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Acupuncture
New York
- Herbology
We at
Acupuncture New York are always looking to provide the most
comprehensive Oriental Medical treatment to the public. We have at
our disposal the very latest in innovation and technology that
enable the classical formulas and custom formulas to treat various
imbalances and dis-ease through
Traditional
Chinese
Diagnosis (TCM) to be
delivered to your doorstep via UPS or USPS from our partners
Crane Herb or
Emerson
Ecologics.
Our
Treatment Center also stock the most reputable lines of ready made
Chinese Medicine such as "Health Concern" , "Golden Flower" and
"Blue Poppy" .
Herbs have
been relied upon for the healing of ailments for thousands of years.
The focus of herbalism is to support he body’s self healing
ability. Herbs nourish us physically, mentally, emotionally and
spiritually. When we take herbs the essence enters the acupuncture
meridian and adjust the vital flow of energy in the body. Herbs are
strong foods, so by eating them we enrich ourselves with a vast
array of nutrients. The energetic classification of herbs is a
science which has been refined over the last 3000 years. Today, we
see further refinement due to the changing profile of disease.
The history
of Chinese Medicine dates back to the writings of the Yellow
 Emperors Inner Classics (Huang Di Nei Jing). This work of art is a
dialogue
between the Yellow Emperor(2697 - 2597 B.C.) and his
physician Qi Bo , in which they discuss the whole spectrum of
Chinese Medicine – including topics such as Acupuncture, YinYang,
Five Elements pathology, diagnosis, and etiology of disease. The
work was compiled around 305 -204 B.C. the Inner Classic
is the foundation for theory and philosophy of Traditional
Chinese Medicine. Chinese Herbal Medicine is a compilation of
experimentation and research dating back to a tribal chief named
Sheng Nong who resided in
China
along the great Yellow River Plateau (2700B.C.). He is famous for
ingesting many substances to record first hand their effect. In all
he recorded around 365 healing substances and wrote the first book
on Traditional Chinese Medicine(The Classic of Material Medica - Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing). The work was compiled around 206 B.C. The
historical tradition continued with the work of famous physician who
lived around the
 third century A.D. named
Zhang Zhong Jing. He
was one of the most celebrated Chinese physicians who compiled two
classics – (Shang Han Lun – discussion of cold induced disease)
and (Jing Gui Yao Lun – Synopsis of Prescriptions of the Golden
Chamber) These works are still referenced today for the diagnosis,
treatment, and differentiation of yin-yang and 6 stages Chinese
Medicine is a branch of the Taoist healing arts which include
Acupuncture, Tai Qi Chuan, Meditation, Qi Gong, Astrology, I-Ching,
 and Geomancy. Around 452 A.D. a taoist named
Tao Hong Jing
contributed to Chinese Herbal Medicine by editing the original
Classics of Materia Medica according to kingdom – plants, animals
etc. He also increased the total substances to 730 substances. In
1618 A.D. during the Tang Dynasty the government contributed
by compiling the first Official Materia Medica named Xin Xiu Ben Cao.
This great work includes 844 illustrated pages. During the
Sung Dynasty (960 – 1279 A.D.) a physician named Tang Shen Wei increased
in the Material Medica to 1746 substances. By 1590 A.D. the most
comprehensive medical book named Grand Material Medica
 – (Ben Cao
Gang Mu) was compiled by
Li Shi Zhen with over 52 volumes, and
30 years over research, it includes 1892 substances with over 100
illustration and 10,000 prescription Today the Material Medica is
being further refined by clinical and scientific data. Most of
the research is being done in
China
. Each herb is listed with the properties, acupuncture meridian
entered , functions, clinical use, major combinations, dosages and
pharmacological research such as anti-microbial effect,
anti-viral effect, anti-fungal effect, effect on blood pressure,
effect on smooth muscle, endocrine effect, central nervous system
effect, use in gynecology, etc.
Timeless Masters & Sages
    
Liu WanSu
Zhang ZiHe
Li DongYuan
Zhu DanXi
Hua To
The
following is a list of the Qualities of herbs.
FOUR
ENERGIES
The four
energies are Hot, Cold, Warm, and Cool. There is also a neutral
category. For illness with a cool nature the formula will be warm.
For disorders with a hot nature the formula will be cold etc.
FIVE
TASTES
The five
tastes are sour, bitter, pungent, sweet and salty. Sour is
astringent and herbs in this category consolidate Qi and secretions
Sour herbs nourish the Liver and Gallbladder. Bitter herbs are
drying, detoxifying, antibiotic, and drain Qi downward. Bitter herbs
strengthen the Heart and Small Intestine. Sweet herbs are tonic,
nourishing, relaxing and slow Qi down. Sweet herbs harmonize Spleen
and Stomach. Pungent herbs stimulate, warm, raise Qi from the
interior to the exterior. Pungent herbs strengthen the Lungs and
Large Intestines.
ACTIONS (lifting,
lowering floating and sinking)
Actions of lifting, lowering floating and sinking refer to the
upward, downward, outward or inward directions in which herbs tend
to act on the body. Lifting means going up or sending up while
lowering means just the opposite. Floating means going outward or
sending to the surface, whereas sinking means going inside or
purging away. Lifting and floating herbs have upward and outward
actions and are used for elevating yang, relieving exterior
syndromes by means of diaphoresis, dispelling superficial wind and
cold, inducing vomiting, causing resuscitation, etc. Lowering and
sinking herbs have downward and inward actions and are used for
clearing heat, purgation, promoting micturition, removing dampness,
checking the exuberance of yang, sending down an adverse flow of qi
to stop vomiting, relieving cough and asthma, improving digestion to
remove stagnated food, tranquilizing the mind with heavy properties,
etc. As the locations of diseases are different with some in the
upper part of the body and some in the lower, some in the interior
and some in the exterior, and as the tendencies of disease are
divided into upward (as with vomiting), downward (e.g. diarrhea,
metrorrhagia, metrostaxis and proctoptosis), outward (e.g..
spontaneous or night sweating) and inward (e.g. internal
transmission of exterior syndrome), the lifting, lowering, floating
and sinking actions of herbs are used in correspondence with the
locations of diseases but in opposition to the tendencies of
diseases. Generally speaking, for the diseases located in the upper
part or the exterior, it is appropriate to use lifting and floating
herbs instead of the lowering and sinking.
