Depression is sneaky. It can come on suddenly and without any reason. Or sometimes it seems to bubble up every holiday season or when the weather is dark and gloomy. Sometimes a patient may be experiencing depression and might not even know it, they may just feel more tired then usual. There are many ways depression comes to the surface. One thing is certain though, it impacts the entire body as a whole and can create additional issues like fatigue, poor appetite, a foggy head or sleep problems which makes it even harder to move out of this state of mind.
It is common for Western medicine to prescribe anti-depressants, and while they are extremely effective, they are essentially only treating the acute or superficial level of the issue. In Chinese medicine, we work from the inside out, rebalancing and addressing the root cause. Neither medicine is 100% right or wrong, but rather used in combination, a patient receives the best care on all levels.
A recent 43-year-old male patient came to our office. He had been suffering from depression for five years since his wife passed away. He felt angry that he was robbed of his future with her, as they were just starting to try to get pregnant. There were moments he would get so angry he wanted to scream and punch a wall. Other times he got so depressed he couldn’t get off the couch and so he just watched TV all day. He was constipated and had trouble sleeping; he usually woke up at 1am and stayed up until about 3am. He had a constant headache on the left side of his head often directly above the ears and he had trouble breathing deeply. He also had started a minor drinking problem, not in excess but certainly more than he used to, about 2-3 glasses of wine a night.
So, what’s our diagnosis?
Our poor patient has a lot going on. First of all, if we look at things from a Chinese medicine point of view, his Liver, Lung, Gall Bladder and Large Intestine are certainly having some imbalance issues. Let’s break it down:
Our 43-year-old male patient had acupuncture twice a week with needles in the Liver, Lung, Gall Bladder and Large Intestine meridians and also some other meridians that balance these organs respectively.
Per our recommendations, he found a therapist that he saw weekly, he also quit drinking alcohol. It wasn’t easy right away, but his acupuncture treatments helped, it resolved a lot of the cravings—another wonderful thing about Chinese medicine, is that we can treat several things at once. The acupuncture treatments were also able to create some flow in the body, which helped him move through some emotions. This is key, emotions have a tendency to get stuck in the body memory, acupuncture is one of the few things able to release them.
Overall, he felt better almost immediately, his constipation was resolved after about a week and his headaches were gone in two weeks. His emotions were more stable within two months, but took a bit more time for them to stabilize completely.
Here’s a quick outline of the main organ systems, their associated emotion/color, other possible symptoms and a few nutritional or over the counter herbal remedies you can pick up to help your emotions flow a little smoother.
Liver
Anger and Depression/Rib area, Forest green
Migraines, PMS, menstrual discomfort, high blood pressure, dizziness, insomnia (mostly trouble staying asleep), pain in the ribs, red eyes, constipation, acne.
Remedy: Milk Thistle, fish oil, watercress, onions, vinegar, lemon, honey.
(one tsp of vinegar/honey or lemon/honey to lift depression)
Heart
Inappropriate Joy/Center of the chest, Emerald Green/Pink
Palpitations, shortness of breath, cold hands and feet, low energy, insomnia (mostly trouble falling asleep), spontaneous sweating,
Remedy: Oyster shell (calcium), whole grains, mushrooms, chamomile, valerian.
Spleen
Worry/Solar Plexus/Yellow
Low energy, paleness, fibromyalgia like muscle pain or weak muscles, flatulence, bloating, bowel issues, (mostly soft or loose stools, but can be constipation), poor appetite,
Remedy: Astralagus Tea, ginger, rye, amaranth, corn, millet, pumpkin, chamomile, paud’arco. Avoid :overeating, gluten and too much raw, cold food or dairy.
Lungs
Sadness and Grief/Chest area/Silver or White
Shallow breathing, chronic cough, phlegm in the throat, lowered immune system, allergies, asthma, skin diseases, urination issues.
Remedy: Astralagus Tea, garlic, pears, banana, licorice root.
Kidney
Fear and Anxiety/Low back area/Dark Blue
Sore and weak low back, frequent urination, premature ejaculation, ringing in the ears, constipation, nightsweats, chronic dry throat,
Remedy: Go Ji Berries, lamb, squash, sweet potatoes.
We find working with patients experiencing depression very meaningful. We are honored to share in this journey and see the light inside them reignited. Aside from common imbalances like depression and anxiety, we can also treat more illusive issues like sadness, grief and fear.
At Tao to Wellness, no two patients are alike and therefore, neither are treatment plans. We customize all acupuncture points and Chinese herbal remedies ensuring that no negative interaction occurs with our treatment plan and your Western protocol. We also love to work hand in hand with your therapist, sharing and communicating our findings and your progress.
Please reach out with any questions you might have, we’d love to hear from you.
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