Prescriptions:
Restore and Maintain Inner Harmony
In this chapter, everything you’ve learned about natural healing is combined synergistically in a useful, practical way. Most Chinese doctors who practice numerous healing modalities have stated that people who are ill must combine many methods to restore the body to optimal balanced health, including acupuncture, herbs, massage, Qigong, and diet. Diseases originate from different causes, and while some have a rapid onset, most develop over time. When numerous modalities are applied in an integrated way, those diseases will be resolved most fully and in the shortest time possible. When those modalities are applied preventatively, a person will rarely become sick, will recover much faster when they do get sick, will minimize or eliminate many common age-related conditions, and will live a longer, healthier life.
Below you’ll find conditions presented alphabetically for your convenience. In some cases, a few are grouped together under one primary heading, when the conditions are distinctly related in some way. For example, poor digestion, nausea, diarrhea, constipation, food poisoning, and abdominal distension and pain are all included under the heading “Digestive System Disorders.”
Beneath the heading, you’ll first see the appropriate Qigong exercise(s) to practice. Since each Qigong addresses a specific organ, you will immediately know which organs are most involved with the condition being treated. Remember that these Qigongs are named for their related Yin organ, but its Yang paired organ may be equally involved. If more than one Qigong is recommended, you can either practice each Qigong every day—best if time permits—or you can alternate Qigongs on a daily basis.
It’s a good idea to learn all the Qigongs as soon as possible. On their own they are very beneficial as daily practices to build health and energy. They take a little time to learn and then to acquire proficiency. Once learned, you will be able to draw on them as needed when working on a health challenge. As the old Chinese saying goes, “Don’t wait until you are thirsty to begin digging a well.”
Next, you’ll find an acupressure prescription. The selected points are commonly used in acupuncture treatments. Modifications may be included to address related conditions that have unique characteristics. Recommendations are given for tonification and sedation techniques. Remember that harmonization techniques are always appropriate. Point locations are given in Chapter 13, and acupressure techniques are taught in Chapter 12.
Herbal patent formulas follow next. Sometimes a single patent is provided, and sometimes more than one is suggested. Unless otherwise stipulated, you can choose among any of the suggested patents, which can make it easier for you find a suitable one. Your personal circumstances may be different from those of someone else with similar symptoms. If you compare the recommended formulas, you will be able to select the best fit for you. The number that follows the patent name guides you to where the patent was introduced by the same number in Chapter 15, so you can easily review its actions and characteristics.
As different companies may include different quantities or concentrations of herbal ingredients per tablet or pill, follow the dosage recommendations they provide on their packaging materials. Typically, for the BB-sized tea pills, you’ll take eight pills, three times per day. Some companies make larger herbal tablets, requiring three tablets three times per day. Remember that these are not synthetic drugs but actual herbs, so a larger quantity of pills is necessary to provide you with a sufficient amount of herbs.
Finally, you’ll find dietary recommendations, divided into beneficial foods and specific food remedies. Include as many of the beneficial foods in your daily diet as possible. They are foods that are most readily available to Westerners. Other less familiar foods are used by the Chinese, and they routinely add some medicinal herbs in their stews, soups, and porridges. Those have been purposely omitted here, in order to make all of your food choices accessible.
The food remedies are recipes used to treat specific conditions. Remember that foods have the same qualities and characteristics as herbs, regarding taste, Qi, channels entered, and so on. Some foods, especially spices and herbs but also some beans, grains, and root vegetables, are used as medicinal substances. Most foods may be weaker than those used in Chinese herbology, but when consumed regularly they provide a beneficial cumulative effect. They are most effective when integrated with other treatment modalities.
Some foods are not considered to be healthy choices by contemporary Western standards. For example, some remedies call for large quantities of sugar. Sugar has medicinal properties that are beneficial in these instances, outside of the non-nutritional caloric and high carbohydrate content that makes it anathema to most health-conscious Westerners. Of course, a diabetic should still omit sugar, but anyone else trying to resolve a health challenge can safely include it for the relatively short period of time required. Similarly, tofu is made from soybeans, which are both estrogenergic and among the most prevalent of genetically modified foods. While the estrogen-like effects can be safely discounted in short-term use (except in cases of preexisting hormone-dependent cancers), genetically modified foods should always be avoided. Make sure you use verifiably organic soy products whenever possible. In fact, organic foods are generally the best to use regardless, since our food supply and many aspects of the foods themselves—lower and altered nutritional content as well as herbicide, pesticide, and industrial waste contamination—have been changed significantly since these food remedies were devised.
In a very few conditions, no foods are given. This is not an oversight. Food information for those conditions is either conflicting, very complicated, or missing from the literature.
You may find yourself drawn to only one approach, like Qigong, or possibly two, like herbs and diet. That’s okay; you will get plenty of health improvements from just that. You do have to start somewhere, and you can’t do it all at once. Pick the things that appeal to you most and build on that. Eventually combining all approaches in the integrated way shown here will give you the very best outcome, so try to include all as soon as you’re able. Once you see how rewarding it is, it will be very easy to continue.
Start simply. Pick one condition to work on or the wellness self-care protocol at the end of this chapter, and familiarize yourself with each treatment aspect involved with that one condition. That’s relatively easy to do, and the success you have there will encourage you to include more over time.
The following is a prescription index with integrated healing for common conditions.
Abscesses
Qigong
• Lung.
• Secondary: Spleen, Liver.
Acupoints
• For superficial abscess, face and skin: Lu 6, LI 4, LI 11, (LI 20 if not the site of an abscess), St 36, St 40, Sp 6, Sp 10, UB 40, GB 20. Tonify St 36 and Sp 6. Sedate all others.
• For breast abscesses, add: Ren 17, St 18, Liv 3. Sedate.
• With more Damp (swelling, blisters, oozing), add: Sp 9. Sedate.
Patent Remedy
• For oral or superficial abscesses: Superior Sore Throat Powder Spray (9).
Food Remedy
• For breast abscess: Grind a large handful of mung beans. A coffee grinder will work for this. Mix 2 tablespoons of the powder in a cup of warm water and drink the full cup. Do this twice a day.
Topical
• For Hot or Cold abscesses: Grate a sweet potato to get a quantity sufficient to cover the affected area and apply directly on the abscess or lesion. Leave in place for at least 20 minutes. Apply 2–3 times per day.
• For Cold abscesses only, appearing white with no redness or inflammation: Finely chop a raw scallion, mix it with an egg white, and apply directly on the lesion. Leave in place for as long as possible, and reapply every 4 hours.
