Traditional Chinese Medicine
How 9/11 Caused Bladder Cancer
While smoking cigarettes is the leading cause of lung cancer, only about 10-20% of smokers actually contract the disease, reminding us that there is almost never a 1:1 correlation between some objective disease and etiology, logically implying that nor should there exist any 1:1 prescription for cures.
Smoking is also the leading cause of bladder cancer, and maybe not coincidentally there have been nearly 1,200 recorded cases of bladder cancer from the 9/11 attacks’ residual toxins.
From a Classical Chinese medicine perspective, this makes perfect sense.
The bladder vessel was originally named the “Foot Tai Yang,” meaning it ascends from the lower limbs and the bulk of its oxygenated blood, or “Qi,” exists closer to the surface of the body (most Yang) than all other organ vessels. The lung vessel was originally named “Hand Tai Yin,” meaning it ascends from the upper limb and the bulk of its oxygenated blood exists closest to the surface of the three Yin layers, but still inferior to the three Yang layers.
The Foot Tai Yang bladder and Hand Tai Yin lungs share in a mutually interdependent relationship of fluid exchange. The lungs’ job is to descend vital substances downward to imbue the organs located beneath them with ample blood and energy. The bladder’s job is of course to excrete urine, but then from a Chinese medical perspective, take those vital fluids that are not excreted and circulate them upwards to imbue the central nervous system, upper orifices, and musculature with ample blood and energy. In Chinese medical school we are taught that a point along the wrist, “Lung 7,” is used to treat neck pain. What was never explained to us (unless I was absent that day) is that this dynamic is the reason why it works—also that it is logically most effective for neck pain located close to the center, that is along the bladder vessel. “Neck pain” located closer to the trapezius is a result of a different mechanism.
Whenever we treat urinary issues, from UTI’s to enlarged prostate, it is important confirm optimum functionality of the lungs and their corresponding vessels. It is also why exercise and deep breathing exercises can greatly benefit urinary dysfunction. Common Chinese herbs that share a common tropism for both vessels include plantain seeds (Che Qian Zi), schizandra fruit (Wu Wei Zi), and of course cinnamon branch (Gui Zhi).
Acupuncture that treats this “Water/Metal” dynamic of Kidneys and Lungs includes Lung 5 at the crease of the elbow or Kidney 7 just above the inner ankle, a point pair that is as useful for treating asthma or sinusitis as it is urogenital conditions—especially when the two coincide.
The inverse is less common. While some respiratory ailments are due to a failure of the urogenital microbiome to effuse fluids upwards, they are more commonly a result of GI issues, as seen in the coinciding of obesity with asthma and/or sleep apnea, or even rudimentary snoring at night. Urinary dysfunction tends to be further along down the domino effect. Commonly used herbs to drain dampness from the bladder and at the same time strengthen the gut include poria mushroom (Fu Ling), bitter tangerine (Chen Pi), or again, cinnamon branch (Gui Zhi), making cinnamon branch, per usual from Han Dynasty thought, the grand winner!
What (the HECK) Should We Eat?
It may seem ironic that the most foundational Chinese medical texts harp on diet and nutrition almost as moderate and infrequently as do modern western medical schools. Part of the reason is in ancient times they did not have to navigate the “paradox of choice” of today. They ate what was available and needn’t concern themselves with overindulgences such as refined sugars or heavy seasonings, as neither one yet existed.
How to eat was apparent and matter of fact. Cooked rice and whole grains were encouraged in moderation to support stomach fluids and absorption. Cooked vegetables were mandatory in every meal and animal protein was highly encouraged, however not in nearly the quantity non-vegetarians consume it in today.
How to translate this into modern lifestyles:
For BREAKFAST we recommend any form of porridge and/or eggs with cooked vegetables—preferably the latter. The former can be oatmeal with nuts and fruits or rice, quinoa, or millet congee, either with nuts and fruits or pickled vegetables. The latter can be a baked sweet potato with butter, roasted sweet potatoes with olive oil, roasted zucchini with olive oil, sauteed collard greens, steamed brocooli, roasted carrots with butter… truly anything that one finds delicious and practical for those busy weekday mornings.
