Chinese Medicine and CSS

Spring Cleaning

As you read this article we are probably a few months into the New Year. How many of your New Year’s resolutions are you still keeping? Truth be told, resolutions are not only for the New Year. As a person having a chronic illness it is paramount that you make lifetime resolutions to improve your quality of life on a physical, mental and spiritual level.

I am amazed every January the throngs of patients that come to my office in hopes that I have an easy answer to their healthcare problems, especially ones that have to do with weight management. From the moment someone enters my office I can usually tell if that patient will do well and succeed in achieving their goals or if they will fail. If a new patient is strongly persuaded by someone else rather than personally initiating their first visit, they are likely to fail in achieving their goals. If they keep their appointments and eagerly do their homework I give them they are likely to succeed.

I will tell you this right now: there is no one specific answer for effective healthcare and weight management issues. Everything in life takes hard work; whether it is your health, your marriage or school grades - you name it. There is no free lunch!!!

I am sorry to be the bearer of bad news here, but the faster you realize that the good fairy is not going to swoop down and make your disease disappear, the faster you will be on the road to recovery. Here is the good news; I can be your ambassador of hard work and help you on your road to recovery. Let’s begin.

Let’s face it – serious medical conditions don’t develop overnight. Defeating them won’t happen quickly either. It takes a lifetime of patience and willpower to achieve optimal health, and once you feel like you have mastered something, the situation will almost certainly change.

Whether it is the Chinese New Year or just 2006, it is time to clean house - literally. The season of winter or Water in Traditional Chinese Medicine is the season of death and transformation. I know it sounds a tad morbid, but if you think of the metaphor of animals or plants in the wintertime storing up energy for the beginning of spring, it makes sense.

When I say clean house, I mean your physical home as well as your body. Start by focusing on what needs cleaning and what you are using to clean your home? I will never forget my teacher’s wife coming over for a visit and kindly reprimanding me for my artificial plug-in fake-smelling house deodorizers and cleaning products. Talk about shame!!! Although there are some swell cleaning products out there, they are bound to throw your immune system for a wild ride. Having an allergic-based Vasculitis, the last thing you want to be doing is inhaling all sorts of faux smelling, toxic bomb chemical cocktails. In Florida where mold reins supreme I have had many experiences getting knocked on my rear end from inhaling some sort of cleaning products. I have been known to visit some public areas that recently have been visited by the janitorial staff only to be followed by several hours with a running nose, wheezing lungs and feeling completely spaced out.

I am sure I may sound like some tree hugging groupie, but there are many wonderful products out there that will clean your house and leave it smelling clean as a whistle without having to send you to the emergency room; and as an added bonus they are good for our environment. Yes, it is an investment to dump an entire household of cleaning products down the drain, but your immune system will thank you. Plus, you can feel the difference right away by making that change.

Here are some products to consider for a household makeover: dishwasher soap, dish soap, floor cleaner, window cleaner, wood cleaning products, oven cleaner (yikes, run!) carpet deodorizer, bathroom cleaning products (the worst) laundry detergents (yes, that is what the rash is from), whiteners, and even light bulbs!! I know this might sound like a huge list to tackle, but take one room at time. Even for a person without health problems the list is daunting. Remember, pace yourself. If you are too tired to get out of bed, there are always online shopping services. The extra money you will spend, will actually save you time and moreover, energy. At the end of this article I will give you some resources.

While we are on the topic of cleaning up our act, let us jump over to personal hygiene. The same junk you have been cleaning your floors with can be compared to that bar of soap you have been using. Your skin is the largest organ in your body. If you are using that antibacterial soap on yourself, you may be doing more harm than good. Antibacterial soap is loaded with chemicals and can actually defeat your ability to naturally fight bacteria.

Your mouth is another fun place for absorption of chemicals so take a close look at your toothpaste and mouthwash. Shampoo, deodorant, lotions, nail polish, the list goes on and on. If you really want to clean up, consider putting water filters on your showerheads and on your sinks. There are billions of chemicals in our water, just ask our friends at the EPA. Take care of your immune system by not exposing yourself to chorine while bathing, washing your dishes or just getting those 8 glasses of water in a day.