Allergies
Qigong
• For airborne and skin allergies: Lung.
• For food allergies: Spleen and Liver.
Acupoints
• For airborne and skin allergies: Lu 7, LI 4, LI 20 Ren 17, SJ 5, Liv 3, GB 1, GB 20, UB 2. During active allergies, sedate all points. Without or between active allergic reaction, tonify all points.
• Food allergy: St 25, St 36, St 40, Sp 6, Liv 3, Liv 13, Ren 12. During active allergies, sedate all points. Without or between active allergic reaction, tonify all points.
Patent Remedy
• For airborne and skin allergies: Yin Qiao Jie Du Pian (1), Xiao Feng San (2), Xiao Yao Wan (24).
• For food allergy: Kang Ning Wan (Stomach Curing Pills, 14), Xiao Yao Wan (24).
Beneficial Foods
• Basil, bee pollen, bok choy, celery, honeycomb, kale, pearl barley, red onions, scallions, spearmint, spinach.
Arthritis
Most types of arthritis are caused by Wind and Damp obstructing the channels, often combined with Cold or Heat. This Wind invasion is characterized by pain that is intermittent or that appears in one part of the body, then disappears only to appear in another part of the body, as if being blown about by the wind. Damp is characterized by feelings of heaviness, either in the afflicted joints or throughout the body, with a dull ache and possible swelling. If Cold is present, the pain is sharp and in a fixed location, and the joints or entire body may feel cold. If Heat is present, the joints feel inflamed and may appear red and swollen. The entire body may also feel hot. All of these symptoms may be exacerbated in someone having a physical or constitutional weakness (Zhengqi) or a weak immune system (Weiqi).
Qigong
• Primary: Kidney.
• Secondary: Lung and Spleen.
Acupoints
Treatment must address three factors. First, Wind and Damp need to be expelled; then local obstructions, the painful joints, must be cleared; and finally, potential weaknesses must be strengthened.
• To clear Wind and Damp: Lu 7, GB 20, St 40, Sp 9, Sp 10. Sedate all.
• With Heat, add: SJ 5, LI 11. Sedate all.
• To free up local obstruction: Select painful or tender points at the affected joint(s). For example, for wrist pain, you could choose among LI 5, SI 5, P 7, SJ 5, Lu 9, and H 5, H 6, or H 7. Sedate all. Refer to the illustrations in Chapter 13 or in Appendix 1 for points grouped by body region to get useful point ideas.
• To strengthen the body and enhance the pain-relieving benefits of the previous points: K3, Ren 4, UB 11, St 36, Sp 6, GB 34, GB 39. Tonify all.
Patent Remedy
• Du Huo Ji Sheng Wan (31)
Beneficial Foods
• For Wind Damp arthritis: Black beans, grains, grapes, green leafy vegetables, scallions. Add the foods beneficial for urinary pain and retention. Those are diuretic and will drain Damp.
• With Cold, add: Chicken, garlic, ginger, grapes, green onions, lamb, mustard greens, parsnip, pepper.
• With Heat, add: Cabbage, dandelion, mung beans, soybean sprouts, watermelon, and a wide variety of other fruits and vegetables.
• Freely include analgesic and anti-inflammatory foods from the bottom of the “Pain, Joints and Limbs” prescription.
Food Remedy
• Eggplant is a nightshade, and there is some controversy over whether nightshades increase the inflammation of arthritis. However, the eggplant root is exempt from such controversy and relieves arthritis pain. It is also energetically neutral, neither hot nor cold, and can be used in both Hot and Cold types of arthritis.
• If you can tolerate alcohol, put 3.5 ounces (about a ½ half cup) of eggplant root in a quart of rice wine, and let it soak for at least a week. Then drink 1 ounce twice a day. You can prepare more than one bottle at a time, since longer soaking is desirable. The alcohol provides a medicinal benefit as it invigorates the channels and moves the Qi, which assists in reducing pain.
• If you can’t drink alcohol, low boil ½ ounce of eggplant root in 3 cups of water until it reduces to about 2 cups, in approximately 30–40 minutes. Drink 1 cup twice a day.
Breathing Disorders
Qigong
• Lung.
• Secondary: Kidney.
Acupoints
• In all cases: Ren 17, Ren 22.
• For Wind Cold (cough with some thin, whitish phlegm, short, rapid breathing, and symptoms of a common cold), add: Lu 7, LI 4. Sedate all.
• For Damp Heat (cough with thick, yellow phlegm, rapid, shallow breathing, coarse voice, feeling restless or agitated, feverish), add: Lu 5, St 40, Ren 12. Sedate all.
• For Lung and Kidney deficiency (weak cough with little or no phlegm, fatigue, weak voice, shortness of breath, especially with exertion): Lu 1, Lu 7, Lu 9, K 3, K 6, Ren 6, St 36, Sp 3, Sp 6. Tonify all.
• For emphysema, bronchitis, or pneumonia, choose the above points that best match presenting symptoms.
Patent Remedy
• For asthma, emphysema: Qing Qi Hua Tan Wan (11) for Spleen Deficiency with Phlegm, Ping Chuan Wan (12) for Kidneys Failing to Grasp Lung Qi.
• For bronchitis: Qing Qi Hua Tan Wan (11), Xiao Chai Hu Tang (28).
• For chronic pneumonia: Qing Qi Hua Tan Wan (11).
Beneficial Foods
• For asthma: Almonds, basil, carrots, daikon radish, figs, garlic, ginger, honey, kale, onions, pumpkin, sesame seeds, tangerine, walnuts.
• For bronchitis: Carrots, daikon radish, ginger, honey, pears, pumpkin, seaweed, sweet potatoes, walnuts, water chestnut.
Food Remedy
• For asthma: Drink 1 cup of fresh fig juice 3 times per day. You can make your own fig juice by putting 2 or 3 figs in a blender with some water, enough to make 1 cup.
• For bronchial asthma: Boil 7 ounces of tofu with 2 ounce of honey and 1 ounce of fresh radish with enough water to keep them covered. Allow this to simmer into a thick soup, and eat it over the course of 1 day. Frequently, symptoms may be relieved by the end of the first day. Repeat as needed.
• For bronchitis: Low boil 1 cup of fresh yellow chrysanthemum flowers in 4 cups of water for 40 minutes, until you have a thick tea. For added benefit, boil with 1½ inches of fresh ginger root, sliced thin. Add honey to taste, and drink throughout the day.
• For walking pneumonia:
• Boil 2 cups of water and add 1 tablespoon blackstrap molasses. Allow to cool to room temperature and add 2 tablespoon freshly squeezed (not bottled) lemon juice. Drink 1 cup twice a day.