For example, for the exterior syndromes, lifting and floating herbs
should be chosen. One the contrary, for the diseases located in the
lower part or the interior, such as dry stool or constipation, it is
proper to use lowering and sinking herbs, not the opposite. For the
diseases of which the manifestations tend upward, herbs of lowering
actins should be given rather than that of lifting, just as in the
treatment of headache and vertigo due to hyperactivity of the
liver-yang, herbs of lowering and sinking actions should be used to
calm the liver and suppress hyperactivity of the liver-yang. On the
contrary, for the diseases of which the manifestations tend
downward, it is suitable to use lifting herbs instead of lowering
herbs. For example, in the treatment of chronic diarrhea and
proctoptosis due to sinking of qi of the middle-jiao, it is wise to
choose lifting herbs to invigorate qi and lift yang.
The lifting, lowering, floating and sinking actions of herbs have
close relationship with their properties and flavors. Most herbs
which are pungent or sweet in flavor and warm or hot in property
have lifting and floating actions, whereas most herbs, bitter, sour,
or salty in flavor and cold or cool in property have lowering and
sinking actions. The lifting, lowering, floating and sinking actions
also have some relationship with the textures of herbs. Generally
speaking. Most of the light substances have the actions of lifting
and floating. In contrast, most of the heavy herbs have the actions
of lowering and sinking. However, though some herbs are light, they
have lowering and sinking actions; and conversely, some heavy herbs
have lifting and floating actions. In addition, the lifting,
lowering, floating and sinking actions can also be influenced or
even altered through the processing and the joint use of herbs. For
example, lowering and sinking herbs can have lifting and floating
actions after processing with wine, while lifting and floating herbs
can have lowering and sinking actions after preparation with salt
solution. If lifting and floating herbs are dispensed together with
a great amount of lowering and sinking herbs, they many also have
lowering and sinking actions; and similarly, when lowering and
sinking herbs are used together with a great amount of lifting and
floating herbs, they may exhibit some lifting and floating
character.
CHANNEL TROPISM
Channel tropism refers to a herb's selective therapeutic effects on
a certain part of the body. A herb may exert obvious or specific
therapeutic action on the pathological changes in a certain channel
(including some viscera thereof) or several channels, but with
little effects on the others. For instance, among the heat-clearing
herbs, some only clear the heat either in the lung channel or in the
liver channel or in the heart channel, etc. Again, among the tonics,
some strengthen the lung while others strengthen the spleen or the
kidney.
Channel tropism is based on the theory of viscera, the theory of
channels and collaterals, and is summed up according to the curing
particular diseases for which a herb is effective. The human body is
an organic whole in which the channels and collaterals link up with
the interior and exterior and all parts of the body. A pathological
change in the exterior may affect the viscera while diseases in the
viscera may, in turn, find expressions in the exterior of the body.
For this reason, the symptoms and signs of diseases occurring in
different parts of the body can be understood systematically
according to the theory of channels and collaterals. For instance,
the flaring up of stomach-fire may result in swollen gum; and
whenever there is stagnation of liver-qi, pain in the hypochondriac
region will be present. Since the swelling and pain of the gum
disappear when gypsum is administered, and hypochondriac pain
relieved with the use of bupleurum root, we may infer that gypsum
acts on disorders of the stomach channel and bupleurum, the liver
channel. The above examples show that the theory of channel tropism
is summed up through clinical practice.
The channel tropism theory should be associated with the theories of
the four properties and five flavors, and actions of lifting,
lowering, floating and sinking of herbs. Different herbs acting on
the same channel have different effects owing to their different
properties, flavors and actions of lifting, lowering, floating and
sinking. For example, scutellaria root, dried ginger, lily bulb, and
lepidium seed all act on the lung channel, but scutellaria root can
clear lung-heat, dried ginger can warm lung-cold, lily bulb can be
used to make up for lung deficiency, and lepidium seed is used to
soothe excess syndrome of the lung. Therefore, only when attention
is paid to the different aspects of a herbs, can its actions be
comprehensively analyzed and the herb correctly employed. Besides,
according to the theory that viscera as well as channels and
collaterals are physiologically related to one another, and
pathologically affect one another, when there is pathological change
in one channel, herbs acting on other channels should be used in
addition to the prescription for the diseased channel itself. For in
stance, for abnormalities in the lung channel, herbs for
strengthening the spleen channel should be added, and in case of
hyperactivity of the liver-yang, herbs for nourishing the kidney-yin
should be used at the same time.
HERBAL
FORMULATIONS
As the
knowledge of single herbs increased, physicians refined herbology by
combining herbs in formulas. This art can only be accomplished after
one knows extensively the properties of the single herbs. When herbs
are combined, the synergy enhances the scope of the therapeutic
effect
At the
present moment we are pleased to provide as much information on
Chinese Herbology and the ability of it to provide
complementary and supplementary treatment to our Acupuncture,
Massage and Reflexology treatment to make it a truly holistic and
economical treatment and prevention of diseases.
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