Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine of Marin - Across Bitter Sea

"We do House-Calls" - Oriental Medicine and Acupuncture Healing
www.Acupuncture-Marin.com  Chris Veiga, L.Ac.

125 Camino Alto, Ste B, Mill Valley, CA 94941   (415) 383-9900

www.Acupuncture-Marin.com     Chris@Acupuncture-Marin.com

Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine Medicine: ARTICLES

High Blood Pressure—Traditional Chinese Medicine Approach
by Chris Veiga, L.Ac.

Profile of a hyper-tensive patient:
Age between 30 and 55, obese and/or diabetic, high fat and salt intake, alcohol/tobacco/caffeine consumption, sedentary lifestyle, high stressed, associated symptoms include palpitation (racing heart), sweating, dizziness, headache, insomnia.

What causes blood pressure to rise?
According to Traditional Chinese medicine, a pattern of disharmony known as Liver Fire is the predisposing factor which gives rise to blood pressure.

What causes Liver Fire?
Over-exhaustion—this includes over-working, over-thinking, over-abundance of tension, as well as excessive sexual activity.

Emotional disturbance—this includes unresolved issues in the heart, traumatic events, depression, anger, and over-excitement.

Hyperactive lifestyle—this includes 24/7 syndrome, endless social activities, incessant talking and thinking, and obsessive compulsive behavior.

Foods which generate heat and dampness in the body—this includes greasy and fattening foods, caffeine, tobacco, alcohol, and drugs.

Lack of exercise—this includes a 9-5 job five days a week, followed by nighttime TV and sedentary lifestyle on the weekends.

Symptoms of Liver Fire:
The accumulated heat generated in the body over time results in symptoms which are representative of the fire element, namely, the consumption of bodily fluids:

Dryness of the tongue and throat results in thirst.
Dryness of the intestines results in constipation or dry stools.
Person feels hot, has an aversion to heat, and likes cold/iced drinks.
Lack of bodily fluids results in dark, yellow, scanty urine.
Person has red face, red eyes, mouth sores, and bad breath.
Depletion of bodily fluids gives rise to dryness resulting in irritability, insomnia, and headache.

Etiology of Liver Fire:
Liver Fire causes the consumption of bodily fluids. In turn, this precipitates Heart Fire, due to relationship between the liver and the heart according to the Five Element system. With the Heart Fire raging out of control, this further depletes the water element in the body as the Kidney water gets consumed by the fire.

Traditional Chinese Medicine Treatment:

Treatment strategy: utilizing herbs and acupuncture to clear Liver heat and nourish Yin

Single herbs: Siberian ginseng, Hawthorn berry, Jiao gu lan (Gynostemma pentophyllum), Chrysanthemum.

Diet consist of cooling and yin-nourishing foods: fresh wheatgerm, wheat berries, lily bulb (Bai he), and raw rehmannia (Sheng di huang). Avoid red meats, alcohol, tobacco, and coffee. If any dairy, use goatís milk.

Lifestyle: relaxation exercises such as Yoga or Tai Chi.

For more information on Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine in Marin County and other healing therapeutic services and introductory classes offered in Acupuncture and T.C.M. (Traditional Chinese Medicine), please contact: