Athletes - This is How to Repair Your Body

Acupuncture and Chinese herbs have been used for thousands of years to treat a wide range of health conditions. In recent years, these traditional Chinese therapies have gained popularity among athletes and sports medicine practitioners as a way to enhance performance, speed up recovery, and prevent injuries.

Acupuncture is a form of traditional Chinese medicine that involves inserting thin needles into specific points on the body to stimulate the flow of energy or Qi. According to traditional Chinese medicine, when Qi flows freely throughout the body, a person's physical and emotional health is optimal. Acupuncture has been shown to reduce pain, inflammation, and stress, which can be particularly beneficial for athletes.

In sports medicine, acupuncture can be used to treat a variety of conditions, including chronic pain, muscle spasms, joint injuries, and sports-related stress. Acupuncture has been shown to stimulate the body's natural healing processes, reduce inflammation, and increase blood flow to affected areas, speeding up recovery times and helping athletes get back to their sport faster.

Chinese herbs are another important component of traditional Chinese medicine. Chinese herbs are used to supplement acupuncture treatments and can be prescribed to address specific health conditions. There are hundreds of different Chinese herbs, each with its own unique set of healing properties.

In sports medicine, Chinese herbs can be used to reduce inflammation, promote healing, and improve overall physical performance. Some common herbs used in sports medicine include Ren Shen, which is used to improve endurance and reduce fatigue, and Huang Qi, which is used to boost the immune system and increase energy levels. 

One of the main benefits of acupuncture and Chinese herbs in sports medicine is that they are natural and non-invasive. Unlike traditional Western medicine treatments, acupuncture and Chinese herbs have few side effects and can be used with other treatments to help athletes achieve optimal health and performance.

Overall, acupuncture and Chinese herbs have been shown to be effective in treating a wide range of sports-related conditions. Whether you are a professional athlete or a weekend warrior, these traditional Chinese therapies can help you achieve your health and fitness goals while minimizing the risk of injury and enhancing your overall performance. If you are interested in trying acupuncture and Chinese herbs for sports medicine, be sure to consult with a licensed acupuncturist or herbalist who specializes in sports medicine to ensure that you receive the most effective and appropriate treatment for your needs. 

My own personal journey began in 1983 when I decided to embark on a fitness mission to lose 30 pounds and get my "whole" body in shape. My personal regime included running, walking, circuit training, tai chi, Qi Gong, meditation, hiking, and cycling. For me, the best strategy for fitness, mentally physically, and spiritually, is doing something a little different each day. I discovered focusing only on one type of exercise does little to help the body as a whole. 

Various forms of exercise are needed to keep the human body from overworking certain muscle groups and neglecting others. My primary form of aerobic exercise now is cycling. However, in the last couple of years, I've transitioned from cycling 120-150 miles per week to about 60-90 miles per week. This allows me to engage in other activities that focus on other muscle groups, as well as rest. Our bodies were designed to move. However, movement without rest eventually irreversibly tears down the body.

On the other hand, rest without movement creates stagnation. This leads to inhibited circulation of energy, blood, and body fluids. My practice is filled with patients exhibiting both excessive movements without rest and excessive rest without movement. For me, it isn't about going the farthest or the fastest, anymore. Really, the bottom line is what am I doing that benefits the whole body, including my muscles, nervous system, and internal organs? Also, what foods am I consuming that are doing the same? Most patients discover that a multifaceted approach to optimal health and wellness is necessary to make a long-lasting effect. Many times these strategies are contrary to the world's view. 

There are ways to maximize your athleticism and recover from exercise without traditional Western pharmaceutical medicine. The ancient Chinese warlords and their armies used these methods thousands of years ago. And to this day athletes continue to discover the overwhelming benefits of Chinese medicine. 

This article about how one of the world's most famous athletes repairs his body naturally is a great example for all professional and amateur athletes, as well as the occasional weekend warrior.

D. Mark Tryling, LAc, Dipl. AC, CH (Lic. AC00563, Texas Medical Board)

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Apr 5, 2023 Yang Fire Dragon

In the Chinese calendar, April 5, 2023, is the first day of Yang Fire Dragon 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 Yang Fire Dragon month extends till May 5, 2023.

The Yang Fire Dragon refers to the 56th hexagram described in the I Ching and used in Feng Shui. Its image is Fire over Mountain.  The Yang Fire Dragon signifies "Wanderer". It represents an image of heat ascending and damp descending. 

The Yang Fire Dragon hexagram:

From the perspective of the body and health, the Yang Fire Dragon hexagram continues a  dramatic shift from what was observed in previous months. The environmental influences have shifted to the Spring season. The Yang Fire Dragon is a highly energetic hexagram. Its image is the Fire over Mountain. The Yang Fire Dragon represents an imbalance of the cardiovascular and digestive systems. The pathological influences are now moving away from external environmental factors to more internal organ problems. The dominant pathological influences are characterized by heat and dampness. During the Yang Fire Dragon month damp heat patterns have their root in internal organ problems.

The Fire trigram originates in the Fire element and is related to the Heart, Small Intestine, and Spleen. Its nature is heat rising. The Mountain trigram originates in the Yang aspect of the Earth element. Its nature is unmoving dampness or stagnant accumulation of phlegm and dampness. Combined with heat, this becomes Damp or Phlegm Heat

In Chinese medicine, Damp Heat is the image of infection. Most of the time it is without fever but can include severe infections including small intestine bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), sinus infections, upper respiratory infections (URI), urinary tract infections (UTI), liver diseases such as hepatitis and cirrhosis, and gallbladder disease or cholecystitis. 

