Adrenal Fatigue Tcm Treatment

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    How to Permanently Heal Adrenal Fatigue

    Using Powerful Ancient Herbs

    Most people have no idea that they are suffering from Adrenal fatigue to varyingdegrees. We have come to think of the symptoms as entirely normal parts of life,meaning our entire culture has evolved around it and integrated it to a certain extent.Therefore, when we exhibit symptoms of adrenal fatigue, which from the Chinesemedicine perspective is really deficient kidney energy (either Yin, Yang, or both), wefeel more normal than anything else, due to the fact that we can collectivelycommiserate with everyone else suffering from this disease in the same way.

    In Chinese medicine, our kidneys are recognized as the seat of health, meaning theyare foundational to our wellbeing. An imbalance in the kidneys manifests in many waysand usually results in other organs and body systems becoming imbalanced. Therefore,

    instead of treating each organ individually, we need to primarily address the imbalancein the kidneys and the rest will, for the most part, sort itself out (not always, but moreoften than not).

    Our modern lifestyle is very aggravating, draining and disturbing to the kidneys andtherefore, it is important to nourish them as much as possible in order to maintainbalance and health. The adrenal glands sit directly on top of the kidneys and aretherefore directly interrelated with their function. In the West, kidneys are not given thesame importance as the adrenals, although they are just as significant in their own way.

    The herbal formulas below are very powerful. Do your research or see an acupuncturist

    before jumping in and taking them regularly. However, when you are ready, thecompanyActive Herb and Sun Ten both offer many classical formulas and use highquality herbs.

    - Truth

    Adrenal Fatigue A Chi Perspective Treating Adrenal Fatigue With Herbs

    By Rosanna Commisso |AdrenalFatigue.orgBy Dr. Sam C. Liang | Sun Teng GlobalWhat are the adrenals?

    To understand the importance of the adrenals in your bodys response to stress, letsstart by looking at what your adrenals glands do. Your adrenal glands are essential tolife as they help you cope with all types of stress. As part of the endocrine system, theirrole is to govern the fight or flight response (alarm reaction) and get you ready foraction. They do this by producing several important hormones including cortisol,epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine. Making sure that your adrenals produce

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    the right amount of hormones is crucial too much or too little of any particular hormonecan cause havoc in your body and affect your ability to deal with the demands of living.

    What is Adrenal Fatigue or Insufficiency?

    Adrenal Fatigue is a medical condition where the adrenal glands are unable to produceadequate amounts of the hormones necessary for proper body function. This lack ofhormones results in changes in the bodys carbohydrate, protein and fat metabolism,fluid and electrolyte balance, heart and cardiovascular system and even sex drive. Theresult of this imbalance means that the individual experiences normal everyday stressesas overwhelming, resulting in complete and utter exhaustion that never seems to berelieved no matter how much sleep or rest they get. Although you cant see adrenalfatigue, as there are no visible symptoms, it is a crippling and devastating condition forits sufferers. The fact that it is invisible makes it even harder for sufferers as others mayquestion the individuals symptoms and the validity of the condition itself. Individualssuffering from adrenal fatigue may look and seem healthy but they are feeling like their

    energy and life is slipping away.

    Causes of Adrenal Fatigue

    The underlying cause of adrenal fatigue is ongoing, continuous unresolved stress. Thestress can be emotional, mental, physical or external such as; poor diet, heavy metaltoxicity, extreme shock and emotional trauma, excessive exercise, physical trauma,working too hard without enough rest, over-indulgence in stimulants like coffee, tea,tobacco, and narcotics, excessive use of cortisone therapy, lack of sleep or infections.Unfortunately, the body reacts the same way to both real and imagined threats. Forinstance, constant worrying about a relationship ending can cause the same over-taxing

    of the adrenals and suppression of the immune system as actually having therelationship end. So your thinking has a major impact on your adrenal health andtherefore your overall well-being. When the brain interprets an event as threatening(stressful) the adrenals begin to work. They signal the nervous system to prepare tofight or flee. Even though the stressful event may be over, the body continues to fight.When this state of emergency is maintained for long periods of time, the bodysreserves become depleted and the immune system and adrenals are weakened.

    During the early stages of adrenal fatigue your body produces an excess amount ofcortisol to deal with the constant fight or flight response initiated by the stress. Highcortisol levels can result in obesity, increased cholesterol and blood pressure,alteredbrain chemistry causing depression and anxiety, insulin resistance and osteoporosis. Ifyou fail to address the stress, eventually your adrenals become so exhausted that theyare no longer able to produce an adequate amount of cortisol or other necessaryhormones to maintain normal physiological function. Adrenal Fatigue can become achronic ongoing condition, so to avoid it in the first place its so important to listen toyour body. If you are tired it is pointless trying to rebel against what you body is tellingyou. You may be able to convince yourself that nothing is wrong and thats its just mindover matter or that all you need is some more caffeine or sugar, but in the end your

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    body will be heard even if it has to fall apart and shut down for you to hear what it issaying to you and that is that you need to stop and rest.

