I feel somewhat like Mr. Rogers this morning. After a productive Spring at the farm it’s time to step out of my logger boots and into my clinical shoes. Left shoe, right shoe; agriculture and medicine. The study of ecosystems.
Though at first glance these may seem to be two separate fields of knowledge, they are in fact a singular abode whose system mechanics are governed by thermodynamics and the arbitration of time.
Lingshu 75 states that “Humanity corresponds to heaven and the earth, and is in mutual agreement with the four seasons.” This is a statement reflective of the belief that the human body is a projection of the planet both in terms of structure and behavior under the arbitration of time.
An example of twisting cup method, in this case for the treatment of knee pain
This is a case history from a follow up consultation yesterday that serves as an example of treating severe anxiety in a young adult, a situation that will likely sound familiar to parents.
This is particularly important when discussing ginseng since it helps explain why previous studies have yielded contradictory or inconclusive results when studying the affects of ginseng on a study group. Not only does American ginseng itself vary significantly based on its genetic lineage and environmental rearing, but the study subjects themselves have variant microbiomes that produce different, sometimes opposite, results. Undoubtedly this process is it play in other herbs and medicines as well.
The patient presented with a complex array of symptoms that could easily overwhelm a practitioner or confuse the diagnosis. However, the presentation painted a clear picture of weakened Center Qi and an accumulation of dampness and heat in the Liver and Gallbladder systems. The tongue color confirmed the illness and the pulse its location. When treating the Liver one cannot address it solely or directly – restoring the Spleen is paramount. Akin to growing a garden this process takes time, the efficacy of which is clearly portrayed in the case history.
After 6 weeks of treatment amylase reduced from 197 to 165, lipase 156 to 83. Bowels are brown color, no mucus. As of 9/14/15 amylase at 136, lipase 65; both values considered normal depending on the lab range values utilized. CT scan of abdomen revealed no acute disease. Complete metabolic panel shows low sodium and chloride (danger of restricted salt intake). Gall bladder and biliary scan revealed normal gallbladder ejection fraction, gall bladder organ thin-walled, free of stones and sludge. Vitamin D in normal range (86), cholesterol in normal range. No abdominal pain or distress, bowels are well-formed with no abnormality.
