by Angela Tian Zhu | Jun 29, 2013 | Seasons
(To Help Prevent Depression & Dementia)
Even it has been cold and raining, I was still looking forward to visiting friends last weekend and staying with them at their holiday house near a National Park. Although it’s winter that area is still beautiful.
The day before I was going to drive there they informed me that a friend had suddenly died from a heart problem and another passed away after a long illness. His father was in hospital in a critical condition.
What does Winter, Coldness and Dampness has to do with this?
More people get sick and pass away during winter time. In addition, depression and mental health tends to worsen in winter. Why is this?
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), we recognise Yin and Yang energy. Yang energy is considered warm, moving, stimulating, rising and expanding. Yang energy is found in substances, functions and capabilities with these characteristics.
Yin energy is considered cold, inhibited, restraining, falling and contracting. Yin energy is found in substances, functions and capabilities with these characteristics.
Hence in winter, when it is very cold or damp, people need to have sufficient Yang energy to resist the coldness and dampness of Yin energy in nature.
How does winter dampness and coldness affect us?
- Coldness and dampness can increase your blood viscosity.
- The low temperature makes capillary blood vessels contract to hinder circulation. Thus it is easier for your blood pressure to increase and for your heart to work harder. This increases the likelihood of heart problems, strokes and, in the long term, dementia.
- Cold weather can also weaken the immune system, and make the endocrine system imbalanced. Thus asthma, bronchitis, flu, colds and diabetes all worsen.
- The cold can harm the digestive system and aggravate ulcers.
- The cold weather can cause imbalances in the chemicals in the body, creating winter depression.
- Coldness and Dampness can make Arthritis worse.
We need Yang energy to cope with low temperatures during winter to prevent these problems. People who are Yang deficient may become sick or very sick.
What makes us Yang deficient?
On a cold and rainy day I went to a birthday party where I saw a six year old boy. He had so much mucus pouring out of his nose and was coughing heavily with a lot of phlegm from his chest that it nearly choked him. I couldn’t take my eyes off him; he was wearing a tee-shirt with shorts and eating ice-cream!
Energy of Yin and Yang deficiency is built up during a period of time when we experience the following:
- Stress and emotions, worrying, anger, fear, sadness, grieving – too much of any of these
- Irregular or poor lifestyles – not getting enough sleep, staying up too late, not eating regularly
- Not keeping warm enough, drinking and eating too many cold things
- Overusing energy by working too much or too hard
What should we do to strengthen Yang energy in winter?
- Have a balanced level of exercise and don’t sweat too much – if you sweat too much, you will lose a lot of Yang energy
- Make sure to wear enough clothing, and especially keep your feet, legs, lower stomach and lower back warm. Drink and eat warm things
- Spend as much time as possible in the sun to receive the Yang energy from the sun
- Try to avoid dampness by wearing dry clothing, and avoid going out straight after washing your hair or having a shower
- Hibernate enough during winter – don’t stay up late and avoid stress and emotion
Tips: The following foods and drinks are great for increasing Yang energy:
- Tea – ginger tea, Goji berry tea, red date tea and cinnamon tea (except for pregnant women)
- Nuts – walnuts (very beneficial!), sesame
- Soups. Ginger lamb soup (good for Yang energy)
- Orange coloured vegetables and root vegetables (e.g. carrots, radishes, pumpkin, beetroot, etc.)
Note: If you have heat in the body, such as a sore throat, fever or feel hot, you should not follow the above tips.
Have a great hibernating winter to help you have a healthy next spring!
Traditional Qi’s two concepts are prevention and wisdom.
Written by Angela Zhu, Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner, Qi Gong & Tai Chi instructor.
by Angela Tian Zhu | Aug 29, 2011 | Mental Health
One day as I walked down the street I saw a little girl of four or five years having a tantrum and hitting her mother. The mother was very angry and said “if you hit me, tonight you are on the street”. The little girl stopped.
I asked myself:
- If the girl didn’t stop, would the mother really put her on the street?
- If not, will the threat still work?
- How does the little girl imagine the street at night?
A friend of mine told me that when she was about seven her mother told her “if you do that you are out of the car”. My friend opened the door and walked away. The mother, feeling helpless, got out of the car and ordered my friend to get back in.
