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Holistic Healing: The Chinese Medicine Approach to Inflammation

The Chinese medical strategy for treating inflammation is a perfect example of the “holistic” approach which attract so many to this healing art. As opposed to western medicine, which directly suppresses inflammation, Chinese medicine aims to treat the underlying constitutional factors that potentiate the body for inflammatory reactions.

Already in the Han dynasty, Chinese medicine had an extremely nuanced and precise understanding of the mechanism that produces “heat”, a concept that is largely equivalent to inflammation:

“When a cold pathogen lodges in the channels, the blood stagnates, when the blood stagnates there is blockage. When this blockage occurs, weiqi is attracted to the site of blockage and cannot pass through, this leads to ulceration. This is a process of cold qi transforming into heat.” (Lingshu 81)

A core principle of the understanding of inflammation in Chinese medicine is that it derives from blockage in the various microcirculatory systems of the body. The body’s regulatory system is attracted to this blockage to try to restore circulation, in essence recruiting more blood flow to that site. However, if it is unable to undo the blockage, all that excess blood flow creates “heat”, which is an equivalent concept in Chinese medicine to inflammation. Of course, the etymology of “inflammation” means to “set on fire”, so the relation to heat is not lost on western medicine. Indeed, inflamed regions feel hot to the touch precisely because bradykinins and histamine cause blood vessels to dilate, allowing more blood to reach the affected area.

In western medicine, inflammation is treated using drugs like nsaids and corticosteroids which directly suppress the immune response. This is often helpful, but especially in the case of corticosteroids and immunosuppressants, the suppressed immune system then leaves the body vulnerable to exterior pathogens like bacteria and viruses. Furthermore, when finishing a regimen of corticosteroids at a larger dose, the dosage has to be slowly and carefully tapered, otherwise there can be extremely severe withdrawal symptoms.

Chinese medicine, by contrast, takes a multi-pronged approach:

  1. Restoring circulatory and lymphatic flow: The most important aspect of treatment is to remove the blockage and the pathogen, which are jointly responsible for the chain of events that occur after. (pathogen lodges in the channels, the blood stagnates, when the blood stagnates there is blockage.)
  2. Addressing gut health: just as western medicine has in recent years discovered a connection between chronic inflammation and gut health with the identification of leaky-gut syndrome, Chinese medicine also often focuses on the health of the digestive system when treating inflammatory diseases. A classic example is Jin Dynasty physician Li Dongyuan’s gut-health based formulas for “yin fire”, which is an inflammatory like syndrome.
  3. Regulating hormonal imbalances: Chinese medical autoimmune specialist Wu Xiongzhi notes that inflammation can occur from autoimmune reactions that result from hormonal imbalances. Herbs like shudi and fuzi help to regulate these hormonal imbalances and make the body less likely to overreact to external stimuli, which would precipitate immune reactions and ensuing inflammation.
  4. Treating inflammation: Like western medicine, Chinese medicine also has an impressive toolkit of anti-inflammatory medicinals that can suppress inflammation directly. Herbs like danggui suppress vascular inflammation, while herbs like zhizi and skullcap can suppress epithelial tissue inflammation.

This multi-pronged approach, which focuses on the causes of inflammation, rather than the inflammation itself, helps Chinese medicine avoid the harsh side effects of western medical drugs which focus solely on suppression of inflammation.

 

Let’s look at this approach in the context of two specific inflammatory diseases: Lupus and Hashimotos. Western medicine treats Lupus through direct suppression of inflammation, specific strategies and their potential risks are outlined below:

Hydroxychloroquine

  • Can cause irreversible eye damage and must have regular eye exams while on drug
  • Can cause debilitating headaches and fatigue
  • Nausea, diarrhea

Corticosteroids

  • Can trigger high blood pressure, diabetes
  • Increased risk of infection
  • Increased risk of bone fracture
  • Anxiety and other adverse psychological effects

Immunosuppressants

  • Kidney damage
  • Hepatotoxicity
  • Severe risk of infection

As for Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, western medicine more or less ignores the inflammation, which is the result of an autoimmune attack on thyroid tissue that eventually renders the thyroid completely devoid of function, and instead just supplements thyroid hormone. The obvious issue with this treatment is that it requires lifelong supplementation and doesn’t address the original issue at all.

