Excessive Yin Jing?

[Antares]

Archivist, cordyceps has concentrated form of yuan qi in it. But it does not mean it will replenish your yuan qi for itself. It helps to balance energy on the Ming level

[marcobjj]

On 3/16/2017 at 9:14 AM, kevin_wallbridge said:

 

Yup, it is a Catch 22. Cang Zhu is quite drying and once it was working that would have been the time to switch strategies to strengthening and supporting the spleen. Combined problems are always more complex to unravel. In your case it depends on what the signs of Yin deficiency are and where they are manifesting. Then in Chinese medicine we would use a full formula, rather than a couple of supplements to adjust the body's circumstances. At this point I would recommend just using diet alone to control the issue and leaving the supplementation aside. See an herbalist if you want to move forward in this direction.

 

A formula that is often the base for this kind of thing is Zhu Ling Tang 猪苓汤. While originally for when the body's fight against cold that has entered the Yang Ming 阳明 or Shao Yin 少阴 stages had led to damage to the fluids by heat (thus a circumstance where water and heat are clumped due to the disturbance of the water pathways), this is now also used for Yin deficiency dampness. Now this formula is close to Wu Ling San 五苓散 which is more for interior problems that show edema. Since, in your case, the problem is actually externally induced the former formula is a more likely start.

 

Taking apart the 5 herbs shows how the thinking goes:

 

猪苓 Zhu Ling (sclerotium polypori umbellati/polyporus fungus) is one of the chief herbs and promotes urination, leeches dampness and facilitates fluid metabolism. In this formula it is the latter function that is its main contribution.

 

苻苓 Fu Ling (sclerotum poria cocos/poria fungus) is the other principle herb. It tonifies the spleen, eliminates dampness and calms the heart-mind. This has a long observed functional synergy with Zhu Ling each making the other stronger.

 

澤泻 Ze Xie (rhizoma alismatis orientalis/water plantain) is the deputy. It aids the chief herbs in their promotion of urination.

 

滑石 Hua Shi (talcum) is the assistant herb. it clears heat and can unblock painful urinary dysfunction (a common complication of dampness and Yin deficiency).

 

阿胶 E Jiao (gelatinum corii asini/donkey hide gelatin) is a Yin tonic that prevents the urination from becoming excessive, which would cause more damage to the Yin.

 

So this formula promotes urination, the major way to clear accumulated dampness from the body, without creating further damage to the Yin. So the first three act as the drainers to leech the dampness out. The talcum is cold and heavy frees up the fluid pathways that are often disturbed by Yin deficiency. Finally the E Jiao is the real key to the whole operation as it enriches Yin while anchoring the floating vitality that shows as deficiency heat. Understanding the complex way in which herbs interact is a key part of the training of an herbalist.

 

Now I am NOT recommending that you self dose with Zhu Ling Tang. What I am trying to point out is how involved the use of herbs in Chinese medicine actually is and to caution you about using them. This is the kind of formula that you may take four or five bags of before adjusting to something different as the body goes through changes. Diet and exercise (养生法/Yang Sheng Fa) are for everyday. Herbs are for making changes. There is an old Chinese saying (成语) that goes 画蛇添足 Hua She Tian Zu. It means to "paint a snake and add feet." It means doing extra when one has already completed the task to the point of ruining the original work. Overuse of herbs and formula is often like this.

 

Good luck.

 

Thank you so much for the in detail reply. 

 

What worked for me in the end was Wu Ling San ( Poria 5 formula). Because I had already eliminated interior dampness with Cang Zhu, the only thing left was to figure out how to deal with the chronic cold-damp layer that I had between skin and muscle that made me stiff, and in this regard I feel like Gui Zhi (Cinnamon Ramulus) in the Poria 5 formula was especially helpful due do it's release exterior properties. For years I had this seasonal condition where around the end of the summer I'd have this sensation of fluid leaking from my veins or lymphatic vessels to the exterior, and would stay there as cold damp until around end of winter when it then would begin to dissipate. I'm thinking it's either a spleen deficiency that's caused it or perhaps a Kidney yang deficiency. Since this condition manifested itself more strongly in the "Yin months", I believe it's probably the latter.

 

[marcobjj]

There are some very generous people here that really take the time to share their knowledge in detail. Thanks so much to all, I couldn't post it in a while because I lost my password but it's great to be back.

Edited September 17, 2017 by marcobjj