Have you heard sentences such as these?
- “if you don’t change I will leave you”
- “if you do this I will kill myself”
- “if you don’t pass this exam you can’t have a holiday”
- “if you don’t listen you can’t have a bicycle”
- “if you do that again I will throw you out of the house”
- “if you don’t stop you will get a hiding”
- “if you tell anyone about this, you’re dead”
Sometimes people will try to get a quick result without thinking through the right way to achieve what they want.
What is a threat?
It is to try to get what one wants by frightening others.
Why threaten?
People try to frighten others because of their own fear, or because they have learned it from their parents or other people.
The damage done:
- Threatening someone will only either undermine trust, or put you in a dead corner. It also sets a bad example to others.
- Resentment and disharmony will remain.
- A threat has the potential to damage mental health especially in children.
- Whatever the outcome, a threat damages both parties. Either the threatened person gets frightened into obedience but is left with fear and resentment or the threat doesn’t work and the person making it is left in a dead end. Both cases plant the seeds of depression.
- Subconsciously, a threat relies on the belief that everything has a price.
- A threat brings disharmony into all aspects of a relationship.
- To threaten is to misuse one’s own power at other peoples’ expense.
- A threat plants the seeds of ill will and reprisal.
- A threat plants the seeds of depression. It can bring worry, fear, anger and grief.
In Chinese Medicine:
- Worry can damage the stomach and spleen energy, leading to stagnation.
- Fear can damage the kidney energy.
- Anger can damage the liver and heart energy.
- Grief and resentment can damage the lungs.
All these emotions can lead to depression.
What can be done?
It is important to ask ourselves what we are afraid of.
- What might happen and what would be the worst?
- How do we face our fear?
- How should we behave?
- For example if you are afraid your children will not listen to you then you must first make sure you are listening to them. Always be sure to explain to them the reasons kindly, reasonably and wisely.
- Do not misuse your power to push those around you down. Especially with children, who are dependent and vulnerable.
- A threat can be counter-productive.
Wise persons will maintain their own mental health to help the people around them.
True love does not ask for reward. Threatening — what are you asking for?
Traditional Qi’s two concepts are prevention and wisdom.
Written by Angela Zhu, Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner, Qi Gong & Tai Chi instructor.
by Angela Tian Zhu | Jun 6, 2011 | Wellbeing
All objects, plants and animals that can stand must have a “column”. For example: houses, buildings, towers, trees and upright animals. Humans are no exceptions.
From the point of view of vital energies and Qi Gong theory, where is the human’s “column”? People often think of the spine as the “column”. But what part of the body supports the spine? Why can our spine bend and curve? Why does our spine compress and lose flexibility as we get older? Why do some people have scoliosis during puberty?
1. Where is a human’s “column”?
From the point of view of vital energies and Qi Gong theory, there are 4 components in the “column”: Hui Yin (between the anus and genitals), Dan Tian (under the navel, inside the stomach), the spine, and Bai Hui (on top head of the centre-line of the body, between the ears)
It is the Dan Tian that supports the spine to be upright, grow and move. When the Dan Tian‘s energy deficient then the spine maid curve and bend.
2. What is the “column”?
Hui yin is the biggest yin energy point, Bai Hui is the biggest yang energy point. The “column” combines the yin and yang energy to reflect the human body’s natural cycle of birth, growth, ageing, sickness and death. The changes in the “column” reflect these different stages of life. The “column” also represents the condition of a person’s energy level, mental state and body health.
3. Why do we need to maintain the “column”?
- Hui yin is the biggest yin energy point, and Bai Hui is the biggest yang energy point; when they connect in the column the yin and yang energy can rise and fall smoothly to adjust, balance and harmonise the body’s inner environment.
- Hui Yin connects with the Dan Tian to strengthen the Dan Tian’s energy as a Qi core, which provides the pre and post natal energy.
- The Dan Tian opens up the body, Organs, and especially the column. This strengthens the vital energy and nourishes the blood, improves circulation and makes the inside and outside of the body healthier and younger. Gives positive energy and good attitude.
- The Dan Tian stretches and lifts the spine to help prevent scoliosis and helps spinal fluid reach the brain better. In the long term, this helps to prevent Alzheimer’s, dementia, spinal disease (including cervical and lumber) and balances yin and yang energy in the brain to prevent depression.
