In the Chinese calendar, November 8, 2023, is the first day of Yin Water Pig Month. The Chinese calendar assigns one of the twelve animals, five elements, and the polarity of yin or yang to each year, month, day, and hour. The Yin Water Pig month extends till December 7, 2023.
The Yin Water Pig refers to the 29th hexagram described in the I Ching and used in Feng Shui. Its image is Water over Water. The Yin Water Pig represents "The Abysmal" and is one of eight hexagrams with the same trigram above and below. Its image is that of weakness and stagnation. The Abysmal symbolizes a rather hazardous period in the Chinese calendar, with four lines denoting a weakness and stagnation of various body regions and organ systems.
The Yin Water Pig hexagram:
From the body and health perspective, the Yin Water Pig hexagram continues a shift to an ever-decreasing energetic nature. The environmental influences, currently, are in full late Fall to early Winter mode. The Yin Water Pig is an overwhelmingly stagnant hexagram. It represents a hypoactivity of systemic energies throughout the body. This occurs as a result of the sudden transition to damp-cold environmental influences. The Yin Water Pig leads to an accumulation of dampness in the body which encourages toxic buildup.
Chinese medicine recognizes two types of inflammation. One is Yang type the other is Yin type. The Yin Water Pig is an example of Yin-type inflammation due to a toxicity buildup in the lymphatic system, gastrointestinal tract, heart, and kidneys. When damp toxicity accumulates in the tissues and organs, toxic inflammation will overwhelm our body's natural immunity. During the Yin Water Pig month, damp toxic patterns have their root in external climatic pathogenic factors coupled with the accumulation of turbid fluids in the internal organs. This culminates in an extreme weakness of Yang Qi, which is the motive force necessary to maintain vibrant health.
The Water trigram originates in the Water element and is related to damp conditions. During the Yin Water Pig month, the Water trigram affects the yang aspects of the body, weakening the defensive Qi or Wei Qi, stagnating the lymphatic system, destabilizing the endocrine system, and weakening the heart and kidneys.
Each season consists of various energetic states, often in conflict. These conditions will be reflected in nature and, more importantly, our bodies. As mentioned before, the Yin Water Pig represents a generalized pattern of stagnant damp accumulation that affects various organs, tissues, and body regions. The buildup of toxicity requires a concerted effort to flush toxins from the body. Flushing the body of toxins is inhibited with certain foods and diets, in general.
Common problems during the Yin Water Pig Month are:
Upper Jiao (above the diaphragm)
Headache, dizziness, epistaxis, weakness of the joints, aching and dysfunction of the elbow, eye pain, night blindness, blurring of vision, distension and pain of the breast, febrile disease, redness, swelling and pain of the eye, chest congestion, asthma, tinnitus, deafness, arm spasms and pain, head and neck problems: migraines (central and one-sided), headaches caused by exogenic pathogens, neck rigidity, facial paralysis, toothache, sore throat, cough, asthma, nasal problems, palpitations
Middle Jiao (between the diaphragm and umbilicus)
Acute gastric pain, gastric distention, and stuffiness, poor appetite, pain around the umbilical region, pancreatic dysfunction
Lower Jiao (below the umbilicus)
Pain and weakness of the lumbar and leg (sciatica), hemorrhoids, pain in the hypochondrium, epigastric pain, diarrhea, bloody stools, irregular menstruation, urogenital system problems: pain in the penis, hematuria, spermatorrhea, retention of urine, enuresis, constipation, lower thoracic and lumbar pain,
Internal organ damp toxicity patterns are aggravated by:
- Seafood: especially shellfish, like crabs, oysters, scallops, clams, lobster, and shrimp
- Fermented foods: cheese or fermented tofu.
- Dairy: milk, cream, yogurt, cheese, and ice cream.
- Sugar: any and all foods containing sugar, such as cake and dessert.
- Meat: lamb, beef, goose, and duck.
- Deep-fried or greasy food.
- Certain fruits: mango and durian.
- Stimulants: coffee, alcohol, and energy drinks.
- Carbohydrates: white rice or bread as they may damage the Spleen and in turn produce more dampness.
- Spicy, pungent, aromatic vegetables: pepper, garlic, onions, basil, rosemary, cumin, fennel, anise, leeks, chives, scallions, thyme, saffron, wormwood, mustard, chili pepper, and wasabi.
Many of the signs and symptoms of toxic dampness will fatigue the body. Fortunately, acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine have great treatment options for all the above conditions.
The Yin Water Pig Month key is to prevent excessive damp accumulations in the body and avoid foods inappropriate for the this season. Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine are very effective in treating these patterns. Schedule a consultation
I recommend patients schedule a personal consultation to determine the correct foods for them as most diet programs miss the mark. Michelle offers a free 20-minute Ayurvedic Health Consultation to help with identifying those foods that will prevent dampness, mucous, and phlegm from accumulating, specifically for you.
If you need remedies from our herbal compounding pharmacy please reach out to us. In most cases, we can schedule a telemedicine visit for you.
Our special this month: 10% Discount on NanoShield, our herbal formula to stabilize the GI tract. This formula is compounded in-house to address the many signs and symptoms associated with digestive distress. This formula is available in a 200-capsule bottle and helps with poor digestion of fats, proteins, and carbohydrates. It aids in producing more enzymes and supports intestinal peristalsis to reduce bloating, fatigue, and cramping following a meal. NanoShield also helps with preventing a buildup of mucus and phlegm and helps to regulate the metabolism. This formula is also beneficial in treating leaky gut syndrome by encouraging healthy intestinal bacteria and eliminating those that contribute to fungal or candidiasis infections. Patients report feeling more clear-headed while taking this formula due to its ability to resolve phlegm and damp conditions affecting the head, which leads to muddled or fuzzy thinking.
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Meridian Harmonics Acupuncture and Herbal Compounding Pharmacy