 

Now let’s look at the Chinese medical treatment, which is quite similar for these two diseases:

Chinese medicine employs the holistic approach mentioned above to treat the problem.

  1. Herbs like ginger, jujube, licorice and cinnamon are deployed to regulate gut health
  2. Angelica, peony, poria, atractylodes help restore circulatory and lymphatic flow alleviating blockages that lead to inflammation
  3. Skullcap root, gardenia, and anemarrhena directly decrease inflammation
  4. Rehmannaie and aconite balance hormones, which can cause inflammation to surge if imbalanced.

The advantage of this methodology is quite clear. In the case of Hashimoto’s, this Chinese medical approach can actually alleviate the autoimmune inflammatory response, meaning the patient can more or less be cured of the problem and avoid taking thyroid hormone. In the case of lupus, the autoimmune inflammatory response can be mitigated or alleviated, while avoiding the very harsh and sometimes dangerous side effects (particularly the permanent damage sometimes rendered to vital organs by immunosuppressants) of the western drugs deployed for this disease.

The Chinese medical approach to inflammatory diseases is truly one of its greatest strengths, with salient results in dermatological diseases, autoimmune diseases and other inflammation based ailments and none of the very harsh side effects that come with taking the corticosteroids, antibiotics, and immunosuppressants that mark the basis of the western medical approach.

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Chinese Medicine's Approach to Hemorrhoid Treatment

From the very earliest texts in the Chinese medical canon, we see evidence of continual research into and treatment of hemorrhoids. The Yellow Emperors Inner Canon (99-26  BCE), for instance, details certain pulse properties on the radial pulse that might suggest the presence of hemorrhoids and posits that the ailment might stem from derangements of the kidney and urinary bladder channels.

By the early Jin dynasty (256 CE), the Systematic Canon already shows evidence of differentiated acupuncture treatment strategies for different hemorrhoid presentations with point choices showing marked continuity with the Inner Canon.

The Origins and Indicators of Disease (610 CE) distinguishes five different kinds of hemorrhoids, each with its own treatment strategy and also clearly indicates that hemorrhoids result from constipation, fatigue and parasites. Interestingly, this Sui Dynasty tome also provides various Daoyin exercises that sufferers can use to heal hemorrhoids themselves. For instance, one exercise instructs the patient to start in a standing position, then hug one knee to the chest and hold in this balanced position for several breaths and then alternate to the other leg. One can easily see how such an exercise would strengthen the peri-anal muscles and prevent or improve anal prolapse.

Daoyin exercises

 

By the Tang Dynasty, a very mature understanding of the pathomechanisms of hemorrhoids emerges in the Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Gold and over 20 herbal formulas, internal and topical are listed to tackle this menacing ailment. These formulas reflect that ancient physicians believed the primary causes of hemorrhoids were fatigue, “dampness” which we can take to mean poor lymph drainage, constipation, parasites, “heat” or inflammation, and poor blood circulation, which could also then lead to bleeding. The fungus Laccocephalum mylittae  (雷丸 literally “thunder ball”) which grows in bamboo forests was used to treat parasites and has been identified by modern science as a powerful anthelmintic.

 

Laccocephalum mylittae

 

 

Interestingly, these same pathomechanisms are clearly reflected in the design of the two hemorrhoid formulas available on this site. Sophora Combo, for instance, uses rhubarb to target constipation, peony root and rhubard to improve peri-anal microcirculation, sophora and garden burnet to stop bleeding and scutellaria and goldthread to combat inflammation. Together, this combination heals the hemorrhoidal tissue and improves local circulation and lymph drainage to resolve the ailment at the root. Hemorrhoid Support also includes herbs to help local lymph and blood circulation like notoginseng root and amber, herbs to treat inflammation and abscess like coptis chinensis and tetraarsenic tetrasulfide, but it additionally includes puckering and astringent herbs like pomegranate bark and chebula fruit which help in retraction of rectal prolapse. Thus, Sophora Combo would be more helpful in early stage hemorrhoids, while Hemorrhoid Support would be more helpful in later stage hemorrhoids with prolapse and abscess.

