Emotions, Dampness, and Aging

Dr. Andrew Miles just posted this on Facebook...

"Chen Wu said: “The seven emotions cause chaos leading to mucus.”

Li Yong Cui said: “Shock, fear, worry and pensiveness lead to mucus.”

Most emotions initially cause qi stagnation of the lung's ability to descend and the liver to ascend leading to dysregulation of water in the spleen and lungs. Dampness creates mucus which is stored in the lungs further blocking water metabolism, creating heat, and further anxiety.

"Strange and difficult diseases come from mucus."

Let me translate this into Western Medicine for you. When your 

  • Strong emotions(anger/fear/grief/stress/etc.) can cause dysregulation of gasotransmitters (especially nitric oxide and hydrogen sulfide) and elevated cortisol levels-- this is "qi stagnation"

  • Which leads to gut and respiratory microbiome dysbiosis

  • Which leads to water metabolism dysregulation-- water collects in inapprorate areas and amounts-- this is the "dampness"

  • Low grade systemic inflammation/heat begins when pathogens (molds/yeasts/fungus/bacteria/viruses) start populating the areas of water accumulation

  • Biofilms are created by the pathogens to protect themselves from the immune system-- this is the "mucus/phlegm"

  • Poor systemic circulation -- caused by the "qi stagnation/dampness/phlegm"

  • Massive negative feed back loop is created

  • Slow decline of health, vitality, and aging begins

So lets use "Molly" as an example.

Molly is a 45 year old mother of 3 school aged children. She is a full time stay at home mom who is creating a home based business sewing hats and selling them on etsy. She has a happy life and relationships, but a lot of things to manage, track, and maintain.
---(normal base line)

Sometimes she gets stressed and overwhelmed, but manages to keep it all together and take good care of her family. Molly's mom was diagnosed with breast cancer 2 years ago. She had surgery and chemo and is now cancer free.
---(strong emotions/stress/fear/etc.)

Molly spent lots of extra time/energy/presence to help her mom during that time.

Afterwards she noticed that she was having a hard time falling asleep. She woke feeling unrested and always like she was behind and could not keep up.
---(qi stagnation).

She stopped exercising as often (no time or energy) and started using carbs+fats+sugar to help control her stress levels and soothe her roller coaster emotions.
---(gut dysbiosis-those critters love sugar!)

She started to notice some weight gain, gas, bloating, loser stools, and her menstrual cycle was becoming more irregular with stronger PMS, especially sharp stabbing cramps and larger clots.
---(dampness/qi stagnation/decreased circulation).

She also noticed she was having more knee and low back pain.
--(dampness and decreased circulation)

She also began to have more anxiety and her seasonal cedar fever was much worse.
---(dampness/phlegm/decreased circulation)

She found herself sighing all the time.
---(qi stagnation)

She is taking 3 OTC medications for the allergies and the pain.
--(medications can often make the gut dysbiosis worse).

Each passing month, she has the nagging feeling that she is getting more and more fatigued.-
--(dampness/decreased circulation blocks energy production at the mitochondrial level).

The joy and laughter that she had with her family seems a little less bright and frequent lately.
---(dampness/phlegm can block the mind/spirit)

Molly keeps telling herself that this is just part of the process of "getting older".

She has resigned herself that this is as good as it gets...

But that is not true. Molly can stop and reverse this process. 

Chinese Medicine cracked this code many years ago.

I can help get Molly back on track and I can help you too. 

If you want some help determining where you are in the process and what you can do to break the cycle,

Give me a call.  830 822 6315