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Archives for the ‘Theory’ Category

发热分期

By Karina • May 5th, 2008 • Category: Theory

During the first period of fever (体温上升期), because the set point in turned up a few notches, your normal body temperature is regarded as a cold stimulus, and the temperature regulating center reacts to cold by making sure that heat generation > heat elimination. It sends commands to the “heat eliminating department” (the skin) to […]



The difference between liver inflammation and the chinese medicine notion of a liver problem

By mchern • Apr 13th, 2008 • Category: Liver Specific, Theory

There may have been situations when the patient goes to the Chinese Medicine doctor and is diagnosed with having a liver problem. He then goes to his Western doctor, and does tests that show nothing abnormal with his liver. To understand why the Chinese Medicine doctor said what he said, we have to clarify the […]



What is 粳米?

By mchern • Apr 12th, 2008 • Category: Theory

It makes its appearance:
粳米 is often use with licorice to 和胃、养胃气. It appears in the following formulae (to name a few):

白虎汤
竹叶石膏汤
泻白散

粳米 is 大米?
Often, people say that 大米 (aka the rice we eat) is what 粳米 is. Fine.
No, it isn’t…
However, if we look at 白虎汤, it is used to treat excess heat damaging fluids(热盛伤津). But 粳米 […]



Han Dynasty Quantity Measurements For Today

By mchern • Apr 12th, 2008 • Category: Herbs & Substances, Theory

Some people say that with Han dynasty’s 1liang, we can use 1qian. They say that it’s due to constitutional differences that they use such large quantities in the first place.

1liang = 15g (approx.)
1qian = 3g (approx.)



Some useful measurement conversions

By mchern • Apr 12th, 2008 • Category: Theory

粳米:1sheng = 200ml = 180g
半夏:1/2sheng = 100ml = 50g
五味子:1/2sheng = 100ml = 30g
厚朴(as in 麻子仁丸):1尺 = 23cm, but …. = 15g
五苓散 uses a powder form, which you drink in rice water, which makes it easier. But how much? It says “方寸匕” which means 5g at one go, 3x a day. You recover when you perspire.
杏仁:100 […]