This month, Conrad Loreto has continued his series on acupuncture. In this article, Conrad explains the five "yen" organs, and their relationship to the balance of our total health - definitely interesting information.
In addition, this month we will be addressing a few of the increasing number of questions we have recently received. We are always appreciative of the questions we get from readers, customers and friends. We hope that the information provided may be beneficial to everyone.
Acupuncture: Understanding the Five Organ Networks
Conrad C. Loreto, N.D., N.C.C.A.
In a previous article, we discussed the effects of climatic conditions and how they effect us in a metaphoric manner, such as dampness in our body. This issue, we will discuss how the Oriental doctor understands the organs of the body and their relationship to the balance of our total health.
When out of balance, each of the five "yin" organ networks display physical and emotional signs. Thus by noting the patient's signs (symptoms and behavior), we can tell which organ networks are distressed, where there is congestion (blocked chi) or depletion (deficient chi), and then what acupuncture points are needed to stimulate the correct pathways (meridians) to restore balance and health.
The following is a list of the five organ networks, as well as their usual patterns of distress:
The Liver
The job of the liver is to store the blood and to manage the smooth circulation of blood and chi. The emotional expressions of the liver network are rage and anger, when it is ill, and courage when it is well. The liver network is responsible for our determination and initiative.
When this organ is healthy and strong, we are capable of bold, confident, decisive action and clear judgment. When it is weak, we feel frustrated and irritable. Congestion of the liver may also cause high blood pressure, headaches, and menstrual cramps, as well as neck and shoulder tension.
The Heart
The heart network not only propels the blood through the vessels, it harbors the shen (translated as both spirit and mind), suffusing the body with awareness. The job of the heart is to integrate thought, sensation, and feeling. Symptoms as varied as chest pain, confusion, ceaseless chatter, panic, insomnia and palpitations occur when the heart network is out of balance.
The Spleen
The third yin organ, the Spleen, is responsible for assimilating both food and information. When a person is overwhelmed by either, they will suffer from mental and physical indigestion.
When the spleen is healthy, there is not only good digestion, there is also a capacity to be nurturing, sympathetic, agreeable, and poised.
Conversely, being tired, scattered and unable to concentrate or remember things, and overwhelmed by details, are manifestations of a disturbed spleen. This organ is particularly vulnerable to dampness, whether arising internally (from diet or insufficient heat) or extreme humidity. In either case, this produces feelings of laziness, heaviness in the arms and legs, a generalized sense of being burdened, a bloated belly, and muddled thinking.
The Lungs
The lungs set the body rhythm by regulating the breath. The skin, regarded as the third lung, sets limits and defends our boundaries, establishing the border between the inside and the outside, both psychologically and physically.
When the lungs are healthy, the capacity for discrimination, methodical analysis and discipline exist. Someone who is overprotective of themselves and their environment, or is oversensitive, controlling and uptight could be suffering from lung disharmony.
Other signs of disturbance include tightness of the chest, skin rashes, vulnerability to colds and flu, rigid thinking and melancholy.
The Kidney
Finally, the influence of the Kidney network includes, and extends beyond,the role of managing the fluid metabolism that we associate with kidney function. The kidney network stores the body's essence, a resource required for reproduction, growth and regeneration.
The state of alarm, the force of will and capacity for sharp thinking and perception all arise from the kidneys. Problems such as retarded growth, ringing in the ears, infertility, low bank pain, paranoia, dulled thinking and feeling, weak vision, apathy, or despair are reviewed as symptoms of an impaired kidney network.
For more information, you may contact:
Conrad Loreto, N.D., N.C.C.A.
7350 E. Stetson Dr., #128
Scottsdale, AZ 85251
480-945-6698
-or-
15640 N. Pima Rd., #B3
Scottsdale, AZ 85260
480-991-3399
Sucralose (Splenda - brand name) is a sweetener approved by the FDA in April 1998, for use in a variety of food products. A non-nutritive, high-intensity sweetener, sucralose is processed from sucrose (white sugar). It is a water soluble, white crystalline powder, which is approximately 600 times sweeter than regular sugar, yet without the calories.
Tate & Lyle (the company responsible for development) claim that sucralose is not broken down by the body following ingestion, but is simply excreted through body wastes. The FDA reviewed short-term data from more than 110 studies in humans and animals, and found sucralose safe for human consumption, with the Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) being set at 15 mg per kilogram of body-weight.
An opposing viewpoint, obtained from the Sucralose Toxicity Information Center (STIC) states, "pre-approval research showed that sucralose caused shrunken thymus glands (up to 40% shrinkage) and enlarged liver and kidneys. . . Despite the manufacturer's mis-statements, sucralose does break down into small amounts of 1,6-dichlorofructose, a chemical that has not been adequately tested in humans. More importantly, sucralose must break down in the digestive system. If it did not break down and react at all (as the manufacturer claims), it would not chemically react on the tongue to provide the sweet taste. The truth is that sucralose does break down to some extent in the digestive system."
STIC describes sucralose (Splenda) as an artificial sweetener, of a chlorinated sucrose derivative. STIC disputes the manufacturer's claim that the chlorine added to sucralose is similar to the chlorine atom in table salt. Instead, STIC states that "sucralose may be more like ingesting tiny amounts of chlorinated pesticides, but we will never know without long-term, independent human research."