• Juice enough celery, oranges and parsley to extract 2 ounces of juice from each. Combine, and drink 6 ounces twice a day.
• For a serious cough from various types of Lung disease. The following was related to me by a noted Chinese doctor and Qigong master:
Get a whole chicken. A one-year-old chicken is best for lung problems. If you can’t get a verifiable one-year-old, it should be possible to make sure it is free range and organic. Next, get 14 ounces (400 grams) of fresh organic ginger root, sliced thin. Pluck the chicken feathers but leave the skin on—this is important. (In the United States, it’s most common to get a cleaned and plucked chicken. Make sure the skin is still on.) Place the chicken and ginger in a large pot and add a lot of water, enough to completely cover them. Boil together for 1–2 hours. After 1–2 hours, drink the whole pot of broth while still very warm, but don’t eat the chicken. (You can eat the chicken later if you want, but it’s not part of this treatment.) The exact amount of liquid was not stipulated, but it will be at least a few cups.
Before drinking the broth, take a hot shower to warm your body and open your pores. After drinking, take a sauna if possible or cover yourself with thick blankets to induce a sweat. Ginger is a hot substance, and it also releases the surface. When you drink it, it will dispel toxic Heat from your body. Chicken directs this action.
This sweat will be sticky, primarily from the lungs, due to substantial and insubstantial Phlegm that may be found in different places throughout your body. This treatment is also good for Phlegm nodules, possibly including lipomas.
This is a one-time treatment, but it may be repeated at intervals if needed. Reportedly, it has cured patients who have had asthma for more than ten years with only one treatment.
• Variations for lung cancer: Replace chicken with crocodile meat, still using 14 ounces of ginger. Water turtle is also good for all kinds of cancer and for treating many lung diseases.
• For any Lung problem: Asian pears are ideal for any lung problem and especially good for dry symptoms. Cut the top off an Asian pear and core it. Fill the hollowed core with honey. While honey is best, sugar is okay. If you are coughing up white phlegm, use white rock sugar. If yellow phlegm, use brown sugar. If possible, add ½ teaspoon of powdered Chuan Bei Mu (fritillaria bulb) for additional benefit, but this is not a requirement. Put the top of the pear back on, and then steam it for 1–2 hours. Its color should become very dark; then it is ready. Eat 2 every day, and doing so at Lung time (3 a.m. to 5 a.m.) is best. Otherwise eat 1 in the morning and 1 in the late afternoon or evening. This is said to benefit lung cancer. In the case of lung cancer, eat 2 every morning and 2 every evening.
Common Cold or Flu
Qigong
• Lung.
Acupoints
• Lu 7, LI 4, SJ 5, GB 20. Sedate all.
• With cough, add: Ren 17, 22, Lu 5. Sedate all.
• With fever, add: LI 11. Sedate.
• With nasal congestion, add: LI 20, St 3, Du 23. Sedate all.
• With headache, add: St 8, GB 14. Sedate all.
Patent Remedy
• For common cold and flu: Yin Qiao Jie Du Pian (1), Gan Mao Ling (4).
• With cough: Yin Qiao Jie Du Pian (1) or Gan Mao Ling (4), with
Zhi Ke Chuan Bei Pi Pa Lu (7) or Lo Han Guo Zhi Ke Lu (8).
• With fever: Yin Qiao Jie Du Pian (1).
• With nasal congestion: Bi Yan Pian (3).
• With headache: Most colds commonly cause headaches. Some herbs in each of the above formulas intrinsically address that. For additional help, see the prescriptions under “Headache.”
• With sore throat: Yin Qiao Jie Du Pian (1) with Lo Han Guo Zhi Ke Lu (8) or Superior Sore Throat Powder Spray (9).
Beneficial Foods
• For Wind Cold type: Basil, cinnamon, garlic, ginger, onions, parsnip, scallions, spearmint.
• For Wind Heat type: Apples, burdock root, cabbage, cilantro, chrysanthemum flowers, dandelion, pears, peppermint.
Food Remedy
• For Wind Cold type: Add ½ cup fresh cilantro, ½ cup scallions, and 1½ inch fresh ginger root, sliced thin, to a pot containing 3 cups of water. Low boil for 30 minutes, and drink the tea throughout the day. Repeat as necessary.
• For Wind Heat type: Low boil ½ cup each of fresh yellow chrysanthemum flowers and dandelion in 4 cups of water for 30 minutes. In the last 10 minutes, add 2 tablespoons peppermint leaves. Drink freely throughout the day, and repeat as necessary.
Digestive System Disorders
Qigong
• Spleen.
• A simple Qigong practice: Twiddle your thumbs, slowly to start, evenly, and with as precise a circular motion between your thumbs as you can. This aids digestion and aids thought processes and concentration as a secondary benefit, since the thumb area corresponds to the Spleen/Earth element.
• Exercise for constipation and diarrhea: For constipation, extend your arms forward, parallel to each other and to the ground, with your palms down. Put your mind on LI 4 and Lu 6. Then rapidly, forcefully, externally rotate your arms, so your palms face upward or slightly outward. Repeat 200–300 times, breathing naturally. This opens LI 4 and Lu 6. For a healthy, clear colon, this outward turning is best. For diarrhea, start with your palms facing up and turn them rapidly and forcefully inward. With no particular problem, rotate your arms and hands with equal force and intent in both directions. This will maintain balance and keep the meridians open.
Acupoints
• In the absence of digestive disorders, tonify these points regularly to improve digestive functions and build energy: Sp 6, St 36, Ren 6, Ren 12, LI 10.
• For poor appetite, nausea, abdominal gas, chronic diarrhea: St 25, St 36, Sp 3, Sp 4, P 6, Ren 12. Tonify all.
• For acute (rapid onset) diarrhea: St 25, St 36, Sp 9, LI 11, Ren 12. Sedate all.
• For constipation from excess (very infrequent bowel movements, abdominal fullness and swelling, heat sensations, thirst, bad breath): St 25, SJ 6, K6, LI 4, LI 11, Liv 3, Ren 12. Sedate all.
• For constipation from deficiency (dull or dry skin, lips, and hair, shortness of breath, tiring easily, aversion to cold, cold sensation in abdomen, possibly with pain): LI 10, Liv 13, St 25, St 36, Sp 3, SJ 6, K6. Tonify all.
• Simple constipation treatment: In this practice, LI 4 is paired with Lu 6, Kong Zui. Kong means an “opening” or “hole.” Zui means “maximum” (or “collection”). One interpretation of this point’s name is anus. Using sedation techniques, perform acupressure to both points.
