Abdominal Cupping Treatment

Overview of an excellent Abdominal Cupping Massage our students learn. Digestion is so important to our overall health, and this treatment has numerous therapeutic benefits including weight loss, bloating, constipation, and more. We offer this as a specialty treatment in our professional clinic, and also in a supervised advanced student clinic.

Gastroparesis and Massage

Gastroparesis literally means stomach paralysis. It is a condition where the stomach takes too long to or cannot empty. The muscles of the stomach and intestines are not working normally and affect about 5 million people.

Can massage help? Yes it can, I have read a few blogs and I have a client with Gastroparsis. I was already including an abdominal digestive massage for my client, to which she noticed the difference right away. Then I read the blogs raving over the digestive massage. J I have also added essential oils and tuning forks to certain acupressure points during the massage to help enhance the flow and hopefully increase the effectiveness of the massage to reduce the symptoms of abdominal pain and bloating, nausea, and the emotional pain that goes along with that.

Causes of Gastroparesis are unknown, usually is a secondary cause in systemic diseases below

-          uncontrolled diabetes,

-          Hypothroid

-          Injury to or pinched vagus nerve

-          Viral Nerve

-          Medications, narcotics or anti depressants

-          Nervous systems disorders like Parkinsons or Stroke

-          Multiple Sclerosis

-          Depression (referenced only in TCM)

-          And other rare conditions such as - Amyloidosis, scleroderma

-          Can also be caused by viral infection

Symptoms

-     Heartburn or “GERD”,

-     Nausea,

-     Vomiting undigested food,  

-     Feeling full quickly when eating,

-     Abdominal bloating and pain,
Poor appetite and weight loss,

-     Unstable blood sugar levels

-     Brain “fog”.

Complications

• Food that stays in stomach to long can ferment lead to growth of bad bacteria
• Food in the stomach can harden and solidify into a “Bezoar”, which can cause obstruction in the stomach limiting the food to pass into the small intestine
• People with diabetes and Gastroparesis have more difficulty controlling blood sugar.

Diagnosis  

• Blood tests  to test blood sugar levels
• Barin X ray
• Radioisotope gastric- emptying scan - Radioactive substances swallowed  

• Gastric Manometry –  a tube is sent down the esophagus to the stomach and meaures the speed of digest
• Electrogastrography -  Speed of digest through electrolosis
• The smart pill  - speed of travel through the digestive system
• Ultrasound
• Upper endoscopy – a thin tube down the esophagus that examines the stomach lining.

Treatment is very limited and there is no known cure in western medicine. Gastroperisis is normally associated with other diseases and considered as a complication of such, like diabetes and hypothyroidism.

Suggested options of treatment would be to look at diet. Fats cause delay in metabolism as with high fiber vegetables, for example cabbage and broccoli. On the other hand liquids and warm substances speed up metabolism. Small frequent meals with soups or smoothies would be the best for people with Gastropersis. You can add the higher fats into the smoothes and the higher fiber vegetables into well cooked soups! I have heard and read “become friends with soups and smoothies”

The third option for treatment is to medicate to “turn on” the stomach churn (muscle) and speed up metabolism.

Last and final option is surgery which includes procedures to empty and lastly to bypass the non-empting stomach.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) sees this condition as a Wood/Earth disharmony. Wood and Earth are two of five Elements looked at in TCM. Gastroparesis is sometimes diagnosed as Food Stagnation. I have also found that the stomach is not only where food is digested but also ideas, thoughts and emotions. This follows what the Chinese believe.

The Chinese Liver is responsible for the smooth flow of everything in your body, including your emotions and digestion. So when that flow of anything is impaired the Chinese Spleen, responsible for digestion of anything is weakened and therefore compromised.

So what came first the chicken or the egg? Does it matter? NO!! In TCM the general disharmony is harmonized therefore resolving all symptoms!!  To compliment this theory the Chinese see the Liver as the seat of the emotion “anger”. Western psychology and Chinese theory suggests depression is anger turned inward therefore flow is restricted!!

TCM treatment

An herbal formula can be prescribed for Gastroparesis is Xiao Ban Xia Jia Fu Ling Tang (Minor Pinellia with Poria Decoction)   

Formula Action

-          Harmonizes the Stomach

-          Stops Vomiting

-          Dispels Phlegm

-          Regulates water circulation

-          Disperses Stagnation

   

Acupuncture or acupressure is also helpful with dispersing stagnation and harmonizing flow. 

