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o “ “: any words in quotes means the word can be found in this Glossary.
o accredited/accreditation: a process a school goes through to ensure all the ever loving life is sucked out of it.
o accumulations: a build up of pathological stuff to the point where it starts to accumulate. The stuff can be “qi”, “blood”, “phlegm”, food, “water”. For example, an accumulation of blood can result in lumps in the body....like a uterine fibroid in Western Medicine.
o acupuncture: A method of “treatment” used in “Chinese Medicine”. Needles are inserted into “acupuncture points” in the body to achieve a desired effect. It also includes other treatments that are considered an “acupuncture treatment” like “moxa”, “cupping”.
o acupuncture points: The places where acupuncture needles are inserted to achieve a desired therapeutic effect. There are over 300 acupuncture points with most of the them being rarely used by most “doctors”. There is about 50 that are frequently used.
o alternative medicine: all medicine that isn’t Western Medicine. It doesn’t work...and is designed to confuse you...and “bilk” you out of your hard earned trust fund money.
o AMA: the lobbying arm of the Western Medicine/military/industrial complex. It ensures that only Western Medicine doctors are called “doctors”. It also performs functions like the “United Dairy Council” does for milk. We need more and more calcium...regardless of the truth. It ensures that we believe that only Western Medical treatments works...like surgery and Big-Pharma. And we need more and more of it. Have you had your cholesterol checked lately? Time for your check up!
o attacked/attacks: to be invaded from the outside by a “pathogen”. The pathogen usually gets inside the body via the skin when considered attacked. Also called “invaded”.
o benefits: to help in an unclearly defined way. For example, an acupuncture point might be known for benefiting the shoulder. However, how it benefits it is unclear.
o bilk: to hoodwink, to bamboozle...you.
o bl: short hand for “bladder”. See “bladder”.
o bladder: yang organ in the body. Like in Western Medicine, it is receives urine created by the kidney then stores and excretes it. It is associated with the yin organ “kidney”.
o bleeding: a treatment method used by an acupuncturist where an acupuncture needle or lancet is inserted in the patient to cause a small amount of bleeding usually a few drops or so. The purpose usually is to remove the pathological blood statis causing symptoms. Sounds scarier than it really is. I’d rather get bleed by an acupuncture needle any day over getting a Western Medicine shot. Less pain.
o blood: Pretty much the blood that Western Medicine thinks of. There are some slight difference but none I can think of right now.
o blood level: one of the 4 “levels” in the “Warm Febrile Disease” model.
o body fluids: It’s like the lymph fluid that exists in the Western Medicine model. It also includes thicker fluids that lubricate the joints like synovial fluid in Western Medicine.
o bottled up: The same as “qi” being “stagnant”. For example, when qi is no longer naturally flowing smoothly, so becomes pathologically bottled up.
o brain: It controls thinking and memory. It processes input receive from senses. The "kidneys" provide substance to fill up brain itself. "Heart" controls most of brains function.
o build up: another term for “accumulation”. See “accumulation”.
o burners: another name for “warmers”. See “warmers”.
Not people who go to Burning Man. Although writing this from Seattle a week before Burning Man starts....maybe my original definition is incorrect. Seattle has Burning Man fever. Fortunately, I never had a desire to catch that bug. “Woodstock” didn’t sound like fun either...to me.
o Burning Man: Take “Woodstock”. Subtract the massive rain. Add a dry dusty desert. Subtract sea of sloppy mud. Add periodic duststorms. Add scorching heat. Keep the non-stop blaring noise. Keep the bad acid. Mix it all together for a week or so...and get...a sure-fire recipe for Chinese Medicine temporary insanity.
o calms mind: to calm the mind when it is pathologically overactive. It is also called “calms spirit”. As the heart in Chinese Medicine is related with the mind and the spirit. So when the mind is not calm then the spirit is also not calm.
o calms spirit: another term for “calms mind”. See “calms mind”.
o channels: Pathways for qi and blood to flow to all parts of the body and for waste material to be ultimately transported out of the body. Similar to the arteries and veins in the Western Medicine model. Unfortunately the pathway of these “chinese medicine channels” does not map closely with the Western Medicine arteries and veins.
o channel level: as the place in the body where the pathogen resides is in the channel. Versus in the “organ level”. For example, the liver has an “organ” and “channel” related with it. It sometimes is important to make the distinctions whether the “pathogen” resides in the liver organ or channel level.
o chest qi: the qi breathed in from the air. It primarily supports the qi/energy needed by the lung for breathing and the qi/energy needed by the heart to pump blood.
o Chinese Medicine: See “TCM”.
o Chinese Medicine Guy(s): sometimes I wonder who these “guys” are myself......and I created this name. Think “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid”...without the charm, talent and Katherine Ross. Also called “CMG”.
o chong channel: The chinese term for “penetrating” channel. See “penetrating channel”.
o clearing/clear: a treatment method to rid the body of “heat” or “fire”. For example, in the summer one comes into a hot room. So one turns on the central air-conditioned to clear out the heat by adding cold. Likewise, some herbs are cold and have the function to clear (away) heat.
o clump: another term for “complex”. See “complex”.
