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Shang Han & Wen Bing - lo han guo

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Michael,

 

I've used a lot of lo han guo,

 

It is great for dry cough, dry throat, lung dryness and helping to sweeten

decoctions.

 

However, a teacher of mine told me that it can hold pathogens inside

and should never be used alone during an acute attack of external pathogens.

From my experience, this holds true.

 

Just my 2 cents.

 

K.

 

 

On Feb 19, 2008 8:25 AM, Michael Tierra <mtierra wrote:

 

> Thanks for that Geof and Zev. Zev,, I have to confess I've never I've

> never

> used Jing feng bai du san -- I'll certainly consider it in future cases.

>

> Since the difference between SHL and Wen Bing seems to me to be primarily

> humoural (SHL) and more anti-pathogenic (Wen bing) the choice does become

> clearer. I've taken a few simple clues from SHL that I think seem useful.

> Generally speaking Tai yang stage is early unless one accounts for

> underlying deficiency as an important component of treatment. So a lot of

> colds and flus that last beyond 2 or 3 days seem to go to xiao yang stages

> with chai hu gui zhi tang being very useful because it treats the mixed

> cold

> and hot syndrome, deficient and excess. For some reason during this last

> cold I was so convinced that it was wind cold, and was getting measured

> results with treating it that way, I never tried chai hu gui zhi tang.

>

> I must say that about 85 to 09% of the time the lingering cough and

> recurring pattern that happens with so many of these conditions yields to

> xiao chu hu tang with minor variations for each patient. I was surprised

> to

> find that the most palliative remedy for cough was lo han guo tea.

>

> I wonder what it is about lo han guo, in terms of its properties and

> nature

> as well as biochemistry that makes it so useful. Is it ever used in

> formulas?

>

> We don't say much about it but those inexpensive little sugar cubes of lo

> han guo were very effective palliative treatment for children, many of my

> patients and myself while xiao chai hu kicked in at a deeper level.

>

> Michael Tierra

> www.planetherbs.com

>

> _____

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not sure what exactly that means -- holding in pathogens -- how can you tell

that has happened? MT

 

_____

 

 

On Behalf Of

Tuesday, February 19, 2008 11:00 AM

 

Re: Shang Han & Wen Bing - lo han guo

 

 

 

Michael,

 

I've used a lot of lo han guo,

 

It is great for dry cough, dry throat, lung dryness and helping to sweeten

decoctions.

 

However, a teacher of mine told me that it can hold pathogens inside

and should never be used alone during an acute attack of external pathogens.

From my experience, this holds true.

 

Just my 2 cents.

 

K.

 

On Feb 19, 2008 8:25 AM, Michael Tierra <mtierra@planetherbs

<mtierra%40planetherbs.com> .com> wrote:

 

> Thanks for that Geof and Zev. Zev,, I have to confess I've never I've

> never

> used Jing feng bai du san -- I'll certainly consider it in future cases.

>

> Since the difference between SHL and Wen Bing seems to me to be primarily

> humoural (SHL) and more anti-pathogenic (Wen bing) the choice does become

> clearer. I've taken a few simple clues from SHL that I think seem useful.

> Generally speaking Tai yang stage is early unless one accounts for

> underlying deficiency as an important component of treatment. So a lot of

> colds and flus that last beyond 2 or 3 days seem to go to xiao yang stages

> with chai hu gui zhi tang being very useful because it treats the mixed

> cold

> and hot syndrome, deficient and excess. For some reason during this last

> cold I was so convinced that it was wind cold, and was getting measured

> results with treating it that way, I never tried chai hu gui zhi tang.

>

> I must say that about 85 to 09% of the time the lingering cough and

> recurring pattern that happens with so many of these conditions yields to

> xiao chu hu tang with minor variations for each patient. I was surprised

> to

> find that the most palliative remedy for cough was lo han guo tea.

>

> I wonder what it is about lo han guo, in terms of its properties and

> nature

> as well as biochemistry that makes it so useful. Is it ever used in

> formulas?

>

> We don't say much about it but those inexpensive little sugar cubes of lo

> han guo were very effective palliative treatment for children, many of my

> patients and myself while xiao chai hu kicked in at a deeper level.

>

> Michael Tierra

> www.planetherbs.com

>

> _____

 

 

 

 

_____

 

<< ella for Spam Control >> has removed 5394 Spam messages and set aside

3289 Newsletters for me

You can use it too - and it's FREE! www.ellaforspam.com

 

 

 

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Michael,

 

I am curious about what's in " composition powder. "

> Similarly in Western herbal medicine there is a very famous and highly

> respected formulation called composition powder that was literally made in

> 100 lb lots by 20th century herb doctors, who would use it as a first

> defense for most acute ailments especially upper respiratory.

