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In traditional Chinese medicine, the shen (spirit, consciousness) resides in the brain and heart. During the day, the shen rises into the head, stimulating the brain. At night, it sinks down, into to the heart, where it sleeps, rejuvenating the body mind. Insomnia is the inability to fall or stay asleep. There are two types of insomnia, acute and chronic. Acute (sudden, recent) insomnia is relatively easy to cure via supplements, herbs, meditation, etc. Chronic insomnia is more difficult to cure as all chronic long-lasting diseases take months and years to not only develop but also cure.

Sleeping is a function of blood, energy, and the five major organ systems:

(1) Spleen controls digestion, transformation of food into blood

(2) Heart stores the spirit, circulates the blood

(3) Lungs purify, oxygenate the blood

(4) Liver purifies the blood and

(5) Kidneys purify blood, store jing.

Blood, protein and fat enable the heart (blood, nutrient rich organ) to hold, anchor the spirit. Too much, especially animal, fried foods, in the extreme, tend to thicken the blood, which in turn, thickens clogs and weakens the liver (stores, cleanses, removes excess protein, fat, cholesterol, impurities, etc. and releases the blood). Less protein, fat, cholesterol, etc. are cleansed, removed more stays in the blood (clots, high cholesterol), arteries (plaque, atherosclerosis, arteriosclerosis, high blood pressure, etc.), skin, organs, etc. Clogged arteries reduce blood flow to the heart making it difficult to fall asleep. Excess fat hardens, tenses the body, liver, muscles making it difficult to stay asleep.

Too little protein and fat, in the extreme, tends to weaken, thin the blood, which in turn, weakens the heart’s ability to anchor, hold the spirit during the night, allowing it to roam, rise up into the head stimulating thinking (hot), dreaming (hot) and or wakefulness (hot).

Too much cleansing (salads, tropical fruits, juices, cold drinks) and or too little building, in the extreme tends to weaken digestion. Digestion warms and dries the body, lungs. Weak digestion (see spleen, Chapter 7) cools and dampens (creates excess mucous) the lungs, nose, sinuses, which shortens and disrupts the breath (coughing, snoring, hacking, sleep apnea). This is one reason why spices (hot, aromatic) are added to the diet to not only dry excess fluids, mucous but also open the sinuses, allowing the breath to flow freely. For cold, conditions reduce cold, damp foods (milk, ice cream, salads, tropical fruits, juices, cold drinks).

The excessive consumption of chocolate, coffee, caffeine and alcohol overheats the body as does overeating and late dinners. It is hard to sleep when the body is overheated via stimulants, excessive digestion. and or impacted intestines (intestinal heat).

Jing (sexual essence) fuels all function. Excessive sex drains jing and does overwork, caffeine, etc. which in turn, weakens the heart’s ability to store the shen. Jing is moistening, cooling, as is sleeping.

Poor posture, misalignment, injury, excessive emotions, thoughts and or environment (climate, electromagnetic radiation, noise, etc.) can also be a cause. Relaxing, sleeping is difficult if you are overheated, have too much energy: work all day long, in the sun, sleep in a room that is hot, damp, or eat drink too many building, hot foods, drinks. Regular exercise dissipates excess heat, energy, which relaxes, cools the body. Proper diet also relaxes the body.

Long-term, severe insomnia takes time (months, years), discipline, and patience to cure. The middle diet, meal plan adjusted accordingly is recommended. Vegetarian meals (ideal for dinner) are less heating. Fruit is cooling, and makes an excellent nighttime snack, although not too late, as too many fruits, cold drinks increase the urge to urinate causing frequent risings, awakenings. Eat more building during the day and less heating, more cooling at night. Avoid coffee, caffeine, chocolate, etc. Sleeping on the right side generally opens the left nasal passage, which is more relaxing. Breathing through the right nostril is more stimulating For acute insomnia; the following herbs may be helpful: valerian root, passionflower, Sleepy time tea, etc. For severe, hot insomnia, try 1 TB Brewer’s yeast (high in B vitamins, cools the liver) in a fruit juice and or magnesium (250 mg) 1-2 times per day. Magnesium relaxes the liver, and softens the stools. The need to sleep long hours, decreases as one gets older.

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is a system of diagnosis and health care that has evolved over the last 3000 years. The Chinese approach to understanding the human body is unique. It is based on the holistic concept of the universe outlined in the spiritual insights of Daoism, and it has produced a highly sophisticated set of practices designed to cure illness and to maintain health and well being.

These practices include acupuncture, herbal remedies, diet, tui-na massage, meditation and both static and moving exercises call Qi Gong and Tai Chi. Although all these practices appear different in approach, they all share the same underlying sets of assumptions about the nature of the human body and its place in the universe. The world view that underpins the principles and practices of Chinese medicine is based on the Daoist understanding of a universe where everything is interdependent and mutually interactive. Nothing is excluded; nothing is analyzed or interpreted without reference to the whole. To understand what Chinese medicine is all about, it is important first to explore this idea of holism which is best explained by the concept of Yin and Yang.

The concept of Yin-Yang is fundamental to Traditional Chinese Medicine. The idea of yin and yang developed from observing the physical world. It was observed that nature appears to group into pairs of mutually dependant opposites, each giving meaning to the other. For example, night has no meaning without the concept of Day, the concept of up doesn’t mean much without the idea of down. The idea of yin and yang is essentially a descriptor of the dynamic interactions that underpin all aspects of the universe. Yin and yang shouldn’t be thought of as things but as a key to a way of thinking about the world.

Along with the concept of yin and yang, there are other fundamental ideas or energies that define TCM. The theory of the Five Elements also comes from observation of the various groups of dynamic processes, functions and characteristics observed in the natural world.