o cold: a physical pathogenic factor. It can originate from outside the body or inside the body. For example, it originates from the outside, when an old person is outside too long on a cold day then catches a common cold the next day. For example, it originates inside the body when an old person runs low on naturally warming qi....so moves to Arizona to compensate for the inability of the body to naturally warm itself.
o Cold Damage Disease: This classic covers in detail the invasion into the body of the cold pathogen. The invasion proceeds thru 6 “stages” in the body. The Chinese name is “Shang Hun Lun”.
o collapse: to sink in extreme weakness. For example, collapse of yang means the yang “qi” has become so severely deficient that it has become serious.
o collaterals: Smaller channels that the ”channels” connect into. For example, the main electrical grid in a neighborhood is like the channels and the electricity coming into your home is like the collaterals. In “TCM” practice, collaterals often mean channels.
o communication: usually in reference to the “heart” and “kidney” communication. As the heart is fire, as in healthy heat. While the kidney is water, and is healthy yin. They need to exchange their natures for each of the organs to work properly.
o complex: the combining of two or more pathogens together into a “knot” or a “clump” that makes them more difficult to treat than if they all existed separately.
o conception channel: One of the relatively important “8 extra channels”. It contains acupuncture points and runs along the front of the body.
o congested fluids: very similar to pathological “water”. The difference is too detailed for our “cmg needs. See “water”.
o constraint: another term for “stagnation”. See “stagnation”.
o cupping: A treatment method that is used by applying suction-like cups onto the patients body to have a desired effect. Relatively recently, given “TCM’s” long history, air-pumps have been created to suck the air out of the cups before applying. However, like getting flaming cheese at a Greek restaurant some of the more flamboyant or old-school practitioners prefer the use of a fire flame into the cup to suck the air out before applying. Be grateful you weren’t a acupuncture student on the days we learned and practiced this flamboyant/old school approach on each other.
o curb: to give healthy control by restraint. For example, curb liv qi/yang when it’s is moving without any healthy control or focus.
o dai channel: Also called “daimai channel”. The chinese term for “girdling channel”. See “girdling channel”.
o daimai channel: Also called “dai channel”. The chinese term for “governing” channel. See “governing” channel.
o damp: a physical pathogenic factor. It can originate from outside the body or inside the body. For example, it originates from the outside, when an person lives in Seattle too long and feels water logged all the time. For example, it originates inside the body when a person drinks a boat load of water even when not thirsty because they were brain washed by some New Ager” to flush out the toxins in their body.
o Dao: Also called “Tao”. See “Tao”.
o deficient: not enough resources for part of the body from doing it’s natural functions. For example, deficient qi, yang, yin, blood, essence or body fluids.
o diagnosis: to collect all the signs and symptoms then apply the applicable Chinese Medicine model to come up with a “Chinese Medicine” diagnosis. For example, liv qi stagnation is a Chinese Medicine diagnosis.
o disharmony: usually used in reference to a “pattern” when two or more body parts are not working together to provide some body function. For example, when the “weiqi” and the “nutritive qi” are not working together to create a healthy sweat to get rid of a pathogen through the skin. This is called disharmony of the wei qi and nutritive qi.
o doctor: A name usually referring to a Western Medicine doctor. Chinese Medicine doctors can’t “legally” be called a doctor unless they want to jump thru a gazillion other unneeded hoops to satisfy the Western Medicine legislating lobbying evil cabal. Practitioner is what we can be legally called. I prefer to be called a “Chinese Medicine Guy”. Therefore, when my acupuncture license is inevitably revoked, I can still keep my title...”legally”.
o drain/draining: a treatment method to rid the body of a pathogen, usually being “heat”/”fire”. For example, a herb that has the function of draining “excess” heat from the head to the lower body. Often times, these herbs also have the function of taking this extra heat out of body out with the urine, once it has been drained downward. For example, true story. I was treated by a Chinese Medicine practitioner/teacher during my first year of Chinese Medicine for excess heat. After the treatment the teacher said my urine would be more warm than usual. So the next time, I peed, I putting my finger in the middle of the urine stream much to the chagrin of who cleaned the bathroom next. I remember saying....Jesus it (urine) is very warm. Then warm sentiments to my wise teacher. Then I realized I never felt my urine before like this...so for all I know this teacher was a “snake oil” salesman selling me “snake oil”.
o drives out water: as excess pathological water has accumulated in the body such that it needs to be driven strongly out of body. Usually refers to herbs that drive this water out through the anus. This presents itself as ascites or very severe edema.
o dry/dryness: a physical pathogenic factor. It can originate from outside the body or inside the body. For example, it originates from the outside, when a rock star surgeon decides to be more full of him/herself and goes to the desert to walk across it to prove his/her manliness getting dried out in the process. For example, it originates inside the body when an ungrounded “New Ager” decides to eat no meat and has zero skills to cook accordingly to compensate. Therefore, runs out of created blood. This lack of blood results in dryness, as blood moistens too.
o du channel: The chinese term for “governing channel”. See “governing channel”.
o earth: one of the “Five Elements” in nature. See “Five Elements”. It is associated with the “spleen” and “stomach”.
o elements: usually refers to one of the “Five Elements”. See “Five Elements”. Can sometimes refer to the elements we are expose to in the environments. For these, see “pathogenic factors”.
