From a TICM viewpoint, our modern lifestyles have the tendency to generate excess heat. Think about a stressed out day at work, maybe followed by more work at home, a not so nutritious meal and maybe a meal or two skipped in the process.
An excess of cortisol and adrenalin set off inflammation in our bodies. Cortisol is our body's main stress hormone and works with the brain to control fear, motivations and moods. Regular massages or hijama can reduce excess cortisol in the body.
Inflammation is the body's natural occurring response to injury, infection or disharmony. Inflammatory conditions can result from injuries, viruses not completely leaving the body, physical, chemical, and surgical irritation, and/or wounding, parasitic invasions and candida. These can manifest as sinus infections, colds, flu, arthritis, Crohn's, colitis, IBS, rheumatoid arthritis, herpes, canker sores, gout, bladder infections, oedema, tonsilitis and more.
So how do TICM doctors treat inflammation?
Our solution is to restore and strengthen the inner workings of the digestive system and organs excreting any inflammation there may be. In some cases its warming the Stomach so all the organs can function whilst nourishing moisture, cooling blood.
How to soothe inflammation? Work with your TICM doctor to determine the root cause. They may give you herbs to help the process, relieve stress and promote healing.
Baths: take regular epsom salt baths and foot soaks to promote natural detoxification and anti-swelling.
Acupuncture: opens the meridians to promote the healing process with the smooth flow of energy and manages stress.
Reducing stress is extremely important at this time.
Hijama on heat release points to eliminate heat from the body if your inflammation is hot in nature. Plus eliminate heat from body organs especially Liver/Gallbladder.
Vitamin C: reduces swelling greatly but since we don’t store it or create it, so we must get it from our diet. In situations of infection and inflammation take a high quality, easily digestible, Vitamin C around 2-3 times per day.
Eat anti-inflammatory foods: apple cider vinegar, aloe vera, berries, bone broth (organic), dark leafy greens, fennel, ginger powder, herbs, seaweeds, pineapple. Stay away from fried, greasy, packaged and processed foods and limit or cut out nightshades until the condition improves.
Probiotics: if your digestive organs are out of whack so will your appendix which naturally produces your probiotics. So add in a good quality natural probiotic and eat foods high in live cultures like sauerkraut, pickles, kefir to give your gut that good bacteria to strengthen the immune system and support the natural detoxification of the body.
Cut out sugar and gluten: both these ingredients cause swelling and gluten is noticeably sticky in the digestive tract. If the body is trying to fight inflamed areas, sugars and glutens will only feed the problem and promote the growth of bacteria’s, candida and parasites.
Cut out diary.
Liver herbal formula’s will naturally detoxify the Liver where all our emotions, foods, medications are filtered. The Liver also promotes digestion and absorption, the maintenance of the circulation of energy, Blood and body fluids and can greatly help in aiding inflammation and healing.
Exercise: move your body every day to help drain the lymphatic system. Choose moderate exercise like gentle yoga, Qigong, walking. If you are suffering from inflammation, you don't want to consume your energy to push through a workout, you want to use it for healing instead. So do something to promote circulation, but don't do anything strenuous.
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