Many people with Churg Strauss Vasculitis suffer from sinus problems. Having a blocked shnoz is no stranger to me. I have suffered with sinus problems for over 20 years. Years ago I started doing nasal lavage twice a day with a child’s bulb syringe and salt water. At first it was scary thinking I was about to send a mini tsunami up my nose; but after my first few tries I got the hang of it. I am amazed how much it helps me and moreover, how bad I feel when I forget to do it. While you are cleaning up everything else in your life, please include your nose and sinuses. Nasal lavage is an effective tool in helping the cilia in your nose move trapped particles, pollen and dust out and actually keep your immune system healthy.

So, what does this have to do with Chinese Medicine??

In Traditional Chinese Medicine the Lungs are responsible for a lot more than just breathing. It is almost remarkably fascinating how Churg Strauss symptoms fit into all the manifestations of the Lungs. The Lungs govern qi (body energy) and respiration. We breathe in clean air and exhale waste. Clean air from the Lungs combines with energy or qi derived from the spleen (energy derived from food from your digestive system) to create Gathering qi in the chest, also called the “Sea of Qi”. After gathering qi is formed it spreads throughout the body to promote all bodily functions. Lung qi aids in the heart to promote good circulation to the limbs and promotes the strength of the voice. (If this sounds a bit confusing, you may want to go back and read some of my prior articles.)

The Lungs also play an important role in maintaining the health of blood vessels because the lungs control the circulation of qi in both the blood vessels and the channels of the body. Channels can be viewed as the “small back roads throughout the entire body”.

Lungs also have the function of governing the immune system on the body which in TCM is called Wei Qi or Defensive qi. Defensive qi is distributed under the skin and warms both the skin and muscles. If Lung qi is weak, one will have a weak immune system. The lungs also govern the opening and closing of pores. In a healthy person pores open and close and there is a normal amount of sweating. However, when the Lungs are deficient, pores will stay open and spontaneous sweating occurs. Facial edema is a function of Lungs not properly dispensing fluid. The lungs are the uppermost organ in the body and Lung qi must descend in the body to root with Kidney qi. (Please read the article on Jing to further explain Kidney qi) This also applies to body fluids as well. If the Lung function of descending qi is weak it will manifest as coughing, breathlessness, asthma and stuffiness in the chest. Literally qi is going the wrong way, either upward, or blocked, instead of downward to nourish the entire body.

The lungs control skin and hair. If the lung function of dispensing fluid is normal, the skin will be supple and the opening and closing of the pores will create normal amounts of sweating. If Lung qi is weak, however, Skin and hair will be rough and dry, and have a withered quality. The lung opens into the nose. Respiration occurs through the nose. If the energy of the Lungs is deficient, the nose will be blocked; there might be sneezing and a loss of smell. If heat is present there may be nosebleeds. The lung also connects to the large intestine. Many people with CSS have bowel problems, are constipated, have diarrhea or even the CSS itself has invaded and damaged the lower bowel.

The Corporeal Soul is governed by the Lung. The corporeal soul is responsible for sharp and clear sensations, and movements in the body. Sadness and grief constrict the corporeal soul in the body and directly affect breathing patterns in the body and weakens the qi of the Lungs.

Much of the above text might be hard to understand so I will give you this according to how the Lung pertains to Churg Strauss. Most people with CSS have breathing problems. In fact, most of us had asthma, allergies, and eczema and sinus problems long before we got CSS. Many of us have had nosebleeds which is commonplace in the first stages of CSS, along with some sort of weird rash, or skin problem. If you aren’t eating correctly and not making good qi from your digestive system, not only will you not make strong Gathering qi for your entire body, but chances are that you will be creating phlegm in your system from eating processed, sugary, and greasy food. This will manifest into sinus problems, clogged ears, asthma and any other phlegm related ENT and respiratory problems. Also, it affects the large intestine as well. I don’t want to be gross or graphic but if you do not have the energy or qi to digest and assimilate food, it will manifest as loose stools, explosive diarrhea and even constipation.

Vasculitis is a disease of the small blood vessels, affected by our immune system. Many people who have this disease have been exposed to chemicals, toxic mold, building material that is loaded with formaldehydes, or even working or living in “sick” buildings. The lungs govern the immune system and the health of our blood vessels, especially small ones. Weak lung qi looks a lot like Churg Strauss in all shapes and forms. Many of us have puffy faces and edema, and may be breaking into a sweat from doing absolutely nothing. All of these are functions of the lung.

Finally, and I cannot emphasize this enough, grief and sadness dramatically affect the Lungs. Case in point: I was 20 years old when my maternal grandmother passed away. She was the love of my life at the time. I loved her so much that when I was a child, I would always tell her that I wanted to die before her because I loved her so much. When she died I was a total mess. I walked the planet grief stricken. I could hardly function. (see the above function of the Corporeal Soul) In my family we have allergies, but no asthma or auto immune disorders anywhere. Within two years of my dear grandmother’s death, I had developed major sinus problems and severe asthma, forcing me to finish college from my bed. In my wedding video I can be heard coughing non-stop. Sadness and grief suppressed inside of my body nearly shut off all basic functions of my body.

Many people seek out my guidance because they know I have gone through serious medical problems and yet I have managed to live a happy, healthy and balanced life. These people have gotten sick and have nowhere to turn because the medical system can be so difficult to navigate. One of the first questions I ask patients is “what happened 6 months to a year before you got sick.” It is amazing to hear the responses. Most people have had a life altering experience which includes some type of loss, whether it is a loved one, a marriage, a job, or even moving. This is sadness and grief expressed inward. In our society, crying, sadness, and grief are looked down upon and we are supposed to tough it out and not look like big babies. I personally have seen many people benefit by going to therapy. My partner is a psychologist and it is amazing the transformations in peoples’ lives I have seen taken place under her guidance.

Traditional Western Medicine has few answers on how to treat Churg Strauss Vasculitis. We take our drugs and pray. However, there are many things that you can do that can lighten the load of the immune system to prevent it from constantly overflowing. If you think of your immune system as a barrel with water in it, your water level would be right at the brim, if not spilling over. If you start implementing some of the suggestions in this article and some of the articles I have written in this series, you will be lowering the level of the water little by little to keep it from spilling over. You will also be giving your immune system a chance to recuperate and probably reduce the incidents of flares. With your doctor’s guidance you may even be able reduce your medicine and partake in activities that you thought were out of the question.

It doesn’t need to be the beginning of a new year to start making resolutions that will improve the quality of your life. By taking charge of your own environment you have a direct impact on your health, even more so than you thought. Here are some resources that will help you along the way.

The Healthy House Institute. An informative website based on the book The Healthy House by John Bower. www.hhinst.com

Delicious Organics. Mother of four, Annie Malka’s website is loaded with terrific information on ways to improve the quality of what we put into our bodies and our surroundings. www.deliciousorganics.com

For some additional information regarding natural cosmetics click here to read a piece that I wrote for www.drweil.com.

Two websites that have great products for healthy living are www.gaiam.com and www.livingarts.com.

Natural Health and Body and Soul. Magazines dedicated to healthy living. www.naturalhealthmag.com

Elizabeth Kubler-Ross M.D. is the woman who transformed the way the world thinks about death and dying. Anyone who has experienced loss should visit this comprehensive website. www.elisabethkublerross.com

Elizabeth Trattner is a Florida and National Board Certified Doctor of Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture. She lives and works in healthy non-toxic environments. Dr. Trattner has been featured in national publications such as Elle magazine and First for Women as well appearing on The Oprah Winfrey Show. She has contributed to medical publications for world renowned doctors, Andrew Weil M.D. and Leslie Baumann M.D. In December of 2001 she was diagnosed with CSS as a result of a long term side effect from Singulair. Elizabeth is thankfully in remission from using various modalities from both western medicine and alternative therapies. She can be reached at elizabeth@trattner.net.