o elemental pathogenic factors: Same as “physical pathogenic factors”. See “pathogenic factors” write up.
o emotional pathogenic factors: See “pathogenic factors” write up.
o energy: Pretty much same as “qi”. See “qi”.
o epi: short hand for “external pathogen factor”. See “external pathogen factor”.
o essence: Essence is an important substance in the body. It is inherited from one’s parent and increases with unused food and oxygen taken in. It is consumed by the daily activities. For example, the body requires daily a certain amount of food and air/oxygen for it’s activities. If one’s activities are greater than food/oxygen taken in then essence is consumed. Think living off one’s trust fund until you’re broke with no credit cards, no sub-prime loans available. Only headstones.
o excess: too much stuff that gets in the way of natural body functions. This can be too much healthy stuff getting in the way. For example, excess of “qi” or “blood”. Or it can refer to pathological stuff like “cold”, “heat”, “phlegm”, ect.
o exterior: the surface of the body including the skin and associated pores. In contrast to the “interior” which is the rest of the body beneath the skin and associated pores.
o external pathogen factor: a “pathogen” that comes from outside the body and then into the body.
o extinguish: to put out pathological wind. For example, to extinguish liv wind.
o eye of knute: “Uncle Fester” folklore of a ingredient used in a “herb formula”. Not used.....to my knowledge.
o false fire: it really isn’t false at all. It is real fire. But it comes from the yin being to weak naturally hold to root the qi. The qi then “unroots” from the yin becoming pathological fire. As qi’s nature is warming, so run away unrooted qi becomes pathological warmth building up to fire levels. The origin of the fire is important for properly “treating” the condition.
o false heat: another term for “false fire”. In practice, false fire does not imply more heat than false heat, as one would expect. The terms are used interchangeably.
o fire: When used in a healthy context, it refers to the fire element that is associated with the heart and small intestines. It is one of the “Five Elements” in nature. When used in a pathological context, it usually refers to an excess of pathological heat that becomes so extreme it is then called fire. In other words, a lot of (pathological) heat is called fire.
o Five Elements: The way the universe works is called the “Dao”. The Dao can then be divided into two parts called “yin” and “yang”. The universe can also be broken down into the five elements that make it up. The elements are called wood, fire, earth, metal and water. These five elements are a major theoretical model used in “Chinese Medicine”.
o fluids: When used in a healthy context, it refers to the “body fluids”. See “body fluids”. When used in a pathological context, it usually refers to body fluids that no longer properly circulate leading to “accumulation” of “pathogenic” “fluids” or “pathogenic” “water”.
o food qi: The qi in the body extracted from the food eaten. It is used to create blood and supplies this qi to other parts of the body.
o formulas: Usually refers to “herb formula(s)”. See “herb formulas”.
o gallbladder: yang organ in the body. Like in “Western Medicine”, it is associated with storage and excreting bile. It is associated with the yin organ “liver”.
o gb: short hand for “gallbladder”. See “gallbladder”.
o girdling channel: One of the relatively important “8 extra channels”. It does not contain acupuncture points. It runs around the waist of the body.
o guys: someone who hopefully has some value.....but doesn’t ruin it by taking themselves or their subject to “seriously”.
o governing channel: One of the relatively important “8 extra channels”. It contains acupuncture points and runs along the back of the body.
o harmonizing: a “treatment” method that usually consists of using more than one of the other treatment methods to achieve one’s treatment goals. Harmonize as in using a few treatment methods elegantly together.
o heart: yin organ in the body. Like in Western Medicine, it pumps blood into circulation. In TCM, it also is associated with mental activities. For example, the heart pumps oxygen and blood to head to think clearly.
o heat: a physical pathogenic factor. It can originate from outside the body or inside the body. For example, it originates from the outside, when a Hollywood star lays on isolated beach too long to get the perfect tan. For example, it originates inside the body when you have a big test and every muscle in your body is tense causing the “qi” to bottled up inside creating frictional heat.
o herb/herbal formulas: A “treatment” method in Chinese Medicine. A collection of herbs that are grouped in a formula to achieve a desired affect in the patient.
o herbs: Usually parts of plants that are used to treat a patient. These herbs are often grouped together into a “herb formula” that is given to the patient. Almost always, a “herb formula” is given to the patient, not an individual herb to treat the problem. Herbs is a short hand that also includes other things that are not plant parts, like animal parts, like minerals or “eye of knute”. These herbs originate mostly from China ergo Chinese Medicine. Herbs are a form of “treatment” in “Chinese Medicine”.
o ht: short hand for “heart”. See “heart”.
o interior: the part of the body underneath the surface of the body. In contrast to “exterior”.
o The Inquirer: A Hollywood rag that attempts to fill up the emptiness inside of us. And it works.
o invaded: another term for “attacked”. See “attacked”.
o invigorate: often used in reference to “moving” the “blood” after it becomes “stagnant”. See “move”. For example, invigorate the blood once it becomes pathologically stagnant.
o imbalance: a general term used to reflect something just isn’t working right. Versus natural healthy functioning.
o irregular menstruation: as the menses comes sometimes early and sometimes late without any predictability.
