Free nationwide delivery - Minimum order amount: R900 (Gauteng) & R1400 (Nationwide)
Description
當歸四逆湯 / Dang Gui Si Ni Tang
Treats the following symptoms:
Tags: circulation disorders, early stage of angiitis of lower extremities, gout (worse for cold-better for warmth), Raynaud's syndrome
Warm Cold Limbs comes from “Treatise on Febrile Diseases” written by Zhang Zhongjing in the late Eastern Han Dynasty in China. It is for the treatment of Blood Deficiency and Cold Condense in the Meridians. Because of the Cold Evil Coagulation, the blood flow is insufficient, the Yang can not reach the extremities and the Blood can not fill the blood vessels. This manifests as cold hands and feet, the colour is blue and purple, and the pulse is very weak. If the symptoms show cold limbs, the pulse is very thin and weak, it is the Blood Deficiency and Cold Coagulation Syndrome in Chinese medicine and Warm Cold Limbs can be used for following diseases: thrombo-occlusive vasculitis, circulation disorders, gout, avascular disease, Raynaud’s disease, poliomyelitis, frostbite, arthritis, testicular pain, stubborn headache.
Contra-indicated in pregnancy.
Case:
The medical case of Liu Duzhou, a famous Chinese medicine doctor in modern China: “I was in Yujia village and I saw a woman with a severe stomachache. How did she get it? It was when she was working, she sweated a lot, relieved a pee, and was catching up with her regular vacation. When the wind is strong, she feels that her belly is cold and cold, and her stomach hurts, and her waist hurts. After eating fennel and motherwort herbs, it was better but didn’t’t solve the problem. The pulse was a little stringy. Then I gave her Warm Cold Limbs. She took a few bags of herbs and the problem disappeared.”
CIRCULATORY DISORDERS OF THE LIMBS
Disease description:
The cause of a circulatory disorder is usually deposition in the vessels, furthermore, injuries as well as inflammatory diseases, vascular blockages are the reason for this disease. If the blood can no longer flow sufficiently through the limbs (arms, hands, legs, feet) that are farthest from the body, nutrients and oxygen also can’t reach the cells. This is often indicated by the fact that the affected areas feel cold. Paleness and numbness, tingling or pain (especially when being stressed) can also occur.
Explanation according to the Traditional Chinese Medicine:
Chinese medicine believes that circulatory disorders of the limbs are caused by the poor Qi and Blood Flow of the limbs. The function of Qi is to push Blood to circulation, so Qi can play its promoting role, this also depends on the warming of Yang. If there is Qi Deficiency and Yang decline, impaired blood circulation will occur and symptoms such as cold hands and feet will appear. Qi and Blood Stasis is treated with the method of invigorating Qi and nourishing Blood and warming Yang if the colour of hands and feet are bluish purple. The promoting of blood circulation will remove Blood Stasis.
Symptoms of peripheral nerve disorders, such as tingling, ant travel, dampness and vibration feeling in hand and feet, are also classified as dysfunction of Qi and Blood. It is due to the Deficiency of Kidney Yin and the Deficient Fire interferes with the circulation of Qi and Blood. It is treated with nourishing the Yin and clearing the Heat.
Chronic poor Qi and Blood circulation for a long time will cause Blood Stasis and Cold Stagnation. The cold colours of hands and feet appear bluish-purple, blackened or even necrotic, with severe pain. It can even form gangrene. Doctors are required to give specific treatment.
Possible syndromes causing these problems:
Yang Deficiency and Cold Invasion
Failure of Yang to reach and warm the extremities or an Invasion of Cold to the body which causes cold, pale painful hands and feet, Raynaud’s syndrome.
Recommended formulas to use:
Blood Stagnation
Circulation obstruction caused by Blood Stagnation, with the symptoms of purple, painful fingers and toes.
Recommended formulas to use:
Yin Deficiency and Heat
This pattern is characterized by burning or tingling feelings in the fingers and toes, ant walking and vibration.
Recommended formulas to use:
DIABETES (NON-INSULIN-DEPENDENT DIABETES)
Typical symptoms:
diabetes, dry mouth, fatigue, loss of energy, thirst, wound or ulcer healing slowly or with difficultyDisease description:
Diabetes mellitus is a group of metabolic diseases which are characterized by a chronically elevated blood sugar level. Most common are Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease, which usually begins in childhood or adolescence, where the immune system attacks the body. As a result, the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas die and lead to an absolute deficiency of the body’s hormone insulin. Without insulin, blood sugar levels rise, and patients become insulin-dependent and have to inject it.