Patent Remedy
Most of the digestive disorder symptoms are caused either by a Spleen Qi deficiency that generates Damp or by Damp from another source that impairs Spleen function. In either case, both the Spleen and Damp must be addressed, with the root cause taking greatest priority. If Damp is greater than Spleen deficiency, the patent formula Ping Wei Pian is the best choice. If Spleen Qi deficiency is greater than Damp, Liu Jun Zi Tang is the best choice. Xiang Sha Liu Jun Zi Tang is a pretty even balance between the two. Kang Ning Wan (Stomach Curing Pills) is almost universally effective in quickly relieving stomach distress, although the underlying cause may still need treatment.
• For poor appetite, poor digestion, diarrhea, nausea, abdominal gas, abdominal distension/discomfort: Ping Wei Pian (13), Liu Jun Zi Tang (11), Xiang Sha Liu Jun Zi Tang (18).
• For constipation: Kang Ning Wan (14).
• For food poisoning: Kang Ning Wan (14), Ban Xia Huo Po Tang (19).
• For stomach pain/distention/food stagnation: Bao He Wan (15).
Beneficial Foods
• For constipation: Apples, bananas, beets, bok choy, cabbage, cauliflower, chives, figs, honey, kale, onions, prunes, pears, spinach, sweet potatoes.
Food Remedy
• For constipation: In a juicer, juice 1 small or ½ large beet and 1/3 to ½ fresh head of cabbage. Add water to taste if you need to dilute it. Drink on an empty stomach.
There are many possible food remedies to address separate digestive or stomach disorders. The simplest is one that’s effective in most cases:
• Cut a 1½- to 2-inch piece of fresh ginger root, slice it into many thin segments, and low boil it in 2–3 cups of water for 30 minutes. Sip the ginger tea until the distress has passed. It’s okay to add a little honey to sweeten it. This often works for motion sickness and morning sickness as well.
Additional Note
Advice from Chinese folk wisdom: “Walk one hundred steps after each meal to assist digestion.” The beginning of the Spleen and end of the Stomach meridians are in the legs, along with many of their most used acupoints, which may be the origin of this saying.
Dizziness
Qigong
• Liver.
Acupoints
• Du 20, Liv 2, Liv 3, GB 20, K 3, St 36, Sp 6. Harmonize all.
Patent
• Xiao Yao Wan (24), Si Wu Tang (38), Liu Wei Di Huang Wan (43).
Food Remedy
• Eat 1–2 handfuls of sunflower seeds. Chew thoroughly before swallowing. Follow with 1 teaspoon of honey and 1 cup of room-temperature water.
• As a tasty side dish, select a desired quantity of spinach, soak it in hot water for 3–4 minutes, season it with sesame oil, and enjoy.
Dry Hair, Nails, and Skin
Qigong
• Lung.
• Secondary: Kidney and Spleen.
Acupoints
• Lu 9, H 7, St 36, Sp 6, 10, K 6. Tonify all.
Patent Remedy
• Si Wu Tang (38), Shou Wu Zhi (39).
Beneficial Foods
• Generally nourishing Blood and Yin: Beef, cantaloupe, eggs, milk/dairy, ham, honey, lemons, soybeans or tofu, spinach, star fruit, sweet potatoes, walnuts, watermelon.
Eczema
Qigong
• Lungs.
Acupoints
• LI 4, LI 11, Du 20, Sp 10, St 36, UB 40, Liv 3. Sedate all.
Patent Remedy
• Xiao Feng San (2).
Beneficial Foods
• Adzuki beans, broccoli, corn silk, dandelion, mung beans, pearl barley, potatoes, seaweed, water chestnut, watermelon.
Food Remedy
• Crush a potato to make a paste. Apply directly to the affected areas, and change the dressing 2–3 times per day. It is reported that symptoms usually improve within 2–3 days.
Edema (Generalized)
Qigong
• Kidney, Lung.
• Secondary: Spleen.
Acupoints
• Lu 7, LI 4, 11, Sp 9. Sedate all.
• St 36, K 7, Ren 4. Tonify all.
Patent Remedy
• Wu Ling San (30). While effective for all types of fluid retentions and accumulation, the pills are milder than the raw herb formula. This makes them a safer choice for self-care, although it may take longer to see results.
Beneficial Foods
• Adzuki beans, apples, beef, carrots, chestnuts, celery, coconut, corn, corn silk tea, fava beans, garlic, ginger, mandarin orange, millet, oats, pearl barley, scallions, spinach, watermelon, wheat.
Food Remedy
• For general edema: Steam 1 pound of beef. While cooking the beef, soak 2 tablespoons of grated ginger root in 2 ounces of rice vinegar. When the beef is cooked, season with the ginger vinegar and eat on an empty stomach. Alternatively, stew the beef in water for 2 hours, adding enough water as needed to keep it covered, and drink the liquid.
• For edema in heart and kidney disease: Low boil 2½–3 ounces of fresh watermelon rind in 3 cups of water for 30 minutes. Divide the tea into 2 portions, and drink half in the morning, half in the evening.
Emotional Distress
Qigong
• For anger or depression: Liver.
• For anxiety: Heart.
Acupoints
• For anger: Liv 3, LI 4, 11, Du 20, GB 21, Yintang. Sedate all.
• For depression: Liv 3, 14, LI 4, K 1, H 5, P 6, GB 20, Yintang. Tonify all.
• For anxiety: H 6, H 7, Sp 6, Liv 3, Du 20, Ren 17, Ren 15, Yintang. Sedate or harmonize all.
Patent Remedy
• For anger/irritability or depression: Xiao Yao Wan (24).
• For anxiety: Gui Pi Wan (22), An Mian Pian (20), Tian Wang Bu Xing Dan (21), Ba Zhen Wan (34).
Eye/Vision Problems
Qigong
• Liver.
Acupoints
• For all eye problems: Liv 1, Liv 3, GB 1, GB 20, GB 37, LI 4, St 2, St 8, St 36, K 3, UB 1, UB 2, SJ 23, Du 23, Yintang. Harmonize all.
Patent Remedy
• For blurry or weak vision: Qi Ju Di Huang Wan (44).
• For cataracts: Ming Mu Di Huang Wan (45).
• For dry eyes: Qi Ju Di Huang Wan (44).
• For eye pressure: Ming Mu Di Huang Wan (45).
• For floaters/eye spots: Si Wu Tang (38).
