Week Four: Excess Flashcards
What are some ways that a person can become hot?
1) Prolonged exposure to a hot environment
2) Overactivity or prolonged strain.
3) Over-consumption of heating foods.
4) Hot pathogen lodges deeper in the body causing inflammation and irritation
5) Feelings that cannot be resolved or expressed.
6) Acute feverish illness from a “hot” pathogen.
7) Damp and stagnation easily combine with heat.
How do you treat True Heat?
True heat needs cooling and expelling.
How do you treat chronic heat?
Avoidance of hot foods and the use of more cooling foods and methods of food prep. If there is a pathogenic invasion the pungent flavour can be used to drive the hot invader to the surface.
What are some common heat reducing foods?
Asparagus: great for lungs
Banana: useful to treat drug addictions
Clam: cooling and salty, moistens dryness
Grapefruit: reduce fever, simmer pulp 10 min
Lettuce: cooling, bitter, diuretic, scanty urine, insomnia
Peppermint: cooling, pungent
Watermelon: summer-heat, seeds for constipation
How can someone become cold?
- Cold may arise from yang xu
- Cold can take hold by penetrating the body from the environment or through food
Where does cold penetrate to?
Muscles, joints or even organs such as stomach, intestines, uterus and bladder.
What does cold arise from on an emotional level?
- Fear that causes us to contract, inhibiting our ability to flow and act freely.
- May also be the result of long held unexpressed emotions such as love, grief and anger or old emotional injury and trauma
What does cold do in terms of action?
Contraction and obstruction of flow of blood and qi.
For chronic conditions of cold what type of foods apply?
Warm and sweet
For acute stages of cold invasion what types of food are used?
Warm and pungent foods to drive Cold to the body surface, even to the extent of causing sweating.
What are some foods for treating cold?
- Butter
- Black pepper
- Cayenne
- Cherry
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Trout: tonifies middle burner
- Shrimp: tonifies yang and qi
What are some signs of damp?
- Bloating
- Coldness in MJ
- Edema
- Fogginess
- Heaviness
- Loose stools
- Melancholy
- Tight band headache
What does dampness arise from functionally?
Failure to burn off or transform moisture in the body. Nearly always associated with a weak spleen, often a weak kidney and sometimes with a weak lung.
What are some causes of dampness?
- Eating oily, greasy, sweet, refined foods
- Alcohol
- Foods that injure yang
- Living in a damp environment
- Damp pathogens lodgin in the body
- Suppressant drugs
How is dampness treated?
- strengthening the spleen
- tonification of KI, LU and Yang
What kind of food therapy is required for damp?
Avoid: dairy, meat, eggs, oily nuts, concentrated sweeteners, simple sugars from fruit
Add in food that dry damp: rye, amaranth, corn, aduki beans, celery, lettuce, pumpkin, scallion, alfalfa, turnip, kohlrabi, white pepper, raw honey
What is phlegm created by?
Mainly by a disorder o the spleen. If the spleen is too weak, qi flow slows, T & T becomes congested and damp accumulates.
What happens with chronic spleen qi or yang deficiency?
Dampness collects over a longer period and creates concentrations that eventually thicken into phlegm especially if subjected to heat.
What other organs are involved in the formation of phlegm?
Lungs and kidneys
Lungs may fail to disperse and lower fluids
Kidneys may fail to transform and excrete fluids
Compare substantial to non-substantial phlegm
Substantial phlegm includes material phlegm like mucus and sputum.
Non-substantial phlegm is immaterial and includes:
- gall and kidney stones in their hardened forms
- oppression in the chest
- plum pit qi
- gathers subcutaneously
- affects joints in rheumatic and arthritic conditions
- can collect in channels and cause numbness
What temperature and what foods can be used to transform phlegm-heat?
Temperature/Flavour: bitter-cool, salty-cool, sometimes pungent-cool and sweet-cool
Bitter-cool: asparagus, broccoli, celery, wild rice, lettuce, dandelion
Salty-cool: oysters, seaweed
Sweet-cool: pear (Asian pears) best for phlegm in the lungs, mung beans, soy milk
Pungent-cool: daikon radish, peppermint
What temperature and what foods can be used to transform phlegm-cold?
