Lozen Posted December 28, 2005 So my acupuncturist prescribed a couple formulas, one is Health Concerns CordySeng, and the other is a mixture of three formulas--You Gui Wan, Shao Yao San and Shao Fu Zhu Ya Tang. I of course spent hours looking them up (they are also called Restore Right Kidney and Fennel + Corydalis Yanhusuo and Buplurem + Tree Peony formula and Cordyceps-Reishi-Ginseng Herbal Supplement. So I looked up all the ingredients and I think it's mostly herbs I know and have used before (fennel, ginger, reishi, licorice, cattail pollen, myrrh, dong quai, mint, cinnamon), some that I know but have never used (processed aconite, gardenia, Chinese foxglove, corydalis) and some that I don't really know at all (atractylus, buplureum, eucommiae, cordyceps, peony, poria). But the one that makes me really nervous is the Wu Ling Zhi. Sounds normal, right? Ling zhi is reishi. But wu ling zhi is aka feces trogopterori, which translates as stir-fried flying squirrel shit. Anybody ever voluntarily or involuntarily ingested this? Or would you? What's it for? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
affenbrot Posted December 28, 2005 So my acupuncturist prescribed a couple formulas, one is Health Concerns CordySeng, and the other is a mixture of three formulas--You Gui Wan, Shao Yao San and Shao Fu Zhu Ya Tang. I of course spent hours looking them up (they are also called Restore Right Kidney and Fennel + Corydalis Yanhusuo and Buplurem + Tree Peony formula and Cordyceps-Reishi-Ginseng Herbal Supplement. So I looked up all the ingredients and I think it's mostly herbs I know and have used before (fennel, ginger, reishi, licorice, cattail pollen, myrrh, dong quai, mint, cinnamon), some that I know but have never used (processed aconite, gardenia, Chinese foxglove, corydalis) and some that I don't really know at all (atractylus, buplureum, eucommiae, cordyceps, peony, poria). But the one that makes me really nervous is the Wu Ling Zhi. Sounds normal, right? Ling zhi is reishi. But wu ling zhi is aka feces trogopterori, which translates as stir-fried flying squirrel shit. Anybody ever voluntarily or involuntarily ingested this? Or would you? What's it for? 10116[/snapback] Â Â In my last formular I took last spring there was dried earthworm in it that stated floating on the surface no matter how much I stirred. I think flying squirrel are much cooler animals, they are really cute! Â My materia medica says: Wu Ling Zhi, literal translation: Fat Of The Five Spirits, bitter, sweet, warm, Channels entered: Liver, Spleen. Disperses blood stasis, transforms stasis and stops bleeding. Â I wouldn't object drinking stuff like this. I think about the yogis that do wonderful alchemy with cow shit! Â skal! affenbrot Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lozen Posted December 28, 2005 I know there was caterpillar in a liniment formula I bought, but I didn't eat it, just put it on my skin. I am scared of ingesting squirrel feces in powdered form. I do love them, though. When I was a treesitter they sat on my back while I ate dinner. Â Thanks for the formula. What herbal do you have? I used a combination of like five books to get all my info... It was...time-consuming.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Trunk Posted December 28, 2005 (edited) What herbal do you have? I used a combination of like five books to get all my info... It was...time-consuming.... 10121[/snapback] The references on Chinese herbs are Bensky's Materia Medica, for the single herbs, and Formulas & Strategies, for puttin' the singles together into classic formulas (& variations). These are the two that are used in English-speaking schools of TCM. They're expensive, but they are _the_ resource. And, yup, squirrel poop is in there. Breaks up blood stasis, if I recall correctly (and there's a good chance I'm not).. but its definately in there, I know that. I wouldn't worry particularly about ingesting that herb; if its in those books its been done a lot before. Edited December 28, 2005 by Trunk Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lozen Posted December 28, 2005 Is that why my acupuncturist looked at me funny when he asked if I had an herbal and I told him I had several? I used a combination of Between Heaven and Earth and the Penelope Ody book and Michael Tierra's books and Letha Hadaddy's book, and I looked the ingredients up online. Â Yeah, I have blood stasis, so it'd make sense that I get to eat squirrel poop. WHAA! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
affenbrot Posted December 28, 2005 The references on Chinese herbs are Bensky's Materia Medica, for the single herbs, and Formulas & Strategies, for puttin' the singles together into classic formulas (& variations). These are the two that are used in English-speaking schools of TCM. They're expensive, but they are _the_ resource. And, yup, squirrel poop is in there. Breaks up blood stasis, if I recall correctly (and there's a good chance I'm not).. but its definately in there, I know that. I wouldn't worry particularly about ingesting that herb; if its in those books its been done a lot before. 10122[/snapback]  word! I'm proud owner of Bensky's Materia Medica - that's where i searched in for the info. and hey, Lozen if poop is in the form of powder you won't even notice! Give it a try! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lozen Posted December 28, 2005 WHAAAAAAAAA! MOM THE TAOBUMS BOYZ ARE TRYING TO MAKE ME EAT POOP!!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Trunk Posted December 28, 2005 (edited) Is that why my acupuncturist looked at me funny when he asked if I had an herbal and I told him I had several? I used a combination of Between Heaven and Earth and the Penelope Ody book and Michael Tierra's books and Letha Hadaddy's book, and I looked the ingredients up online. Likely. I've read BH&E, but not the others. But, basically, every other herbal book that I've seen just doesn't compare - not even close as a reference. Sometimes I've seen very good supplemental information in other books, or convenient listings (like the Outline Guid to Chinese Patent Medicines, which is an excellent guide to the bottles of herb formulas that you can buy for ~$2 in chinatown). But, as a Reference, basically there is no other reference than those book$.  Then there's the worse-than-iffy presentations that diminish TCM into something everyone can understand with no considerable effort. Which tends to leave out so much detail that people are at a generally 50-50 chance (at best) of helping/hurting themselves. Luckily herbs are mostly relatively forgiving.  WHAA! Edited December 28, 2005 by Trunk Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lozen Posted December 28, 2005 I took the herbs and feel lots of chi, squirrel shit or no squirrel shit. Â I like Michael Tierra's book for explaining Eastern energetics of Western herbs... but it doesn't have the patent formulas. And Letha Hadady's book is a god-send, very descriptive and easy to understand, but also chock full of good info... But again, it doesn't list many herbs. Â And I agree--herbs are not something to fuck around with! I've seen people cause some serious harm... Like for example, one time a very well-meaning person gave me tea tree oil for a brand new eyebrow piercing... Â Then again, an acupuncturist once unleashed hell's fury on me because I recommended ginseng for energy (I was like sixteen or something) and he made me feel like I had just killed a bunch of people, or something. Â All right, who wants to give me their phone number so I can call and have you read some formula descriptions to me? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
