Posted by Hombre on July 19, 2010, at 22:22:19
In reply to Re: Chinese Medicine)))Hombre, posted by Hombre on July 18, 2010, at 21:08:51
I noticed that Bu Zhong Yi Qi Wan contains the following:
Chai hu (Bupleurum chinense root) - relieves qi stagnation, alleviates chest disharmony
Chen pi (Citrus reticulata/citrus peel) - lubricates intestines, prevents stagnation
Da zao (Ziziphus jujube/Chinese date fruit) - tonifies spleen, nourishes blood, calms spirit
Sheng jiang (Zingiber officinale rhizome/ginger root) - aids circulation
Anything to move the blood and get rid of stagnation, especially liver stagnation, is good for depression. All the Spleen and blood nourishing herbs will help not only with energy, but to calm the mind and ease the more psychological type of anxiety and insomnia, where the thoughts are fluttering and they don't feel like they can settle down. This is where the Heart comes into play, but that's another chapter.
I take a similar formula as a general tonic, mostly because I think it is good for me and my girlfriend, but I might try a week of Bu Zhong Yi Qi Wan again to see if it is better for depression. It rectifies the central Qi and Yang which we can think of as helping energy go up to the brain, feeling strong and upright, not heavy and weighted down (think depressive body language, slouching, curved spine).
This in itself can do a lot for depression, but I also strongly recommend the kidney tonic. Long term mental illness and the medications we take to manage them tend to really wear down on a person's confidence and will power. Even when the meds and supplements are helping with the most severe symptoms, something as subtle as willpower and resolve lie deeper in one's being, closer to where the body and mind are so tightly intertwined that they really become one. It isn't just in your head, nor is it a purely "physical" issue. It's where matter and energy freely transmute and change. It's also the place where our will to live, our sexual energy lies. I don't necessarily believe in chakras or kundalini or anything like that, but I think we can all agree that we have a basic drive, where our most basic instincts lie, and this is a great source of power. If we can nurture and make use of this energy, we can regain the daring and courage that is essential if we really want to make changes in the here and now.
Suerte,
Hombre
poster:Hombre
thread:954953
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/alter/20100703/msgs/955084.html