These points are suggested CV 14 (disperses phlegm), 

                                      CV 12 (Alarm-Mu point for stomach) 

                                      St 36 (Rectifies stomach and spleen and other intestinal conditions)

                                      St 25(Alarm-mu point for large intestine)  

Diet on the TCM side would consider foods that calm the wood element down and then help strengthen the Earth element all dependant on the clients condition at the time.

And once all Five Elements are back in balance condition should rectify itself with client able to function a healthy normal life!! :-) 

References

Webmd.com

Gicare.com/diseases/gastroparesis

Blog. Adventures with Gastroparsesis

Blog. Dr Shan Kong acupuncture

acupuntureinthepark.com/health-conditions

americandragon.com

http://www.motilitysociety.org/clinician/manuscripts/trtment_of_gastroparesis.pdf                

INSIGHT: Emotions Stuck in our Earth Element

Insight: Last night in Acupuncture class we were discussing the Earth Element and how the emotion of "worry" or "rumination" wears down our Earth Qi.

"Rumination" is like chewing on something, then bringing it back up rather than swallowing it and allowing it to digest.

This made me think of the times we have some kind of emotionally impacting EVENT, and then can't seem to get that event out of our minds - it keeps popping back up into our thoughts, or we keep bringing it back up in our conversations.

We say "why can't I just LET IT GO??" Here's the insight: We don't have enough Earth Qi to finish chewing and swallow it so it can digest. If it's in our digestive system (Metal Element) we can let it go - but it's not getting there.

This also makes a lot of sense with an old esoteric Acupuncture treatment that uses a series of points along the Stomach (Earth) meridian to clear toxic emotions that overwhelm us to the point of not being able to function normally.

I think it would be worth the effort to strengthen our Earth Element in the case of emotional events we can't seem to process and let go. How do we do this? Here's a few ways off the top of my head, I'm sure there's many more:

Do these with a conscious intention to allow the emotional event to process and be purged.

1. Abdominal massage with essential oils. We could even use an oil specific to the type of emotion or event. (Emotional Energy of Aroma is my essential oil workshop topic for April)

2. Moxa Belly Bowl with 64-point acupressure treatment to the lower legs, emphasis on the ST & SP meridians.

3. Acupuncture along the ST meridian while receiving Medical QiGong Qi emission to the middle burner. (See my upcoming workshop, joint with Lamar on April 6th.)

Also consider doing a short cleansing fast or home enema (internal bath) AFTER one of the above treatments, and only if it feels right. In some cases the bodywork may need to be repeated several times, sometimes once will do the job.

This follows the treatment concept I find immensely effective of putting the body in the right circumstances energetically to heal, and allowing it to use it's own internal intelligence to handle the details. In this way, we don't concern ourselves with figuring out HOW to emotionally resolve the event, we ALLOW the event to resolve.

If this sparks any insights for you, or you work with this concept I would love to hear your feedback on it. Thanks! 

Learn tons of great information from my On-Line Essential Oils Course series. You can study here at our school in Alaska from anywhere in the world!

Treating KYO and Jitsu/ HARA diagnosis

First you must know how to tell the difference...
JItsu
looks raised, stands out excess muscle tension feels hard/ heat coming off body hot to touch and feels full and alive repels touch and is easy to find. Client will feel safe/ local discomfort/ pain and have local reliefs.

Kyo
looks hollow, depressed, weak, lack of muscle tension and feels unnatually soft/ cold or empty... lifeless and is difficult to find. client feels vulnerable, deep, unpleasent pain, deep relaxation and undernourished.

KYO-deficient
*sensitive touch
*Hold pressure w/palm or thumb for longertime10/15
or until palm becomes alive.
*HOld stretches longer.

JITSU-excess
*shortertime on jitsu area
*shorter stretching
*rocking and shaking body part moves excess qui out of area

General principals
1. use your weight/gravity NOT stregnth
2. give shiatsu effortlessly
3. stay relaxed/dont tense up
4. stabilize your weight by moving your whole body with your HARA
5. use your weight at L right angles
6. hold your weight on reciever/shorttime 5-15 seconds.
7. use equal weight with both hands.
8. use steady rhythm
9. keep contact with reciever throughout.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The mu points or mother points of Hara Diagnosis...

