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Asthma in Children, part 3 |
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This month's article rounds out the treatment of pediatric asthma. From
the previous article, we saw how the typical American diet contributes
to internal phlegm, organ dysfunction, and emotional frustration and
volatility (internal ‘wind'). The only missing ingredient is the
trigger, or external ‘wind'; this could be a change of season ("common
cold-induced"), or an over-reaction to the environment
("allergy-induced"), or even simply air being taken in quickly
("exercise-induced"). So, how do we go about changing this recipe?
True dietary change takes time, as the body's sensibilities and one's
social constructs adjust to new tastes and other qualities of food.
Fortunately, big changes are neither necessary nor recommended. Simply
taking a break from certain aggravating foods, while taking the
opportunity to replace them with others that are lacking, may be enough
to change the course of the disease. This allows for the other
treatments to work for the child. One of these, pediatric ‘tui na', or
massage, we talked about in the first article. Really this amounts to
physical contact that brings the child's awareness to the patterns of
tension related to his illness. Once identified and focused upon, they
often change themselves. Such external interaction is often essential,
whether received from the practitioner, the child's parents, or even
from other kids as they play.
The other treatment is internal medicine, taken as herbs. These work
according to the same principles as food, except that they are more
concentrated and specific to a goal. This difference allows for
relatively quick changes: excesses of phlegm, heat, and/or cold can be
resolved, emotions regulated and spasms controlled, and deficiencies
corrected. Note that, since nourishing and increasing function are warm
and building processes, direct supplementation and tonification too
early or too much, in the presence of excesses, would simply lead to
more of the same: phlegm, heat, and tension.
This is why the process of healing goes in cycles and stages. Take a
child who presents with acute asthma. He is first treated to release
exterior wind (the ‘pathogen', ‘allergen', or simply excess air), expel
and transform phlegm, and extinguish interior wind (settle emotion and
stop spasming); tonification likely would not be a part of this picture.
As the acute condition resolves, there still remain the internal
excesses of phlegm (hot or cold) and tension. Again these receive
greater emphasis than the deficiencies, although tonification would
likely creep in. The child may go through several acute episodes as the
internal excesses are "brought to the surface" (coughed up, discharged
through the nose, or sweated out), in addition to being cleared
downwards (through the bowels and urine). As this cycle is broken, more
and more tonification can be given; eventually, no further treatment is
needed, the child is strong on his own right, and can fend for himself.
It is, however, important to follow up with seasonal visits for a time.
This would help ensure against exposure to outside triggers, yet more
importantly serve as a continued guide to the child and parents in good
eating and lifestyle habits. If the inside is clear, calm, and strong,
then outside influences are hard pressed to enter.
Next month, we shall elaborate on how Oriental Medicine thinks about
food, as this understanding forms the cornerstone of internal herbal
medicine, as well as being a central part of our daily sustenance and
health.
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Quotes |
The Tao is like an empty container:
it can never be emptied and can never be filled.
Infinitely deep, it is the source of all things.
It dulls the sharp, unties the knotted,
shades the lighted, and unites all of creation with dust.
It is hidden but always present.
I don't know who gave birth to it .
It is older than the concept of God.
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