Article from : http://altmedicine.about.com/cs/anxietydepression/a/EmotionsTCM.htm

Learn how emotions are related to body systems and symptoms

By Cathy Wong, About.com Guide

Updated: January 15, 2008

In traditional Chinese medicine, emotions and physical health are intimately connected. Sadness, nervous tension and anger, worry, fear, and overwork are each associated with a particular organ in the body. For example, irritability and inappropriate anger can affect the liver and result in menstrual pain, headache, redness of the face and eyes, dizziness and dry mouth.

A diagnosis in traditional Chinese medicine is highly individualized. Once an organ system is identified, the unique symptoms of the patient determine the practitioner’s treatment approach.

Using the liver again as an example, breast distension, menstrual pain, and irritability during menses are treated with certain herbs and acupuncture points, and migraines headaches, dizziness, and inappropriate anger with redness of the face point to a different type of liver pattern and is treated in a different way.

What does the liver have to do with migraines? Organ systems in the traditional Asian sense may include the Western medical-physiological function, but are also part of a holistic body system. The liver, for example, ensures that energy and blood flow smoothly throughout the body. It also regulates bile secretion, stores blood, and is connected with the tendons, nails, and eyes.

By understanding these connections, we can see how an eye disorder such as conjunctivitis might be due to an imbalance in the liver, or excess menstrual flow may be due to dysfunction in the liver’s blood-storing ability. Besides emotions, other factors such as dietary, environmental, lifestyle, and hereditary factors also contribute to the development of imbalances.

Spleen

·Emotions - worry, dwelling or focusing too much on a particular topic, excessive mental work

·Spleen Function - Food digestion and nutrient absorption. Helps in the formation of blood and energy. Keeps blood in the blood vessels. Connected with muscles, mouth, and lips. Involved in thinking, studying, and memory.

·Symptoms of Spleen Imbalance - Tired, loss of appetite, mucus discharge, poor digestion, abdominal distension, loose stools or diarrhea. Weak muscles, pale lips. Bruising, excess menstrual blood flow, and other bleeding disorders.

Lung

·Emotions - grief, sadness, detached.

·Lung Function - Respiration. Forms energy from air, and helps to distribute it throughout the body. Works with the kidney to regulate water metabolism. Important in the immune system and resistance to viruses and bacteria. Regulates sweat glands and body hair, and provides moisture to the skin.

·Symptoms of Lung Imbalance - Shortness of breath and shallow breathing, sweating, fatigue, cough, frequent cold and flu, allergies, asthma, and other lung conditions. Dry skin. Depression and crying.

Liver

·Emotions - anger, resentment, frustration, irritability, bitterness, “flying off the handle”.

·Liver Function - Involved in the smooth flow of energy and blood throughout the body. Regulates bile secretion, stores blood, and is connected with the tendons, nails, and eyes.

·Symptoms of Liver Imbalance - breast distension, menstrual pain, headache, irritability, inappropriate anger, dizziness, dry, red eyes and other eye conditions, tendonitis.

Heart

·Emotions - lack of enthusiasm and vitality, mental restlessness, depression, insomnia, despair.

·Heart Function - Regulates the heart and blood vessels. Responsible for even and regular pulse. Influences vitality and spirit. Connected with the tongue, complexion, and arteries.

·Symptoms of Heart Imbalance - Insomnia, heart palpitations and irregular heart beat, excessive dreaming, poor long-term memory, psychological disorders.

Kidney

·Emotions - fearful, weak willpower, insecure, aloof, isolated.

·Kidney Function - Key organ for sustaining life. Responsible for reproduction, growth and development, and maturation. Involved with lungs in water metabolism and respiration. Connected with bones, teeth, ears, and head hair.

·Symptoms of Kidney Imbalance - Frequent urination, urinary incontinence, night sweats, dry mouth, poor short-term memory, low back pain, ringing in the ears, hearing loss, and other ear conditions. Premature grey hair, hair loss, and osteoporosis.

