Herbal Medicine I - Energetics Flashcards
Four forms of traditional medicine
Four forms of traditional medicine developed in ancient times:
1. Ayurveda(South Asia: India).
2. Chinese medicine (East Asia: China).
3. Galenic medicine (Ancient Greece and Rome).
4. Unani Tibb (Arabic world).
- They have distinct characteristics, but use broadly identical ‘energetic’ approaches to classify and treat diseases, and maintain good health using herbs, foods and lifestyle.
Energetic Qualities
Energetics is based on the ‘qualities’ of hot, cold, dry and wet:
* A balance of all qualities I simportant for good health, but imbalance leads to excesses and characteristic patterns of disease (physical and mental).
* ‘Energetics’ fell out of favour in the West and was replaced by biomedicine. By contrast, in India, China and the Middle East, it is still very much alive.
Excess heat: Signs
Signs:
* Inflammation, redness, infections, burning sensations, high blood pressure, loose stool, stress, irritability, anger.
Excess heat: Causes
Causes:
* Hot climates and seasons, very hot food and drinks, hot ‘pungent’ herbs i.e. chilli, dry ginger, garlic.
* Oily foods, chemical food additives, refined sugars, stimulants i.e. coffee, alcohol also increase heat.
Excess cold: Signs
Signs:
* Chills, poor circulation, muscle spasm, fatigue, low mood, weak digestion, hypometabolic conditions i.e. low thyroid function.
Excess cold: Causes
Causes:
* Cold climates and seasons, too much cold, refrigerated, frozen foods and iced drinks, too much raw food, salad, bitter leaves e.g. chicory, green smoothies, ‘bitter’ (detoxifying) herbs such as golden seal.
Excess dryness: Signs
Signs:
* Weakness, emaciation, stiff joints, dry skin and mucous membranes, constipation, gas and bloating, anxiety.
Excess dryness: Causes
Causes:
* Dry, windy climates and seasons, too much dry food e.g. popcorn, low fluid intake, gas-forming legumes, drying ‘astringent’ herbs e.g. green tea. Excess hot spices and diuretic herbs (increase urine output) e.g. dandelion leaf can also lead to dryness.
Excess moisture: Signs
Signs:
* Weight gain, fluid retention, lethargy, mucus, watery discharges, cysts, lymphatic congestion, over-emotional.
Excess moisture: Causes
Causes:
* Wet climates and seasons, too much dairy, gluten, sweet, high water-content fruit and veg. e.g. melon, cucumber; slimy ‘mucilaginous’ foods and herbs such as okra and linseeds.
Energetic Balance
For good health we must restore and maintain energetic balance, ideally leaning slightly towards warmth and moisture:
* At this balance point, the vital force which maintains health and regulates healing in the body, is active and flows well.
Balancing excess heat: Reduce
Reduce:
* Heating influences i.e. spices, oily foods, very hot foods and drinks, stimulants, processed foods.
Balancing excess heat: Focus on
Focus on:
* Focus on: Cooling influences i.e. fresh air, cool water, raw foods, salads, bitter detoxifying herbs such as neem.
Balancing excess heat: Note
Note:
* Treat acute heat problems i.e. fever with spices and warm baths to promote sweating and cool the body (‘like treats like’).
Balancing excess cold:
Reduce
Reduce:
* Cooling influences i.e. cool water, raw foods, salads, bitter herbs.
Balancing excess cold: Focus on
Focus on:
* Warming influences i.e. food and drinks taken hot, spices including ginger, rosemary, black pepper to stimulate digestion, circulation and energy.
Balancing excess cold: Note
Note:
* Small amounts of bitter herbs e.g. gentian stimulate digestion and metabolism (‘like treats like’).
Balancing excess dryness: Reduce
Reduce:
* Drying influences i.e. dry, crunchy food e.g. popcorn, ‘astringent’ herbs (contain tannins) e.g. green tea, excess hot spices and diuretics.
Balancing excess dryness: Focus on
Focus on:
* Moistening influences i.e. plentiful hydration, high water content fruit and veg., nut milks, smoothies, soups, mucilaginous foods and herbs such as okra and flaxseeds.
Balancing excess moisture: Reduce
Reduce:
* Moistening influences i.e. watery fruit and veg., mucilaginous(slimy) foods and herbs, smoothies, dairy products.
Balancing excess moisture: Focus on
Focus on:
* Drying influences i.e. dry, crunchy foods, legumes, starchy grains, ‘astringent’ herbs e.g. green tea. Spices e.g. ginger and diuretics e.g. dandelion leaf also balance excess moisture.
Energetic Differentiation: Hot
Look for energetic features in diseases to establish imbalances:
* Hot: Red, ‘angry’ eczema. Use cooling bitter burdock root.
Energetic Differentiation: Cold
Look for energetic features in diseases to establish imbalances:
* Cold: Cold hands and feet, slow healing. Use warm circulatory cinnamon.
Energetic Differentiation: Dry
Look for energetic features in diseases to establish imbalances:
* Dry: Flaky, itchy skin. Use mucilaginous(slimy) external marshmallow root.
Energetic Differentiation: Moist
Look for energetic features in diseases to establish imbalances:
* Moist: Weeping skin lesions, hives. Use astringent(dry) external rose petals.