Modern studies have found that hemorrhoid formula preparations with herbs similar to those listed above are markedly effective at treating hemorrhoids. A 2007 study of 100 patients found the herbal formula Zhi Tong Ru Shen Tang had a 96% success rate in treating hemorrhoids, particularly internal hemorrhoids,  while a 2001 study of 324 patients found a 90.4% success rate in the treatment of internal, external and mixed hemorrhoids. 

Interestingly, combining acupuncture with herbal treatments might produce even better results than just using medicine alone. A 2019 study from the Shanghai Journal of Acumoxa found that acupuncture-herbal combination therapy outperformed single acupuncture or herbal therapy by a significant margin, reducing swelling severity and hemorrhoid size more effectively than either modality in isolation.

Given the utter lack of effective treatment options for hemorrhoids provided by western medicine, Chinese medicine provides a highly effective and cheap alternative. Importantly, early treatment of hemorrhoids with Chinese herbs and acupuncture can help patients avoid costly surgery and painful and difficult post-surgical recovery.

 

 References:

 朱瑞刚, 韩劲松.止痛如神丸治疗痔病的临床观察(附100例报告) ,《光明中医》, 2007,22(7)

 叶玲; 郑鸣霄. 采用乙字汤治疗痔疮324例. 《福建中医学院学报》, 2001,11(3)

 李斌,张狄,宋双临,石焱,洪媚,黄振. 针药并用治疗炎性外痔临床观察. Shanghai J Acu-mox, Feb 2019, Vol 38, No 2 

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Recipe: Turkey Herbal Bone Broth

Intro: TCM Herbal Bone Broth

Don't throw away those Thanksgiving turkey bones! In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), bone broth is not just a food but also a medicinal tonic that can be customized with herbs to address specific health concerns. Bone broth tastes best made with bones that have been roasted, which you've already done with your Thanksgiving turkey, and you can get even more nourishment by using them in a healing herbal bone broth.

Herbal bone broth soups are a key part of a traditional Chinese medicine healing diet, and are a nourishing and restorative food that can benefit several aspects of health. It helps to strengthen the Kidneys, tonify the Spleen, nourish the Blood, and promote overall vitality and recovery.

It is especially useful for those who are recovering from illness or feel fatigued, weak, or cold. We also highly recommend herbal foot baths for those with these symptoms—included in our Black Friday sale!

Benefits of Bone Broth

1. Tonifying the Kidneys and Strengthening Jing

  • In TCM, the Kidneys are considered the foundation of vitality and longevity, responsible for storing Jing, the body's vital life force. Bone broth is believed to help nourish and strengthen the Kidneys, supporting the Jing.
  • Bone broth is often recommended for those with Kidney deficiency, which can manifest as symptoms like fatigue, low energy, back pain, dry mouth, and possibly tinnitus and/or weak bones.
    • If this sounds like you, you may want to consider an herbal formula specifically designed for Kidney Yin deficiency: Liu Wei Di Huang.

2. Nourishing the Blood

  • Bone broth is also highly regarded for its ability to nourish the Blood, which is essential for overall health in TCM. Blood deficiency can lead to symptoms such as dizziness, irregular or painful periods, dry skin, pale complexion, and fatigue.
    • If this sounds like you, you may want to consider an herbal formula specifically designed to nourish the Blood: Baifeng Wan.

