In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), there are 6 EVIL QI: dampness, cold, heat, fire, wind, and DRYNESS. We use time (seasons, hours, years, etc) to track the evolution of one element into the next. You know how they say history repeats itself? It’s the same idea. Dryness correlates with the season of AUTUMN (mid-August through mid-October), the…
“Qi Stagnation” Qi stagnation in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) usually correlates with emotional stress. In TCM, we say that stress affects your Liver. Your Liver regulates the flow of Qi and Blood. When your Qi isn’t moving smoothly, you feel anxious, tired, tense, irritable, and PMS-y. You probably don’t sleep as well when your Qi isn’t flowing. Also,…
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, blood deficiency is closely related to anemia, but it doesn’t always show up like that in blood tests. Often, an acupuncturist can diagnose blood deficiency before it shows up in a blood test, and therefore prevent it. The underlying causes may be from childbirth, heavy periods, overwork, lack of nutrition in the diet, or…
Qi Deficiency symptoms almost always include feeling tired. Qi Deficiency can affect your Spleen (digestion, hormones, and immune function) or your Lungs (breathing, sinuses, skin). Symptoms of Qi Deficiency include poor digestion, usually as loose stools. It’s easier to get sick with allergies and infections when your Qi is low. More severe Qi Deficiency symptoms…
Yin deficiency is similar to blood deficiency, which is like anemia, but a little more intense. Yin, the opposite of Yang, is the cooling, relaxing energy in the body. When you’re Yin deficient, you feel tired, but also paradoxically restless. It may be hard to sleep because night time is the Yin time of the day. …
In Chinese Medicine, dampness is one of the 6 types of “Evil Qi.“ Damp is usually a side-effect of a Deficiency of Qi or Yang, plus exposure to damp elements. Signs of dampness can include CAUSES OF DAMPNESS If you live in a humid environment, you’re more susceptible to damp energy. If you work out or swim,…
Written by Kristen Horner Warren, L.Ac, M.S., M.A., Dipl.OM, all rights reserved To this point I have not spoken out about this issue because I didn’t want to get embroiled in an ugly fight, but it has come to the point that I cannot in good conscience remain quiet about a serious threat to public safety and…
Here’s a list of the top 10 books on acupuncture and Chinese medicine, based on an informal poll I took (gotta love Facebook, sometimes). If you love learning and want to learn more about TCM and acupuncture, check these out: The Complete Illustrated Guide to Chinese Medicine – Tom Williams, PhD.Great pictures, easy to read. The…
When I treat someone, and they get a needle sensation and ask, “What WAS that?!” I have to laugh a little. I laugh because…it’s so hard to explain exactly what that was! First, the “Qi” sensation is arriving at the needle. It’s the nerve “waking up” an area of your body. So, it’s a good sign that we…
In traditional Chinese medicine, we say there are 6 pathogenic factors, or “Evil Qi.” These Evil Qi “invade your body” and cause health problems. In the Shanhan Lun, a book written in 300 BC by Zhang Zhongjing, he details how illnesses progress. Most sicknesses start with Wind, especially if you didn’t wear a jacket when…