- The column improves posture to make people look good and feel more positive.
4. How do we maintain the “column”?
- Lift the Hui yin up into the Dan Tian, use the Dan Tian to push the spine up and legs down concurrently, through to the top of the head and the brain, along the Bai Hui.
- Aligning the Hui yin and Bai Hui; It is best achieved by picturing it: the chin in line the chest bone.
- Walking with heels down and toes up is the better way to open up the body from Dan Tian and “Column”
- Do these whilst standing, walking, and sitting with the column up every day.
In order to have a better understanding of the importance of the “column”, refer to ‘Million-Dollar Point‘ and ‘Dan Tian – Qi Core of Humanity‘.
Traditional Qi’s two concepts are prevention and wisdom.
Written by Angela Zhu, Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner, Qi Gong & Tai Chi instructor.
© Copyright Angela Zhu 2011
by Angela Tian Zhu | May 13, 2011 | Exercises
People ask eye doctors for help if they have problems with their eyesight. Better vision can be obtained by wearing right eyeglasses. When people suffer from poor hearing, they turn to hearing aids. Dentists help to fill and extract bad teeth, and to perform dental prosthesis to patients when they need it. Not only can Qi Gong, this well-known wise exercise with a long history since ancient China, help people to exercise the sensory organs, but also to other parts of body. People can receive far-reaching benefits by practicing Qi Gong; such as toning the Qi, enjoying a long life expectancy and prolonging youth.
There is an old story about a millionaire. He came to an old temple and asked the monks for help about how to have a long life span through practicing Qi Gong. After a while of learning and practicing, he acquired the knowledge of preserving health by practicing and making the use of ‘Hui Yin’. When he decided to leave, he donated a million dollars to the temple. Since then, Hui Yin had been widely-known as the Million-Dollar Point.
1. Where is the Million-Dollar point?
The Million-Dollar point is one of the points in TCM, called the ‘Hui Yin’. It is between the anus and the external genitalia of the body. It is called the perineum in English.
2. How do we exercise the ‘Hui Yin’?
Lift up the ‘Hui Yin’ gently. Then connect to Dan Tian, (The Dan Tian is the very core of the Qi. It is under the navel, inside of stomach (abdomen). One of the most important theories of Qi Gong is to imagine it and then bring the mind into the body and picture it. Imagine and picture the ‘Hui Yin’. And then lift it up gently to connect it to the Dan Tian (the core of the Qi, life energy). Try to practice it every day. Start by practicing it a few times on a daily basis and then this will become a habit of yours.
3. Why do so?
- The ‘Hui Yin’ is the strongest and biggest point of the Yin energy. (Please click https://www.traditionalqi.com/about-traditional-qi/tcm-sydney/ to find out about Yin and Yang). Lifting the ‘Hui Yin’ up gently is greatly favourable to strengthen, store and exercise the Qi (life energy).
- When we are lifting the ‘Hui Yin’ up, the anus, the external genitalia and the prostate glands are lifted up simultaneously, which helps relax and contract the muscles of these parts of the body alternately.(Please reference the articles ‘the Two Directions Wisdom part 1 &2’ at the link https://www.traditionalqi.com/2011/03/31/the-two-directions-wisdom-part-1/ and https://www.traditionalqi.com/2011/04/07/the-two-directions-wisdom-part2/). The energy and circulation of these parts of the body become weak gradually as we grow old and even our physiological activities such as defecate, passing wind, urination, having sex, giving birth and having periods also consume the energy and circulation of these parts of the body. Therefore, by lifting the ‘Hui Yin’ up gently, both of the anus and the external genitalia can be helped to relax and tighten the muscles of these parts of the body, at the same time, can get exercised.
- For women, lifting the ‘Hui Yin’ up gently and connecting it to the Dan Tian can help to nourish the blood and tonify vital energy to the vagina and uterus.
- For men, lifting the ‘Hui Yin’ up gently can help get the prostate glands exercised.
- Lifting the ‘Hui Yin’ up gently, at the same time, helps to strengthen the deep muscles of the bottom and the preaxial thigh.