3. Strengthening the Spleen and Stomach

  • The Spleen is responsible for transforming food and fluids into Qi and Blood. When the Spleen is weak, it can lead to digestive issues, such as poor appetite, bloating, or loose stools. Bone broth, when made with slow-cooked bones and herbs, is recommended as a way to warm and tonify the Spleen in TCM, as its rich nutrients are easy to digest and can strengthen the digestive system.
    • If this sounds like you, you may want to consider an herbal formula specifically designed for Spleen Qi deficiency combined with Dampness, where the Spleen’s inability to transform and transport fluids leads to excessive Dampness in the body. Symptoms include digestive issues, fatigue, loose stools, and a feeling of heaviness: Shen Ling Bai Zhu.
    • You can also consider an herbal formula for when Spleen Qi deficiency has led to Qi sinking (where the body’s Qi is weak and not sufficiently holding up internal organs, resulting in chronic fatigue or pelvic organ prolapse). It tonifies both Spleen Qi and Qi in the middle burner, helping to support energy levels and digestive function: Bu Zhong Yi Qi.

There are many ways that bone broths can be customized in Chinese medicine to address specific health concerns. The recipe below, which I showed in the video, is Qi and Blood-moving, and can help with mobility and menstrual issues. 

Recipe

Ingredients:

  • Leftover turkey bones
  • 30g Huang Qi (astragalus) - best cut into smaller pieces
  • 30g Dang Shen (codonopsis) - best cut into smaller pieces
  • 10g Dang Gui (angelica sinensis)
  • 30g Shan Yao (Chinese yam)
  • 5-10g Niu Xi (Achyranthes root)
  • 3-10 pieces Da Zao (jujubes)
Note: Da Zao (jujubes) is an herb that will sweeten the broth, so use less if you do not want a sweet result. However, jujubes help moderate the actions of other herbs in a formula, and also have wonderful benefits including nourishing the Blood and calming the shen (spirit).

 

Instructions:
1. Combine all ingredients into a bowl and rinse under water.

2. Put turkey bones into a large stockpot and cover with water. You may need to separate the bones for easier cooking. Add herbs.

3. Bring to a boil, then turn down to medium-low heat and simmer for 2-4 hours. Check on the broth occasionally to make sure there is sufficient liquid.

4. Strain and enjoy! Note that Chinese yam and jujubes are both edible, and we recommend adding these back after straining out the bones.

For an easy solution to straining, check out our Glass Cup with Strainer and Lid, ideal for enjoying bone broth and currently 20% off during Black Friday weekend! (No code needed; discount is applied in cart.)

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Recipe: Master Zhu's "Longevity Porridge"

Master Zhu Liangchun was a celebrated Chinese medicine doctor and head physician of Nantong Chinese Medicine Hospital in mainland China. Born in 1913, he started practicing Chinese medicine in 1939, and was known for his incredible experience and medical skills. He successfully treated difficult cases including curing a disabled patient and reducing the large tumor of a lymphoma patient. Even into his mid-90s, he was energetic and sharp, and lectured widely while continuing to practice medicine. And in his mid-90s, he was still seeing patients daily, often late into the night.
Master Zhu was interviewed about his excellent health at age 93, and this medicinal "Longevity Porridge" was his top recommendation--he drank a bowl daily for over 60 years. Blurring the line between food and herbs, this is a powerful Chinese medicine recipe for restoring depleted energy and preventing aging, disguised as a delicious food.

With a satisfying combination of diverse textures, it is also lightly sweetened naturally with superfood herbs Jujube and Goji berry. In Chinese medicine terms, the ingredients of this porridge move Qi and Blood, and dispel dampness and phlegm. Master Zhu said of this porridge: “It restores my energy and has been very helpful in delaying my aging. So I eat it year-round without fail.”

His family's "secret" addition to this porridge recipe includes an unusual preparation method using Astragalus water which we will detail below. This herb protects pre-natal Qi from being depleted, boosts immunity, and has anti-cancer properties.

All ingredients should be available at a Chinese grocery store, usually in the dried herbs and legumes section. The jujubes I am using in the video are our premium Fuping Jujubes, an extremely delicious varietal and are watered only with natural spring water (they can also be eaten straight out of the bag!).

For those who frequently find themselves fatigued and are interested in an herbal formula which replenishes depleted Qi, check out Bu Zhong Yi Qi. This also contains Astragalus as a leading herb. And for those dealing with internal dampness, check out Shen Ling Bai Zhu, an herbal formula which uses three of the damp-dispelling ingredients in this porridge.

