Spleen Yang Xu, Wei Qi Xu and dementia

March 2, 2009

The Lung channel (source of Wei qi) originates in the middle jiao, thus the

" three candies " (sheng jiang, da zao, gan cao) are found in gui zhi tang.

Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang supports " clear yang rising " which has oodles of

cognitive benefits.

I think of dementia as a phlegm misting Heart orifices personally, but of

course the phlegm is created in the Earth element.

Memory loss as a function of aging looks like Kidney Jing xu to me.

-al.

On Mon, Mar 2, 2009 at 10:51 AM, wrote:

> Dear colleagues,

>

> I have been treating a number of geriatric patients recently and have

> noticed a trend that I think may be more than just coincidental: In every

> case, seniors who are prone to upper respiratory tract infections, and that

> present with various degrees of memory loss, dementia or Alzheimers have

> displayed an underlying Spleen Yang vacuity as well! Could it be, that if

> not the actual root, the Yang of the Spleen should be considered as a major

> contributing factor to mental functioning? BTW, from a biomedical

> perspective, I am reminded of Gershon's " The Second Brain " where he presents

> the astonding fact that 95%of the body's serotonin is made in the bowel.

>

--

, DAOM

Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional.

March 2, 2009

Dear colleagues,

I have been treating a number of geriatric patients recently and have noticed a

trend that I think may be more than just coincidental: In every case,

seniors who are prone to upper respiratory tract infections, and that present

with various degrees of memory loss, dementia or Alzheimers have displayed an

underlying Spleen Yang vacuity as well! Could it be, that if not the actual

root, the Yang of the Spleen should be considered as a major contributing factor

to mental functioning? BTW, from a biomedical perspective, I am reminded of

Gershon's " The Second Brain " where he presents the astonding fact that 95%of the

body's serotonin is made in the bowel.

Comments?

March 2, 2009

It is a very interesting topic. I have been looking at it from different angles

for a while now and it is amazing on how many different level the SP Qi and SP

Yang are important:

1. Most western medical level - the strong digestion and good pancreatic

function is critical for good blood sugar control as well as just a plentiful

supply of protein and amino acids in the blood scream for all around body

function.

2. In a more TCM look at things - the SP is the root of the Heart Blood

(together with Kidneys and Ht yang). So if the SP function is chronically

inadequate the HT Shen is uprooted. One of my teachers explained it that way:

the memories and experiences are " stored " in the blood - the blood is the

physical foundtation for Ht Shen.

3. Weak SP function tends to lead to weak Zhen Qi, and also tend to dproduce

Phlegm. The Phlegm mostly accumulates in the Lungs and futher weakend their

ability to move clear Qi. And also, Phlegm has a tendency to accumulate in the

upper Jiao and preven the Clear Yang from rizing to the head - certainly not a

good scenario long term.

4. On an even more esoteric level - strong middle jiao Qi is nesessary to

maintain the connection between the Ht and Kidneys for the vertical Fire/Water

axis.

5. you could go even further and bring up even more esoterical points, but I am

not qualified to bring those up.

The more I practice and read the more I am drifting towards internal medicine in

TCM. I know there are books written on every one of the above points. And the

more I learn, the more I am amazed at how little I know of this amazing well of

knowlege and phylosophy that is TCM.

Yehuda, thank you for bringing up a very interesting topic.

Eugene Kokorin

L.Ac.; DAOM

â€A superior pilot is one that uses his superior decision making to avoid

situations where his superior flying skills might be requiredâ€

________________________________

Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine ; TCM

Monday, March 2, 2009 10:51:20 AM

Spleen Yang Xu, Wei Qi Xu and dementia

Dear colleagues,

I have been treating a number of geriatric patients recently and have noticed a

trend that I think may be more than just coincidental: In every case, seniors

who are prone to upper respiratory tract infections, and that present with

various degrees of memory loss, dementia or Alzheimers have displayed an

underlying Spleen Yang vacuity as well! Could it be, that if not the actual

root, the Yang of the Spleen should be considered as a major contributing factor

to mental functioning? BTW, from a biomedical perspective, I am reminded of

Gershon's " The Second Brain " where he presents the astonding fact that 95%of the

body's serotonin is made in the bowel.

Comments?

www.traditionaljewi shmedicine. net

March 3, 2009

The serotonin made in the GI tract does not cross the blood-brain-barrier

and has no effect on serotonin levels in the brain...same is true with other

neurotransmitters made/found in the peripheral nervous system.

J

On Mon, Mar 2, 2009 at 10:51 AM, wrote:

> Dear colleagues,

>

> I am reminded of Gershon's " The Second Brain " where he presents the

> astonding fact that 95%of the body's serotonin is made in the bowel.

>

> Comments?

>

________

Joy Keller, LAc, Dipl.OM

Board Certified in Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine

Ramona Acupuncture & Integrative Medicine Clinic

Phone: (760) 654-1040 Fax: (760) 654-4019

www.RamonaAcupuncture.com

March 4, 2009

Dear Joy,

Actually, I think that that is one of the points that the author is making,

that the gut thinks and acts independent of the brain--often with rather

unpleasant consequences.

--- On Tue, 3/3/09, Joy Keller <JKellerLAc wrote:

Joy Keller <JKellerLAc

Re: Spleen Yang Xu, Wei Qi Xu and dementia

Tuesday, March 3, 2009, 3:33 PM

The serotonin made in the GI tract does not cross the blood-brain- barrier

and has no effect on serotonin levels in the brain...same is true with other

neurotransmitters made/found in the peripheral nervous system.

J

On Mon, Mar 2, 2009 at 10:51 AM, >wrote:

> Dear colleagues,

>

> I am reminded of Gershon's " The Second Brain " where he presents the

> astonding fact that 95%of the body's serotonin is made in the bowel.

