Monday, November 12, 2018

“Qi” in Traditional Chinese Medicine


“Qi” in Traditional Chinese Medicine

In Chinese culture, “Qi ( ) “ ( pronounced as chee ) is believed to be a vital force in the universe and forming part of any living entity. In traditional Chinese medicine and Chinese martial arts, Qi can be interpreted as the flow of energy within body.


Functions of Qi
In summary, there are 4 functions of Qi in the maintenance of heatlh
1.     Promoting function
Qi provides the active vital energy necessary for the growth and development of the human body and to perform the functions of the organs, meridians and tissues. Qi also promotes the formation and circulation of blood and body fluid.
2.     Warming function
Qi warms up the body and maintains the body temperature for the smooth functioning of our body cells and organs.
3.     Protection against disease ( "evil" )
In TCM, invasion of evils ( wind, summer heat, dampness, cold and fire) is main cause of disease.  Qi protects our body against these evils.(similar to the functioning of immune system).
4.  Consolidation and retention function
Qi consolidates and retains the body’s substances and organs by holding everything in the proper place.
For example, Qi keeps the blood flowing within blood vessels and controls the secretion of sweat.
Qi also keeps the organs in the right place and stops them from descending into a position where they cannot function properly
5.     Vaporization or “transformation” functions.
Qi may “vaporize” substances in the body and transform them into essence or energy. For example, food are changed into different types of qi and blood. Food and waste are also transformed into urine and stools.

TYPES OF QI
1.     Inborn Qi  is the most original type in the body. It is inherited from parents, mainly stored and originates in the kidney and travel to the entire body.
2.     Pectoral Qi is stored in the chest. It is formed by combining fresh air inhaled by the lungs and food essence derived from the spleen and stomach.
3.     Nutritive Qi supplies nourishment to the body.  Nutritive Qi mainly comes from food essence derived by the spleen and stomach and circulates through the blood vessels to the whole body.
4.     Protective Qi protects the body against evils and sickness, act like the immune system .

What affects Qi and how it is corrected ?
The quality, quantity, and balance of Qi in the body can be affected by many things, including climate conditions, emotional upsets, poor nutrition, stress, physical trauma, excessive activity, heredity, and infectious organisms could disrupt the state of harmony. When the disruption to the flow of Qi is prolonged or the body is in a weakened state, then disease is able to set in.
Qi deficiencies (i.e. poor health) can be corrected by eating the right food, herbs and Chinese medicines, acupuncture, massage, or doing meditation and physical exercise like qi-gong.


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Thursday, November 8, 2018

改善情緒的益生菌


我們都會食用益生菌改善腸胃狀況, 增强免疫力, 甚至減肥. 但原來腸道內的益菌更可以影響情緒, 改善抑鬱和焦慮

其實中醫理論早就確定了大腸和腦神經系統的關聯性. 中醫古氐代經典[素問] 和名医張仲景[ 傷寒論 ] 都有相關論述和治療方法.
今天患上腸易激綜合症 ( IBS ) 的病人, 西醫或會建議食用益生菌以緩解徵狀. 可見腸易激綜合症正就是一種心理影響生理的毛病.

科學研究發現原來腦部神經, 精神健康和腸道有非常密切關係. 很多重要的神經傳導物例如血清素, 多巴胺, 等都不單是在腦部產生, 也同時由腸道負責生產的, 科學家甚至估計人體內百分之九十的血清素都是來源自腸道的.  因此當我們緊張時, 腦部就會釋放訊號到腸道, 結果可能引致消化不良, 便秘, 或腹瀉. 而慢性便秘又可以引致抑鬱. 腸道又會反過來影响大腦, 例如當我們吃東西二十分鐘后, 腸道內的細菌會制造一種抑制食慾的蛋白, 通知腦部, 停止進食.

究竟益生菌如何可以影響情緒 ? 至今科學界還沒有全面的答案。但己知有三個解釋 :-

一,  某些腸道內的益菌可以令身體製造一些神經傳導物 ( 負責神經細胞之間的信息傳遞 ) 和賀爾蒙 , 包括 GABA, 血清素( serotonin), 兒茶酚胺 ( catecholamine),  乙先胆胺 (acetycholine), , 身體一旦缺少了這些物質就不能夠有效控制情緒, 應付壓力, 影响血壓和心跳

, 醫學界也發現這些神經益生菌 ( Psychobiotics) 可以影響身體的 Hypothalamie-pituitary-adrenal axis ( HPA ) (上視丘-腦下垂體-腎上腺軸) 的功能, HPA不能暢順運作, 皮質醇 ( cortisol ) 和其他壓力荷爾蒙都會受到影響, 令情緒失控, 和認知能力降低..

, 科學界已知道慢性發炎是導致抑鬱和其他精神問題的其中一項因素, 而益生菌有預防慢性發炎的作用

身體腸道內有無數不同種類的益菌 , 究竟哪一種益菌對對保持精神健康最有幫助呢 ? 
這個問題不易解答. 我們只看一看科學家發佈的臨床實驗結果 :-

科學家給嚴重抑鬱病人服用三種益生菌 lactobacillus acidophilus, lactobacillus casei,  bifidobacterium bifidum , 八星期後病人的抑鬱徵狀都得到顯著改善, 同時他們身體內的發炎指數 hs-CRP 大大降低, 胰島素抗阻得到改善,谷胱甘太 ( glutathione ) ( 體內的一種重要抗氧化物 ) 都提升了.

另一個實驗針對服用益生菌對正常健康人仕克服焦慮 ,抑鬱 ,及緊張情緒的效果. 結果發現  
Lhelveticus R0052 B. longum R0175 可以舒緩抑鬱, 發怒, 焦慮及增強克服問題的能力.
也有給病人以隨機抽樣方式處方益生菌 L. casei (Shirota) , 病人服用兩個月後, 焦慮症狀大大減輕.

動物實驗也證實了益生菌對改善抑鬱及焦慮的作用. 例如某些益菌可以令小鼠體內的多巴胺 ( dopamine) 和血清素 ( serotonin ) 增加, 減少抑鬱.

除了改善抑鬱和焦慮症 , 益生菌也有助克服緊張.  L.casei Shirota 可以防止皮質醇升高及增加血清素, 減少因緊張引致之身體不適.  L.helveticus R0052 配合 L.rhamnosus R0011 能夠減低焦慮, 增强學習能力及記憶.

除了以上的益生菌外, 科學界發現服用某些益生元 ( prebiotics) 也可以達到改善精神健康情緒的效果. 每日食用 B-GOS (Bimuno-galacooligosaccharides) 連續 3-4 星期, 可以减少身體產生皮質醇 ; 舒緩緊張及腸易激綜合症, 提升生活質素.

總結 : 面對壓力, 情緒精神狀態失衡, 抑鬱, 焦慮時, 不妨考慮一下相對十分經濟, 簡單,  安全   又   沒有副作用     的方法 : 服用對情緒健康有幫助的益生菌.



Jarro-Dophilus Mood Probiotics 
  • 含四種經科學驗証益生菌
  • 可改善情緒, 對抗抑鬱
  • 加入 GABA 有助應付壓力
  • 每日一粒
  • 有效劑量保證
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