Ingredients (5 servings):
- 50 g Mung beans (Lu Dou)

- 50 g Lotus seeds (Lian Zi)

- 50 g Coix seeds (Yi Yi Ren)

- 50 g White hyacinth beans (Bian Dou)

- 30 g Jujubes (Da Zao)

- 10 g Goji berries (Gou Qi Zi)

- 50 - 250 g Astragalus (Huang Qi): Master Zhu uses 250 for 5 servings. This is a fairly high amount, so we would suggest perhaps a lower dosage for young people

- Water: 3 bowls

Instructions:
1. Rinse ingredients: Combine all ingredients except Astragalus into a bowl and rinse under water.

2. In a separate bowl, rinse the Astragalus and then set aside to soak in water for 10 minutes. Pour out this water and refill bowl to soak for another 10 minutes.

3. In a large pot, pour in the bowl of Astragalus and water. Refill bowl with water and add this second bowl of water to the pot. Bring to a boil, then turn down to medium heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Strain and pour out this liquid into a large bowl. Add one more bowl of water into the pot and cook the Astragalus for a second time for 20 minutes. Strain and pour this into the bowl.

4. Cook the porridge: Remove the cooked Astragalus from the pot and discard or compost. Strain the water out of the seeds and beans, and combine all seeds and beans, plus jujubes. Add the 3 bowls of Astragalus water into this pot to cook the porridge. Do not add any additional water. Bring to a boil.

5. Simmer: Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

6. Add goji berries: Add in the goji berries and cook for another 15 minutes.

7. Serve: Best enjoyed hot.

This porridge is highly nourishing and can be enjoyed for breakfast or as a comforting dish throughout the day.

For those seeking another anti-aging, immunity-boosting medicinal sweetened soup to make at home, check out our best-selling Baby Snow Fungus, which also come with pre-made accompany herb packs for easy preparation.

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Bu Nao Wan & Jian Nao Wan: Answering Questions

Bu Nao Wan & Jian Nao Wan: Answering Questions

What are these formulas?

Bu Nao Wan and Jian Nao Wan (veg) are similar formulas designed to sharpen focus, calm the mind, and improve memory, and have a long history of use among adults and teenagers in China—they are especially popular among students preparing for exams, not just those with ADHD.

A number of studies over the decades on humans and animal models have demonstrated that these two formulas or their active herbal ingredients had results including: improved concentration with trial participants producing more accurate, higher quality work; improved spatial learning and memory ability; markedly improved completion time and task-focus; improve circulation to the brain; upregulated the cholinergic system and promoted neuronal plasticity; provided a ten-fold amplification of the tranquilizing effect of barbiturates; reduced brain inflammation and upregulated hippocampal neural networks; and significantly restored BCCAO impaired cognitive function.


Will these work right away like Adderall?

Please note that these formulas are not stimulants and will not feel the same way as Adderall. They are designed to support better focus and memory, and quiet the mind in a sustainable way. However, many customers do report noticing a difference after only a day or two of using these formulas.

A recent customer posted this review under our latest Instagram post about these formulas: "As someone who’s struggled w/ ADHD/anxiety, this product is amazingly effective at treating my tendency to procrastinate and lose focus. Highly recommend!"


Is the dosage on your instructions correct?

The most commonly asked question we get is if the dosage is a typo. The dosages on the instructions are correct! Traditional Chinese Medicine formulas are made of whole pressed herbs and thus may have significantly higher dosages than synthetic pharmaceuticals. Luckily, these pills (known as “tea pills”) are extremely small, and multiple tea pills can be swallowed at one time with water. Please follow the suggested dosage on the package for the best effect.


About our company

The Eastern Philosophy began as a passion project on Instagram providing rigorously researched long-form write-ups on Traditional Chinese Medicine, with a goal of providing high-quality clinical studies as well as historical primary sources to explain Chinese medicine theory and remedies.