>

> Comments?

>

____________ _________ _________ _________ ___

Joy Keller, LAc, Dipl.OM

Board Certified in Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine

Ramona Acupuncture & Integrative Medicine Clinic

Phone: (760) 654-1040 Fax: (760) 654-4019

www.RamonaAcupunctu re.com

March 4, 2009

A friend from Japan shared some research that is being done on Yi gan san

for Alzheimer's dz and dementia. Most of it is in Japanese, but there are a

couple articles in English.

Might be worth looking into on pubmed.

K

On Wed, Mar 4, 2009 at 2:38 AM, wrote:

> Dear Joy,

>

> Actually, I think that that is one of the points that the author is

> making, that the gut thinks and acts independent of the brain--often with

> rather unpleasant consequences.

>

> --- On Tue, 3/3/09, Joy Keller <JKellerLAc<JKellerLAc%40gmail.com>>

> wrote:

>

> Joy Keller <JKellerLAc <JKellerLAc%40gmail.com>>

> Re: Spleen Yang Xu, Wei Qi Xu and dementia

> <%40>

> Tuesday, March 3, 2009, 3:33 PM

>

> The serotonin made in the GI tract does not cross the blood-brain- barrier

> and has no effect on serotonin levels in the brain...same is true with

> other

> neurotransmitters made/found in the peripheral nervous system.

>

> J

>

> On Mon, Mar 2, 2009 at 10:51 AM, wrote:

>

> > Dear colleagues,

> >

> > I am reminded of Gershon's " The Second Brain " where he presents the

> > astonding fact that 95%of the body's serotonin is made in the bowel.

> >

> > Comments?

> >

> ____________ _________ _________ _________ ___

> Joy Keller, LAc, Dipl.OM

> Board Certified in Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine

> Ramona Acupuncture & Integrative Medicine Clinic

> Phone: (760) 654-1040 Fax: (760) 654-4019

> www.RamonaAcupunctu re.com

>

March 6, 2009

Since Alzheimers is being called type 3 diabetes, it totally makes sense to

have an underlying spleen yang xu from a biomedical point of view.

Karen S. Vaughan, L.Ac., MSTOM

Registered Herbalist (AHG)

Creationsgarden1

253 Garfield Place

Brooklyn, NY 11215

(718) 622-6755

See my Acupuncture and Herbalism website

at:_http://www.byregion.net/profiles/ksvaughan2.html_

(http://ksvaughan2.byregion.net/)

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000005)

March 19, 2009

Hi Kokko,

I am familiar with the cognitive enhancement benefit of Yi Gan San. However,

for patients with severe Yin vacuity, it should be used with extreme care. For

example, in the case of my wife, I tried it as part of her formula, and found

that it actually worsened her Yin vacuity, even though I complemented it by

including herbs such as Sheng Di Huang, Mai Men Dong, Sha Shen, Yu Zhu, Wu Wei

Zi, Bai He, Shan Zhu Yu, and Mu Dan Pi. Yet now that I have completely

eliminated ALL of the drying herbs in it: Bai Zhu, Chai Hu, and Chuan Xiong not

only is the rattling saliva in her throat gone, but her tongue is slightly less

dry, her jaw is quivering less, her mood is MUCH better and she's expressing

herself much clearer. I think that the key here, as it should always first and

foremost be, is to first address the pattern rather than the symptoms.

--- On Wed, 3/4/09, <johnkokko wrote:

<johnkokko

Re: Spleen Yang Xu, Wei Qi Xu and dementia

Wednesday, March 4, 2009, 9:10 AM

A friend from Japan shared some research that is being done on Yi gan san

for Alzheimer's dz and dementia. Most of it is in Japanese, but there are a

couple articles in English.

Might be worth looking into on pubmed.

K

On Wed, Mar 4, 2009 at 2:38 AM, > wrote:

> Dear Joy,

>

> Actually, I think that that is one of the points that the author is

> making, that the gut thinks and acts independent of the brain--often with

> rather unpleasant consequences.

>

> www.traditionaljewi shmedicine. net

>

> --- On Tue, 3/3/09, Joy Keller <JKellerLAc (AT) gmail (DOT) com<JKellerLAc% 40gmail.com>

>

> wrote:

>

> Joy Keller <JKellerLAc (AT) gmail (DOT) com <JKellerLAc% 40gmail.com> >

> Re: Spleen Yang Xu, Wei Qi Xu and dementia

> < %40.

com>

> Tuesday, March 3, 2009, 3:33 PM

>

> The serotonin made in the GI tract does not cross the blood-brain- barrier

> and has no effect on serotonin levels in the brain...same is true with

> other

> neurotransmitters made/found in the peripheral nervous system.

>

> J

>

> On Mon, Mar 2, 2009 at 10:51 AM, >wrote:

>

> > Dear colleagues,

> >

> > I am reminded of Gershon's " The Second Brain " where he presents the

> > astonding fact that 95%of the body's serotonin is made in the bowel.

> >

> > Comments?

> >

> ____________ _________ _________ _________ ___

> Joy Keller, LAc, Dipl.OM

> Board Certified in Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine

> Ramona Acupuncture & Integrative Medicine Clinic

> Phone: (760) 654-1040 Fax: (760) 654-4019

> www.RamonaAcupunctu re.com

>

March 19, 2009

I agree, and note another parallel relationship between Lu and Stomach Yin, as

related to body fluid pathology.

--- On Mon, 3/2/09, Al Stone <al wrote:

Al Stone <al

Re: Spleen Yang Xu, Wei Qi Xu and dementia

Monday, March 2, 2009, 11:13 AM