- Lifting the ‘Hui Yin’ up gently and then connecting it to the Dan Tian can also help keep the good body figure and maintain better posture. This is one of the important Qi Gong movements.
4. What are the Benefits?
- Help nourish vitality, improve life span and anti-aging.
- Help keep body up right and posture.
- Help prevent and treat urinary and fecal incontinence.
- Help prevent and treat vaginal diseases and make vagina tight.
- Help prevent and treat hysteroptosis.
- Help prevent and treat prostatosis.
- Help prevent and treat the diseases of the colon and anus.
- Help improve sexual life.
- Help strengthen the deep muscles of the bottom and the preaxial thigh.
We today are living a busy life. Therefore, it has a very point of advocating preserving health by exercising the Qi core, Qi gate and the Qi point as part of our daily life. It will benefit us for the whole life.
Prevention and wisdom are the principles of Traditional Qi.
Written by: Angela Zhu (TCM Practitioner, Qi Gong & Tai Chi Instructor)
Translated by: Charlie Lee
© Copyright Angela Zhu 2011
by Angela Tian Zhu | Apr 27, 2011 | Women's Health
Every parent wants to give their children the best education. However, the
behavioural education (children’s unconscious imitation of the behaviour and action of their parents) they are
getting from the parents is the very first and most important education the children would get.
The behavioural and action education affects the children much more than what the parents tell them to do.
One day near Easter when I was shopping in a supermarket in Europe, I saw a Mum holding a little baby with another 4 or 5 year-old child beside them. When I was paying for my stuff, I saw this kid stealing a chocolate Easter egg. Her Mum saw this and shouted out loudly: “Bastard! Do not steal! Shame on you! ” The kid put down the egg. After a while, she continued stealing and her Mum shouted again at her. I was thinking: “Does this little kid know what shame is? Does she know what stealing is? How did she get to know the meaning of the word “steal”? Why didn’t her Mum tell her: “If you want it, I will buy it for you?” While I was thinking and watching, this Mum grabbed an Easter egg after she paid the money for her shopping.
I couldn’t stop thinking:
- The Mum teaches her child by her own behaviour and action.
- The Mum teaches to lie.
- The Mum teaches the child not to care about “shame” by shouting in a public place.
- The Mum teaches the child to pretend.
- Although the little baby that Mum was holding could not speak yet, what he saw might have a great impact on him.
I could not imagine what this baby would be like in the future or how he would be affected by what he saw and heard.
There is a saying: “As you sow, so will you reap.”
One day, I got a phone call from a friend’s son. He studies at Monash University in Melbourne. He said, “I cannot stand all this anymore, I feel like I want to die.” I asked “Why?” He answered, “I have just broken up with my girlfriend; also I failed one subject, so I have to do a supplementary exam. I am running out of money, and my Mum said she’s not going to send me more money because I spent too much. She called from overseas a few times a day forcing me to write down all the spending items and how did I spend the money. She would only send me money if I list all the items in detail. If I cannot, she would not send me money anymore. I feel so depressed and desperate.” Actually, this friend of mine, she spend lots of money on unnecessary things herself. She buys things no matter if it is useable or not. After sending her son to university overseas, with the expensive tuition fees, her son called back and asked for money every now and then because he spent the money too quick. Only when her son failed his subjects, she started thinking of ways to limit her son’s spending in order to punish him. Whose fault is bigger? What will be the result of the punishment – Depression? Self harm?
What to do:
- Behavioural and action education is better than oral teaching.
- Early education is better than late education.
- Judge yourself before criticizing other people.
- “Save” people is better than “save” money.
- Deal with things rationally and sensibly rather than being emotional.
Parents should:
- Behaviour and action are stronger than what they say.
- Give behavioural and action education to the children as well as teaching them to distinguish right from wrong.
- Setting a good example by the parents should be first. Like the sun gives us unlimited warmth, it enables the growth of all living things and gives us power! It doesn’t say anything, but it has infinite power.
- Educate a child as early as possible and the early education received by the child will affect all his or her life.
The above mentioned true stories are convincing examples.
Prevention and wisdom are the two principles of Traditional Qi.
Written by: Angela Zhu (TCM Practitioner, Qi Gong & Tai Chi Instructor)
Translated by: Alan Huang
© Copyright Angela Zhu 2011