• For glaucoma: Ming Mu Di Huang Wan (45), Long Dan Xie Gan Wan (26).
• For night blindness: Qi Ju Di Huang Wan (44).
• For red eyes: Ming Mu Di Huang Wan (45).
Beneficial Foods
• For cataracts: Black beans, carrots, cilantro, cloves, chrysanthemum, goji berries, spinach, sweet potatoes.
• For glaucoma and eye pressure: Beets, beet greens, black sesame seeds, carrots, chrysanthemum, goji berries, grapefruits, lemons, oranges, peppermint, spearmint.
• For night blindness: Carrots, goji berries, sweet potato.
Food Remedy
• For blurry vision: Collect 5 teaspoons of lemon seeds and let dry. Grind them into a fine powder, using either a food processor or coffee grinder. (Traditionally, a mortar and pestle were used.) Mix 1 teaspoon into a glass of warm water and drink once a day for 5 days.
• For cataracts: Cook ½ cup black beans until soft. Bake 1 small sweet potato and remove the skin. Steam a large handful each of goji berries and walnut pieces. Mash all the ingredients together with 1–2 teaspoons honey. Every day, eat 1 tablespoon twice a day, 30 minutes before or 1–2 hours after a meal. Continue for at least 1 month.
• For glaucoma: Low boil ½ cup of fresh yellow chrysanthemum flowers in 3 cups of water for 30 minutes. In the last 5 minutes, add 2 tablespoons peppermint leaves. Drink freely throughout the day, and repeat as necessary.
Fatigue
Qigong
• Spleen.
• Secondary: Kidney.
Acupoints
• St 36, St 40, Sp 6, Liv 13, K 3, K 7, Lu 9, LI 10, Ren 17, Du 20. Tonify all.
Patent Remedy
• Ba Zhen Wan (34). Depending on the presentation, you can add Si Jun Zi Tang (35), with more signs of Qi deficiency, or Si Wu Tang (38), with more signs of Blood deficiency.
Beneficial Foods
• Beef, brown rice, carrots, chestnuts, chicken, dairy, black or red dates, fish, ginger, green beans, hazelnuts, honey, lamb, onions, pork, rye, sesame seeds, shrimp, sweet potatoes, papaya, pumpkin, pumpkin seeds, walnuts.
Fever
Qigong
• Not recommended with active fever.
Acupoints
• LI 4, LI 11, Lu 10, GB 20, SJ 5. Sedate all.
• K 6. Tonify.
Patent Remedy
• With common cold or flu: Yin Qiao Jie Du Pian (1).
Beneficial Foods
• Apples, celery, chrysanthemum tea, cilantro, dandelion, lemons, marjoram, peppermint tea, mung beans, olives, pears, pumpkin, star fruit, tofu, watermelon.
Gall Bladder, Inflammation and Stones
Qigong
• Liver.
Acupoints
• GB 34, 39, 40, 41, Liv 13, 14. Sedate all.
• St 36. Tonify.
Patent Remedy
• Long Dan Xie Gan Wan (26).
Beneficial Foods
• For gallstones: See Urinary System Disorders. Add turmeric and ginger to reduce inflammation and pain.
Headache
Qigong
• For headache at the sides and top of head: Liver (Gall Bladder).
• For headache at the forehead: Spleen (Stomach).
• For headache at the base of the skull: Kidneys (Urinary Bladder).
• For headache due to a cold: Lungs. See also “Common Cold or Flu.”
Acupoints
• GB 14, GB 20, GB 41, UB 2, UB 59, UB 60, UB 62, Liv 3, LI 4, ST 8, SJ 23, Du 20, Du 23. Sedate all.
• With Damp, add: St 40. Sedate all.
Patent Remedy
• For Liver Qi Stagnation: Xiao Yao Wan (24).
• For Spleen/Stomach Damp: Ping Wei Pian (13).
Beneficial Foods
• Chrysanthemum, ginger, peppermint, shiitake mushrooms, spinach.
Food Remedy
• While headaches arise from different sources and must accordingly be treated differently for best results, for most headaches from tension, stress, and emotional concerns, this tea is often effective: Bring 1½–2 cups of water to a boil, and add 2 tablespoons chrysanthemum flowers, 2 teaspoons loose green tea, and 1 teaspoon peppermint. Boil for 5 minutes only, strain the tea, and drink while warm. A little honey may be added to taste.
• For tension headaches: Boil ½ ounce of fresh basil in 3 cups of water for about 20 minutes. Then add 1 teaspoon each of peppermint and spearmint leaves, and boil for another 5 minutes. Turn off the heat, and add 2 tablespoons honey. Drink twice a day. Note: Basil is slightly warm, and spearmint is warm, but peppermint is cool and will balance their warming effects. Honey is neutral. This tea is suitable for headaches with either Cold or Heat signs, with or without a common cold.
Heart Conditions
Qigong
• Heart.
Acupoints
• H 3, H 7, P 6, Sp 3, 4, Liv 3, Ren 17, UB 60, K 3. Tonify all.
Patent Remedy
• For angina and chest pain: Dan Shen Yin (53).
• For palpitations: Gui Pi Wan (22).
Beneficial Foods
• For the Heart in general: Apples, bananas, bean sprouts, black sesame seeds, brown rice, celery, chicory, Chinese yams, coconut, ginger, goji berries, honey, hawthorn berries, onions, pearl barley, seaweed, shiitake mushrooms, wheat.
• Additional foods that help lower cholesterol: Eggplant, garlic, celery, tomatoes, kelp.
Hemorrhoids
Qigong
• Spleen, Kidney.
Acupoints
• UB 40, UB 57, Du 1, Sp 3, Sp 4, Sp 6, K 7. Tonify all.
Patent Remedy
• Bu Zhong Yi Qi Wan (36).
Beneficial Foods
• Banana, figs, prunes, Swiss chard, most vegetables and fruits.
Food Remedy
• Simmer a few leaves of mustard in 1–1½ cups water until it forms a pasty, thick liquid. Apply to the affected area while warm.
• Eat two bananas, with the peels on, early in the day before eating any other food. You can steam the bananas to soften the peel if you’d like, but this is not necessary. Use organic bananas and wash the skin thoroughly before consuming.
Hepatitis, Enlarged Liver
Qigong
• Liver.
• Secondary: Spleen.
Acupoints
• Liv 3, Liv 13, Liv 14, GB 34, Sp 9, 15. Sedate all.
• P 6. Tonify.
Patent Remedy
• Shu Gan Wan (25).
Beneficial Foods
Hepatitis is almost always a Damp Heat disease. Many of these foods are cooling and drain Damp Heat.