We are an Asian-owned small business that so far has never spent any money on advertising or PR; instead, we dedicate all of our resources into providing meticulously researched content, including content researched and written by an award-winning scholar-practitioner of Chinese medicine. You can follow us on Instagram @theeasternphilosophy, or on TikTok @easternphilosophy, where we are currently the largest Chinese herbal medicine-focused account.

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2022 CHINESE ASTROLOGICAL WELLNESS OUTLOOK


2022 Chinese Astrological Wellness Outlook 🐅


Our wellness outlook for 2022 combines classical commentaries with modern commentary by Taiwanese scholar-physician Chen Xinhong, former director of the Chinese Medical Division of Chang Gung Hospital

YUN: EXCESS WOOD
This year, the “yun” (movement) is called “excess wood” and will be more influential than the six qi this year. According to the most revered classical commentary on this topic by Tang Dynasty scholar Wang Bing (710-805 A.D.), this energy makes people more prone to emotional upset, anxiety and anger. Wood also suppresses earth, which is related to the digestive system, so the energy of this year may also make people more liable to develop G.I. symptoms

Amidst the stress caused by the pandemic, it would be wise to focus on mental health and ground ourselves in mindfulness, exercise, quality time with friends and family, and whatever else lends comfort and happiness. Eat slowly, practice gratitude for your food, and keep a positive atmosphere around the dinner table

Emotional issues can often lead to indigestion, so this year we should try to be mindful when eating. Stay away from overly greasy or spicy foods that might lead to indigestion. Teas which calm indigestion, including chamomile and Pu’er (particularly our Pu’er tea oranges, which have the added benefit of citrus peel, a remedy for indigestion), emerge as choice medicinals for the new year

SIX QI: LESSER YANG FIRE
The six qi climatic energy for the first half of this year is Lesser Yang Fire. In Chinese medicine, it is believed that this energy makes people prone to respiratory and skin conditions like rhinitis, cough, and hives, while the weather will be characterized by a hotter climate and high winds.

The classics recommend eating cool, salty foods to counteract the energetic dynamic of this spring season—examples include clams, mussels and other mollusks. We can also set an intention to spend more time in the clean, nourishing airs of forests and wooded areas to cleanse and replenish the respiratory system. (Full year outlook will be sent in our newsletter)

What do you think of these wellness predictions for 2022? 🧧

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ADVICE FROM 200 YEAR-OLD CHINESE HERBALIST


Advice From 200 Year-Old Chinese Herbalist


While those in Asia often seek advice for longevity—Li Qing-Yun was recruited as a ‘life coach’ for at least two Chinese warlords to lecture them on “getting the most out of each century”—Westerners tend to be more interested in anti-aging: looking and feeling young during their lifetime.

Li mastered both: his 1928 NYT feature noted that “many who have seen him recently declare that his facial appearance is no different from that of persons two centuries his junior.” Regardless, we can look to his habits for the key to a healthy life, which included speaking as little as possible and a daily qi gong practice.

The western world was introduced to Li Qing-Yun in US newspaper accounts during the 1920s, and finally, a 1933 NYT obituary that read, “LI QING-YUN DEAD: GAVE HIS AGE AS 197… BURIED 23 WIVES.”

Although 197 is already astounding, Li may have been as old as 256. Time Magazine noted that in 1930, the “dean of education at Chengtu University found records that the Imperial Chinese Government had congratulated one Li Ching-yun in 1827 on his birthday. The birthday was his 150th, making [Li] a 256-year-old.”

Li was known as a Chinese medicine herbalist, and according to Time Magazine, “by the time he was ten years old he had traveled in Kansu, Shansi, Tibet, Annam, Siam and Manchuria gathering herbs. He continued to gather herbs for the rest of his first 100 years.”

Above all, Li believed that a peaceful mind was the key to longevity. He spent most of his free time in meditation or practicing qi gong, and refrained from speech except when necessary. He also valued moderation, and instructed: “Do not walk too fast, read for too long, expose oneself to loud noises. Don’t sit to the point of fatigue or lie for too long. Protect oneself from extremes of cold, heat, hunger and thirst. Take small frequent meals.”