o Jack In The Box Taco: Fond memories from my college years of wolfing this food down at the end of a heavy night of drinking. I think the massive amount of alcohol kills the salmonella... but I’m not sure. Now I am, unfortunately, as pure as the driven snow. Until I become famous and recreate these college days with my personal limo driver driving me through the check out line at binge drinking night’s end with Lindsey Lohan in tow. Full circle..almost.
o jiaos: chinese name for “warmers”. See “warmers”.
o jing: The Chinese term for “essence”. See “essence”.
o jueyin: one of the 6 “stages” in the Cold Damage Disease model. It is related to the “liver” and the “pericardium”.
o ki: short hand for “kidney”. See “kidney”.
o kidney: yin organ in the body. Like in Western Medicine, it filters fluids to create urine. In TCM, it also is associated with reproduction, sexuality, storing essence,. The essence fills up the brain to support brain functions.
o knot: another term for “complex”. See “complex”.
o large intestines: yang organ in the body. Like in Western Medicine, it is receives food from the small intestines then absorbs fluids then forms feces. It is associated with the yin organ “lung”.
o layer: layer in the body when referring to a specific place where the pathology exists. It is used to diagnosis a patient. For example, a problem might be located in the muscle layer or the skin layer. As need to know where the problem is specifically located to treat it.
o legal or legally: Law that are passed to satisfy the needs of the rich and powerful that contribute money to legislators campaigns. A nice complementary arrangement like “yin” and yang. For example, the “AMA” contributes a boat load of dough to help legislators get elected... ergo Chinese Medicine doctors aren’t called “doctors” unless you want to visit us in jail. It’s a well conceived AMA public relations scheme, we can’t be that good for you, if we aren’t called “doctors”. I wasn’t always this cynical, but watching George Bush in action has taught me to find out the real reasons why things that make no sense are that way.
o level: often times another term for “layer”. It also refers to a level in the body, as used in a Chinese Medicine classic called the “Warm Febrile Disease”. This classic covers in detail the invasion into the body of heat “pathogens”. The invasion proceeds thru 4 levels in the body. They are called the “wei level”, “qi level”, “ying level” and “blood level”. As the heat pathogen creates pathology in these level in the body.
o LI: short hand for “large intestines”. See “large intestines”.
o liv: short hand for “liver”. See “liver”.
o liver: yin organ in the body. Like in Western Medicine, it stores and releases blood. In TCM, it also removes obstructions to qi flowing naturally smoothly. For example, like a rotter-rooter that unclogs your drain so water flows naturally smoothly.
o local point: in reference to an acupuncture point that is local/nearby where the problem being addressed is on the body. For example, an acupuncture point that is located near the knee and is used to treat the knee is considered a local point.
o local pt: short hand for “local point”. See “local point”.
o lu: short hand for “lu”. See “lung”.
o lu qi rebels: See “rebels” for an example.
o lung: yin organ in the body. Like in Western Medicine, it is associated with breathing/respiration.
o mild: it refers to the strength of the “pathogen”. Or the strength of the treatment. For example, mild “heat” means not much heat so one would expect the strength of the treatment whether by “herb formulas”, “herbs” or “acupuncture” to also be mild. The continuum is mild then moderate then strong.
o metal: one of the “Five Elements” in nature. See “Five Elements”. It is associated with the “lung” and “large intestines”.
o moderate: it refers to the strength of the “pathogen”. Or the strength of the treatment. For example, moderate “heat” means not a little and not a lot of heat so one would expect the strength of the treatment whether by “herb formulas”, “herbs” or “acupuncture” to also be moderate. The continuum is mild then moderate then strong.
o moving/move: a treatment method to rid a part of the body from “excess” “qi”,” blood”, “pathogenic” “water”, or “pathogenic” “fluids”. For example, a herb that has the function to move excess blood in the uterus that has congealed into a uterus fibroid. Once the excess is moved away from the site of the problem, often other herbs are in the herb formula rid the body of this moved out excess, if needed.
o moxa: Usually a collection of “herb(s)” that are burnt over “acupuncture points” to treat the patient.
o New Agers: Generally speaking, from a person who is very open mind, a New Ager is someone who hands out and speaks misinformation to others resulting in no results or negative results. Making it more difficult for other “snake oil salesmen”..like me...from handing out my own misinformation and useless treatments.
o nutritive qi: A difficult concept to explain simply....or even complexly. It is part qi and part blood...sort of. It nourishes the wei qi to help the wei qi do it’s job. It flows near the blood so it is close enough to nourish the wei qi. The best I can do for now. A perfect example why this glossary is also a web page, so I can keep changing it as better explanations comes to me.
o obstructed by: when “pathological factors” get in the way blocking the natural flow. For example, the “channels” are obstructed by phlegm means the natural flow in the channels is blocked by the pathogenic factor phlegm.
o opens: to open up a area once closed off. Often due to an obstruction blocking free natural movement. For example, opens the “channels” means removing the obstructions in the channels to allow natural flow of qi and blood in them.
o organ/organs: like the organs in a body from a Western Medicine viewpoint. Although the functions performed by an organ can be very different under the Chinese Medicine and Western Medicine models. See each organ for more info.