• Apples, adzuki beans, barley, beet greens, bok choy, buckwheat, grapes, carrot, carrot greens, celery, corn silk, cucumber, dandelion greens, day lilies, eggplant, fig leaves, hawthorn berries, millet, oranges, pears, pig gallbladder, pineapple, sprouted wheat, water chestnut, watermelon.
Food Remedy
• Boil 5 red dates, 1 small handful of peanuts, and 1 teaspoon rock sugar or brown sugar in 1½–2 cups of water. When the liquid is reduced by half to ¾–1 cup, drink it all, about 1 hour before bedtime.
• Make a tea from 1 small handful each of corn silk, beet greens, and dandelion greens. Low boil in 3 cups of water until it reduces to 2 cups. Drink 1 cup twice a day.
Hernia
Qigong
• Spleen, Liver.
Acupoints
• Liv 3, Liv 8, Sp 6, St 21, St 29, St 36, K 1, Du 20, Ren 6.
Patent Remedy
• Bu Zhong Yi Qi Wan (36).
Food Remedy
• Low boil 4 figs and 1 small handful each of fennel and orange seed in 3 cups of water, until reduced to 2 cups in about 30 minutes. Drink 1 cup twice a day. For additional benefit, grind 1 handful of coriander seeds to fine powder in a coffee grinder and stir 2 teaspoons into each cup of tea.
Herpes, Oral or Genital
Qigong
• Liver, Lung.
• Secondary: Spleen and Kidney.
Acupoints
• GB 20, LI 4, LI 11, LI 20, UB 40, St 36, Sp 6, Sp 9, Sp 10, K 10, K 13. Sedate all during an outbreak.
• LI 4, St 36, Sp 6, Liv 3, 8, K 3, SJ 5. Tonify all when dormant.
Patent Remedy
• Long Dan Xie Gan Wan (26).
Beneficial Foods
• Carrots, daikon radish, honeysuckle flower (tea), mung beans, peppermint.
Food Remedy
• Apply honey topically a few times a day to soothe and promote healing.
Hives
Qigong
• Lung.
Acupoints
• LI 4, LI 11, UB 40, Sp 6, Sp 10. Sedate all.
Patent Remedy
• Xiao Feng San (2).
Beneficial Foods
• Chrysanthemum tea, black beans, black dates, black sesame seeds, corn silk tea, ginger, hawthorn berries, licorice root, mung beans, papaya, pearl barley, peppermint, shiitake mushrooms.
High Blood Pressure
Qigong
• Liver, Heart.
• Secondary: Kidney.
Acupoints
• Liv 3, GB 14, GB 20, H 7, LI 4, LI 11, St 36. Sedate all.
• K 6, Sp 6, Sp 9. Tonify all.
Patent Remedy
• Dan Shen Yin (53), Bao He Wan (15).
Beneficial Foods
Some of these foods are diuretic, some directly lower blood pressure, and others lower cholesterol.
• Apples, asparagus, bamboo shoots, bananas, buckwheat, celery, corn, corn silk tea, eggplant, figs, garlic, hawthorn berries, honey, lemons, mushrooms, onion, papaya, pearl barley, spinach, tomatoes, water chestnut, watermelon.
Food Remedy
• Eat 1 onion each day.
• Eat 3 apples each day. (Apples appear to normalize blood pressure, whether high or low.)
• Make a thick soup with celery, onion, garlic, water chestnuts, and tomatoes. For added benefit, rinse some seaweed to remove the excess salt, and include that along with pearl barley and some seafood for protein. Make this one of your regular meals for lunch or dinner a few times each week.
Immune Support
Qigong
• Lung, Kidney, Spleen.
Acupoints
• Lu 9, LI 10, K 3, St 36, Sp 6, Ren 6. Tonify all.
• SJ 5. Sedate.
Patent Remedy
• Yu Ping Feng San (5), Shen Qi Da Bu Wan (37), Ba Zhen Wan (34).
Beneficial Foods
Since the immune system may be weak for different reasons, addressing the root cause will provide the best results. A strong body will generate a strong immune system. A common way to strengthen the body is to tonify both Qi and Blood, following the same strategy used in the formula Ba Zhen Wan.
• Some foods that generally tonify Qi include beef, cherries, chicken, dates, grapes, honey, most fish, royal jelly, shiitake mushrooms, squash, sweet potatoes, and white rice.
• Some foods that generally tonify Blood include beets, clams, eggs, goji berries, ham, liver (beef, pig, sheep, and goat), milk, octopus, and spinach.
• Since the Lungs influence Weiqi, or defensive Qi, which acts as the immune system’s first line of defense, foods to support the Lungs will improve that aspect of immunity. Some of those foods include almonds, Asian pear, brown sugar, cheese, garlic, ginger, orange, papaya, peach, pearl barley, strawberries, walnuts, and watercress.
Insomnia
Qigong
• Heart.
• Secondary: Liver, Kidney, Spleen.
Acupoints
• H 7, Sp 6, K 3. Tonify all.
• Du 20, Yintang, Liv 3, LI 4, St 36, St 41. Sedate all.
• Optionally, harmonize all points in both groups.
Patent Remedy
• For general insomnia: Suan Zao Ren Tang (23), An Mian Pian (20).
• For Heart and Spleen: Gui Pi Wan (22).
• For Heart and Kidney: Tian Wang Bu Xing Dan (21).
• For Heart and Liver: An Mian Pian (20).
Beneficial Foods
• Cabbage, celery with beet greens, dates (red and black), mulberry tea, peanuts, wheat.
Food Remedy
• Low boil 10 black dates with 6 longan berries and 1 teaspoon honey in 2 cups of water. When the water is reduced to 1 cup, drink the tea about ½ hour before bedtime. You may need to continue this for a few nights before getting satisfactory results.
Men’s Health
Qigong
• Kidney.
• Secondary: Spleen.
• Simple healing exercise for prostate, urinary bladder, reproductive organs, and rectum: Sit on the edge of a chair, heels together, toes pointing out at 180 degrees (or as close as possible.) Keep your body relaxed. If there’s tension in your legs, that indicates a need to be more opened. Stay in this posture until you become comfortably fatigued. Then reverse your feet—toes in, heels out—as much as possible. This helps heal or prevent problems with uterus or prostate. Switch back and forth between each position as you get tired or sore.
Acupoints
• For premature ejaculation: K 3, K 12, Sp 6, Ren 4, Ren 6; tonify all. Ren 1, H 7; sedate.