1. Liver 14 - liver
2. Gall Bladder 24 - gall bladder
3. Gall bladder 25 - spleen
4. CV12 - stomach
5. CV 3 - bladder
6. CV 4 - kidney
7. Lung 1 - lung
8. Stomach 25 - large intestine
9. CV 15 - heart
10. CV 14 - Pericardium 

 *"CV 17, 9, 4 - triple warmerCV 4 - small intestineThese can be used for diagnosis and treatment, in fact CV 12 is considered the command point for all the internal yang organs of transportation while Liver 14 is considered the command point for all the internal yin organs of transformation. Further CV 6 is considered the sea of chi, CV 9 is considered a point that governs water metabolism, CV 25 is a point that is considered the great eliminator, Spleen 15 and 16, especially on the left, are points that are used to stimulate intestinal peristalsis, point on the lower abdomen such as CV 3 (an important point for the chong mo meridian), stomach 29, 28, 27 are considered very important for gynecological problems, especially blood stagnation syndromes in women." (info from http://www.planetherbs.com/diagnosis/hara-diagnosis-abdominal-palpation.html)
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*

Stomach massage HARA Diagnosis
Looking for the jitzu and Haan to connect the two and revive the energy channels.
Jitzu is excess tightness resistance
Haan is hollow spot deficiency

Stomach meridian helps to draw Earth energy out
spleen having excess is actually deficient because it's the spleen having so much work it gets tired out and can't do it all. It's starting under the zyphoid process and  continuing in a specific order. In the video he shows you quickly... but it's a good idea to do light pressure and try to feel what the client needs rather than just go gung ho into it.

 

Juice Fasting: Day 1

It's December 24th, 3 days past solstice, and time for my annual cleansing fast. My sister did this with me last year, and she wants to do it again - yeah! It's more fun with a friend.

Successful fasting takes preparation, intention, and getting into the mindset. I've been saving this time off for over a month, so I'm ready. My intention this time? Internal cleanliness and beauty - a gift to myself this winter season.

I went grocery shopping a few days ago to make sure I had lots of fresh fruits and vegetables to juice and make warm clear broths with. Plus over the last few days I've been eating lighter to prepare my body.

Today I woke up and had a large glass of water because I was thirsty. After running a few quick work related errands, I came home and made the first juice: 5 carrots, 3 green apples, 1/2 lemon, 1 small tangerine (all organic). Delicious!!

After drinking this I put on a special pot of broth that will sit warming all day, and I'll drink some whenever I feel the urge. Take 1 leek washed and cut into large chunks, the other 1/2 of the lemon from the carrot/apple juice, 1 handful fresh parsley, and 1 bunch fresh watercress. Put into a large pot (I used a 4-quart size), cover with water, and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Then turn off and ladle out the clear broth as desired. Reheat as necessary.

I started to incorporate this broth into fasting several years ago whan I read a great book called "French Women Don't Get Fat" by Mireille Guiliano. She basically said that if she noticed her clothes getting a little tight, she would immediately make a leek or watercress broth and drink it for a weekend, thus going back to a trim size where her clothes would fit well again. The broth is a diuretic, but also nourishing. I add parsley for the vitamin C and lemon for a little extra flavor. The leek is great for the lungs during fall/winter. I've recommended it to several clients who have had excess edema they needed to clear and everyone found it to be delicious.

After sipping a few cups of warm broth throughout the afternoon, I just made a second juice from 4 tomatoes, 1 carrot, 1/2 lemon, 3 small cloves garlic, and a chunk of cabbage. I lightly warmed this on the stove (remove from heat before it simmers), added a generous sprinkle of cayenne pepper and a squirt of flax seed oil. MMMMM....This is amazingly satisfying, warming, and tasty!

I'm happy, feel great, and have had an incredible urge to clean house all day. Tonight I'll keep drinking the leek broth and probably make one more juice in a couple of hours - carrot/apple again. I'll also do a special abdominal massage with essential oils before bed - for myself, I'm thinking Marjoram or Coriander oil, both of which will enhance my dream state.