Website design By BotEap.comBW came to see me complaining of severe pain in her stomach and also in her lower left rib cage (which, by the way, is called the “hypochondriac region”; “hypochondrium” derived from the Greek word for “abdomen” ). He said that he had lost his appetite and that he felt very tired, almost on the verge of exhaustion. BW was in his early 60s and otherwise in very good health. He exercised a lot, ate well and slept enough for a man his age.

Website design By BotEap.comHis tongue seemed pale to me, and was slightly swollen with some redness on the sides and tip. Her pulse was smooth and a bit slippery on the left side, but it was smooth and quite weak on the right side.

Website design By BotEap.comThe only thing that could have been attributed to BW’s complaint was the fact that he liked to eat out a lot. Although he generally tried to eat healthy foods at the restaurants he frequented, the fact that he didn’t cook his own food meant that he really didn’t know what he regularly ate. Restaurants often cook with a lot of sugar, oils, and even spices that may not be in accordance with our systems. This can cause what we call ‘spleen imbalance’ and can lead to a blockage of what was probably Qi or Dampness, or both. I assumed Dampness as well as a small amount of Qi stagnation with BW due to the nature of his behavior as well as what I could feel in his pulse. The suggestion of Qi stagnation and thus the involvement of the Liver from her (which governs the flow of Qi in our bodies) was indicated mainly in the pain in her hypochondriac region and not much elsewhere.

Website design By BotEap.comThe treatment took only 3 sessions, although her symptoms could probably have been completely prevented with a proper diet. BW was encouraged to start cooking more at home, or at least to start asking about the ingredients used in her food at the places she frequented. She agreed that she would at least try the latter.

Website design By BotEap.comIn addition to some acupuncture on my stomach area and wrists, I also used a few points on my lower legs. Then, every time she came to see me for the next three weeks, I prescribed 4-day recipes for a formula called Xiang Sha Yang Wei Tang (Aucklandia and Amomum Nourishing Stomach Decoction). This formula is generally used to increase appetite, but is specific for reduced appetite caused by Spleen Qi deficiency with some Damp buildup.

Website design By BotEap.comShe felt much better after these three treatments and to date has not complained of the same illness.