• For prostatitis: Ren 1, Ren 3, Sp 9, Sp 6, K 1, K 6, Liv 3, Liv 8. Harmonize all.
• For impotence: Ren 3, Ren 4, K 3, K 10, H 7, P 6, Sp 6, St 36. Tonify all.
Patent Remedy
• For premature ejaculation: Jin Gui Shen Qi Wan (40).
• For prostatitis: Ba Zheng Tang (29).
• For impotence: Jin Gui Shen Qi Wan (40), You Gui Wan (42), Shou Wu Zhi (39).
Beneficial Foods
• For premature ejaculation: Cherries, fava beans, raspberries.
• With Cold/Kidney Yang Deficiency symptoms, add warming foods: Chicken (organic and grass fed—do not eat chicken treated with hormones, as those will cause or increase sexual problems), eggs, ginger, lamb, scallions, sesame seeds, walnuts.
• For enlarged prostate and general prostate health: Cherries, corn silk tea, figs, goji berries, mangoes, pumpkin seeds, saw palmetto, seaweed, sunflower seeds, tangerines. In the absence of prostate inflammation, burning urination, or pain, adding the foods for impotence will offer additional help.
• For impotence: Chives, eggs, ginger, goji berries, lamb, ginseng, kidney beans, sweet potatoes, scallions, sesame seeds, shrimp, walnuts.
Food Remedy
• For impotence: Eat 20 walnuts a day for 1 month.
Motion Sickness
Qigong
• Liver.
• Secondary: Spleen.
Acupoints
• Du 26, Ren 17, Ren 12, P 6, St 36, Liv 3, GB 20. Reduce all.
Patent Remedy
• Kang Ning Wan (14) with Xiao Yao Wan (24).
Food Remedy
• Low boil 1 ounce of sliced fresh ginger root in 4 cups of water for 30 minutes. Add 1–2 tablespoons of honey. This is best prepared before a trip if motion sickness is anticipated.
Pain, Joints and Limbs
Qigong
• Kidney, Spleen, Liver.
Acupoints
• K 3, K 7, K 10, UB 62, UB 60, UB 59, UB 57, UB40, UB 11, UB 10, Sp 21, Sp 10, Sp 6, Sp 4, St 41, St 36, St 35, Liv 3, Liv 8, Liv 7, GB 41, GB 40, GB 39, GB 34, GB 21, GB 20. Sedate all.
Most of these points are good for reducing general pain and inflammation, and all are good for local areas of pain. Choose from among them freely. With minor pain, just a few might be necessary. With more serious pain or pain throughout your body, select more or all. Use sedation techniques on all. For local pain in the hands, wrists, elbows, and shoulders, choose the sensitive points in those areas from the Hand Yin and Yang meridians (H, P, Lu, SI, SJ, LI).
Patent Remedy
• For bone spurs and back pain: Kang Gu Zheng Sheng Pian (32).
• For general joint and limb pain: Yan Hu Suo Zhi Tong Pian (49).
• For pain in limbs with swelling: Yi Yi Ren Tang (48).
• For upper body joint pain and arthritis: Chuan Bi Tang (54).
• For lower body joint pain and arthritis: Du Huo Ji Sheng Wan (31).
• For low back pain and weakness: Kang Gu Zheng Sheng Pian (32), Du Huo Ji Sheng Wan (31).
Beneficial Foods
Note that the foods in this pain category are not analgesics but are aimed at strengthening the weaknesses that are the root cause of the pain. For general pain from any source, it’s fine to add a few common single herbs. These include turmeric and ginger, both of which are used in Chinese herbology and reduce inflammation and pain. Papaya is also used in Chinese medicine and contains the proteolytic enzyme papain, which helps reduce pain. Pineapple contains bromelain, another proteolytic enzyme. The African herb devil’s claw is a potent pain reliever, working similarly as a COX-2 inhibitor without the dangerous side effects. White willow bark is a Native American remedy for pain and is the original source of aspirin (salicylic acid), in its safest natural form. Turmeric, ginger, papaya, and pineapple can all be added to or be eaten as foods. All, including the extracted papain and bromelain, can be taken in pill or capsule form, available in most drug and nutrition supplement stores. In that case, follow the instructions on each product’s label.
• For joint pain, same as for Wind Damp arthritis. Add the appropriate food choices for Heat or Cold if they are present.
• For back pain with Cold: Chicken (organic and grass fed), eggs, ginger, lamb, lentils, scallions, sesame seeds, walnuts.
• For back pain with Heat: Most fresh fruits and vegetables, most beans.
Pain, General and Traumatic
Qigong
• Kidney, Liver, Spleen.
In the case of recent trauma, limit to only whichever Qigongs may be possible without increasing pain.
Acupoints
Choose from among the joint and limb pain points from under “Pain, Joints and Limbs,” with these modifications:
• Do not put pressure directly on any acute injury. You can, however, treat the same body part on the uninjured side. For example, if you’ve injured your left knee, use acupoints GB 34, Liv 8, St 35, St 36, Sp 10, UB 40, and K 10 on your right knee. You can also select points above and below the injured knee on the left leg.
• During the acute phase of the injury, sedation techniques are still appropriate to reduce pain and inflammation. After the acute phase has passed, you need to tonify to heal injured tissue, rebuild energy, and generate blood. Tonify St 36, Sp 3, Sp 6, K 3, K 7, Ren 4, Ren 6. Sedation should still be used on any areas of lingering pain, to reduce Qi stagnation, Blood Stasis, and any other channel obstruction.
• For chronic pain conditions, follow the instructions in the preceding paragraph. That is, sedate any areas of chronic pain, and tonify St 36, Sp 3, Sp 6, K 3, K 7, Ren 4, and Ren 6 to strengthen and heal your body. Harmonize Liv 3 and LI 4 to smooth Qi systemically, reducing general pain, tension, and emotional distress.
Patent Remedy
• For abdominal Pain: Yan Hu Suo Zhi Tong Pian (49). Also see Digestive System Disorders.
• For general pain: Yan Hu Suo Zhi Tong Pian (49).
• With internal or external bleeding: Yunnan Te Chuan Tian Qi Pian (50), Yunnan Bai Yao (51).
• For pain from traumatic injury: Jin Gu Die Shang Wan (52), Yunnan Bai Yao (51).
Poor Memory
Qigong
• Heart, Kidney, Spleen.
Acupoints
• H 3, H 7, P 6, UB 10, Du 20. Harmonize all.
• K 1, K 6, Sp 6, St 36, Ren 4, Ren 6. Tonify all.
Patent Remedy
• Tian Wang Bu Xing Dan (21), Gui Pi Wan (22).