    Symptoms of Adrenal Fatigue

    Always feeling cold Anxiety Chronic low-grade infections Decreased sex drive Night sweats Needing to go to the bathroom at night Depression Environmental sensitivities Fibromyalgia Headaches Hypoglycemia

    Inability to focus or concentrate Increased allergies Insomnia Light-headedness Lower back pain in kidney area and sacrum Low blood pressure Muscular weakness Poor memory Scanty perspiration Sensitivity to light, noise, touch, movement Total feeling of exhaustion

    Weight gain or loss Feeling overwhelmed by little things Nausea

    Seeking help with Adrenal Fatigue

    Finding help for your Adrenal Fatigue is unfortunately not easy. Many doctors onlyrecognise extreme adrenal conditions such as Addisons and Cushings. If you feel thatyou have had several of the symptoms listed above for a period of time, then itsimportant to find a knowledgeable GP to work with you. The best way to gauge youradrenal hormone profile, particular your cortisol levels, is to have a saliva test. Thedifference between blood test results and a saliva test result is that a cortisol blood testwill measure the total hormone levels both bound (inactive) and unbound (active)while the saliva test measures only the unbound active hormones, giving you a truereflection of what is happening in your body. To find a doctor who uses saliva testing(and who would likely be familiar with adrenal fatigue), try calling compoundingpharmaciesin your area. They may be able to tell you which doctors order saliva tests.

    Adrenal Fatigue According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)

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    The fundamental principle of health and healing in TCM is the concept of balance. Yourbody contains both Yin and Yang Chi and in health, the relaxed Yin state balances theadrenal Yang state. The problem arises when you have an excess of either Yin or Yanginfluences in your life. In TCM the adrenal glands are part of the water element andrelate to kidney energy. The kidneys are seen as the single most important organ

    affecting the length and quality of your life. They control your internal Chi, your Yin/Yangbalance and house your Jing which is your life force, your aliveness, your creativepower and your essence. Abundant kidney Chi correlates to a strong physicalconstitution as well as a strong innate sense of purpose and will. Since the adrenalsrelate to kidney Chi, Adrenal Fatigue is considered to be a Kidney Yang Deficiency.However, if the condition continues without treatment, it can also result in a Kidney YinDeficiency. Kidney Yang relates to the reactive, sympathetic nervous system and thesecretion of epinephrine and norepinephrine.

    In contrast, Kidney Yin is the parasympathetic nervous system relating to the secretionof cortisol. Just as the body requires some degree of Yang adrenaline hormone to

    create motivation to react both to normal as well as life threatening stimulus, it also hasa continual need for the Yin hormone, cortisol to buffer the effects of stress. In the earlystages of stress, the body increases its production of cortisol, while in the later stagesits secretion of cortisol is severely diminished. This lack of cortisol is diagnosed asKidney Yin Deficiency. The clinical manifestations of Kidney Yang Deficiency are:soreness of the back, cold knees, sensation of cold in the back, aversion to cold, weaklegs, bright-white complexion, weak knees, impotence,premature ejaculation, lassitude,abundant-clear urination, scanty-clear urination, apathy, oedema of the legs, infertility inwomen, poor appetite and loose stools. The tongue is pale, swollen and wet and thepulse is deep and weak. In TCM theory, when there is kidney Yang deficiency, the bodyfails to transform the essence leading to a decline in endocrine and physiologicalfunctions.

    The way to treat Kidney Yang deficiency is to warm the kidney. This means reducingyour intake of cold (eg ice cream and other frozen foods, iced drinks), raw foods andantibiotics, as these foods inhibit your bodys warming function, eventually depletingYang. In addition, the use of sugar can overstimulate the sympathetic reflex and depletekidney Yang. Deficient kidney Yin is manifested with symptoms of aching, soreness ofthe lumbar region of the back, weakness of the legs and knees, tinnitus, dizziness,vertigo, constipation, night sweats,insomnia, dry throat, feverish sensation in the solesand palms, nocturnal emission, and in women, scanty menstrual flow and amenorrhoea,flushed complexion, heat, nervousness, anxiety, insomnia, dryness and chronic signs ofinflammation and wasting. A deficiency of Yin suggests that the maintaining andrepairing function of the body is depleted or lacking.