About 90% of diabetics have type 2 diabetes, they are non-insulin-dependent, but in later stages can become insulin-dependent. Overweight, unhealthy nutrition and too little exercise increases the risk of disease and can lead to diabetes in genetically predisposed individuals. Type 2 diabetics have an elevated sugar level in the blood due to insulin resistance, meaning the body’s cells react less well to insulin. Insulin is responsible for transferring sugar molecules from the blood into the cells. If the insulin resistance is too high – the sugar accumulates in the blood vessels. Elevated blood sugar levels are mainly indicated by fatigue, lack of drive, increased thirst and urination, a tendency to catch infections and poorly healing wounds, as well as dry or itching skin. Acute complications are infections, severe high sugar level up to sugar coma. Complications arising in the large and small blood vessels and nervous system can lead to heart, eye and kidney disease, as well as diabetic foot syndrome.
Explanation according to the Traditional Chinese Medicine:
Chinese medicine believes that diabetes, known as Xiao-Ke Syndrome (emaciation and thirst), is caused by improper diet as well as emotional depression which are leading to Lung, Kidney and Yin Deficiency and Spleen and Stomach Heat. Symptoms of Lung Yin Deficiency are excessive thirst or hunger, Kidney Yin Deficiency and Endogenous Deficiency fire can cause excessive or an abnormally large production or passage of urine. So, the root cause of diabetes is Yin Deficiency and Heat is the appearance.
Xiao-Ke is commonly classified into three types according to the Chinese medicine theories: Upper, Middle and Lower Jiao. The Upper type is characterized by excessive thirst, the Middle by excessive hunger, and the Lower by excessive urination.
Due to the prolonged course of diabetes, Yin Deficiency and Dry Heat will consume Yang, so the problem often develops into Kidney Yin Deficiency or Kidney Yin and Kidney Yang Deficiency Syndrome. If it is further extended for a long time, Stasis Syndrome will appear with symptoms like fundus disease or diabetic foot.
Possible syndromes causing these problems:
Beginning Stage in middle and upper Jiao with Lung and Stomach Heat and Yin Deficiency
Heat consumes body fluids: thirst, dry mouth, possibly frequent urination, hunger, elevated blood glucose
Recommended formulas to use:
Later Stage in lower Jiao: Kidney Yin Deficiency
Prolonged diabetes consumes Yin and causes Kidney Yin Deficiency : frequent and excessive urination, cloudy/ milky urination, dryness, red tongue, rapid pulse, eye symptoms.
Recommended formulas to use:
Later Stage in lower Jiao: Kidney Yin and Kidney Yang Deficiency
Prolonged diabetes consumes Yin and causes Kidney Yin and Yang Deficiency : frequent and excessive urination, cloudy/ milky urination, darkened face, dryness, low back and knee pain, aversion of cold, low libido, pale tongue and white coating, weak pulse
Recommended formulas to use:
Blockage and Stagnation of Meridians / Diabetic Foot Syndrome
Yin Deficiency and Empty Heat blocking Meridians and causing nerve inflammation:
tingling feeling in the hands and feet
Formula to use: Clear Root Fire + Diabetic Herbs
Heat creates a local Blood Stagnation:
hot feeling gangrenes, painful, red, burning
Formula to use: Clear Toxic Heat + Expel Stasis + Diabetic Herbs
Yin and Yang Deficiency creating Blood Stagnation and Yang can not reach limbs:
cold feeling gangrenes, painful, dark color
Formula to use: Warm Cold Limbs + Diabetic Herbs
Recommended formulas to use:
GOUT
Typical symptoms:
Disease description:
Gout is a metabolic disease in which increased uric acid levels occur, the uric acid crystals can deposit in the joint and lead to inflammation there. Genetic or acquired predisposition to elevated uric acid levels in combination with an unfavourable lifestyle can cause gout attacks with durations lasting for days or sometimes weeks. Typically, the inflammation occurs suddenly and leads to painful, sometimes swollen, reddened joints, usually only the base joint of the big toe is affected.
Explanation according to the Traditional Chinese Medicine:
Gout belongs to Bi Syndrome in traditional Chinese medicine, which is either a Damp and Heat blocking the Meridians or Cold and Damp blocking Meridians. The problem starts by a combination of Spleen Deficiency and unhealthy diet which may cause dysfunction of the Spleen and produce Turbid Dampness, which will further damage the internal organs.
If the Turbid Dampness turns into Damp-Heat and blocks the Meridians and joints, it is resulting in gout nodules. Known as “Damp Heat Gout”.
If Turbid Dampness and Cold Evil are interlinked, they block the Qi and Blood Circulation in the Meridian, causing joint swelling, deformity and stiffness. Known as “Damp Cold Gout”.
Possible syndromes causing these problems:
Damp-Heat
An accumulation of Damp Heat blocks the Flow of Qi and Blood, causing severe, acute fixed joint pain, heat, thirst, possibly constipation, possibly swelling, restricted movement, high levels of uric acid.
Better for cold, worse with red meat or alcohol, coffee, sugar.
Recommended formulas to use:
Damp-Cold
An accumulation of Damp and Cold blocks the Flow of Qi and Blood, causing: severe, chronic fixed joint pain, swelling, restricted movement.
Better for warmth, worse with cold.
Recommended formulas to use: