Cold Hands and Feet: A Chinese Medicine Guide to Better Circulation

While having cold hands and feet is a normal physical response to a cold environment, TCM teaches that persistently cold hands and feet are symptoms that may point to deeper health issues resulting from Qi, Yang, and Yin deficiencies. Too much cooling Yin and not enough warming Yang results in cold extremities. Restoring Yin Yang balance through proper diet, exercise, and TCM practices like acupuncture and medicinal herbs will help circulate blood through the body properly, warming chronically cold hands and feet.

Causes

Qi Deficiency:
The health and quality of Qi, which is the energy of all life, is very important in TCM. If there is Qi stagnation, or insufficient Qi, symptoms like cold extremities may manifest. Without the body’s normal energy flow, its ability to generate warmth diminishes, leading to lack of warmth in the hands and feet. Qi stagnation can be caused by stress, poor eating habits, and a sedentary lifestyle.

Blood Stagnation:
If you experience blood stagnation, it can lead to poor circulation, causing cold hands, chest pain, and feelings of oppression. In TCM, blood stasis is the concept that blood flow in the body is not as smooth as it should be, leading to various health issues like cold hands, pain, bruises, and a purple complexion. Good health relies on the smooth, robust flow of blood, so when it is stuck, it leads to discomfort. In order to correct the Qi deficit, it is necessary to incorporate mindfulness, appropriate rest and nourishing diets.

Yang Deficiency:
A Yang deficiency presents as fatigue, chills, and a pale face, resulting from a deficiency in the body’s warming energy. Yang is responsible for transforming and transporting Qi throughout the body. It is the warming principle that counterbalances Yin;s cooling and contracting nature. This harmony is essential for optimal bodily function. Chronic illness, ageing, overexertion, overeating of cold and raw foods, chronic stress, and prolonged exposure to a cold environment causes a Yang efficiency, with cold hands and feet being a noticeable symptom of the body’s inability to circulate warmth. Common symptoms of a Yang deficiency include chronic fatigue, sensitivity to cold, nasal congestion, continuous sneezing, abdominal pain, menstrual cramps and blood clots, and digestive issues.

Excessive Yin:
Yin and Yang need to be in harmony for the body to function at its best. While Yang is responsible for dispersing Qi and warmth throughout the body and limbs, Yin conveys that energy to the organs, and is cooling. If Yin and Yang are in disharmony, they can not connect, causing an inability to circulate energy through the body. This disconnect is called jue, and may result from meridian obstruction or insufficient Yang energy caused by Qi stagnation, blood stasis, and indigestion. An excess of Yin in the body results in cold hands and feet, because there is not enough Yang energy to keep the extremities warm, and the feet are farthest from the heart.

Remedies

Food: To treat a Yang deficiency, avoid consumption of cold or raw foods like salads, raw fruit, or milk. Do eat warm foods like cayenne, walnuts, pistachios, chestnuts, onion, garlic, mutton, leeks, cinnamon, mugwort leaves, jujube tea, and ginger, and medicinal herbs like cinnamon, clove, ginger, nutmeg. To treat blood stagnation, eat foods like apricots, cherries, red grapes, beets, beef, eggs, figs, dates, parsley, dark leafy greens. Include sulphur-rich foods like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, and brussel sprouts, leafy greens, lentils, chickpeas, and walnuts for enhanced blood flow.

Foot Soak: Soak your feet in warm water for 15 minutes before bed, or sleep with a hot water bottle at the foot of your bed. Add mugwort leaves, ginger, or prickly ash for extra warmth.

Layering: Being cold can exacerbate Yang and Qi deficiencies, so layering and staying warm can help aid the body’s efforts to circulate blood and warm the extremities.

Exercise: A sedentary lifestyle encourages blood stagnation, so exercises like jogging, tai chi, walking, yoga, swimming, and other aerobic activities that do not cause overexertion are ideal for circulating blood throughout the body. Overexertion causes sweating, resulting in Yang depletion.

Acupuncture: By stimulating specific points along the body’s meridians, Qi and blood stagnation can be relieved. Activation of certain points, especially along the Kidney and Spleen meridians, circulates blood, restores warmth, increases Qi, and restores warmth to the hands and feet.

Cold hands and feet are strong indicators of an imbalance in the body’s Yin Yang relationship. Harmony can be restored through proper diet, exercises that are not excessively draining, foot soaks, warm clothes, and various TCM practices like acupuncture and medicinal herbs.

Supporting the body’s ability to circulate blood is the key to warming chronically cold hands and feet.

Resources

● https://www.commontcm.sg/chronic-illness/tcm-treatment-cold-hands-and-feet

● https://www.yongkangtcm.com/post/chinese-medicine-and-cold-extremities

● https://www.shanghaimedicalclinic.com/cold-hands-and-feet-what-to-do/

● https://sgpaincaretcm.com/understanding-cold-feet-traditional-chinese-medicine-approach/

Healing From Concussion with CST

Concussions and Craniosacral Therapy (CST)
By Emily Klik, CST

What is a concussion?

A concussion is often described as a lingering headache following a blow to the head. Medically, it refers to a mild brain injury caused by a high-velocity impact or sudden acceleration to the skull. This could occur from a direct blow or even from rapid movement, such as the jarring forces felt on a rollercoaster. Inside the skull, the brain floats in a protective layer of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), which serves as both a cushion and a vital support for brain function. When a sudden impact or acceleration causes the brain to move rapidly through this fluid, it can strike the inside of the skull, leading to an injury. The recovery from a concussion can range from a few weeks to several months, and in some cases, symptoms may persist, leading to a diagnosis of traumatic brain injury (TBI).

A common symptom of a concussion is a sensation of internal pressure, often felt as though a vice is tightly clamping down on the center of the skull. This discomfort is typically accompanied by other neurological symptoms.

What are neurological symptoms?

Neurological symptoms indicate an issue within the nervous system. When affecting the brain, some of the symptoms may include:

-Double vision or difficulty focusing the eyes

-Uncoordinated eye movements

-Eye fatigue or aching eyes

-Altered taste or smell

-Sudden dizziness or vertigo

-Cognitive changes

-Sensitivity to light and sound

And there can be more. These symptoms are indicative of disruption in specific cranial nerves or muscles and can often be addressed with craniosacral therapy.

How Craniosacral Therapy helps

Craniosacral therapy can assist by gently decompressing the cranial plates and releasing tension in the membranes surrounding the brain. This manual therapy helps alleviate pressure inside the skull, improves blood and cerebrospinal fluid circulation, and reduces brain fog and pain. Additionally, craniosacral therapy can help regulate vital functions such as digestion, heart rate, breathing, and even processes like sweating and salivation.

If a concussion has led to neck or back pain, this therapy can also help address the referred pain, often within the same session.

What to expect in a Craniosacral session

During your initial session, your therapist will inquire about the circumstances of the injury—whether it was caused by a direct impact or acceleration—to better understand the origin of the concussion. You'll also discuss any current symptoms to help the therapist identify which cranial nerves and plates may be affected, guiding the treatment plan.

How long before I feel better?

The duration of recovery varies greatly, depending on the severity of the injury and any complementary therapies being used in conjunction with craniosacral therapy. For more severe concussions, additional therapies such as occupational therapy, vision therapy, or vestibular rehabilitation may be recommended. Some people may see improvement within a few weeks, while for others, symptoms may persist for years. Unfortunately, there is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question.

Why do symptoms last so long?

Many long-standing concussion symptoms are caused by compression of the cranial plates or injury to the internal membranes of the skull (the dura mater, arachnoid membrane, and pia mater). These structures can create pressure on the brain, hindering proper circulation of cerebrospinal fluid. In most cases, once the cranial plates become compressed, they can remain in that state until released through manual therapy. In my practice, I've worked with individuals who have experienced cranial compression for days, up to decades.

The good news is that even chronic symptoms can often be improved with craniosacral therapy. I recommend trying a series of 3-4 sessions to assess progress. Many clients report feeling noticeable improvements after just one or two sessions, and some find that they begin to feel better in other areas of their body as well.

In Conclusion

Craniosacral therapy offers a gentle yet powerful approach to healing after a concussion. Not only does it help with concussion symptoms, but many clients report feeling better overall—more balanced and at ease in their bodies.

If you have any questions or would like to explore how craniosacral therapy could help with your recovery, please don't hesitate to reach out.

Emotional Eating: A Clue to Imbalance

Emotional eating is a response to psychological and emotional factors rather than hunger, and stems from either unprocessed emotions or imbalances in the body’s organs. Each organ, the spleen, heart, liver, kidneys, and lungs, are associated with particular emotions, cravings, and other symptoms that can help diagnose an imbalance within the body. Balanced emotions are important in Classical Chinese medicine (CCM) because they are closely linked with organ function, and support vitality and Qi. When emotions are suppressed or unprocessed, stagnation can occur, leading to symptoms that cause emotional eating. The relationship is symbiotic, and can generate a habitual cycle if left unchecked. Understanding what you are craving can be the first step in understanding what you are feeling, and then treating yourself accordingly.

The Spleen

In CCM, the Spleen is the center for digestive health. Its main function is turning food into QI and Blood. Feelings of worry, overthinking, and mental strain are associated with the Spleen. Symptoms include craving sweet, starchy, or comfort foods, bloating, fatigue, and indigestion. To support your Spleen through times of emotional imbalance, eat warm, cooked meals to aid digestion, avoid excess sugar, avoid raw and cold foods which are harder to digest and weaken the Spleen, and incorporate herbs like Astragalus, Turkey Tail, Chaga, and Lion’s Mane mushroom.

The Heart

The Heart is responsible for spirit, or Shen, and overall emotional health. An imbalance in the Heart presents as a deficit in joy, and emotional eating may look like overeating to fill a void or find comfort. Symptoms include insomnia, restlessness, anxiety, depression, or loneliness, heart palpitations, and cravings for sugar and highly processed foods that offer instant gratification. To best support your Heart and heal an imbalance, limit stimulants like caffeine, incorporate tonics that support Shen like Reishi, and eat red foods like jujube and goji berries, which support Blood and nurture a sense of emotional comfort.

The Liver

An imbalance in the Liver, which regulates Qi and Blood flow, waste elimination, and processing emotions, results in Qi stagnation, and feelings of stress, anger, frustration, and irritability. Symptoms include emotional outbursts, cravings of rich and greasy foods, tension headaches or vertigo, and painful menstrual cramps. To tonify the liver and regulate your emotions, incorporate bitter greens like dandelion, which helps cleanse the liver, and arugula to move stagnation, minimize alcohol consumption, avoid fried foods that burden the liver, avoid citrus to relieve dampness, stimulate acupressure point Bladder 47, and incorporate herbs like Schizandra, Chaga, Reighi, Cordyceps, Rose, and He Shou Wu.

The Kidneys

Jing, or essence, which is considered the root of life, is stored in the Kidneys. Emotional eating is linked to feelings of fear, instability, and fatigue. Symptoms include craving salty foods, chronic exhaustion, low motivation, frequent fight or flight freeze response, night sweats, and feelings of insecurity. Support your kidneys by eating foods like seaweed, bone broth, and root vegetables, prioritize mineral intake, and include Jing and Kidney tonics like Chaga, Cordyceps, Reishi, and He Shou Wu.

The Lungs

When the Lungs are in disharmony, dysregulated eating habits like loss of appetite or overindulgence in comfort food may occur. Symptoms include feelings of defenselessness, sadness, and grief, shortness of breath, asthma, cough, frequent colds and flus, allergies, skin issues, excessive crying, or inability to cry despite sadness. To harmonize the lungs, eat truly comforting and nutrient dense foods like soup, stew, or porridge, practice meditation or breath work, incorporate herbs like Astragalus, and eat pears and apples to nourish the lungs and balance Yin.

Looking at emotional eating through the teachings and practices of CCM, the relationship between emotions and our bodies becomes clear. By understanding the body’s organ system’s relationship with emotions, you can begin processing emotions and heal stagnation instead of prolonging the imbalance by satisfying your cravings. Fueling your body with proper nutrients and processing your emotions will lead to a balanced mind, body, and spirit.

Resources

● https://www.rootandbones.com/blogs/news/emotional-eating-a-tcm-perspective

● https://linyanastudio.com/emotional-eating/

● https://drlaurenkeller.com/blog/2019/3/6/traditional-chinese-medicine-and-food-cravings

● https://www.tcmworld.org/body-never-lies-cravings/

● https://www.yinovacenter.com/blog/what-your-cravings-are-telling-you-some-tips-for-healthier-alternatives/

● https://www.michiganacupuncturestudio.com/post/food-cravings-according-to-traditional-chinese-medicine