Would you treat the disease, or would you remove the tonsils?

Stop the Pathogens from Sinking Deeper into the Body – Part I

Chinese medicine system defines that we can be alive because there is Yang Qi, or vital forces available in our body. Yang Qi can be understood as reserved energies that we acquired from our parents (pre-natal energies), as well as the sunlight, air, water, food, and our environments (post-natal energies). According to the laws of physics, without disturbances from an outside source, fine and light substances float to the surface, and coarse and dense substances sink to the bottom. With a centrifugal force, light substances move to the center, while denser substances move outward in the radial direction.
Within our body, the fine substance is called Ying Qi, or Nutritive Qi. It is equivalent to the cells and nutrients carried in our blood vessels; the coarse substance is called Wei Qi, or Defensive Qi. It is equivalent to activated white blood cells that can move out of the blood vessels into our tissues to fight against pathogens. So even though the Nutritive and the Defensive are derived from the same origin and are only named differently according to their locations.

Life is only possible when opposite forces are incorporated into one entity to create the balances and dynamics that we call metabolism. In general, there are three pairs of opposite forces that maintain our wellbeing. These forces are not independent energies, or “elements” that can be separated from each other. They are also derived from the same origins, as the two ends of one rope, or the bright and dark side of our planet. Ideally, the more balanced and in harmony these forces are, the healthier we can be, but in nature we rarely observe such balances, if ever. Since our planet is perpetually moving in a force field and is constantly exposed to all kinds of known and unknown celestial forces as well as internal movements in the earth’s core, humans as the tiny creatures living on this infinitesimal planet are inevitably impacted by perpetual changes that unsettle our stability and balances. This might explain why we all become ill at certain stages of our lives, since our body has to adjust itself in order to return to its balanced state but is either unable to catch up or overreact.

The perpetual interplay of the opposite forces keeps life moving forward dynamically. Naturally, a Yang force is paired with a Yin force, and there are several ways of pairing them. Here is the most common way of pairing them: The first pair of forces is Taiyang (the Greater Yang) and Shaoyin (the Lesser Yin), which controls the hot and cold sensations of the body, as well as our circadian rhythms. The second pair is Yangming (Yang Brightness) and Taiyin (the Greater Yin), which controls the hydration and fluid circulation of the body. The last pair is Shaoyang (the Lesser Yang) and Jueyin (Ultimate Yin), which assists the transformation of forces in the body like a switch button.

As I mentioned previously, these pairs only represent one way of connection of these systems, since everything is literally lconnected with everything else within the body. By locating where the disease manifests in the body, a clinician is enabled to figure out which systems are affected and treat them accordingly.

To read the full article, please visit my substack platform.

https://open.substack.com/pub/okuhealth/p/stop-the-pathogens-from-sinking-deeper?r=1juacs&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

Mulberry is definitely plant of the East, Wood of Wood. Even its flowers look like worms.

The word “child” in Chinese is 孩, it’s composed of 「子」and「亥」. This indicates that a child’s energy is in the Water phase. Children and plant seeds are called 「子」because they bother are in the initial stage of life.
In 「易經」aka “The Book of Change,” it indicates that Water is the first force generated before the existence of any other forces in the world.
For example, treating a child with epilepsy is to use the Water phase to bring the child back to his/her healthy state.
The symptoms of epilepsy include: seizure (stirred internal Wind due to Jueyin Liver disease), loss of consciousness (Jueyin Heart disease), foam formed in mouth (turbidity built up that blocks the clarity of Shen-spirit).
To restore the Jueyin system, one way is to needle Ben Shen, which is located at the spiritual section of the Shaoyang GB channel.
Meanwhile, needle or massage Da Ling, which is located at the Water phase of the Jueyin PC channel.
The two points together can prevent and/or treat primary epilepsy in people of all ages.
Secondary epilepsy is not discussed here because the root cause of the disease has to be addressed first.

2023 Nourishing Porridge for the Season of Summer Solstice
癸卯年夏至節氣養生粥

For the year of Yin Water Rabbit 癸卯, Fire Qi is deficient in general. Currently, Yangming Dry Metal will be the dominant Qi until the end of the third Qi phase. From June 21 to July 6, we will be in the season of Summer Solstice 夏至 (Xia Zhi). This is the third season node of the third Qi phase. Within each season, the Host Qi resonates with our Upright Qi, while the Guest Qi resonates with the pathogenic Qi in the environment. Currently, the Host Qi is Shaoyang Ministerial Fire, and the Guest Qi is Yangming Dry Metal. Their transmission and transformation depend on the Fire Qi, which is deficient this year. The Fire and Metal forces are not compatible with each other, there will be diseases resulting from the combat between them. Ministerial Fire supports and magnifies the Fire energies, while Yangming Dry Metal drains and weakens the Fire.

Common symptoms of this season include red and itchy eyes, skin rash, insomnia, nosebleed, sore throat, nausea, gallbladder issue, shingles, dark and/or painful urination, chronic inflammation, relapsing autoimmune disorders. Treating Shaoyin Imperial Fire is the appropriate approach, tonifying the body with Sour flavor, draining with Bitter flavor, moderating it with Sweet flavor. The staple grain should be green in color, and supplemented with h**p seeds. Following this guideline can protect the body from the invasion of Damp pathogens.

According to 「月令」“The Monthly Orders,” 物候 the seasonal material manifestations of 夏至 Summer Solstice are:

1st Qi Phase: Deer Shed Their Antlers 鹿角解;

2nd Qi Phase: Cicadas Begin to Sing 蜩始鳴;

3rd Qi Phase: Pinellia Grows 半夏生.

The symbolic gesture of deer shedding antlers is that Yang begins to decline in the northern hemisphere at this time of the year because deer antlers are grown due to high levels of testosterone (a Yang force). Young deer antler treats all kinds of symptoms of Yang deficiency and has been a precious medicinal to increase testosterone levels.

To read the whole article, please visit my substack platform.

https://okuhealth.substack.com/p/2023-nourishing-porridge-for-the-827

There are ten “神 Shen” points, each governing a specific realm of our consciousness and subconsciousness.

A simplified explanation of the concepts of Qi and Blood.

The Foundation of Life -- Qi and Blood From A Classical Chinese Medicine Perspective

Learning new things about this medicine everyday.

Both Ba Ji Tian and Yin Yang Huo tonify the Yang, but how do they work differently?

Here is a Daoist interpretation:

Ba Ji Tian looks like the small intestine. It can treat impotence due to coldness in the intestines.
Yin Yang Huo has three sub branches and three leaves on each branch, which means it resonates with “the Jing passages*,” therefore can treat frigidity, infertility, and related issues.

*The Jing passages = the go**ds

The basic principles of treating tumors: Open the ghost gate*, clean the Clear Palace**, dress appropriately for the season, spread the five Yang, and purify the five Zang, so as to allow the essences to generate and the physical body to flourish naturally. Once the bones and the flesh are restored, the Giant Qi*** will be balanced.

— Huangdi Neijing, Suwen, Tangye Laoli Lun 「黃帝內經·素問·湯液醪醴論」

*Ghost gate = the pores
**Clear palace = the bladder
***Giant Qi = Wei Qi, or the immune system

Fancy medicinals in Hong Kong

2023 Nourishing Porridge for the Season of Beginning of Summer
癸卯年立夏節氣養生粥

Sorry I didn’t post the porridge recipe for the last season. I made a trip to Japan and China and all non-Chinese websites are blocked there so I couldn’t post anything. It is the first day of summer today. Wishing you a great season!

For the year of Yin Water Rabbit, Fire Qi is deficient in general. Yangming Dry Metal Qi governs first half of the year, while Shaoyin Imperial Fire governs the second half of the year. From May 6 on to May 20, we will be in the eighth season node, Beginning of Summer 立夏 (Li Xia). We are now entering the last quarter of the second Qi phase. Currently, the Host Qi is Shaoyin Imperial Fire, and the Host Qi is Shaoyang Ministerial Fire. Keep in mind that within each Qi phase, the Host Qi is the Upright Qi, while the Guest Qi is the pathogenic Qi. Their transmission and transformation depend on the Fire Qi, which is deficient this year. The two Fire forces are compatible with each other until May 21, and there will be diseases associated with the Fire forces. The Heart functions tend to be compromised this month, and the Tripple Burner network tends to be obstructed. This means Internal Wind tends to be generated in the body, which manifest as twitching, restlessness, tremors, convulsion, high-pitched tinnitus, hypertension, swelling face and eyes, lethargy, drowsiness, nosebleed, sneezing, yawning, nausea, painful and unsmooth urination. This is a time to be patient with our ambitions, and allow our Heart to be nourished.

Treating the two pivots — Shaoyin and Shaoyang, would be the appropriate approach. The staple grain should be yellow in color (millet), and supplemented with food in red color, such as hawthorn berry, red sorghum, goji berry, jujube, etc.

