Introduction to the disharmony
Major symptoms:
- cold hands and feet
- overall feeling of cold
- fear of cold
- Spleen Yang deficiency symptoms - coldness in the abdomen, watery stools that contain undigested food
- Kidney Yang deficiency symptoms - coldness in the back, loose stools, frequent urination, poor sexual desire, sterility
“Interior cold” is a disharmony either caused by invasion of external cold or an internally developed condition. In both cases - as the name of the disharmony suggests - the experience, the major symptom of “internal cold” is feeling of cold.
External invasion of cold develops by residing long term in a cold environment and chronically exposing the body to cold atmosphere and surfaces. Internally developed “cold” is the result of internal deficiencies, specifically deficiency of Qi and Yang. Every body organ owns Qi and Yang (as well as Yin and Blood). Deficiency of Qi will lead to lack of energy and tiredness, but if the condition worsens the Yang - the warming faculty of the body - may become deficient, which will lead to the development of “cold” symptoms. The organs that usually suffer from Yang deficiency are the Spleen and the Kidneys.
Note: In traditional Chinese medicine the concept of the Spleen differs from the understanding of the spleen in Western medicine. In TCM main function of the Spleen is the transformation of food into "food essence". The symptoms of an imbalanced Spleen point to imbalance in the digestion. So in order to avoid confusion whenever we refer to the Spleen in this project we will consider the collective work of some organs and systems that participate in the transformation and the transportation of nutrients and fluids, rather than solely focusing on the organ spleen as defined in Western science.
In the case of Spleen Yang deficiency there is coldness in the abdomen(1), while in Kidney Yang deficiency there is coldness in the back(1)(2). Spleen Yang deficiency furthermore manifests with symptoms of "deficient digestion" such as watery stools which contain undigested food. Kidney Yang deficiency manifests in loose stools(1)(2), profuse, clear urination(2), poor sexual desire, impotence(1)(2) (in TCM the Kidneys govern both the urinary and the reproductive systems). In both cases there are cold hands and feet, overall feeling of cold, fear of cold.
Major Chinese Herbs
A very famous Chinese herb that strongly warms the interior and enters the Spleen and Kidney channels is Fu Zi (Aconitum carmicaeli). It restores devastated Yang where the warming principle is extremely weak. Additionally it enters the Heart, boosts the circulation and strengthens the vessels. It is also a very good herb for joint pain/swelling/numbness, especially the kind that gets worse when exposed to cold(3).
Another major herb that warms the interior is Wu Zhu Yu (Evodia rutaecarpa). It is one of the herbs that has the ability to lead the energy downward, being very beneficial for rebellious Qi symptoms such as vomiting and acid reflux(3).
There is an interesting story about how the herb was named. Back in Ancient China there used to be a custom that the smaller kingdom had to pay tribute to the larger kingdom in order to keep the peace. One time the small Wu kingdom brought the larger and stronger Chu kingdom their national herb, called “Herb of Wu kingdom”, as a present. A doctor with the name Dr. Zhu planted the herb. After the king of the Chu kingdom suffered sever abdominal pain and was successfully cured with this herb, he embraced the herb and changed its name from “Herb of Wu kingdom” to “Wu-Zhu’s fruit”. “Wu” - because it came from the Wu kingdom, “Zhu” because it was planted in his kingdom by Dr. Zhu, and “fruit” because it was a fruit. Ever since the herb is referred to by this name – Wu Zhu Yu(4).
Fresh ginger is warm herb that benefits the disharmony Wind-Cold (when the external pathogen wind has attacked the body and caused common cold/flu-like symptoms). When dried its temperature changes from warm to hot and the herb is now used in the “warm interior” class herbs. Gan Jiang (Zingiber officinale) rescues devastated Yang, warms the Lungs and transforms “cold phlegm”. It also stops bleeding due to cold(3).
Rou Gui (Cinnamomum cassia) – cinnamon bark – strongly reinforces the Yang and brings it back to its source. It also warms the channels, unblocks the channels and vessels and promotes the movement of energy throughout the body. Simultaneously it aids the generation of energy and blood in the body and is often used together with herbs that tonify the Qi and the blood(3).
Healing foods
Foods that are healing for “internal cold” are foods with warming nature.
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Food therapy is the most economical and non-toxic biochemical approach to health and disease. Food is something we continuously use to sustain our lives. Learning what foods are healing (and what disruptive) for each condition has the potential to convert every meal into a form of therapy.
YS
(1) Yang Weiyi, Meng Fanyi, Jiang Yuanan(2002). Diagnostics of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Beijing: Beijing University of Chinese Medicine and Pharmacology
(2) Maciocia, Giovanni (1989). The Foundations of Chinese Medicine. Edinburgh: Harcourt Publishers Limited
(3) Benski, Dan & Gamble, Andrew (1993). Materia Medica, Revised Edition. Seatle: Eastland Press, Incorporated
(4) Lu, Henry (2005). Chinese Natural Cures. New York: Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers, Inc.
(5) Pitchford, Paul (2002). Healing with Whole Foods. Berkeley: North Atlantic Books
(6) Holmes, Peter (1998). The Energetics of Western Herbs. Boulder: Snow Lotus Press, Inc.
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Winter (Element Water) - "cold evil"
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