o organ level: as the place in the body where the pathogen resides is in the organ. Versus in the “channel level”. For example, the liver has an “organ” and “channel” related with it. It sometimes is important to make the distinctions whether the “pathogen” resides in the liver organ or channel level.
o organ qi: once “qi” flows into an organ it is now considered that organ’s qi. For example, when chest qi flows into the heart, this qi is now called heart qi.
o Oriental Medicine: See “TCM”.
o orifices: are related to the sensory orifices of the brain and their proper functioning. In extreme cases when the orifices are “veiled”, this can lead to loss of consciousness or coma.
o pathogens: A “pathogenic factor”. See “pathogenic factors”.
o pathogenic factor(s): These are pathogens that negatively affect the health of the body. They are physical, emotional or other. Physical pathogens are “wind”, “cold”, “damp, “heat”/”fire”, “dryness”, “summerheat”, “toxin”. These pathogens oftentimes combine together to affect the body. Most of these can originate from inside or outside of the body. Emotional factors on a very simple level include anger, manic, worry, sadness and fear. Each of these emotions are associated with one of the “Five Elements”. Other pathogenic factors are those that don’t fit into the other two categories like a trauma.
o pattern: an incredibly important term/concept in Chinese Medicine. I don’t think it has an equivalent concept in Western Medicine. It represents the diagnosis that ties together all of the “symptoms” and “signs”. For example, a recent Nytimes article said that exercise is good for reducing fatigue. Whereas a Chinese Medicine “doctor” might see two patients, one that feels more tired after exercising and another one that felt better after exercising. While Western Medicine and Chinese Medicine doctors would lump both of these people together with the diagnosis of fatigue. A Chinese Medicine doctor would go one step further identifying a unique pattern for each patient. For example, the patient who was better after exercising might have a pattern called “qi” “stagnation” meaning once the qi flows to the body parts via exercise the person feels energized. As the body part now has qi to do it’s natural functions so no longer feels tired. While the person who felt worse after exercise might have a pattern called “qi” “deficiency” where the person feels tired because of a lack of qi and exercising only depletes their qi even more resulting in feeling more tired after exercising.
o pc: short hand for “pericardium”. See “pericardium”.
o penetrating channel: One of the relatively important “8 extra channels”. It does not contain acupuncture points. It runs along the front of the body.
o pericardium: yin organ in the body. Like in Western Medicine, it covers protecting the heart.
o phlegm: is stuff that you cough up, but it also is a wider concept in Chinese Medicine. Phlegm can accumulate anywhere in the body, although it’s most frequently located in the lungs. Phlegm is basically a kind of junk that accumulates in the body obstructing the body’s natural healthy functions.
o physical pathogenic factors: See “pathogenic factors” write up.
o practitioner: what a Chinese Medicine ‘doctor” can be called “legally”.
o preexisting condition: a pathology that the patient had before some other pathology occurred. These pathologies can then negatively affect each other. Or they can remain separate. It’s important to know about both of these pathological conditions in order to properly diagnosis and treat the patient.
o protective qi: The English term for “wei qi”. See “wei qi”. I am just so use to using the term wei qi that I know protective qi would be much better term to use for you to understand. But using wei qi is a tough habit to break... and I’ll try to catch myself.
o protects yin/fluids: usually in reference to a herb that does not tonify the yin or the fluids but somehow prevents them from being, usually further, damaged.
o purging: a “treatment method” to rid the body of “excess” via the anus. These excesses are usually one of the following- clogged stool, stagnant blood, phlegm or fluids.
o qi: Energy. The energy the body needs to do it’s functions. Think electricity that is flowing through the outlet thru a cord into a computer. Think oxygen that the body cells need.
o qi level: one of the 4 “levels” in the “Warm Febrile Disease” model.
o raises: to lift up into it’s natural direction. Usually used in reference to raising up the “yang”, “qi”, or sp qi into it’s naturally direction. For example, to raise sp yang to the head so the the brain can have the qi needed for clear thought.
o rebels: usually in reference to “qi” or “yang” going in a wrong direction. For example, healthy st qi naturally goes down. Like it following the natural downward flow of food thru the digestive tract. However, when st qi rebels it goes upward and one might feel nausea. For example, healthy lu qi naturally goes down. Like it following the natural downward flow of breathed in air into the body. However, when lu qi rebels it goes upward and one might cough.
o reducing accumulations: a “treatment method” to rid the body of pathological “accumulations”. The body rids itself of these accumulations by gradual reducing the accumulations.
o rel ext: short hand for “release exterior”. See “release exterior”.
o releasing the exterior: a “treatment method” to push out pathogen(s) invading the surface of the body. For example, “wind”, “cold”, “heat” or “damp” by themselves or in a combination invade the surface of the skin. The body then needs to push the pathogen out of the body via the skin. This is called releasing the exterior. The releasing the exterior process usually results in a mild sweat by the patient reflecting the pathogen pushed out of the body.
o regulate: refers to moving qi or blood that has become “stagnant” and one wants to treat by “moving” them out of the area having the problem. In other words, to regulate by reducing what is excessive by moving it out. Doesn’t really increase good resources when they are deficient, like one would expect from the term regulate. Therefore, the term “move” is preferred to explain this treatment method. See “move”.
o ren channel: The Chinese term for “conception channel”. See “conception channel”.