The energies of Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water relate to both the natural world and the human body. Further to Yin/Yang and the Five Elements there are the basic substances that make up the universe and the human body. In Traditional Chinese Medicine terms these are called the Qi (chee), Jing essence, the Shen or mind/spirit, the blood and body fluids.

Meridians, or energy pathways of the body, have been mapped out and acupoints determined along them. These points and meridians are stimulated by acupuncture, the insertion of fine needles into the skin, or acupressure (massaging and pressing on these acupoints). Traditional Chinese Medicine also uses herbal medicine, cupping and Gua Sha or scraping, auricular therapy, Tui na massage and physical exercises like Tai Chi and Qi gong.

Next time you have a headache, you may want to skip the pain relievers and try acupressure. It’s safe and can be surprisingly effective.

What Is Acupressure?

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, pain and illness are viewed as an interruption in the flow of qi (energy). Acupressure and acupuncture aim to balance and restore the flow of qi through the body. Acupoints are places on the body where the flow of qi can be influenced (e.g. via needles, electrical stimulation, & pressure) to regulate bodily functions and relieve pain.

How to Perform Acupressure

To perform acupressure, use direct pressure to the indicated point with your finger or thumb. Press the point lightly, increasing slowly to a firm pressure. (Of course, if you’re working with a delicate area such as the face, use light pressure.) Hold the point until you feel some relief, or up to a minute. Breathe deeply as you hold the point.

Acupressure Points for Headache Relief

Below are some acupressure points for headache relief. You can do all of them as a routine, or just experiment and find the ones that work best for you.

The “Hoku point” (LI4) is excellent for headache relief. It is located on the back of the hand, in the webbing where the thumb and index finger meet. Find the exact point by bringing your thumb and index finger together. The muscle will bulge a little–that’s the spot. Squeeze the point by putting your thumb on the point, and your index finger on the palm side of your hand. Angle the pressure toward the bone that connects with the index finger. Hold for one minute and switch hands. Do not use the Hoku Point if you are pregnant.
Use your thumbs to firmly press the back of the neck underneath the base of your skull into the indentations on either side of the spine, two to three inches apart, depending on the size of your skull. Slowly tilt your head back and firmly press up underneath the skull. These are the GB20 points. This technique is one of my personal favorites for headache relief.
Press the top of the feet, in the web between the big and second toes. You can either use your hands for this, working both feet at the same time, or you can use the heel of the opposite foot to work one foot at a time. This point is Lv3.
With the palms of your hands together, let your head tilt downward and place your index and third fingers on the point directly between the eyebrows, where the bridge of the nose meets the forehead. (Or just use an index finger or thumb.) This point is called GV24.5.
Apply steady pressure to the top of head, where lines drawn to the top of the head from the ears and nose would intersect. This is GV20. Do not use this point if you have high blood pressure.
Use your thumb and index finger to press the indentations on either side of the nose, where the bridge of the nose meets the ridge of the eyebrows. This is B2.
Use the middle and index fingers of both hands to gently press up underneath the cheekbones, directly below the center of the eye. This point is St3.
Many of these suggestions are taken from the book Acupressure’s Potent Points by Michael Reed Gach, which I highly recommend.
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“Red Flag” Headaches: See Your Doctor Immediately

While you can safely treat most headaches yourself, some need medical attention. The following headache symptoms are signs of potentially serious, even life-threatening health problems. Please consult your medical doctor immediately if:

• you experience extremely intense head pain (i.e. it feels like the worst headache of your life)
• the headache comes on very suddenly and severely (like a “thunderclap”)
• your headache is accompanied by mental confusion
• your headache is accompanied by unusual symptoms such as passing out, loss of vision, or difficulty walking or speaking
• your headache is accompanied by a high fever (over 100 degrees F) and/or stiff neck
• you are over 50 and the headache is a new kind of headache for you
• your headache was preceded by head trauma.
• you have a family history of brain aneurysms.

It is said that one of the slimmest persons in the world are the Chinese. It seems that being slim is their second nature. Ever wondered what the secret to their weight loss is? The secret lies in their use of herbal teas to loose excess weight.

When you talk of herbal tea immediately the Chinese come to mind. Taking herbal tea has been a tradition since ancient times. To maintain good health and well-being the Chinese nobility of ancient China drank herbal tea. It is also their status symbol. However, in traditional Chinese medicine, herbal is dubbed the cure-all.

Traditional Chinese Medicine is a holistic process. The emotional and bodily needs are first assessed by taking the pulse and inspecting the tongue. This is the method for determining where and what bodily imbalance a person has. This is the basis for deciding what herbal tea to prescribe.

This system which has survived thousands of years will surely benefit any weight loss program. Research have shown that burning calories and boosting metabolism lead to a success in shedding those extra pounds. Research has also proven that these are achievable through herbal tea. Another benefit of imbibing is a reduction of the fattening effects of food heavy in calories with very minimal side effects.

The side effects that a person will usually feel are insomnia, constipation, and sweating. There have been incidents too of persons experiencing diarrhea. These are easily remedied by reducing the dosage until the persons does not feel any of those discomforts. The best way to start is by lessening the herbal tea intake by half.

How to make use of herbal tea for weight loss? Take note that it takes 20 minutes for the brain to sense that the stomach is full. So to avoid overeating, drink a cup of hot herbal tea 20 to 30 minutes prior to eating a well balanced meal. Another option is taking tea in between meals, between breakfast and lunch and between lunch and dinner. This will lessen the appetite for those junk food. In order to get the maximum effect of herbal teas they must be ingested plain. Natural sweeteners like honey can be used. Adding milk or creamer is a no-no as these contain carbohydrates will hamper the success of the weight loss program.

So what are you waiting for? Try herbal teas now and enjoy the benefits of having a slimmer body and a healthier you.