In terms of diet, Li recommended foods to maintain the “free coursing of blood, urine and bowel movements” including hawthorn, black bean, and seaweed. His most prized herb was goji, which he took daily as a tea, and he also regularly ate rice and pearl barley.

Will you adopt any of his habits into your life?

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ORIGIN OF IMMUNIZATION IN ANCIENT CHINA


Origin Of Immunization In Ancient China


When I posted about my vaccination last spring, I received a comment asking how I could support both vaccination and Traditional Chinese Medicine. I was stunned—not just by the implication that systems of medicine cannot be practiced synergistically, but by the notion that vaccines somehow went against TCM, a medical system whose core conviction is “prevention is better than cure.” The commenter’s implication is even more astounding considering immunization was first developed by TCM practitioners.

While Edward Jenner (1749–1823) is often credited as the Father of Immunology, for more than a millennium, doctors in China have been preventing diseases through immunization. Early written references to immunization can be traced to the Liao Dynasty (10th century), when the son of a statesman was inoculated against smallpox. (Even earlier, in 303 AD, the doctor Ge Hong wrote in a text to “kill the dog that bites and use its brain to prevent recurrence of rabies.” In 649, Sun Simiao wrote that the most effective method to prevent rabies was to “cover the people with the sick dog's brain.”)


The early Chinese method of inoculation involved blowing or inserting smallpox scabs up the nose. Surviving recipes show that the scabs were first carried at body temperature for a month or exposed to hot steam and herbs to reduce the infectious load. A Chinese medical book published in 1549 even revealed a concern of variolation-induced menstruation. Joseph Needham, a biochemist/historian (and UNESCO cofounder) describes an even older tradition of inoculation, invented around 1000 AD by wandering Taoist healers.

In 1661, the Emperor K’ang succeeded to the throne after his father had died of smallpox. He became an advocate of inoculation, and later boasted that he had inoculated his whole family and his army. He wrote:

“In the beginning, when I had it tested on one or two people, some old women taxed me with extravagance, and spoke very strongly against inoculation. The courage which I summoned up to insist on its practice has saved the lives and health of millions of men. This is an extremely important thing, of which I am very proud.”

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CHINESE MEDICINE ON BRAIN FOG


Chinese Medicine On Brain Fog


“Long COVID” is a troubling development that has emerged amidst the pandemic, with a significant portion of survivors reporting persisting brain fog: symptoms that include poor memory, difficulty concentrating, and fatigue.

While this is a common symptom also seen in Chronic Lyme and Epstein-Barr, modern medical understanding of brain fog is still in its infancy, with no approved treatments and few studies.

Many experts agree, however, that the condition is attributed to inflammation in the brain caused by “persistent immune activation after initial infection subsides,” according to the NIH’s Dr. Avindra Nath. This immune activation may be caused by lingering virus that the immune system cannot clear, as well as virus-triggered autoimmunity and inflammation. The psychological trauma of COVID can also cause neural inflammation.

Is there a Traditional Chinese Medicine explanation and approach in treating chronic viral illness?

During the Ming Dynasty, as a pandemic ravaged China, the physician Wu Youke (1582–1652) proposed a pathomechanism and treatment for “persistent immune activation,” almost two centuries before the Western world discovered "agents that cause infectious disease.”

Frustrated by the lack of medical knowledge at the time, Wu Youke theorized that “pathogenic qi” lodges in membranes in the body that protect them from immunity, causing headache and exhaustion. His findings accord with the modern discovery that pathogens can form biofilms to resist immunity and pharmaceuticals.

Wu created an herbal formula designed to attack pathogenic qi, and new research has shown that several ingredients he used can break down biofilms, clear inflammation and lingering virus, and regulate gut flora imbalance, all which mitigate neuroinflammation (more detail on this in our upcoming newsletter).

Brain fog can be a crippling symptom, but with over 2,000 years of accumulated experience in treating pandemic disease, and time-tested solutions to improve memory and support brain function, Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture provide invaluable tools for treating the symptoms that modern medicine has yet to provide answers for.