According to 「月令」 “The Monthly Orders,” 物候 the seasonal material manifestations of 立夏 Beginning of Summer are:

1st Qi Phase: Mole Crickets Croon 螻蟈鳴；

2nd Qi Phase: Earthworms Emerge 蚯蚓出；

3rd Qi Phase: Snake Gourds Grow 王瓜生。

Mole crickets, earthworms and snake gourds respond to excess heat and damp in nature. They can be used to remove phlegm nodules and damp-heat pathogens in the body.

I hope you enjoy the recipe and benefit from it. Thank you so much for your support!
Here is the link to the article on my substack platform:

https://okuhealth.substack.com/p/2023-nourishing-porridge-for-the

2023 Nourishing Porridge for the Season of Awakening of Insects
癸卯年驚蟄節氣養生粥

For the year of Yin Water Rabbit, Fire Qi is deficient in general. Yangming Dry Metal Qi governs first half of the year, while Shaoyin Imperial Fire governs the second half of the year. From March 6 on to March 20, we will be in the third season node, Awakening of Insects 驚蟄 (Jing Zhe). This will be the last season governed by the Initial Qi phase. Currently, the Host Qi is Jueyin Wind-Wood, and the Guest Qi is Taiyin Damp Earth. Within each season, the Host Qi is the Upright Qi, while the Guest Qi is the pathogenic Qi. Their transmission and transformation depend on the Fire Qi. which is deficient this year. The two forces are not compatible with each other, there will be diseases associated with these two energies. Jueyin Wind-Wood supports and magnifies the Fire energies, while Taiyin Damp Earth enwraps and muffles the Fire.

Common symptoms of this season include swelling face and eyes, lethargy, drowsiness, nosebleed, sneezing, yawning, nausea, painful and unsmooth urination. Treating Taiyin Imperial Fire is the appropriate approach, tonifying the body with Sour flavor, draining with Bitter flavor, moderating it with Sweet flavor. The staple grain should be white in color, and supplemented with h**p seeds. Following this guideline can protect the body from the invasion of Damp pathogens.

According to 「月令」 “The Monthly Orders,” 物候 the seasonal material manifestations of 驚蟄 Awakening of Insects are:

1st Qi Phase: Peach Trees begin to Blossom 桃始華；

2nd Qi Phase: Black-naped Orioles Sing 倉庚鳴；

3rd Qi Phase: Hawks Transform Into Cuckoos 鷹化爲鳩。

Peach is a plant that signifies youth, longevity, and prosperity. Blossoming of the peach tree is a symbol of the arrival of spring, a season of growth and flourishing. The black-naped orioles and the cuckoos are also symbols of spring.

To find the recipe of this season, please visit my substack:

https://okuhealth.substack.com/p/porridge-for-awakening-of-insects

The Dual-sided Magic of 女貞子 Ligustrum

女貞子 (Nv Zhen Zi) Ligustrum is a Chinese herb best known for its ability to treat premature hair-graying, hair loss, blurry vision, high-pitched tinnitus, hot flashes, faintness, etc. caused by Liver and Kidney Yin deficiency. It is one of the key herbs of the formula 二至丸 (Er Zhi Wan) “The Double Solstice Pills. ” It is described as a plant whose fruits ripen on the day of Winter Solstice — a time when Yang is initially generated within the Ultimate Yin. The fruits are believed to have the ability to preserve youth and vitality because they don’t wither or fall even in deep winter. They are used to nourish Liver and Kidney Yin, because their bluish-black color demonstrates that they contain the same essence of our Liver and Kidney organ systems.

The widely accepted Chinese medicine textbook 藥典 “Materia Medica” states that, Nv Zhen Zi is cool in quality, sweet and bitter in flavor. It belongs to the Liver and Kidney channels.

The ancient herbal text 神農本草經 “Divine Farmer’s Classic of Materia Medica” states that, Nv Zhen Zi is bitter in flavor, neutral in quality, non-toxic. It governs tonifying the Center (the Middle Burner, or the digestive system), pacifying and calming the Five Zang organs, nourishing the essence and the spirits, removing the hundred diseases. Intaking [nv zhen zi] for a long time thickens and strengthens the body, making the body feel lighter, and supports one’s longevity. [Nv Zhen Zi] grows in the valleys near the water streams.