Damp or Phlegm Heat many times is the result of consuming foods incompatible with each other, one's constitution, or due to a weakness in the Spleen, Pancreas, Stomach, or Small Intestine. Here in Texas, where I live, popular foods this time of year tend to promote Damp Heat conditions in the gastrointestinal tract. Cusines like Mexican food, Italian, barbeque, kolaches, and the like tend to create excessive internal heat and dampness.

Each season consists of various energetic states, often in conflict. These energetic states will be reflected in nature and more importantly in our bodies. As mentioned before, the Yang Fire Dragon represents a generalized pattern of Damp Heat that affect various organs. Each of these patterns has its own set of signs and symptoms.

Heart Phlegm Heat: caused by irregular or incorrect diet, stress, and frustration leading to irritability, palpitations restlessness, insomnia, dream-disturbed sleep, agitation, and depression 

Large Intestine Damp Heat: caused by unrestrained diet, excessive consumption of raw or cold food, spicy hot greasy food, or spoiled food leading to heaviness and fatigue in the body and limbs, diarrhea, or frequent small quantity stools, burning sensation in the anus, dark scanty or red urination, fullness in the chest

Liver & Gallbladder Damp Damp: caused by excessive consumption of alcohol, greasy fried food, long-standing emotional anger or stress leading to abdominal distention and pain, bloating, nausea, genital pain

Spleen Damp Damp: caused by excessive consumption of alcohol, fatty or sweet foods leading to abdominal distension, bloating, and pain; nausea or vomiting, foul smelling diarrhea or constipation

Spleen & Stomach Damp Heat: excess consumption of greasy, fried foods or alcohol leading to fatigue, low-grade fever, heaviness sensation  in the body, palpitations, scanty yellow during, constipation or foul smelling loose stools, chest fullness,

In spite of the highly energetic nature of the Yang Fire Dragon hexagram, there is an indication of weakness indicated by the broken bars in the first, second, and fifth positions. The weaknesses occur in the Shaoyin, Jueyin, and Yangming levels of the body. 

Weakness in the Shaoyin level is reflected in heart and kidney problems, with common issues of palpitations, fatigue, chest pain, urinary issues, stubborn skin rashes, and low back pain.

Weakness in the Jueyin level causes inhibited blood circulation which in turn causes a buildup of toxicity and heat in the blood, swelling, and edema. 

Weakness in the Yangming level affects the Large Intestine and Stomach leading to constipation or diarrhea, bloating, gas, fullness in the chest, abdominal pain, low-grade fever, and fatigue.

As you can see, common conditions seen during the Yang Fire Dragon month are, primarily, problems with digestion and elimination.

The Yang Fire Dragon month is a sign that changes have arrived. Fortunately, Chinese medicine has been treating Yang Fire Dragon conditions for thousands of years.

In previous posts, we've been relating important ideas our family uses to keep and maintain optimum health. We continue this discussion this month by discussing the effect of the Yang Fire Dragon on the gastrointestinal tract.

As mentioned before, the Yang Fire Dragon comprises the Fire trigram in the upper trigram and the Mountain trigram in the lower portion of the hexagram. The Fire trigram is the third most energetic trigram of the Ba Gwa. It is related to the Heart, Small Intestine, and Spleen in Chinese medicine. 

Yang Fire represents the Small Intestine within the Five Element theory of Chinese medicine. Small Intestine inflammation is a common problem in our modern culture. This is due to the food choices made that are often contraindicated for a person's constitution or the particular health challenges they face. As such, the inflammation here is easily transferred to the Liver, Heart, Spleen, Urinary Bladder, Kidneys, and nervous system. To protect ourselves from systemic inflammation that has its root in the Small Intestine it is necessary to modify one's diet to prevent inflammation from escalating. This often means including bitter green vegetables in the diet which aid in clearing and draining inflammation from the Small Intestine. Another strategy we use in our family is limiting or avoiding excessively hot, spicy foods.

The Mountain trigram in the lower portion of the hexagram for this month corresponds to the Yang aspect of the Earth element in Chinese medicine. Its nature is Damp Heat or Phlegm Heat. The Mountain trigram is related to the Stomach, Spleen, Small Intestine, lymphatic, and endocrine systems. The Mountain trigram is the fourth most energetic of the eight trigrams. The Mountain warns us to be careful when consuming overly fried, greasy, sticky, sweet, salty, or rich foods.  These are the foods that contribute to damp or phlegmy conditions in the body.

The key to the Yang Fire Dragon is the Small Intestine. For many people, this is where inflammation tends to have its source. As mentioned before, this is due, primarily, to dietary choices, and incompatible foods with a person's constitution. 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 promote Small imbalance health specifically for you.

Chinese herbal medicine is very effective in treating gastrointestinal inflammation. schedule a herbal consultation

If you are in need of remedies from our herbal compounding pharmacy, for any condition, please reach out to us. In most cases, we can schedule a telemedicine visit for you.

Our special this month: 

Special: 20% Discount on a New Patient Consultation Schedule today!

 

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