For LUNCH we recommend leftovers or a soup or some kind of cooked meal with vegetables. Raw foods, such as salads or smoothies are ok in moderation for some, but raw foods are more difficult to digest. They tend to cause gas and bloating and inflammation in their wake.
For DINNER a homecooked meal of whole foods. Not everyone has time every night to cook, and I am no exception to that, but we encourage everyone do their best to prioritize metabolic health, say over a clean house or even a clean kitchen, google some recipes you like, and just do it! It’s all good: Steak, fish, chicken, pork, tofu, tempeh, beans, pasta once in a while… it’s all good! So long as it’s homemade and warm 🙂 Personally speaking, many of my own long-term chronic ailments forever abated in my early thirties after I started finally cooking for myself at home. The rest of them improved when I quit eating refined sugar.
Never in human history have sweets been as sweet as they’ve been in the U.S. in the past 50 years. I encourage all of my patients to find as best alternatives as possible for their cravings (coconut yogurt, any yogurts, almond butters, any nut butters, dark chocolates, some honey or maple syrup if necessary, hummus, anything but American junk!) and recondition their minds to making things like packaged candy that doesn’t expire relatively invisible to their eyes.
Needless to say, it also benefits metabolic health to not eat late at night, by the same token to not skip breakfast, not consume alcohol on most nights, and DO consume hot tea daily
This is not about shaming anyone. It’s about encouraging, educating, and empowering us to navigate an environment that is obviously not designed for long-term health.
Chest & Breast Pain & Chinese Herbs
Geography is significant in Chinese medicine. Not just the label of a symptom or disease, but its location, for acupuncturists, strongly informs our diagnosis.
When I ask patients whether they experience chest pain or tightness I am not necessarily concerned for some respiratory or cardiovascular disease. The chest is the “domain of Shao Yang,” “Lesser Yang,” that is relative to the head, neck, and face, described more often in our literature as “Tai Yang” or “Yang Ming,” respectively
The Shao Yang system harbors the end result of our body’s “pivot,” from metabolic production to the distribution of vital substances around the body. Soreness around the ribs, tightness in the chest, cough or even shortness of breath can be a result of our organs failing to produce adequate substances to engender functionality above.
The textbook pulse quality at the radial artery in such patterns is a “wiry one,” illustrating a microcosm of the fluids in our torso beginning to stretch thin. Needless to say, the best way to avoid this mechanism is with a diet that produces ample fluids and exercise to clear heat. If you don’t succeed, and eventually none of us do, what is the flavor of your chest pathology?
Sharp pain that is better with exercise, first of all obviously bodes well from a biomedical perspective, but also indicates some subjective blood stasis in the chest—most often a lack of blood movement due to an inadequate quantity of metabolic fluids giving rise to inflammatory heat, which tends to dry out the diaphragm and everything that includes it. Best remedies are moderate exercise and deep breathing. Best acupuncture points are Pericardium 6, which fires into the brain’s insular cortex, subsequently down the vagus nerve. Herbal formulas include platycodi bark, immature tangerine peel, and peony root.
If the chest feels hot, it suggests further aggravation of inflammatory heat, which might include sequelae such as insomnia, anxiety, and/or irritability. This may be difficult to treat with acupuncture alone, although local points such as Ren 17, Lung 1, and Liver 14 may help. Herbal medicine will be more effective, including the very bitter coptis root or gardenia fruit to additionally clear heat from the stomach, otherwise prunella spike, lily bulb, and/or if there is notable phlegm in the lungs, trichosanthis, or “gua lou pi.”
If your chest pain is worse after eating it clearly suggests some degree of food stagnation—that is indigestion. Steamed and bland foods are advisable until it resolves, as is drinking Pu-Erh tea, and performing manual stomach circles around one’s abdomen.
Best acupuncture points are Large Intestine 4, which fires into the brain’s periaqueductal gray matter, then into the abdomen. Herbal formulas include magnolia bark, rhubarb root, tangerine peel, ginger, and bupleurum root, to comprise the majority of “Da Chai Hu Tang,” or Major Bupleurum Decoction. Alternatively, if one is more prone to diarrhea and lack of appetite, more advisable would be the simple, four-ingredient digestive aid, “Li Zhong Wan,” or Regulate the Middle Decoction, containing ginseng, dry fried ginger, atractylodes root, and licorice.