The Ming Dynasty Chinese herbal text 本草綱目 “The Compendium of Materia Medica” states that, this plant is vibrant green even in the frigid winter, as if a virgin girl guarding her chastity and faith. Hense it is named so.” 女 means female, girl; 貞 means fidelity, chastity; 子 means seeds, berries. The origin of the name provided by “The Compendium of Materia Medica” is in accordance with a folk lore story of this herb:

“In the Qin (221BC) or Han (206BC~220AD) dynasty, there was a low-rank government official living in the Yangzi River region. He had a beautiful and well-cultivated daughter who just turned sixteen years of age — an age for a young lady to get married. This official disregarded his daughter’s intention to marry her true love — the young scholar who was hired to teach her literature and painting, and traded his daughter in exchange for power and wealth. He forced her to marry a high-rank official as his concubine. The day before the wedding day, the young girl committed su***de out of desperation and sorrow. The scholar was utterly heartbroken when he learned about his lover’s death that he fell severely ill, he became bedridden, and his hair turned gray like an old man.

Several years later, on a frigid winter day, the withered young man struggled to get out of bed and walked to the cemetery where the girl was buried. He noticed that there was a beautiful tree growing over her tomb. There were bunches of shiny black berries hanging on the branches. It was unusual for a tree to bear fruit in the winter. He picked a few berries and instinctively put them into his mouth. The berries had a bitter taste with a hint of sweetness. Afterwards, he somehow felt a boost of energy in his body. From that day on, he kept visiting her tomb and eating the berries from that tree. As the time went by, he was surprised to find out that his physical strength recovered, and the gray hair turned dark again. He felt that this beautiful tree was a reincarnation of his lover, who preserved his health and good spirit with her fidelity.”

The characteristic of Ligustrum is that the fruit ripens after Winter Solstice — a time when the Yang begins to rise from underground. It has many important therapeutical qualities beyond the vague description of “tonifying the Liver and the Kidney organ systems.”

To learn more about the functions of Nv Zhen Zi, and the preparation of Ligustrum Powder (女貞子散 Nv Zhen Zi San), please visit my Substack platform:

https://okuhealth.substack.com/p/the-dual-sided-magic-of-ligustrum

Thank you for your support!

For the year of 壬寅 Yang Water Tiger, Wind-Wood Qi is excess in general. Shaoyang Ministerial Fire governs the first half of the year, while Jueyin Wind-Wood governs the second half of the year. We are entering the last quarter of the Last Qi phase of this year. There are 24 season nodes in each Lunar year. At a first glance, it may seem peculiar that the 23rd season node (Minor Cold) is deemed as the last season of the year instead of the 24th (Major Cold), because the time when Yang Qi initially generated should be the beginning of each Lunar year, which is the season node of 立春 Establishment of Spring. However, it is a fundamental Daoist belief that the initial spark of Yang (warmth, movements, etc.) is brewed within the extreme Yin (coldness, stillness, etc.). The 24th season is the coldest season of the year, and it is the time when the initial signs of Yang first appear above the ground, even though we do not feel anything until the next season.

Currently, the Host Qi is Taiyang Cold Water, and the Guest Qi is Jueyin Wind Wood. Jueyin Wind-Wood Qi tends to make things drier, and generate a lot of wind, which drains and exhausts the Taiyang energies. People with underlying Cold or Wind pathogens tend to have recurring symptoms in this season, such as allergies, autoimmune responses, inflammation, etc. People also tend to develop leaking diseases, heart pain, cough due to unanchored Yang. Progression of diseases tends to be rapid this year due to the nature of Guest Qi, Jue Yin. This pathological pattern is manifested mostly in China, where almost everyone has contracted the COVID. It is predicted that this situation will become better in spring.

Appropriate treatment should focus on regulating the Guest Qi Jueyin — tonify it with pungent flavor, drain it with sour flavor, and moderate it with sweet flavor. It is beneficial to mainly ingest bearded grains (wheat, oat, barley, etc.) in this season, and supplement with rice to expel Wind pathogens. Warming method is also appropriate for this season.

According to 「月令」 “The Monthly Orders,” 物候 the seasonal material manifestations of 小寒 Minor Cold are:

初候 The 1st Qi phase: 雁北向 Swan geese Head North;

二候 The 2nd Qi phase: 鵲始巢 Magpies Begin Nest-Building;

三候 The 3rd Qi phase: 雉始雊 Ring-necked Pheasants Begin to Crow.

Anadromous birds such as swan geese are the animals most sensitive to atmospheric changes. Light in the atmosphere changes first as the day becomes longer in the Northern hemisphere, then heat from the sun slowly and gradually accumulates in the soil and water in the following months. Swan geese are in the South near the Yangzi River floodplain at this time of the year, and they begin to head North when the lights begin to shift.

Non-migratory birds like magpies would need to build stronger and thicker nests to protect themselves from the upcoming cold weather in the season of Major Cold. So this is a symbol that the northern regions are still very frozen and only becoming colder.

The ring-necked pheasants are called “wild chickens” in Chinese, perhaps because they behave like roosters, who resonate with Yang Qi of the earth and crow at daybreak (the time when Yang first rises). The reason that ring-necked pheasants are selected to symbolize this Qi phase may be because they have a bright red fleshy patch of skin around the eye. Head is considered the center of all of the Yang Qi in the body, and the red skin patch in the head may be a symbol of abundant Yang Qi in these birds.

All of the symbols of this season node are represented by birds, which are Fire animals (feathered animals are considered Fire creatures). Fire is the very representative phase of Yang Qi. So even if the weather keeps getting colder in the Northern hemisphere, as the sun has started moving North, Yang has begun to advance.

Please find the recipe for this season on my substack.

https://okuhealth.substack.com/p/nourishing-porridge-for-the-season-abf

Nourishing Porridge for the Season of Minor Cold 壬寅年小寒節氣養生粥

Nourishing Porridge for the Season of Arrival of Winter
壬寅冬至節氣養生粥

For the year of 壬寅 Yang Water Tiger, Wind-Wood Qi is excess in general. Shaoyang Ministerial Fire governs the first half of the year, while Jueyin Wind-Wood governs the second half of the year. We are entering the 3rd quarter of the Last Qi phase of this year. (Hard to believe how fast this year flew by!) Currently the Host Qi is Taiyang Cold Water, and the Guest Qi is Jueyin Wind Wood. Jueyin Wind-Wood Qi tends to make things drier, and generate a lot of wind, which drains the Taiyang energies. People with underlying Cold or Wind pathogens tend to have recurring symptoms in this season, such as allergies, autoimmune responses, inflammation, etc. People also tend to develop leaking diseases, heart pain, cough due to floating Yang. Progression of diseases tends to be rapid this year due to the nature of Guest Qi Jue Yin.

Appropriate treatment should focus on regulating Guest Qi Jueyin — tonify it with pungent flavor, drain it with sour flavor, and moderate it with sweet flavor. It is beneficial to mainly ingest bearded grains (wheat, oat, barley, etc.) in this season, and supplement with rice to expel Wind pathogens. Warming method is also appropriate for this season.

According to “The Monthly Orders「月令」 ,” the seasonal material manifestations 物候 of Arrival of Winter 冬至 are:

The 1st Qi Phase 初候: Earthworms Congeal 蚯蚓結;

The 2nd Qi Phase 二候: Moose Deer Shed Their Horns 麋角解;

The 3rd Qi Phase三候: Aquifers Churn 水泉動.

Earthworm symbolizes Yang (movements) in the Yin realm (stillness). It is a medicinal that dissolves phlegm nodules. This is a season when Yang is congealed due to the severe coldness, therefore symptoms caused by phlegm such as spasms, tremors, twitching, paralysis, etc. tend to happen.

Moose deer is an animal rich in Yang Qi. Their horns fall off when Yang energies decrease and retreat. Diseases with pathological growth such as polyps, fibrosis, nodules, tumor, etc. tend to hibernate when Yang Qi is not abundant. This is a good time to incorporate “consuming” herbs to reduce pathological growth if there is any.

In the last 5 days of this season, Yang begins to arise from underground. Water begins to move and churn from the bottom as Yang slowly rises. For people with deficient constitution without pathological growth, it is time to gently tonify Yang Qi and restore it in the Kidney and Ming Men (Gate of Life).

Please find the recipe for this season on my substack platform.
https://okuhealth.substack.com/p/nourishing-porridge-for-the-season-558

Today is 小雪 Minor Snow.
Nourish the body according to the current season has been an important practice of the Daoists.
I hope you find this helpful.

https://okuhealth.substack.com/p/nourishing-porridge-for-the-season

Nourishing Porridge for the Season of Minor Snow of the year Water Tiger 壬寅小雪節氣養生粥

Only eat and drink what can be recognized by the body.

Even if we are utterly brilliant in avoiding and/or blocking certain emotions, it still takes a toll on the physical body and will unavoidably manifest in the form of maladies.