My father was a pharmacist who trained at the transition around 1920s in

Wisconsin and apprenticed with a self-taught small-town druggist-Native

American medicine woman. Wish he were still around to ask about the home

remedies he used to make for us, all of which worked. I remember him

talking about this formulation.

 

Frances Gander

Athens, Ohio

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A favorite old-time North American remedy used by the 19th century

Thompsonian and Eclectic herb doctors is called Composition Powder. This was

evidently a favorite of Dr. Nowell, who was one of the major teachers of the

late herbalist belovedly known as Dr. Christopher. Dr. Nowell's formula for

Composition Powder is as follows:

 

Powder of bayberry bark (myrica cer.) 4 ounces

Powder of ginger (zingiberis) 2 ounces

Powder of white pine bark (pinus canad.) 1 ounce

Powder of cloves (caryophylum) 1 teaspoon

Powder of cayenne pepper (capsicum) 1 teaspoon

 

The ingredients are mixed and sifted. The dose is one teaspoonful steeped in

a cup of hot or boiling water sweetened with raw brown sugar or honey. Cover

and allow it to stand until cool enough to drink the clear liquid, leaving

the powder.

 

Evidently upper respiratory complaints were at least as prevalent in the

19th and early 20th centuries. It was Dr. Nowell's most commonly prescribed

herbal formula. He states: " We have made and used Composition Powder for

over forty years --- we regularly mixed it in batches of sixty pounds -- As

a remedy in colds, beginning of fevers,flu, hoarseness, sluggish

circulation, colic cramps, etc. we believe it has done more good than any

other single preparation ever known to man --- If this compound were kept in

every home, and used as the occasion arose, there would be far less

sickness. Give it freely in your practice and your patient will bless

you. " [9]

 

Herbal Uprising Since each doctor happened to have his or her own

favorite version of this formula, mine is a Planetary formula called " Herbal

Uprising " and consists of the following:

 

Powder of ginger root 8 parts

Powder of cinnamon twig 4 parts

Powder of white pine bark 2 parts

Powder of cloves 1 part

Powder of bayberry bark 1 part

Powder of marshmallow root 1 part

Powder of licorice root 1 part

 

It is taken similarly to composition powder previously described but Feel

the addition of licorice and marshmallow root gives it a smoother action.

 

 

_____

 

 

On Behalf Of Frances L. Gander

Thursday, February 21, 2008 1:18 PM

 

Re: Shang Han & Wen Bing - lo han guo

 

 

 

Michael,

 

I am curious about what's in " composition powder. "

> Similarly in Western herbal medicine there is a very famous and highly

> respected formulation called composition powder that was literally made in

> 100 lb lots by 20th century herb doctors, who would use it as a first

> defense for most acute ailments especially upper respiratory.

My father was a pharmacist who trained at the transition around 1920s in

Wisconsin and apprenticed with a self-taught small-town druggist-Native

American medicine woman. Wish he were still around to ask about the home

remedies he used to make for us, all of which worked. I remember him

talking about this formulation.

 

Frances Gander

Athens, Ohio

 

 

 

 

 

_____

 

<< ella for Spam Control >> has removed 5431 Spam messages and set aside

3304 Newsletters for me

You can use it too - and it's FREE! www.ellaforspam.com

 

 

 

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I found the following in a quick search for " composition powder " :

 

In the old days doctors used an herbal combination called Composition

Powder. Dr. Nowell, who influenced Dr. Christopher, said Composition

Powder was the most widely used remedy that he had, and that he would

make sixty pounds at a time.

 

Composition Powder: 4 oz bayberry bark, 2 oz ginger, 1 oz white pine

bar. 1 tsp clove, 1 tsp cayenne. The dose was one tsp in a cup of boiled

water sweetened to taste.

 

Dr. Nowell used it for colds, fevers, lungs etc and said he thought it

had done more good for man than any other single preparation ever used. Wow!

 

More here...

 

http://www.planetherbs.com/articles/colds.html

 

Steve

 

Frances L. Gander wrote:

>

> Michael,

>

> I am curious about what's in " composition powder. "

> > Similarly in Western herbal medicine there is a very famous and highly

> > respected formulation called composition powder that was literally

> made in

> > 100 lb lots by 20th century herb doctors, who would use it as a first

> > defense for most acute ailments especially upper respiratory.

> My father was a pharmacist who trained at the transition around 1920s in

> Wisconsin and apprenticed with a self-taught small-town druggist-Native

> American medicine woman. Wish he were still around to ask about the home

> remedies he used to make for us, all of which worked. I remember him

> talking about this formulation.

>

> Frances Gander

> Athens, Ohio

>

>

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