_Sources

_{Kaptchuk TJ. The Web That Has No Weaver. Chicago: Congdon and Weed, Inc., 1983.}

_{Tierra M, Tierra L. Chinese Traditional Herbal Medicine Volume 1: Diagnosis and Treatment. Twin Lakes: Lotus Press, 1998.}

Posted by Dr. Mercola | December 07 2002

www.drmercola.com

A growing number of people who have learned the EFT technique find it is incredibly useful in helping them to sleep. There are a number of ways EFT can be used to induce pleasant sleep, and I will get to some of these. But, for those who already know how to use the technique — consult Dr. Mercola’s free online EFT manual if you want to learn the basics — the most obvious way to counteract your inability to fall asleep is to “tap” while stating the following affirmation:

“Even though I can’t get to sleep (don’t let myself get to sleep, etc.) I deeply and completely accept myself.”

That’s a good start, but there are some even more effective EFT maneuvers you can use for this purpose. The first and most important thing is to examine the underlying issues in your life that may be causing your consistent pattern of wakefulness. This is crucial if you want to obtain lasting relief from your sleep difficulty — there is always a CAUSE for a sleep disturbance, either physical, emotional or both. You will need to work on this cause by using EFT if you want to remove the sleep problem permanently.

To identify the cause of your insomnia, first analyze the thoughts that circle in your mind during the time you lie awake. What are these thoughts concerned with? Do they relate to a specific theme or themes in your life? Is there a particular concern or worry that refuses to leave you alone at night? Do you have a problem that insists on seeking an answer right away … “or else”?

The following list of suggestions is not exhaustive and may be more of a starting point than a definite direction, but you can use them to spark your thinking. I will give you a few possibilities for some “EFT Choices” that might be useful for dealing with whatever issues come up.

I suggest that you read the following with an open mind, and if any of the phrases fit try that one on for size by tapping with the setup phrase suggested or some variation of it that applies more closely to your own situation

My first suggestion is the EFT Choice:

“Even though I feel a great responsibility for (fill in here with a few words describing any responsibilities that weigh on your mind when you are lying awake at night) … I choose to know that any thoughts I have about this will be even more useful after I sleep.”

Tapping on this statement does NOT make you irresponsible or “avoiding the issues,” by the way. What it will do is allow you to cancel out your concern about the situation so you can get good sleep, and in this way become more clear-headed about this issue the next day. Being weighed down with responsibilities is a common blocker of sleep; you will handle your responsibilities much better if you are well rested.

Another sleep-depriver is anxiety. Suppose you are thinking obsessively because you are anxious about the outcome of something and afraid of what will happen if you don’t come up with a good answer — RIGHT NOW. You may be afraid that your job will be in jeopardy if you don’t do this or that, or that your health will be in jeopardy if you don’t find an answer now, etc.

In all these cases, the best thing to do is to keep a pad and pencil by your bed so you can turn on the light when these thoughts start to circle in your head. Jot down one or two sentences to remind yourself in the morning of what it was you were worried about last night — and then start tapping on the anxiety itself, using EFT.

For example, you might use the Choices phrase:

“Even though I’m anxious about (worried that, etc., fill in whatever it is that worries you), I choose to be calm and confident.” or “I choose to be calm and relaxed, etc.”

Another emotion that often keeps us awake at night is anger — sleep and anger are often incompatible. If this is the case, try tapping directly on YOUR ANGER! If you do this, be totally honest with yourself. Bring out all your resentment toward any uncomfortable position you find yourself in, or toward anyone who is irritating or infuriating to you, etc. Then tap openly and vigorously using such phrases as:

“Even though I’m furious (enraged at, etc., fill in name of person or situation), I choose to be calm and confident.”

This can work wonders because the likelihood is that if your anger was stirred up that much, you were NOT feeling calm and confident about the situation at all but were instead threatened by it in some way. Remove the sense of threat so that you can have peace.

Whatever the issue is that you identify and work on, keep doing rounds of EFT until your distress rating (on a zero to 10 point scale of distress) comes down to a one or a zero (or at least as low as you can get it to go). After doing this, you may naturally fall asleep with no difficulty.

However, old habits do sometimes die hard. If so, you may have to employ other EFT strategies as well to break the problem-solving habit when you are lying in bed. Here are some suggestions for doing that:

If you find yourself wakeful as you lie in bed, you may want to try MENTALLY tapping on each of the EFT acupoints, instead of physical tapping. For many people (myself included) this works quite well because it doesn’t stir us up through physical activity, which can make us more wakeful; mentally tapping through the EFT sequence can do the job just as well.