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Gua Sha


Dispelling Gua Sha Myths


The traditional Chinese medical practice of gua sha has become trendy in the West, where many claim that it can smooth face wrinkles, decrease puffiness, or reduce fat. In reality, this cosmetic application is a very new phenomenon that bears almost no resemblance to the powerful healing modality that folk doctors and physicians have used in China for 2500 years. In this multi-post series, we examine the history of gua sha in ancient & modern Chinese medicine, and scientific research into its healing mechanism.

The first written record of gua sha comes from the ~400 BC medical manuscript, Prescriptions for 52 Diseases. In an entry for pediatric febrile seizures, the author recommends scraping over the convulsed muscles until “red marks like fly’s wings” appear.” This is a distinct feature of gua sha notably missing from its cosmetic use, namely that scraping should produce petechiae from extravasated blood cells, resulting in red dots on the skin. Extravasation was seen to be key to gua sha’s healing mechanism, allowing for the release of “pathogens with the blood.

Due to culture misunderstanding, there have been many cases of Chinese and Vietnamese immigrants in the US being accused of child abuse, who were performing gua sha on their children or grandchildren. There is even a 2011 movie starring tony Leung Ka-Fai on this issue titled The Gua Sha Treatment. 

A folk practice throughout antiquity, gua sha gained widespread acceptance as a legitimate healing method in the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1912) Dynasties, with records showing it was successfully applied to a disease involving fever and severe abdominal pain, attributed to exposure to “dung heap pestilence” or sha (痧)—likely a bacterial or viral infection.

In the 1960s, the Chinese government conducted a large-scale clinical survey of gua sha led by Dr. Jiang Jing-Bo. Through the publication of Gua Sha Treatment Methodology, Jiang expanded the use of gua sha to 400+ medical conditions, from hypertension to colds. Gua sha remains an extremely common healing modality in China and the Chinese diaspora applied to the neck and back for the treatment of colds, neck tension, heat stroke, and more.

Jiang and other modern scholars also defined advanced parameters for gua sha, in which petechiae color and distribution can be used as a diagnostic tool for the health and condition of the body.


Gua Sha Mechanism & Diagnosis


Researchers have begun investigating gua sha’s mechanism of action, with recent studies demonstrating that the traditional Chinese medical practice resulting in red petechiae upregulates the immune system, in particular heme oxygenase-1, a molecule with strong anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant action.

As extravasated blood cells from the gua sha process are reabsorbed into the circulatory system, they stimulate the release of HO-1, bilirubin and biliverdin, producing an anti-inflammatory response. This helps explain gua sha’s use in treating allergies, asthma, IBS, and colds.

Gua sha also manually stimulates surface lymph and microvascular circulation. A 2019 animal study found that gua sha can effectively stimulate the absorption of interstitial fluid into the lymph and capillary beds, notably improving local circulation. This helps explain why gua sha has also been found to help mitigate painful breast engorgement in new nursing mothers, and partially explains how cosmetic application to the face may assist in relieving puffiness (although this should not be considered gua sha in its intended medical form).

Modern scholars, including Dr. Jiang Jing-Bo—who led the large-scale clinical survey of gua sha—defined advanced parameters for gua sha to serve as a diagnostic tool:

In healthy individuals: sha are very light red, sparse and evenly distributed

Crimson red and densely distributed sha: indicates there is too much “heat,” pointing to an inflammatory state

Darker red or purple sha: indicates cold or blood stagnation—signs of poor circulation

Faint light red sha, scraping triggers pain & soreness: indicates patient may be “deficient”; often occurs in women during menstruation

Further, because acupuncture points down the spine correspond to specific internal organs, denser distributions of sha in particular areas can indicate problems with specific organs, i.e., sha clustered from the 1-6th vertebrae can be a sign of problems with the lung and heart. As a result, gua sha is also used as a means of diagnosing illnesses before they become more serious.

Do these findings change your perception of gua sha?

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