 Traditional Chinese Medicine associates hyperplasia of the prostate with damp heat and kidney deficiency. After the age of 40, men’s vital energy in the kidney system decreases, resulting in a disturbance of the sex hormones. Sexual energy decreases, affecting circulation in this area and the function of the prostate. To compensate for the decline of prostate function, men in China have historically used acupuncture treatments to improve the circulation and energy in the prostate.
The American Cancer Society classifies prostate cancer as the most common form of cancer among U.S. men. If you are a man over the age of 40 and prostate cancer runs in your family, it is advisable to monitor your Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) levels. A PSA blood test measures the level of a protein released by prostate cells which can reveal prostate growth and sometimes cancer. The main symptoms of an enlarged prostate are weak urine flow, straining to urinate, and the feeling of incomplete bladder emptying. Chinese herbal therapy and acupuncture can help normalize PSA levels. Many times, two traditional Chinese herbal formulas are prescribed with modifications: Ba Zheng San for damp-heat patterns and Ji Sheng Shen Qi Wan for kidney deficiency patterns. Kidney essence revitalizes the prostate so that it becomes capable of self-regulating toward normal functioning. To help nourish the prostate, Chinese medicine encourages men to eat more nuts, seeds, pumpkin, mushrooms and berries. Managing stress, regular exercise and massaging the prostate are also vital for maintaining prostate health. Besides Chinese and Western herbs such as saw palmetto, many delicious foods help maintain a healthy prostate because they contain lycopene, a prostate protective antioxidant. These foods include watermelon, pink grapefruit, guava, papaya, apricot and cooked tomatoes. http://www.acupuncture.com/newsletters/m_aug09/prostate%20tcm.htm |
Category Archives: Chinese Herbal formulas
Fatigue
Fatigue is one of those symptoms we all feel from time to time, but those that feel fatigue often may have what we call Spleen qi xu or spleen qi deficiency. Some may have it due to overworking, overthinking, eating an unhealthy diet. Si jun zi tang is the main formula for this condition. These folks may also have loose stools, have tired and heavy limbs and low appetite.
Xiao yao san
This formula is one of the most popular. It is made up of Chai hu, dang gui, bai shao, bai zhu, fu ling, and zhi gan cao.
Functions include spread the liver qi, strengthen the spleen and nourish the blood.
Indications: Liver qi constraint with liver blood and spleen qi xu
hypochondriac pain, headache, vertigo, bitter taste, dry mouth and throat, fatigue, reduced appetite
Tongue: pale-red
Pulse: wiry-xu
maybe alternating fever and chills, irregular menses, distended breasts
mai men dong tang
Zhi bai di huang wan
Si jun zi tang
Ingredients: Ren shen, bai zhu, fu ling, zhi gan cao
Function: Tonify the spleen and supplements Qi
Indications:
Suan zao ren tang
Chinese herbs can be very effective for insomnia. One formula I like is call Suan zao ren tang.
Actions: nourish the heart and calm the spirit
Indications: Anxiety, irritability, restlessness, inability to or difficulty in falling asleep, palpitations, night sweats, dizziness, vertigo, thirst, dry mouth and throat
Ingredients: suan zao ren, fu ling, chuan xiong, zhi mu, and zhi gan cao.
Juan bi tang
Remove painful obstruction decoction –treats branch
Expels wind and transforms damp
joint pain that is worse with cold and better with heat may have numbness and heaviness in extremities
Tongue: thick white coat or purple
Pulse: slow, or slippery
ingredients: Qiang huo, du huo, qin jiao, sang zhi, hai feng tang, dang gui, chuan xiong, ru xiang, mu xiang, rou gui, zhi gan cao