A very helpful setup phrase for this purpose can be:

“Even though I can’t get to sleep, I choose to be pleasantly drowsy … .”

Notice that I don’t suggest that you directly suggest sleep, simply because that idea might be resisted by habit! Instead, you will be slipping sleep in by the back door, so to speak — if you become pleasantly drowsy, the likelihood is very high that you will automatically drift off to sleep.

As you tap mentally (if you can do so, or if not do EFT by gently touching each acupoint instead of tapping), if the process is working for you, you will at some point find yourself confused about just where you are in the EFT sequence, or begin to forget your reminder phrase. This vague, drifting state of consciousness is exactly what you want so don’t resist it! It means you are entering the so-called hypnogogic (pre-sleep) state. If you just go with it, you will be asleep in the twinkling of an eye, although you probably won’t know it until you awake in the morning.

Another possible phrase for inducing sleep with EFT is:

“Even though my thoughts seem so important, I choose to know that they’ll all be there tomorrow when I wake up.”

This can release you to allow sleep to come naturally.

Finally, if none of these tactics have worked for you, you might then profit greatly by delving into your memory banks to discover just when in your life it was that your sleep difficulties began. When you locate that spot in time, try to remember what happened to you at that time in your life — the likelihood is that there was something traumatic that triggered this wakeful habit, and tapping on that trauma can be the key to resolving your entire sleep problem. I have seen this happen a number of times with clients. The effect of clearing the original cause can be a complete cessation of a sleep disturbance.

I wish you good luck in using EFT as a benefactor of your sleep and your life!

Patricia Carrington

DR. MERCOLA’S COMMENTS

Patricia Carrington’s overview of how to use EFT to conquer insomnia is right on target. I have similarly employed the technique with patients of mine who had trouble sleeping.

For those who haven’t heard of Ms. Carrington, her “Choices Method” is a very useful innovation for EFT. You can read more about the Choices Method on the last page of my free EFT manual.

If you are new to EFT, I suggest you start with the free online EFT manual for the basics, and then consider my more comprehensive Try It On Everything book and DVD.

Article from Mercola.com

If you are having sleep problems, whether you are not able to fall asleep, wake up too often, don’t feel well-rested when you wake up in the morning, or simply want to improve the quality and quantity of your sleep, try as many of the following techniques below as possible:

• My current favorite for insomnia is Meridian Tapping Technique (MTT) / Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT). Most people can learn this gentle tapping technique in several minutes.

  MTT / EFT can help balance your body’s bioenergy system and resolve some of the emotional stresses that are contributing to the insomnia at a very deep level. The results are typically long lasting and the improvement is remarkably rapid.

• Listen to white noise or relaxation CDs. Some people find the sound of white noise or nature sounds, such as the ocean or forest, to be soothing for sleep. An excellent relaxation/meditation option to listen to before bed is the Insight audio CD.
• Avoid before-bed snacks, particularly grains and sugars. This will raise blood sugar and inhibit sleep. Later, when blood sugar drops too low (hypoglycemia), you might wake up and not be able to fall back asleep.
• Sleep in complete darkness or as close as possible. If there is even the tiniest bit of light in the room it can disrupt your circadian rhythm and your pineal gland’s production of melatonin and seratonin. There also should be as little light in the bathroom as possible if you get up in the middle of the night. Please whatever you do, keep the light off when you go to the bathroom at night. As soon as you turn on that light you will for that night immediately cease all production of the important sleep aid melatonin.
• No TV right before bed. Even better, get the TV out of the bedroom or even out of the house, completely. It is too stimulating to the brain and it will take longer to fall asleep. Also disruptive of pineal gland function for the same reason as above.
  • Wear socks to bed. Due to the fact that they have the poorest circulation, the feet often feel cold before the rest of the body. A study has shown that this reduces night wakings (Click Here).
  • Read something spiritual or religious. This will help to relax. Don’t read anything stimulating, such as a mystery or suspense novel, as this may have the opposite effect. In addition, if you are really enjoying a suspenseful book, you might wind up unintentionally reading for hours, instead of going to sleep.
  • Avoid using loud alarm clocks. It is very stressful on the body to be awoken suddenly. If you are regularly getting enough sleep, they should be unnecessary. I gave up my alarm clock years ago and now use a sun alarm clock. The Sun Alarm™ SA-2002 provides an ideal way to wake up each morning if you can’t wake up with the REAL sun. Combining the features of a traditional alarm clock (digital display, AM/FM radio, beeper, snooze button, etc) with a special built-in light that gradually increases in intensity, this amazing clock simulates a natural sunrise. It also includes a sunset feature where the light fades to darkness over time - ideal for anyone who has trouble falling asleep.
  • Journaling. If you often lay in bed with your mind racing, it might be helpful keep a journal and write down your thoughts before bed. Personally, I have been doing this for 15 years, but prefer to do it in the morning when my brain is functioning at its peak and my coritsol levels are high (CLICK HERE)
  • Melatonin and its precursors. If behavioral changes do not work, it may be possible to improve sleep by supplementing with the hormone melatonin. Ideally it is best to increase levels naturally with exposure to bright sunlight in the daytime (along with full spectrum fluorescent bulbs in the winter) and absolute complete darkness at night. One should get blackout drapes so no light is coming in from the outside. One can also use one of melatonin’s precursors, L-tryptophan or 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP). L-tryptophan is obtainable by prescription only. However, don’t be afraid or intimidated by its prescription status. It is just a simple amino acid.
  • Get to bed as early as possible. Our systems, particularly the adrenals, do a majority of their recharging or recovering during the hours of 11 p.m. and 1 a.m. In addition, your gallbladder dumps toxins during this same period. If you are awake, the toxins back up into the liver which then secondarily back up into your entire system and cause further disruption of your health. Prior to the widespread use of electricity, people would go to bed shortly after sundown, as most animals do, and which nature intended for humans as well.
  • Check your bedroom for electro-magnetic fields (EMFs). These can disrupt the pineal gland and the production of melatonin and seratonin, and may have other negative effects as well. To purchase a gauss meter to measure EMFs try Cutcat at 800-497-9516. They have a model for around $40. One doctor even recommends that people pull their circuit breaker before bed to kill all power in the house (Dr. Herbert Ross, author of “Sleep Disorders”).
  • Keep the temperature in the bedroom no higher than 70 degrees F. Many people keep their homes and particularly the upstairs bedrooms too hot.
    • Eat a high-protein snack several hours before bed. This can provide the L-tryptophan need to produce melatonin and serotonin.
    • Also eat a small piece of fruit. This can help the tryptophan cross the blood-brain barrier.
    • Reduce or avoid as many drugs as possible. Many medications, both prescription and over-the-counter may have effects on sleep. In most cases, the condition, which caused the drugs to be taken in the first place, can be addressed by following the guidelines elsewhere on this web site.
    • Avoid caffeine. A recent study showed that in some people, caffeine is not metabolized efficiently and therefore they can feel the effects long after consuming it. So an afternoon cup of coffee (or even tea) will keep some people from falling asleep. Also, some medications, particularly diet pills contain caffeine.
    • Alarm clocks and other electrical devices. If these devices must be used, keep them as far away from the bed as possible, preferably at least 3 feet.
    • Avoid alcohol. Although alcohol will make people drowsy, the effect is short lived and people will often wake up several hours later, unable to fall back asleep. Alcohol will also keep you from falling into the deeper stages of sleep, where the body does most of its healing.
    • Lose weight. Being overweight can increase the risk of sleep apnea, which will prevent a restful nights sleep. CLICK HERE for my diet recommendations.
    • Avoid foods that you may be sensitive to. This is particularly true for dairy and wheat products, as they may have effect on sleep, such as causing apnea, excess congestion, gastrointestinal upset, and gas, among others.
    • Don’t drink any fluids within 2 hours of going to bed. This will reduce the likelihood of needing to get up and go to the bathroom or at least minimize the frequency.
    • Take a hot bath, shower or sauna before bed. When body temperature is raised in the late evening, it will fall at bedtime, facilitating sleep,
    • Remove the clock from view. It will only add to your worry when constantly staring at it… 2 a.m. …3 a.m. … 4:30 a.m. …
    • Keep your bed for sleeping. If you are used to watching TV or doing work in bed, you may find it harder to relax and to think of the bed as a place to sleep.
    • Have your adrenals checked by a good natural medicine clinician. Scientists have found thatinsomnia may be caused by adrenal stress (Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, August 2001; 86:3787-3794).
    • If you are menopausal or perimenopausal, get checked out by a good natural medicine physician. The hormonal changes at this time may cause problems if not properly addressed.
    • Don’t change your bedtime. You should go to bed, and wake up, at the same times each day, even on the weekends. This will help your body to get into a sleep rhythm and make it easier to fall asleep and get up in the morning.
    • Make certain you are exercising regularly. Exercising for at least 30 minutes everyday can help you fall asleep. However, don’t exercise too close to bedtime or it may keep you awake. Studies show exercising in the morning is the best if you can do it.
    • Establish a bedtime routine. This could include meditation, deep breathing, using aromatherapy or essential oils or indulging in a massage from your partner. The key is to find something that makes you feel relaxed, then repeat it each night to help you release the day’s tensions.

    • Go to the bathroom right before bed. This will reduce the chances that you’ll wake up to go in the middle of the night.

    • Wear an eye mask to block out light. As said above, it is very important to sleep in as close to complete darkness as possible. That said, it’s not always easy to block out every stream of light using curtains, blinds or drapes, particularly if you live in an urban area (or if your spouse has a different schedule than you do). In these cases, an eye mask can help to block out the remaining light.

    • Put your work away at least one hour (but preferably two or more) before bed. This will give your mind a chance to unwind so you can go to sleep feeling calm, not hyped up or anxious about tomorrow’s deadlines.

Investigators: David Wraith and Hartmut Wekerle
by John Bonner

Swiss bee-keepers are the unlikely source of evidence to suggest that a proposed new treatment for multiple sclerosis will work, said immunologist David Wraith from the University of Bristol.

Wraith’s team has been investigating ways of blocking the specific T cells that react to proteins of the protective myelin sheath surrounding nerve cells. The T cells produce inflammatory cytokines that mediate destruction of the protective sheath.

He has been using synthetic peptides based on fragments of myelin protein to induce tolerance and stop the disastrous autoimmune response.

The approach has been successful in a laboratory model for human MS, experimental allergic encephalomyelitis. Repeated exposure to the peptides switches off the Th1 pathway, which generates T cells that produce tumor necrosis factor and other cytokines implicated in the inflammatory response in MS patients.

Treated mice express a different T-cell population, known as Th0, which produces the protective cytokine IL-10. This blocks any further autoimmune degeneration by preventing antigen-presenting cells from activating new Th1 cells.

The peptides are squirted up the nostrils rather than given as an intravenous vaccine. This makes use of the mucosal immune response designed to prevent damaging inflammatory reactions to harmless antigens in the air and (in the gut mucosa) in food.

“Most autoimmune diseases are inflammatory responses, and so we are tapping into the machinery which has been specially designed to dampen down the inflammatory process,” Wraith told BioMedNet News.

Even antigens that are otherwise harmful can be tolerated when presented to the immune system via the mucosal surface. Scientists in the mid-19th century described how Native Americans had devised a way of preventing skin reactions to poison ivy by regularly eating the plant’s leaves, Wraith says.

But, Wraith needed evidence that the beneficial changes induced by the vaccine in mice could also be generated in humans. “It is all very well having an animal model. But before we could think of trying this approach on patients, we needed evidence that people could produce the same type of T cells that generate the protective IL-10 response seen in mice.”

That evidence came from a study of beekeepers in Switzerland, which showed that regular exposure to bee stings switches off allergic reactions - the bee-keeper’s blood samples were rich in IL 10.

Wraith has an agreement in principle from the UK medicines licensing authority to begin trials in MS patients. These are likely to begin within the next year, after completing the necessary preclinical safety tests. Patients will probably receive a primary course of repeated weekly doses followed by monthly booster doses. He expects those patients in the early stages of the disease to benefit most.

Current treatments for MS do little more than treat the symptoms of the disease.

Even the controversial beta interferon therapy works only in some patients and then only slows the progress of the disease. “We hope that we can shut the gate - this is the only treatment that gets to the heart of the process that causes the disease,” he said.

Bio Med Net News July 27th, 2001

Dr. Mercola’s Comments:

MS is one tough illness to reverse. But if one gives careful attention to the eating plan and implements some of the treatments discussed below should help to resolve the underlying issues contributing to the problem.

Elimination of milk and dairy is critical. Studies have shown that cow’s milk consumption is correlated with MS prevalence (Neuroepidemiology 1992;11:304-12, Neuroepidemiology 1993;12:15-27).

Additionally one should always consider heavy metal toxicity when addressing MS.

NST is one of the more important aspects of a successful treatment strategy for neurological diseases like MS. NST can help by restoring balance to the autonomic nervous system with a secondary improvement in the immune system.

This certainly has been my experience with rheumatoid arthritis.

Dr. Klinghardt, who was not interviewed for this article, also has a considerable amount of clinical experience with MS and has found bee venom therapy to be helpful. There is a link to the protocol below for Lyme Disease which is identical to the MS protocol.

My comment in that article also has a phone number where professionals can order the bee venom.

Other useful measures include:

1. Vitamin D Deficiency - MS much more common in individuals with lower vitamin D levels and in countries where people get less sunlight exposure. A previous article in the newsletter showed a positive effect of sunlight exposure on MS. Maybe correcting a vitamin D deficiency can halt progression?

2. Calcium AEP - Although I don’t know of any good studies on it, the late Dr. Nieper in Germany used it extensively in his clinic and Dr. Robert Atkins in New York City claims that 85% of his patients get positive results from it. Although there is an oral form available, most physicians use an IV administration. I have not tried it yet but might enter a clinical investigation with it in the near future.

3. Electromagnetic Stimulation of the Pineal Gland - There is a Dr. Reuven Sandyk in the NYC area who uses AC pulsed electromagnetic fields to stimulate the pineal gland and he seems to get some very good results, although the treatment is very expensive and must be done long-term. Due to the prohibitively expensive equipment, Dr. Sandyk’s clinic is probably the only place to receive this treatment.

4. Alpha Lipoic Acid - A study from the Netherlands showed that Lipoic acid is a non-specific scavenger of Reactive Oxygen Species and decreased the phagocytosis of myelin by macrophages. Free radicals appear to play a regulatory role in the destruction of myelin (Journal of Neuroimmunology 1998 Dec 1;92:67-75)

5. Progesterone - Progesterone has actually been shown in animal studies to promote the formation of new myelin sheaths (Human Reproduction 2000 Jun;15 Suppl 1:1-13, J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 1999 Apr-Jun;69:97-107, Mult Scler 1997 Apr;3:105-12). I am not aware of any clinicians using progesterone the treat MS patients, but if any of my readers have any additional information on this, please e-mail me.

Article from www.mercola.com

Consistent exposure to organic solvents such as toluene, white spirit and xylene may increase a person’s risk of multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a recent study.

The study followed close to 12,000 painters, who are known to be exposed to organic solvents, from 1970 to 1986. Construction workers, 36,899 of them, and 9,314 food-processing workers, who were not thought to have been exposed to organic solvents, were also followed.

After a review of participants’ disability pensions at the end of the study, results revealed that nine painters, 12 construction workers and six food workers had been diagnosed with MS.

The cause of MS, which occurs when the body’s immune system attacks the protective myelin sheath surrounding nerve fibers in the brain and spine, remains unknown. Symptoms of the disease include muscle weakness and stiffness, balance and coordination problems, numbness and vision disturbances.

The study showed that painters had almost double the risk of receiving a disability pension because of MS than the combined group of construction and food processing workers.

Researchers believe the findings indicate that exposure to organic solvents might increase the risk of developing MS, though more research is needed to fully address the association.

Epidemiology November 2002;13:718-720

Dr. Mercola’s Comments:

Typically solvent exposure is more strongly associated with another neurological illness, Parkinson’s Disease. However, it is clear that these toxic chemicals can play all sort of havoc with the human brain.

Please see the other article on MS in this issue that addresses my current strategy for treatment.