o Roger Ebert: My favorite writer. Period. He inspires me to call them as courageously as I can. I have imagined many many times how Chinese Medicine could have helped someone like him...with all his illnesses. He gave me his writing. I wish I could have given him Chinese Medicine info simplified. Like he simplifies the movies, so I can greatly appreciate them. And in turn, learn about life.
o san jiao: The Chinese term for “triple warmer”. See “triple warmer”.
o separate: another term for “split”. See “split”.
o seriously/serious: to suck the ever loving life out of something. For example, modern education. For example, standardized competency exams for first graders to get into second grade. For example, the vast majority of Chinese Medicine education taught at “accredited” Chinese Medicine schools in the United States.
o severe: another term for “strong”. See “strong”.
o Shang Hun Lun: The chinese term for “Cold Damage Disease ”. See “Cold Damage Disease”.
o shaoyang: one of the 6 “stages” in the “Cold Damage Disease” model. It is related to the “san jiao” and the “gallbladder”.
o shaoyin: one of the 6 “stages” in the Cold Damage Disease model. It is related to the “kidney” and the “heart”.
o shi: The chinese term for “excess”. See “excess”.
o SI: short hand for “small intestines”. See “small intestines”.
o signs: valuable information used by the Chinese Medicine doctor to come up with a diagnosis. They are not symptoms that the patient is experiencing. For example, the information about feeling the pulse and looking at the tongue are considered signs to use as valuable information when creating a diagnosis.
o sinks: usually in reference to “qi” or “yang” going in a wrong direction. For example, healthy sp qi naturally goes up. However, when sp qi sinks it goes down and one might get diarrhea. As sp qi just pathologically sinks out of the body with the diarrhea.
o sj: short hand for “san jiao”. See “san jiao” or “triple warmer”.
o small intestines: yang organ in the body. Like in Western Medicine, it is receives food from the stomach for further digestion. It is associated with the yin organ “heart”.
o smoldering heat: heat that is somewhat hidden but exists none the less. A concept at a more detailed level than needed for “cmg” beginner’s stuff. For a “practitioner”, it is important to know the distinction between heat and smoldering heat and to properly treat.
o snake oil: another name for “Chinese Medicine”....and the “alternative medicine” like.
o snake oil salesman/salemen: a person who sells things that has health claims that don’t actually work. For example, a “Chinese Medicine Guy” sells snake oil of a Chinese variety.
o source qi: the “qi” inherited from the parents along with the surplus of daily resources from food and air.
o sp: short hand for “spleen”. See “spleen”.
o spleen: yin organ in the body. It has a different view than Western Medicine. It plays a big role in digestion and absorption of the stuff one eats and drinks.
o sp qi sinks: See “sinks” for example.
o split: usually in reference to the “heart” and “kidney” relation. As the heart is fire, as in healthy heat. While the kidney is water and is healthy yin. They need to exchange their natures for each of the organs to work properly. When these natures are not exchanged, they separate from each other. This is called heart and kidney split. This can also be called heart and kidney “separate”. It can also be used to refer to when the yang and the yin split. As healthy “yang” and “yin” should work together as a whole. They are pathological when they split not exchanging their influences becoming both dysfunctional.
o st: short hand for “stomach”. See “stomach”.
o st qi rebels: See “rebels” for an example.
o stag: short hand for “stagnation/stagnant”. See “stagnation/stagnant”.
o stages: often times another term for “level”. It also refers to a stage in the body as used in the Chinese Medicine classic called “Cold Damage Disease”. This classic covers in detail the invasion into the body of the cold pathogen. The invasion proceeds thru 6 stages in the body. They are called the “taiyang” stage, “shaoyang” stage, “yangming” stage, “taiyin” stage, “shaoyin” stage and” jueyin” stage. As the cold pathogen creates pathology with these level in the body.
o stagnation/stagnant: when “qi”, “blood” or “body fluids” slows down or stops from naturally flowing. For example, “qi” stagnation means the qi has slowed down or stopped flowing. Likewise, liver qi stagnation means the “qi” of the “liver” has slowed down or stopped flowing.
o stasis: when blood slows down or stops naturally flowing. This term is the same idea as stagnation but is a more frequently used term in relation to blood flow. See “stagnation”.
o stomach: yang organ in the body. Like in Western Medicine, it is receives food and starts the digestion process. It is associated with the yin organ “spleen”.
o strong: it refers to the strength of the “pathogen”. Or the strength of the treatment. For example, strong “heat” means a lot heat, probably now called “fire”, so one would expect the strength of the treatment whether by “herb formulas”, “herbs” or “acupuncture” to also be strong. The continuum is mild then moderate then strong.
o stronger: to make the thing referred to as possessing more force for doing more work. How it is made stronger is unclearly defined.
o Super Bowl: Reminds me of an old joke. I was watching a boxing match and a hockey game broke out. Ergo...eg...ie...I was watching a bunch of commercials and some Super Bowl football broke out.
o summerheat: a physical “pathogenic factor”. It originates from outside the body. For example, when your kid plays outside way too long on a hot summer day. The next day they develop a high fever.
o sx: short hand for (a patient’s) symptom.
o taiyang: one of the 6 “stages” in the “Cold Damage Disease” model. It is related to the “bladder” and the “small intestines”.
o taiyin: one of the 6 “stages” in the Cold Damage Disease model. It is related to the “lung” and the “spleen”.
o Tao: Also known as “Dao”. The way the natural universe works which was written by Lao-Tse. Also known as Lao-Tsu depending who is translating it. It truly is a masterpiece.
o TCM: Traditional Chinese Medicine. A short hand way of referring to Chinese Medicine in contrast to Western Medicine. I guess traditional refers to medicine coming from way back when versus Western Medicine is considered a more recent development. TCM is a short hand that not only includes medicine from China but usually implies all of the Orient.
o thin mucus: very similar to pathological “water”. The difference is too detailed for “cmg” beginner”s stuff. See “water”.
o ton: short hand for “tonify”. See “tonify”.
o tonify: a treatment method to nourish body resources that are “deficient”. Body resources being “qi”, “blood”, “yin”, “yang”, “essence” or “body fluids”. For example, a herb whose function is to tonify (the) qi.
o toxin: a physical “pathogenic factor”. It can originate from outside the body or inside the body. For example, it originates from the outside, when you live on food stamps and about the only thing you can afford is a “Jack-In-Box Taco” so you eat it to survive and a few hours later you are puking your guts out. For example, it originates inside the body when you have internal heat for a long period of time because you are a high strung, Type A, hot head. But in good way. This heat builds up internally over a long period of time into toxin.
o Traditional Chinese Medicine: See “TCM”.
o transform phlegm: a general to describe how pathological phlegm is changed/transformed into something else the body can now better deal with getting rid of.
o treatment methods/treatments: methods used to treat a patient. In Chinese Medicine, it usually consists of “acupuncture”, “chinese herbs” and associated “herb formulas” or advice on lifestyle changes. Some general treatment methods include “releasing the exterior”, “purging”, “harmonizing”, “warming”, “clearing”, “draining”, ”moving”, “reducing accumulations”, ”tonifying”.
o triple warmers: yang organ in the body. It doesn’t have any clear cut association with any organ from a Western Medicine viewpoint. It provides a pathway for qi and body fluids to flow. It is comparable to the lymph pathways. It is associated with the yin organ “pericardium”. It also refers to a Chinese Medicine model of defining disease and treatments as they relate to the three burners that make up the trunk of the body. The three burners are called the upper warmer related to upper trunk, the middle warmer related to middle of the trunk, and the lower warmer related to the lower trunk.
o unaroused yang: as the yang is not active seemingly asleep. For example, when the yang is unaroused the treatment is to make it naturally active.
o uncalm mind: when the mind is pathologically overactive. The “treatment” is then to “calm mind”. It is also called “uncalm spirit”. As the heart in Chinese Medicine is related with the mind and the spirit. So when the mind is not calm then the spirit is also not calm.
o uncalm spirit: another term for “uncalm mind”. See “uncalm mind”.
o Uncle Fester: Not a “Chinese Medicine” doctor...but he should be...especially with his sense of humor and love of life. He looks like the “Dao” in action to me. Yes, I had a crush on Morticia. She’s always been the one that got away.....even if technically I never had her....to get away.
o unroots: usually refers to qi that unroots from the yin or the blood. As the blood and yin are substance and their function is to root qi and yang in a healthy way. Not smother it but to ground it.
o w/ : short hand for with.
o War and Peace: A really really long book that one can easily completely read during the commercials of a “Super Bowl”.
o Warm Febrile Disease: This classic covers in detail the invasion into the body of the warm pathogen. The invasion proceeds thru 6 “stages” in the body. The Chinese name is “Wen Bing”.
o warm pathogen disease: an invasion by a heat “pathogen”. As a Chinese Medicine classic called the “Warm Febrile Disease” focused on the disease process and and treatment related to the body being invaded by a warm pathogen.
o warmers: relates to the Chinese Medicine model of the “triple warmers”. See “triple warmers”.
o warming/warms: a “treatment method” to get rid of pathological “cold”. Like a herb’s function is to warm (the) cold. For example, like walking into a cold house then turn on the house center heat to warm the house to get rid of the cold.
o water: When used in a healthy context, it refers to the water element that is associated with the “kidneys” and “bladder”. It is one of the “Five Elements” in nature. When used in a pathological context, it refers to an “accumulation” of pathogenic “fluids”. For example, when the body’s fluids stop naturally circulating, they can pile up in an accumulation of stagnant water...usually simply called (pathological) water.
o wei level: one of the 4 “levels” in the “Warm Febrile Disease” model.
o wei qi: The qi in the body that flows under the skin. For example, it is responsible for keeping the skin pores shut to keep out pathogens and for opening up to sweat out the pathogens once invaded.
o Wen Bing: The chinese term for “Warm Febrile Disease”. See “Warm Febrile Disease”.
o Western Medicine: the only real medicine....everything thing else is “snake oil”.
o wind: a physical pathogenic factor. It can originate from outside the body or inside the body. For example, it originates from the outside, when an person lives in the Windy City/Chicago and is subjected to one windy spring day after another. For example, it originates inside the body when the “liver” yin in the body is too weak to naturally root the liv qi. This “unrooted” liv qi, if it becomes severe, can develop into a substantial amount of unrooted liv qi leading to liv wind.
o wind/plus: means the “pathogen” “wind” is possibly combined with another pathogen that is referred to by the plus. As wind often carries other pathogen with it from the outside into the body. The Plus allows the definition to be a general something other pathogen(s).
o wood: one of the “Five Elements” in nature. See “Five Elements”. It is associated with the “liver” and “gallbladder”.
o Woodstock: Best summed up by “Roger Ebert”. My favorite writer. Period. As he did a Great Movie review of “Woodstock”, some 35 years after the event and associated movie came out. I quote the final sentence of that movie review written in 2005.
