Allergies from a tcm/daoist approach?

[-_sometimes]

I've displayed symptoms of allergic/intolerant response as far back as I can remember. Think constant nasal congestion, dry eyes, facial tension, mental fogginess. Blowing my nose 20 times a day is not unusual for me. I finally took an allergy test which recorded IgE reactions to 42 different food and environmental allergens. Reactions to every single item were recorded, ranging from low to high reaction. Somehow I have a severe response to meat (pork, beef, chicken and lamb), which is really odd?

 

From the perspective of western medicine, there is no solution, aside from eliminating the food items and minimizing the impact of environmental allergens, or anti allergy medications. From my brief analysis of TCM, it seems allergies can occur because of deficient wei qi - studies have shown herbal remedies can decrease overall allergy response, as well as acupuncture potentially being an option.

 

I'm interested to hear your perspectives on this!

[Gerard]

Hello 

 

Can you describe the following so I can exactly determine what is the underlying issue?

 

1. What do you do during the day? Step by step

2. What do you eat?

 

Also your date of birth. 

 

That's all I need.

 

 

[-_sometimes]

3 hours ago, Gerard said:

Hello 

 

Can you describe the following so I can exactly determine what is the underlying issue?

 

1. What do you do during the day? Step by step

2. What do you eat?

 

Also your date of birth. 

 

That's all I need.

 

 

i'll send u a dm!

[Gerard]

The manifesting issue is weak Spleen/Earth-Lung/Metal relationship. 

 

Spleen extracts Food Qi and sends it up to the Lungs where it combines with air to form Zong Qi. 

 

Spleen relies on Lung descending function to assist in the transformation and transportation of food (diaphragm movement helps Middle burner - "pumping" action).

 

Lung descending function also assists Spleen in the transformation of Body Fluids. Lung Qi weak, descending function impaired, Spleen cannot transform and transport the fluids, causing edema.

 

All the allergic reactions are caused by a weak Spleen/Earth.

 

A sensitive Earth Rabbit will notice this more remarkably knowing that the second most important sign is Earth (which is kind of the equivalent of ascendent/rising sign in Western Astrology).

 

Breakfast should consist on more warming and Yang food especially people with a weak Earth. By strengthening the Earth we will also strengthen the child Force (Metal/Lung) according to the generating phase in the Five Elements Theory of medical Taoism.

 

Examples of a richer breakfast that will benefit Earth:

 

1. Congee rice(1) + toppings of choice like roasted peanuts skin removed, grated daikon, pork floss(2), sauce (1 teaspoon brown sugar + 1 teaspoon tamari sauce + 1 teaspoon sesame oil)

2. Soup

3. Stew

4. Japanese curry(3) served with steamed rice (the brown type is preferred)

 

 

Avoid meals eaten when the Spleen is the weakest. Basically anytime after 3pm, especially larger ones which are hard to digest. Too much burden on the digestive system and your Wood/Liver won't be happy either. 

 

Notes:

 

1. Sample recipes:

 

https://www.foodandwine.com/soup/porridge/9-recipes-congee-cozy-porridge-you-can-eat-any-time-day

 

2. https://www.seriouseats.com/my-latest-obsession-pork-floss-chinese-rousong-pork-sung-pork-fu

 

3. The author states dinner but I have it for breakfast! 

 

https://www.justonecookbook.com/simple-chicken-curry/

 

 

Hope this is all helpful.

[Gerard]

Exercises to strengthen the Spleen if you possibly can't find a Ba Gua or Xingyi teacher (my preferred Internal Arts:

 

1. Asian Squat (use weights like dumbbells first as an aid). Practice for up to 30 min/day (or more if you like/can).

 

Followed by:

 

2. Stand in the Wuji stance with arms up (Holding the Tree) aka Zhan Zhuang. Alternatively the Santi Shi which is the mother posture of Xingyi Quan:

 

https://youtu.be/zPJG3VL40qs

(Video)

 

http://www.ycgf.org/Articles/XY_SanTiShi/XY_SanTiShi.html

(A more detailed description)

 

Practice between 10am to 2pm (Earth & Fire Qi peak times).

 

Build your standing time slowly and progressively up to 1h (or more if you like/can).

 

 

[-_sometimes]

@Gerard Yes thank you it is indeed very helpful! I will try eating warming foods for breakfast and refrain from meals after 3pm - would snacking have an impact at all, or best to refrain entirely? I've read that those with weak Earth should limit dairy, would you recommend this? 

 

With regards to asian squat, may I ask the reason why you recommend this? I can do the squat just fine with no effort, so it will be easy to implement. Would wuji as used in taiji work for 2)? The mechanics are raising the crown, releasing to stretch the yao, sinking into the feet.

 

Lots of questions, so thanks in advance 

[Indiken]

.

Edited February 5, 2023 by Indiken

[awaken]

The cold and damp Qi is stuck in the head and expelled from the nose.

So you need to change your cold and damp physique, or temporarily take the scientific Chinese medicine of Mahuang Fuzi Xixin Decoction, but I don’t know if this Chinese medicine can be bought in your country.

 

https://de-ane.com/index/product/productinfo.html?id=9699

 

寒濕的氣卡在頭部，從鼻子排出。

所以你要改善你寒濕的體質，又或者暫時吃麻黃附子細辛湯的科學中藥，但是我不知道你的國家能不能買到這個中藥。

Edited January 20, 2023 by awaken

[freeform]

Always best to consult a Chinese Medicine practitioner in-person who should do a far more thorough job on the diagnosis front than anything possible online.

 

Don't take herbs without being prescribed by someone competent who can keep track of your development.

 

 

[Taomeow]

40 minutes ago, freeform said:

Always best to consult a Chinese Medicine practitioner in-person who should do a far more thorough job on the diagnosis front than anything possible online.

 

 

A very knowledgeable herbalist I would add -- unfortunately, far from all Chinese medicine practitioners today are well-versed in herbal medicine.  Besides, here in the US (don't know about your neck-of-woods) some of the most crucial herbs for allergies have been made illegal (notably ephedra, with its track record of fixing allergies for 5,000 years), and some others are very hard to procure.

 

  

 

 

Edited January 20, 2023 by Taomeow

[-_sometimes]

I've seen countless warnings not to take herbs like that across this site, enough that I certainly don't plan to  I think it might be worth trying some lifestyle changes as mentioned by @Gerard though.

 

I don't know of any 'good' TCM practitioner, nevermind very knowledgeable herbalist. Does anyone know of any in the UK perchance? 

[muscidae]

11 hours ago, awaken said:

The cold and damp Qi is stuck in the head and expelled from the nose.

So you need to change your cold and damp physique, or temporarily take the scientific Chinese medicine of Mahuang Fuzi Xixin Decoction, but I don’t know if this Chinese medicine can be bought in your country.

 

https://de-ane.com/index/product/productinfo.html?id=9699

 

寒濕的氣卡在頭部，從鼻子排出。

所以你要改善你寒濕的體質，又或者暫時吃麻黃附子細辛湯的科學中藥，但是我不知道你的國家能不能買到這個中藥。

 

I got similar issue and tried this Chinese herbal medicine before. It seems doesn't fit to me. I found another thing that I have a fat tounge with teeth print. I tried many formula of Chinese herbal medicine, and "FU ZI LI ZHONG TANG" (附子理中湯 and replace Ginseng Root by Pilose Asiabell Root) can reduce a little syndrome.

 

I am practicing chi-gong for one year. I hope it can help me.

[Gerard]

1. After 3pm zero food.

 

2. I have no idea how much dampness you have. Refrain from it if you are very damp (swollen limbs/edema, puffy face, tiredness, runny nose, puts on weight easily, catches colds all the time when the weather is cold). 

 

3. Squatting strengthens the digestive system and also keeps the Qi down as well as preventing Liver Yang rising which further weakens the Spleen/Earth.

 

If you can squat easy then I believe your problem is strictly your diet plus your Earth is in conflict with the UK weather. 
 

The requirements for Santi Shi are different than ZZ. Please read carefully what the links and the video describe in detail.

 

...........................................  

 

So you live in the UK!? No wonder your Spleen is weak. That country is notoriously humid/damp and also cold.

 

Now that you mention it, look at how your ancestors ate (no damp-forming and cold foods for sure):

 

"It's often said that the backbone of both British and Irish food is the wealth of its stews and casseroles. There are so many traditional recipes that it would be almost impossible to mention all of them."

 

OHM!

 

10 Most Popular BRITISH STEWS

 

https://www.thespruceeats.com/winter-stews-and-casseroles-4157675

 

 

https://www.tasteatlas.com/most-popular-stews-in-united-kingdom

 

Outside the UK:

 

Our 38 Top-Rated Recipes for Stews and Soups to Warm Your Belly

 

https://www.bhg.com/recipes/soup/soup/soup-and-stew-recipes/

 

 

The country where I spent my childhood:

 

Asturian Pork and Beans (Fabada Asturiana):

 

https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/asturian-pork-and-beans

 

Cocido Madrileño. This dish comes from the Middle Ages, when the Jews still lived in Spain. It is time consuming preparing it but well worth the effort.

 

https://www.angsarap.net/2012/11/09/cocido-madrileno/

 

Alubias con Chorizo. 

 

https://www.bitesofperfection.com/post/alubias-con-chorizo

 

 

These recipes will keep you busy and will make you a very strong and healthy person. 

Edited January 21, 2023 by Gerard

[awaken]

4 hours ago, muscidae said:

 

I got similar issue and tried this Chinese herbal medicine before. It seems doesn't fit to me. I found another thing that I have a fat tounge with teeth print. I tried many formula of Chinese herbal medicine, and "FU ZI LI ZHONG TANG" (附子理中湯 and replace Ginseng Root by Pilose Asiabell Root) can reduce a little syndrome.

 

I am practicing chi-gong for one year. I hope it can help me.

 

附子理中湯的作用位置在腹部，不是在頭部，麻黃附子細辛湯的作用位置才是在頭部。

 

Fuzi Lizhong Decoction acts on the abdomen, not the head, and Mahuang Fuzi Xixin Decoction acts on the head.

 

Ginseng is too expensive, I always use twice the amount of Codonopsis ginseng instead of ginseng

 

人參太貴，我都是用兩倍黨參代替人參

 

https://powing.com/product/codonopsis-dang-shen/?lang=zh-hant

 

Qigong is useful, but you can’t practice it indoors all the time, you have to practice it in a sunny place with trees.

 

氣功有用，但是你不能一直躲在室內練，你要去有陽光有樹木的地方練。

Edited January 21, 2023 by awaken

[mcoolio]

Something you can try without consulting a professional.

 

1. Try switching to organic foods only

2. Try not to eat too much

Edited January 21, 2023 by mcoolio