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| Tonic Herbs : Supplemental therapy - Page 7
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FLUID ESSENCE TONICS
The fluid aspect of the body include blood plasma, lymph, cerebral spinal fluid, reproductive fluids, mucous coating of the lungs and digestive tract, lubricating secretions of the mucous membranes, joints, skin, tears, sweat, saliva, urine, and hormonal secretions.
Fluid essence herbs and foods nourish the tissues mentioned above and generally are sweet, solid, moist and nutritive. Because these herbs/foods are rather heavy and wet in nature they are usually combined with other herbs which guide them to their target area such as those found in the Vital essence category as well as mild spices which lighten up their heavy quality and make them more digestible. Blood tonics are also moistening in nature and can also be used supportively and / or interchangeably with the fluid essence tonics.
Fluid essence depletion is quite common in our culture where people are burning out their juices with excess thinking, working, playing, coffee, alcohol, cigarettes, pot, pharmaceutical drugs, sodas and other "non-food" items.
If the fluid essence is missing from the lungs, then we have dry coughs, loss of voice, thirst, dry throat and dry skin as well as feelings of heat in those areas.
Lack of stomach fluid essence will result in inflamed gums and mouth, lack of appetite, irritability, thirst, dry mouth and constipation. There may also be burning sensations in the stomach, ulcers and poor digestion.
Deficient liver fluid essence may exhibit symptoms of dry dull eyes, poor vision, dizziness, ringing in the ears, brittle nails, and in extreme cases will show up as heat rising into the head and cause irritability, anger, insomnia, and red tongue with no coating.
The kidneys, in this reference, are considered the root of the basic fluid essence. This is the storehouse of the water element. A deficiency of the fluid essence is often times the cause of chronic disease and diseases related to aging. As one ages, the fluid essence dries up and produces general body dryness, wrinkled skin, lose teeth, depletion of muscle tone, thinning hair, weak muscles, compromised digestion, constipation, low libido, dry vagina, and so forth. In the clinic, one many times sees people who are aging prematurely. Some of the above signs will be present and may show up as a pattern. Nourishing herbs and foods are the key to helping them out.
Heat can appear when the fluid essence is missing from anywhere in the system. The water/moisture keeps tissues lubricated and cooled, it keeps the body heat, enzymes, and metabolic processes in place. When the moisture is missing then the heat begins to be rebellious and cause heat signs. The heat can appear as hot flashes, night sweat, afternoon fever, heat in the palms of the hands and soles of the feet, and warmth in the chest. It is important that the Western herbalist know about this because to just use cooling, bitter herbs to clear heat signs will actually exacerbate the situation. These types of herbs tend to dry up the fluid essence even more! The nourishing, moistening cooling herbs listed in this category will nourish the deficiency that is underlying the heat signs. In some cases, the cooling, bitter herbs may be used in small amounts in conjunction with the more nourishing herbs - but should not be used alone. All the signs of course do not have to be present for there to be a diagnosis of Fluid essence deficiency but there will be a definite pattern developing.
The use of these herbs tends to foster compassion, patience, tolerance and devotion as do those in the blood tonic category.
Contraindications for these tonics are: excess fluid in the system, mucous and cold, damp stagnation. For example, do not give these herbs to people who have a cold with lots of mucous, or to someone who has food stagnation in the stomach and has a heavy coating on the tongue.
FLUID ESSENCE HERBS
Some of the herbs listed here are found in the area where I live and are not necessarily available commercially. Add your own herbs and foods to the list as well that embrace the qualities of fluid essence.
- American ginseng
- Asparagus root
- codonopsis
- Comfrey root
- Dendrobium orchid
- Jujubee dates
- Hollyhock (local plant)
- Kudzu
- Licorice root
- Mallows (local plant)
- Mariposa lily (local plant)
- Marshmallow
root
- Ophiopogon - Japanese turf lily - grown as ornamental in US
- Poria
- Dioscoria batatas ( Chinese wild yam)
- Purslane (local plant)
- Sea vegetables
- Schizandra fruit
- Slippery elm
- Solomon's seal
- Rehmannia
- Royal jelly
- Saw Palmetto
Foods: This list is not inclusive. Add foods that you regard as engendering fluid essence.
- Jerusalem artichoke
- Oats
- Fish such as trout, mackerel, cod, salmon, (non-farmed) (fish are usually considered warming to the system, but they nourish deeply)
- Olive oil
- Fish oil
- Coconut oil
- Sesame oil
- Sesame seeds
- Milk and other dairy products (organic with fat)
- Ghee (clarified butter)
- Meat and broths/ lamb and pork - organic (meats are warming generally but very building to the systems)
- Flaxseeds/oil
- Okra
- Purslane
- Salsify
- Eggs - free range organic
- Lily flower
- Organ meats
- Almonds
- Sugar cane juice ( whole sugar product)
- Honey
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