    The Diagnosis and Treatment of Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome AccordingtoTraditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)

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    (This article is adapted from the contents of Dr. Sam C. Liangs presentation deliveredat the seminar Traditional Chinese Medicine for Adrenal Fatigue hosted by theOriental Healing Arts Institute (OHAI) in Irvine, CA on June 13th, 2010)

    Introduction

    Adrenal fatigue is a type of syndrome caused by the decreased function of the adrenalglands. This syndrome is caused by prolonged periods of overwork, nervousness,stress, and pressure from daily life. It may also be triggered by acute or chronicinfections, including respiratory disorders, such as the common cold, bronchitis, orpneumonia. This type of fatigue persists even with rest or sleep. Adrenal fatiguepatients will feel like they are in a constant state of illness, lethargic or feeling gray.Suffering this type of listlessness, they become dependent on coffee, caffeine or otherstimulants to get through the day. Adrenal fatigue syndrome is also referred to as non-

    Addison hypadrenia, sub-clinical neurasthenia, and adrenal apathy. Millions of people inthe United States and throughout the world suffer adrenal fatigue. There are eight types

    of differential diagnosis for Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome according to TCM:

    1. Kidney Yin deficiency2. Kidney Yang deficiency3. Kidney Yin & Yang deficiency4. Kidney Qi deficiency5. Miscommunication between Heart and Kidneys6. Liver & Kidney Yin deficiency7. Spleen & Kidney Yang deficiency8. Lung and Kidney Yin deficiency

    The TCM Diagnosis & Treatment of Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome

    1. Kidney Yin Deficiency

    Kidney Yin becomes injured by overwork, chronic illness, late-stage Kidney patterns, orfollowing febrile disease. As a result, deficient Kidney fire flares and the excessive heatdamages Kidney Yin and fluids. Clinical signs and symptoms include five-center heat,insomnia with night sweats, dry mouth, sore throat, heel pain, low back soreness, bengluo, a red tongue body, and a thin, rapid pulse.

    1.1 Treatment of Kidney Yin Deficiency with InsomniaSigns & Symptoms This

    pattern is caused by over-thinking. Excessive over-thinking leads to Kidney Yin/Essence deficiency and flaring of Heart fire. The signs and symptoms are palpitation,insomnia, random/bizarre dreams, five-center heat, dizziness, and tinnitus.

    Treatment Principle Because the kidney is deficient, its water is unable to nourish theHearts fire and insomnia results. Treatment includes replenishing Kidney water tosubdue the deficiency fire and, calming and stabilizing the spirit.

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    Recommended Herbal Formulas: The following formulas are combined together andtaken 3 times during a day after each meal with warm water.

    The following formulas are combined together and taken 2 hours before bed orimmediately after dinner with warm water.

    1.2 Treatment of Kidney Yin Deficiency with Fatigue

    Signs & Symptoms

    The body is thin and emaciated, low-grade fever, dizziness with tinnitus and deafness,weakness in the legs, and lusterless facial color.

    Treatment Principle

    Tonify and nourish Kidney Yin.

    Recommended Herbal Formulas

    The following formulas are combined together and taken 3 times a day after each mealwith warm water.

    2. Kidney Yang Deficiency

    The body is unable to warm up the Zang-fu organ because of deficiency of theprimordial yang which results in dampness and water retention in the body as well asdecreased function of the reproductive system. This is due to overwork, aging-inducedKidney deficiency, or chronic diseases. Clinical signs and symptoms include cold signssuch as white and pale face, cold and soreness of the low back, abundant clear urine orretention of urine, edema (especially below the waist), erectile dysfunction, prematureejaculation, excessive vaginal discharge, infertility due to coldness in the uterus, pale

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    tongue body with a white coat, deep thin pulse at the Chi position or a deep hesitantpulse.

    2.1 Treatment of Kidney Yang Deficiency with FatigueSigns & Symptoms

    Interior cold causes watery diarrhea with undigested food, abundant clear urine, soreupper and low back, premature ejaculation, erectile dysfunction, and weight gain,especially around the waist, that is hard to lose.

    Treatment Principle

    Warm Shen Men (), tonify the essence and blood.

    Recommended Herbal Formulas

    The following formulas are combined together and taken 3 times a day after each meal

    with warm water.

    2.2 Treatment of Kidney Yang Deficiency with Water Retention/Swelling

    Signs & Symptoms

    Edema of the whole body, pitting edema especially below the waist, scanty urine, lowback pain, cold stagnation affecting the limbs, and a pale flabby tongue body with teethmarks.

    Treatment Principle

    Warm the Kidneys, move the Qi and promote water movement.

    Recommended Herbal Formulas:

    The following formulas are combined together and taken 3 times a day after each mealwith warm water.

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    Rosanna Commisso has been practicing yoga for over 25 years. She studied bothHatha and Ki Yoga. In addition to her love of yoga, Rosanna brings with her over 20years experience working in both the traditional and alternative health sectors as ahospital pharmacist, counsellor and natural health educator. Rosanna developed ChiYoafter being diagnosed with CFS and adrenal fatigue and wanting to find a form of

    exercise that would help heal, revive, energise and calm her body. Her goal was tocreate a class that would benefit anyone looking for a restorative practice.