The decade began with the election of John F. Kennedy and ended as the last bedraggled citizens of Woodstock Nation slogged off the muddy field and thumbed a ride into a future that would seem, to many of them, mostly downhill.
The master has spoken.
o xu: The chinese term for “deficient”. See “deficient”.
o veiled orifice: as the orifices are covered so being unable to express their functions. It usually refers to the heart or brain’s sense organs. For example, when the heart is the veiled orifice the functions related with the brain can not be performed often resulting in an unconscious like state.
o vents: to push out a pathogen out of the body thru the skin. For example, to vent heat from the muscles means to open up and push the heat trapped in the muscle out through the skin.
o vessel: Another name for “channel” or “collateral”. Also, commonly used term when referring to a specific “8 extra channels”.
o vital substances: The substances that are vital for the body to function properly. They are “qi”, “blood”, “body fluids”.
o yang: A term that makes you never want to create a glossary. The “Dao” is divided into two pieces. The two pieces are yin and yang. They complement each other to make a whole. A good way to understand yang is by it’s attributes in nature. A few of which being energy, “qi”, hot, movement, fast. It often refers to the sum total of qi needed by the body to do it’s functions.
o yang organs: The organs in the body which are considered more “yang like”. There are six- the “gallbladder”, “small intestines”, “stomach”, “large intestines”, “bladder” and “triple warmer”. The yang organs provides an model to diagnosis a patient’s woes, but it is less important than the yin organs. Each yin organ has a yang organ associated with it. As “yin” and “yang” complement each other to make a whole.
o yangming: one of the 6 “stages” in the Cold Damage Disease model. It is related to the “stomach” and the “large intestines”.
o yin: A term that makes you never want to create a glossary. The “Dao” is divided into two pieces. The two pieces are yin and yang. They complement each other to make a whole. A good way to understand yin is by it’s attributes in nature. A few of which being- substance, “blood”, cold, still, slow. It often refers to a substance that nourishes body parts to do it’s function.
o yin organs: The organs in the body which are considered more yin-like. There are six- the “liver”, “heart”, “spleen”, “lung, “kidneys” and “pericardium”. This yin organs provides an important model to diagnosis a patient’s woes. Each yin organ has a yang organ associated with it. As “yin” and “yang” complement each other to make a whole.
o ying level: one of the 4 “levels” in the “Warm Febrile Disease” model.
o ying qi: The Chinese term for “nutritive qi”. See “nutritive qi”.
o zhong qi: The Chinese Term for “chest qi”. See “chest qi”.
o 8 extra channels: These are other channels than the “12 main channels”. A few of them play an important part in “tcm” theory. They are called “conception”, “governing”, “penetrating”, and “girdling” “channels”.
o 12 main channels: The main “channels” for distributing qi and blood throughout the body. There is one for every “yin organ” and “yang organ”.
o / : used to group similar items together. Like a comma but makes things easier to read. For example, wind/heat/damp means the “pathogenic factors” wind, heat and damp are combined together forming a new mixed together pathogen that needs to dealt with. For example, sp/st/lu means that one or all of the “organs” “sp”/”spleen”, “st”/”stomach” and “lu”/”lung” are being referred too.
o /+ : means the same same as “/” above with a slight addition. The plus sign means that what follows is not required. So to continue with the “/” example above. For example, wind/heat/+damp means the “pathogenic factors” wind, heat and damp are combined together forming a new mixed together pathogen that needs to dealt with. However the damp is optional. The pathogen can just be Wind/Heat or it can be Wind/Heat/Damp.
o ; : used to separate unrelated key actions for herbs, acupuncture points or herb formulas. In order to separate seemingly unrelated actions so easier to understand. For example, the herb hua shi gets rid of excess damp in the bladder. It also gets rids of summerheat. These Key Actions and related Key Indications are separated by a ; . At a much deeper level, one can see how these seemingly unrelated pieces relate. But for our “cmg” use it’s better to separate them for ease of understanding.
o (as...): when an additional explanation is needed to make what came before it clearer. For example, a herb has a function of digest formula(as ton sp qi). This means that the function of improving digesting by this herb in the herb formula is achieved BY “ton”/”tonifying” the “sp” “qi”. Versus some other way of helping to digest the formula.
o (as combo....): When an additional explanation is needed to make what came before it clearer. See “(as...)”. Also some “herbs” or “acupuncture points” only achieve the stated function when combined (ergo COMBO) with other herbs or acupuncture points. For example, the herb kun bu treats neck nodule(as combo with hai zao)...only when combined with the herb hai zao.
