TCMStudy Newsletter 05/26/26 Hey, it's Nicholas! 👋 Everyone knows the point combination Four Gates: LV-3 (Taichong) + LI-4 (Hegu). Whether it's for irregular menses or just general stress, this is one of the most commonly-used point combinations for moving Liver qi. But where did it come from and what was it originally used for? Let's take a look at the history of Four Gates... Sì Guān - The Four Gates Much to my surprise, four gates (四关 sì guān) actually goes back to the classics. It was...
19 days ago • 4 min read
TCMStudy Newsletter 05/26/26 Hey, it's Nicholas! 👋 Have you ever had a patient come in after a stroke, and they have weakness or atrophy of the limb? They may have poor grip strength when you shake their hand or when they try to open a pickle jar. Or the may have some tingling and numbness down the arm. Well, there's a needling technique you can try that will activate the entire channel and draw qi and blood into the limb. It's called the Chain and Lock Method, and that's what we're talking...
26 days ago • 4 min read
TCMStudy Newsletter 05/26/26 Hey, it's Nicholas! 👋 It's the season of spring! The flowers are blooming, the bees are buzzing, and the butterflies are reveling in free movement. But for many people, it's also the season of allergies. That means congestion, sinus problems, and a runny nose. So let's talk about some overlooked points that can help open the nose... 👃 Points that Benefit the Nose If I asked you to pick a point to open the nasal passages, your first choice would probably be LI-20...
about 1 month ago • 4 min read
TCMStudy Newsletter 05/26/26 Hey, it's Nicholas! 👋 Do you have patients coming in with liver fibrosis? Did you know that there's a modern patent medication that can treat it—and it even has research behind it? Well let me introduce you to the formula Fuzheng Huayu... A Formula for Liver Fibrosis You might not know this, but historically hepatitis B has been a major problem in China, and liver fibrosis is a downstream consequence. Mother-to-child transmission was the primary driver, and a...
about 2 months ago • 4 min read
TCMStudy Newsletter 05/26/26 Hey, it's Nicholas! 👋 Do you ever have patients coming in with kidney stones or gallstones? Well for this condition, it turns out that there are some Chinese herbs that are worth their weight in gold. And you don’t have to wait until the disease is fully developed. Like a superior practitioner who digs a well before they're thirsty, you can treat stones before they form… Golden Herbs for Gallstones If you have patients coming in with stones, either kidney stones...
about 2 months ago • 5 min read
TCMStudy Weekly Update 05/26/26 Hey, it's Nicholas! 👋 Most acupuncture points are bilateral (or on the midline), but did you know that there are some points that exist on only one side of the body? Well, maybe… It turns out that this is a little bit controversial, and it may differ between east and west. One-Sided Points While there are many reasons that you might choose to needle a point on only one side, pretty much all of the acupuncture points exist bilaterally. (Of course, the obvious...
2 months ago • 4 min read
TCMStudy Weekly Update 05/26/26 Hey, it's Nicholas! 👋 Spring is almost here, and soon the caterpillars will be wriggling and the butterflies will be flying. While you’re out taking long strides through the courtyard, I thought it might be fun to talk about an herb with a funny name and an unusual function that you may not have heard of… 🦋 Wooden Butterfly Mu Hu Die (oroxyli semen) is an herb from the Stop Coughing category. Like many others in this group, it moistens the Lung to stop cough....
2 months ago • 3 min read
TCMStudy Weekly Update 05/26/26 Hey, it's Nicholas! 👋 In a previous newsletter, we talked about the herb pair Huang Qi and Shan Yao and their potential effects in lowering blood glucose levels and increasing insulin sensitivity. Here, we can talk about another curious pair: Xuan Shen and Cang Zhu. One tonifies yin and the other dries dampness. How does that work? Xuan Shen and Cang Zhu for Diabetes If you read the book Chinese Medical Herbology and Pharmacology by John Chen and Tina Chen, it...
9 months ago • 3 min read
TCMStudy Weekly Update 05/26/26 Hey, it's Nicholas! 👋 With the rise in popularity of Ozempic, a lot of people have been asking about Chinese herbs for diabetes. (Apparently berberine, an active ingredient in Huang Lian, is being touted as "nature's ozempic.") But rather than prescribing large amounts of an herb that could easily destroy a your Spleen, let's talk about gentler pair: Huang Qi and Shan Yao. Herbs for Diabetic Patients You probably learned in school that diabetes corresponds to...
10 months ago • 4 min read