Urinary System Disorders
Qigong
• Kidney.
Acupoints
• K 3, K 6, K 10, K 13, Ren 1, Ren 3, Ren 6, Sp 6, Sp 9, Liv 3, Liv 8. Harmonize all.
Patent Remedy
• For urinary pain, frequency, retention: Ba Zheng Tang (29), Zhi Bai Di Huang Wan (46).
• For kidney stones/infection: Te Xiao Bai Shi Wan (33).
Beneficial Foods
• For urinary pain, difficulty, retention: Asian pear, black beans, cantaloupe, carrots, celery, chestnut, chickweed, corn, corn silk tea, cranberry juice (unsweetened), dandelion greens, eggplant, grapes, kidney beans, millet, mung beans, Napa cabbage, pearl barley, peanuts, peppermint tea, purslane, raspberries, spinach, squash, star fruit, strawberries, watermelon, wheat, white rice, walnut, watercress.
• For stones: Beet greens, broccoli, chestnut, chives, corn silk tea, cranberry juice (unsweetened), green tea, kale, pearl barley, peanuts, seaweed, walnut, water chestnut, watermelon (including rind).
Food Remedy
• For painful or burning urination:
• Juice carrots and celery in a 3:2 ratio (approximately 5 ounces of carrot juice to 3 ounces of celery) and drink 8 ounces 3 times a day until the condition clears.
• Drink corn silk tea throughout the day until the condition clears.
• For stones:
• Grind 2–3 cups of shelled walnuts into a fine powder. Add an equal amount of brown sugar. Roast in sesame oil, taking care to let the walnut powder brown but not burn. Consume ¼ of the mixture 4 times throughout the day.
• Add 2 teaspoons of uncooked ground walnut powder to each cup of corn silk tea, and drink 5 glasses daily.
• Cut up four star fruits, place in a pot with 3 cups of water and 1 tablespoon of honey, and low boil for 1 hour. Drink the tea and eat the star fruit. Do this once a day.
Women’s Health/Gynecology
Qigong
• Liver, Spleen, Kidney.
Acupoints
• For amenorrhea: Ren 3, St 29, Sp 10, Liv 3, LI 4; sedate or harmonize all. Sp 6, St 36; tonify or harmonize all.
• For dysmenorrhea: Ren 3, Sp 10, St 29, LI 4, Liv 3; sedate or harmonize all. Sp 6, St 36; tonify or harmonize all.
• For irregular menstruation, short cycles (consistently less than 28 days): LI 11, Ren 3, SP 10, Liv 3, K6; sedate or harmonize all. Sp 6, St 36; harmonize.
• For irregular menstruation, long cycles (consistently more than 28 days): Ren 4, Ren 6, Ren 12, Sp 6, St 36; tonify all. Liv 3, LI 4; harmonize.
• For irregular menstruation, variable cycles: Ren 6, Ren 17, Liv 3, Liv 14, LI 4, Sp 6; harmonize all. K 3, K 10, K 13; tonify or harmonize all.
• For premenstrual syndrome: Liv 3, Liv 14, LI 4, K 3, K 13, Sp 3, Sp 6, Ren 3, Du 20. Harmonize all.
• For morning sickness: P 6, Ren 12, Liv 3, Liv 13, St 36, Sp 4. Harmonize all.
• For menopausal hot flashes: Du 20, GB 21, Liv 14, LI 11, Ren 3; sedate all. K 6; tonify. Liv 3, LI 4; harmonize.
Patent Remedy
• For amenorrhea: Shou Wu Zhi (39).
• For dysmenorrhea: Yan Hu Suo Zhi Tong Pian (49), Yunnan Te Chuan Tian Qi Pian (50).
• For irregular menstruation: Ba Zhen Wan (34) for three weeks beginning at end of menses, followed by Xiao Yao Wan (24) or Dan Zhi Xiao Yao Wan (27) for one week, ending at beginning of menses.
• For premenstrual syndrome: Xiao Yao Wan (24), Dan Zhi Xiao Yao Wan (27).
• For morning sickness: Shang Xia Liu Jun Zi Tang (18), Ban Xia Huo Po Tang (19), or Shen Ling Bai Zhu Pian (16).
• For menopause/hot flashes: Dan Zhi Xiao Yao Wan (27), Da Bu Yin Wan (47).
Beneficial Foods
• For PMS: In the absence of Heat symptoms, include these foods in your diet about one week before menses begins. Ginger, green onions, fennel, spinach, walnuts, hawthorn berries, cinnamon, black pepper.
• For morning sickness: Brown sugar, ginger, lentils, millet.
• For menopause: Black beans, black dates, chrysanthemum flowers, cherries, goji berries, mulberries, soy beans, sweet potatoes, tofu, tomatoes.
Food Remedy
• Low boil 1 ounce of sliced fresh ginger root in 4 cups of water for 30 minutes. Add 3 ounces of brown sugar and simmer another 10 minutes. Sip throughout the morning as needed. While 3 ounces of brown sugar are used in the traditional remedy, 1–2 tablespoons of honey may be added to the ginger tea instead, with comparable results.
Wellness Self-Care Protocol
If you’re in good health, here’s a protocol you can use as preventive medicine, for health maintenance and improvement. Over time it will improve your energy, strengthen your immune system, clarify your mind, and balance your emotions. While this will help prevent the onset of illness, if you do become sick or injured, it’s best to postpone this protocol while following the appropriate healing procedures in this chapter. Once you’ve recovered, resume your wellness self-care.
Qigong
• All. Practice each for about 5 minutes every day, or select a different one each day throughout the weekdays, practicing for about 20 minutes a day. On the weekends, select the ones you enjoy the most. If you want to practice longer, that’s okay. Be sure to follow all the practice guidelines from Chapter 16.
Acupoints
• Du 20, GB 21, LI 10, Lu 9, Ren 6, Ren 4, St 36, Sp 6, K3, Liv 3. Harmonize all.
Patent Remedy
• Ba Zhen Wan (34).
• During demanding times when you may expend a lot of energy, consider adding Shen Qi Da Bu Wan (37).
• Older adults begin to experience a progressive decline in Yin somewhere between 50 and 60 years of age. A useful Yin-nourishing maintenance formula to add is Liu Wei Di Huang Wan (43). If you are older, feel chilled easily, and are sensitive to cold, instead of Liu Wei Di Huang Wan, select Jin Gui Shen Qi Wan (40). It includes Liu Wei Di Huang Wan to nourish Yin but adds some warming herbs that nourish Yang as well.