Persistent chest pain should be taken seriously, especially if coinciding with shortness of breath, and one should see their medical doctor to rule out any danger. Once structural ailments are ruled out come see us to address the root of the issue!
Topical Liniments for Acute & Chronic Pain
Since the beginnings of (Chinese) medicine, partially founded upon the demand to heal soldiers from warring states thousands of years ago, the use of topical liniments to treat acute and chronic pain has been integral to the practice.
Since becoming a patient just over 20 years ago, I’ve been aware of countless brands and combinations, at any given time one being supposedly a cut above the rest, hence the most popularly used by colleagues in clinic. For the past ten years, to my knowledge, that brand has been Evil Bone Water.
The ingredients are not novel—mostly common herbs we use to promote blood circulation, reduce inflammation, and stop pain—but my understanding is the quality of the herbs and manufacturing process by owner, Dr. Mark Brinson, is superior to any brand like it thus far. Most of the herbs are ones that can be equally drank, taken internally, although this is an exclusively topical medicine, only to be used externally for pain.
If you or someone might benefit from Evil Bone Water at home, my newest shipment is in, and I am proud to be one of New York’s many retailers. Please message me or just let me know at your next visit if you are interested in purchasing, or if you’ve purchased a bottle in the past and just need a (new) spray nozzle!
Speaking of visits! Beginning next week my Wednesday office hours will now be extended. Instead of the last appointment being at 2:45pm, it will now be at 4pm. Monday and Friday evening hours remain the same, with last appointments being at 7pm and 6pm, respectively.
In-Person Herbology Class, NYC
I am humbled and excited to have been invited to teach my first live, in-person class next week for NYC Acupuncture School on the correspondence between particular pulse “qualities” at any of the six—that’s right 6—pulse positions along the radial artery of each wrist. That’s a grand total of twelve pulse positions if ever you’re wondering why I’m sitting there for so long with three fingers along your radius.
Directionality is everything in Chinese medicine, and specific herbal medicines and the formulas they command, induce physiological responses, which, put simply, have either excitatory or inhibitory, restorative or draining effects on the body.
When a certain herb (or supplement) is considered to stimulate immune function what it means is that it directs (immunological) molecules upwards, both vertically towards our sinuses and upwards to our dermatological surface. For about half the population, whose physiological pattern requires more upward movement, these medicinals should support their immune function. For the other half, including myself, who need more downward movement, this will do more harm than good. In holistic medicine we have the gift of pulse diagnosis to determine who is who and what is right.
The pulse for astragalus for example would be weak and/or “hollow” at the first and second positions on the right wrist. Why?
These positions correspond to the lungs and stomach—the respiratory and gastrointestinal microbiomes, respectively—and their inter-connection revolving around immune function. If the arteries here feel constricted and tight this indicates cold-natured inflammation in the region, which astragalus will do nothing for. If the arteries feel strong and congested this might indicate “hot-natured” inflammation, which astragalus will equally do nothing for—in fact in this case, would probably hamper immune optimization. Only a small, weakened artery in this position informs us that it is appropriate to use a medicine that will generate fluids in the gut and ship them outward to the exterior. This same mechanism applies to many people who experience spontaneous sweating, yellow or sticky sweat, or joint pains.
There are countless other examples like this in Chinese medicine’s pharmacopeia and diagnostic process that aid us towards being increasingly more specific and effective holistic clinicians. While it helps to still do our due diligence, asking the appropriate questions, inspecting each patient’s tongue and abdomen, my present understanding is no diagnostic tool is more reliable than the feeling of the radial artery.
When someone misses a shot in basketball trash talkers on the opposing team often say: “Ball don’t lie.” In Chinese medicine we say—well, I say: “Pulse don’t lie.”
Obviously, this event will be of greatest interest to students and practitioners, but anyone wishing to become a more educated patient around the workings of their body is welcome!