Temperature/Flavour: bitter-warm, pungent-warm (occasionally sweet-warm)
Bitter-warm foods: basil, parsnips, brussel sprouts, cardamom
Pungent-warm: cinnamon, ginger (esp. fresh), horseradish, chives, garlic, leeks
Sweet-warm: cherries, plums
What are some food tips to avoid qi stagnation?
- Do not overeat or consume too much heavy food at once
- Avoid sugar and stimulants that give temporary relief but worsen the problem over time
- Chew food well to help it pass and digest
- Choose pungent foods to help with dispersal of qi (make sure to account for whether heat, cold or xu are involved)
What are some foods that are good for qi stagnation?
Carrot, clove, garlic, radish, turmeric, chive
What are the main symptoms of qi stagnation?
- movable
- chronic and dull
- facial colour might be unchanged
- tongue might be normal or purple
What are the main symptoms of blood stasis?
- sharp stabbing
- fixed
- facial bluish green or dark colour
- tongue purple, purple spots
How does advice for blood stagnation differ from qi stagnation?
They are very similar. The only difference is the level of toxicity and fat stored in the blood. As such it is important to maintain and improve blood quality.
What are some acupuncture points for qi and blood stagnation?
ST40 SP3, 6, 9 RN12 UB20/21 LU9 KI7
To support health during the entire menstrual cycle these should be avoided:
(know this!)
- alcohol
- coffee
- cold-temperature foods
- commercial red meat and poultry
- hydrogenated fats such as shortening and most margarines
- oral contraceptives
- over-consumption of fruit or raw food
- polyunsaturated cooking oils
- refined sugar
- tobacco
Stasis of blood can derive from:
know this!
- Stagnation of Qi - most common cause, qi moves blood
- Deficiency of qi - qi becomes too weak to move blood
- Heat in the blood - may cause blood to coagulate and stagnate
- Blood deficiency - if blood is deficient over a long period of time it will induce qi xu and stasis of blood
- Interior cold - slows down the circulation of blood
What are the most important vitamins for acute menstrual pain?
Calcium, magnesium, EFA
What are Cold/Deficiency Dysmenorrhea Patterns?
==> Empty Internal Cold due to Yang Def (Cold Stagnation) ==> Cold Damp Stagnation ==> Qi and Blood Deficiency ==> Yang and Blood Deficiency ==> Liver and Kidney Qi Deficiency
What is the food treatment for cold/deficiency dysmenorrhea?
Choose warming foods and spices like basil, black beans, black peppercorn, butter, caraway, dill, oats, sweet rice, small amounts of dairy or meat.
What should be avoided in cold/deficiency dysmenorrhea?
Avoid raw, cold-temperature foods and cooling fruits like citrus
What are the heat/excess dysmenorrhea patterns?
==> Qi and blood stagnation ==> Blood Stasis ==> Liver Qi Stagnation turning into Fire ==> Liver and Kidney Yin deficiency ==> Damp Heat in Uterus
What is the food treatment for heat/excess dysmenorrhea?
Cooling vegetable foods such as carrots, celery, chard, collard greens, kale, lettuce, millet, mung beans, parsley, spinach, spirulina, tofu
Honey if constipation is an issue
What should be reduced or avoided with heat/excess dysmenorrhea?
Avoid alcohol and tobacco.
Reduce consumption of red meat, dairy, eggs, sweet foods, etc.
What are the patterns for deficiency type amenorrhea?
==> Liver and Kidney Yin Deficiency
==> Heart and Kidney Yin Deficiency
==> Qi and Blood Deficiency
--> Liver Blood Xu
--> Lung Yin and Blood Xu
--> Heart and Spleen Blood Xu
==> Kidney Qi and Essence Deficiency
==> Kidney Yang DeficiencyWhat are appropriate foods for deficiency type amenorrhea?
Foods to build up blood and energy such as sweet rice, brown rice, oats, quality dairy, gelatin and small amounts of eggs, fish and meat.
What types of foods need to be avoided in deficiency type amenorrhea?
Very bitter, sour or salty foods.
Too much carotene can induce amenorrhea and should be avoided in large amounts. This is found in green and yellow vegetables and common micro-algae.
What are the patterns for excess type amenorrhea?
==> Qi and Blood Stagnation
==> Qi and Blood Stagnation
w/ predominance of Liver Qi Stagnation
==> Qi and Blood Stagnation
with predominance of Heat Congestion
==> Obstruction of Damp and Phlegm
==> Cold Accumulation
What is the food treatment for excess type amenorrhea?
Foods, spices and herbs which help circulate qi and overcome blood stagnation such as chives, eggplant, turmeric, nutmeg, garlic, rosemary, oregano and ginger
What should be avoided with excess-type amenorrhea?
Heavy meats and all dairy products, avoid cooling fruit (especially citrus) and raw vegetables
Irregular cycle patterns
==> Liver Qi Stagnation
==> Kidney Yang Deficiency
==> Kidney Yin Deficiency
==> Spleen Qi Deficiency
What are the factors contributing to an irregular cycle>
- Too many children too close together
- Overwork
- Emotional stress esp. pensiveness
- Poor diet/change in diet
- Seasonal changes
What are some vitamins that are good for an irregular cycle?
B6, B12 and zinc
Help overcome liver stagnation
What types of foods are good for an irregular cycle?
Chlorophyll foods are regulators because of their anti-stagnancy effect on the liver
Black beans are a blood tonic because they strongly nurture yin. Incorporate in the diet in small amounts for 10 weeks.
What kind of tea is useful for an irregular cycle?
Rose-petal tea
What are some foods to avoid with PMS?
Avoid excessive consumption of animal products –> may disturb hormonal balance
What is some dietary advice for menopause?
Foods that build the yin can be very useful like barley, black bean, black sesame, kidney bean, millet, mung bean sprouts, seaweed, spirulina, string bean, wheat germ and its oil.
Vitamins for menopause?
A, B complex, C, cal-mag-D
Prevention and good habits in general for menopause/life?
- Eat a balanced diet
- Adequate exercise and sunshine
- Emotional clarity
- Avoid alcohol and tobacco
- Avoid constipation
What should be avoided during menses?
- Avoid heavy physical work
- Avoid emotional stress
- Avoid exposure to damp and cold
What happens during menses on an emotional level?
The heart-bearing blood is discharged while interior, yin and hormonal parts of the being surface and need protection from yin climates.
What are the most important components of general nutrition for healthy cycle
Iron and Iodine Vitamin A, B and C Vitamin D, magnesium and zinc Essential fatty acids Vitamin E
Where are iron and Iodine found? Why are they needed?
Legumes, vegetables, whole grains and common micro-algae contain iron. Seaweed contains iron and iodine.
Need to be abundant in the diet to replace blood lost in the menses.
If one has coldness and general deficiency what sources of vitamin C need to be used sparingly?
Tomatoes, citrus fruits, most fruits
Calcium, magnesium and zinc begin to ______ in the body ten days before the period starts. Treatment?
decrease; Whole grains, legumes, seeds, seaweeds
B6 is found in _____ _____ while folic acid and vitamin A are concentrated in _____ ________
whole grains; green vegetables
Fatty acids are helpful to overcome _______ and ____. These are found in
cramping and pain; green vegetables, chlorophyll foods and flax seed as well as fish. Other oils include evening primrose, borage, black currant and sea buckthorn.
Vitamin E keeps the blood _______ and flowing, helping to reduce ______ _________ and clotting
slippery; blood stagnation
What are some rich sources of vitamin E
Wheat germ and wheat germ oil, almonds, hazelnuts, sunflower seeds, whole grains, mint
What types of patterns can the contraceptive pill lead to?
- -> Blood Deficiency
- -> Kidney Deficiency
What deficiency amenorrhea patterns may overwork lead to?
- -> Liver and Kidney Yin Deficiency (emptiness in Ren and Chong)
- -> Spleen Qi Deficiency
- -> Blood Deficiency
What irregular menstruation pattern my overwork or childbirth contribute to?
KI Yin or Yang Deficiency –> Ren and Chong Depletion
What irregular menstruation pattern may emotional strain contribute to? Pensiveness?
Spleen Qi Deficiency
Liver Qi Stagnation (May turn to LV heat which can affect the Heart)
–> Both obstruct Ren and Chong
What irregular menstruation pattern may poor diet contribute to?
SP Qi Deficiency –> LV Qi Stagnation
What are some of the lifestyle factors contributing to PMS?
==> Emotional strain
==> Irregular diet
==> Too much dairy/greasy food
==> Overwork
What PMS patterns may emotional strain lead to?
Emotional Strain (anger, resentment) → LV Qi Stagnation (affects lung) → LV Heat (affects HT)
What PMS patterns may irregular diet/poor nutrition lead to?
Irregular Diet: LV Qi Stagnation
Poor nutrition: LV BL and Yin Xu (can lead back into LV Qi Stag)
What PMS patterns may dairy/greasy food lead to?
Too much dairy/greasy food: Phlegm (eg. lumps and distended breasts) → can create LV Qi Stag → LV Heat → Phlegm Fire
What are the main symptoms of Phlegm Fire?
Phlegm Fire Sn/Sx – severe mental changes, chest oppression
What PMS patterns may overwork contribute to?
Overwork:
• KI/LV Yin Xu → LV Qi Stagnation
• SP/KI Yang Xu see fatigue, crying, depression
What are all of the possible patterns for PMS?
All patterns for PMS: ==> LV Qi Stagnation ==> LV Heat ==> LU Qi Xu with phlegm ==> HT Heat ==> Phlegm Fire harassing Upward ==> LV/KI Yin Xu ==> SP/KI Yang Xu
What are the general lifestyle factors that contribute to menopausal difficulties?
==> Overwork ==> Childbirth/children close together ==> Emotional difficulty ==> Smoking ==> Irregular diet
What menopausal pattern may arise from emotional strain?
Kidney deficiency –> Aggravate decline of KI essence
What menopausal pattern may arise from a diet of greasy food?
Greasy foods may lead to phlegm and to phlegm fire (aggravate hot flashes, insomnia mental restlessness)
What menopausal pattern may arise from poor nourishment?
Blood and Yin Xu
What factors may aggravate hot flashes?
Tea/coffee/alcohol/smoking
What menopausal patterns may overwork or childbirth contribute to?
Kidney Yin Xu
Kidney Essence Xu
What are all of the patterns for menopausal difficulty?
- Accumulation of Phlegm and Stagnation of Qi
- Blood Stasis
- KI Yin Xu
- KI Yang Xu
- KI Yin/Yang Xu
- General KI Essence Xu
- KI/LV Yin Xu with Yang Rising
- KI/HT without Harmony
What are the usual causal factors of early onset of menopausal symptoms (before 35)?
Phlegm
Qi Stagnation
Blood Stasis
What are examples of hemostats that are cooling for Hot Blood bleeding?
- Celery and lettuce (blood in urine only)
- Raspberry leaf (specifically menstrual bleeding)
- Eggplant (anal and urinary tract)
- Swiss chard
- Spinach
- Persimmon
- Lemon juice
- Persimon
- Nettle (Good for wounds)
What are examples of hemostats that are Neutral or Warming for Deficiency Bleeding?
- Shepherd’s Purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris)
- Olives (coughing up blood)
- Gelatin (most effective for deficiency, especially menstrual and uterine bleeding) Can combine with mugwort leaf tea to increase effectiveness.
Note: Shepherd’s Purse, Olives and Gelatin can all be used for hot blood bleeding as well - Mugwort leaf
- Leek
- Cayenne
- Chestnut
- Guava
- Vinegar
What are the three key nutrients that help arrest bleeding?
Vitamin C, K and bioflavonoids
What are the 8 most common bleeding disorders that are heat induced?
1) GI bleeding
2) Urinary tract bleeding (hematuria)
3) Bleeding gums
4) Nosebleed (epistaxis)
5) Coughing up blood from lungs or bronchial tubes (hemoptysis)
6) Vomiting blood (hematemesis)
7) Uterine hemorrhage (metrorrhagia)
8) Menstrual hemorrhage (menorrhagia)
What are some signs of hot blood (excess)?
- Scarlet tongue
- Skin rashes or red skin eruptions
- Fever
- Thirst
- Fast pulse
- Bleeding is bright red
What are some signs of hot blood caused by deficiency of yin? Foods that help?
Fresh red tongue
Night sweats
Fast, thin pulse
Add yin building foods like millet, mung bean, seaweed, tofu, barley
What are signs of deficiency bleeding? What are some causes?
- Pale or dark coloured blood
- Signs of general weakness
- Signs of coldness and/or deficiency
Occurs when there is insufficient qi warmth, which can be improved by correcting deficiencies of spleen-pancreas qi or digestive fire.
How often are hemostats taken for chronic bleeding? Acute?
2 or 3 times a day for chronic
Acute up to every half hour
What are the most important vitamins for menopause?
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin B complex
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin E
- Calcium