The STIC also says that none of the manufacturer's "100's of studies" (some of which show hazards) demonstrated safety in long-term use.
The conclusion reached by STIC is "while it is unlikely that sucralose is as toxic as the poisoning people are experiencing from Monsanto's aspartame, it is clear from the hazards seen in pre-approval research and from its chemical structure that years or decades of use may contribute to serious chronic immunological or neurological disorders."
STIC's recommendation is that "people who have any interest in health be aware of the highly toxic sweetener, aspartame, and other dangerous sweeteners, such as sucralose (Splenda), and acesulfame-k (Sunette, Sweet & Safe, Sweet One)."
Healthy alternatives are available. In our January 2000 edition of AHSJ, Stephanie Jenkins wrote an article on "Cancer and Nutrition". In it, she made some suggestions in her list on "Foods That Kill" vs. "Replace With "Foods That Heal". She recommended replacing artificial sweeteners with rice malt, barley malt, stevia (an excellent alternative to sugar), carob, and/or fresh fruit.
For the entire article, check our newsletter archive.
2. Do you have any suggestions for High Blood Pressure? I am currently taking medication for it.
It is a good idea to try to find alternative and/or nutritional ways to lower blood pressure. However, you would want to use any suggestions in conjunction with your medicine until definite improvement is observed, and you have obtained your doctor's approval to either lower or discontinue the blood pressure medicine.
A few herbs, which have been shown to lower blood pressure and improve circulation to the heart are: Cayenne pepper, Hawthorn, Fennel, Garlic, and Rosemary. For a concentrated dose, it is recommended that these be taken in capsule or liquid extract form.
Vitamin C and Vitamin B-6 help relieve pressure on the cardiovascular system.
Selenium and Calcium deficiencies have been linked to high blood pressure and heart disease, so it is important to have enough of these in your diet.
Referring to this month's article by Dr. Loreto (in the section "The Liver"), he states that "congestion of the liver may also cause high blood pressure".
Dr. Sandra Cabot, author of "The Liver Cleansing Diet", believes that having a properly functioning liver helps the body lower blood pressure and cholesterol.
Applied Health's product "Liver Cleanse" is very effective in detoxifying the liver and restoring its proper function, which in turn can aid the liver with assimilating vital nutrients needed for lowering blood pressure.
3. Does Applied Health Solutions have any products that would provide benefits for general cardiovascular health?
Applied Health Solutions has several products that can benefit the overall cardiovascular system: CellRenew, Cardio-Flo, and CoQ10.
Test results have shown that CellRenew, which is Collagen Type II and rich in Chondroitin Sulfate A, has a positive impact on the cardiovascular system. According to Dr. Alex Duarte, Collagen Type II has "a powerful antithrombogenic or anticoagulant affect, which, in essence, prevents blood clots and has been shown to reduce the incidence of stroke".
You may want to read Dr. Alex Duarte's entire article. He explains in depth how and why CellRenew can have such a positive effect on the circulatory system and heart.
Cardio-Flo is a dietary homocysteine formula that helps to maintain healthy homocysteine levels in the blood. Cardio-Flo contains the following nutrients to support a healthy heart: Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin B6, Riboflavin, Vitamin B-12, and Folic Acid.
Numerous clinical trials have proven the relationship with elevated levels of the amino acid homocysteine and increased risk of heart disease. Homocysteine is harmlessly metabolized in the human body when there are sufficient levels of the vitamins B6, B12, and Folic Acid.
With the addition of vitamin C and E, Cardio Flo is a powerful formula that can reduce and control homocysteine, and sustain a healthy, vital heart.
CoEnzyme Q10 is a powerful antioxidant. It plays a crucial role in the generation of cellular energy, increases circulation and is beneficial for the entire cardiovascular system. It is an important antioxidant found in high concentrations in the human heart and liver tissues, which acts as a significant immunological stimulant and anti-aging nutrient.
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4. I have heard recently that peanuts are considered unhealthy. Please explain this.
There are several reasons peanuts are considered to be unhealthy. Though, we typically recommend a variety of seeds and nuts in a healthy diet, peanuts are not a true "nut". Peanuts, peanut oil, and peanut products can be much more difficult to digest and a lot harder on the digestive system.
Probably everyone is aware of the many people (approximately 2%) who have allergies toward peanuts. Some of these allergic reactions can be very serious. A small amount of peanut oil, peanut stearate, even a "trace of peanuts", or any other cross-contamination can cause certain individuals to have serious, or even fatal, reactions.
There is another reason to be cautious of too many peanuts in the diet, which can affect everyone. Peanuts are one of the food products that contain "aflatoxins". Aflatoxins are a group of mycotoxins (poisonous substances) produced by a type of fungus found in the ground and improperly stored foods, known as Aspergillus Flavus.
Peanuts tend to have a high concentration of the contaminant Aflatoxin B-1. Aflatoxin B-1 is a powerful liver carcinogen and immunosuppressive substance.
Health food stores carry a variety of alternatives to peanuts or peanut butter. Almonds and almond butter are very healthy, easier to digest, and help balance blood sugar levels. There is a variety of seed butters to choose from, as well, such as sesame or sunflower butter. You may want to check out the many choices, before reaching for the peanut butter jar.
