If you want to live, you must eat wisely. But eating wisely in the manner described in the previous pages may not prevent you from becoming sick. Something is missing from the grocery-bought or common, regular foods. Yet if these inadequate or “weak” foods can support life, then “strong” foods must be able to strengthen and protect life. This kind of reasoning has driven Taoists to investigate the jungles, mountains, flatlands, and bodies of water in search of these strong foods and to test every plant, animal, and mineral for properties that will benefit mankind. Their discoveries and findings produced other dietary wisdom teachings which became the right arm of Taoists. Taoism exists because of these strong foods (called herbs in the West). (Because the term herb is limited in meaning to plants and inadequately depict the scope and meaning of this Taoist science, the original Taoist term will be used). All Taoists depend on strong foods, just as we depend on food.
I: FORGOTTEN FOODS
Strong foods include plants, animals, and minerals that are ingested or applied externally to the human body to prevent and heal physical illnesses by adjusting the flow of vital energy and supplying better materials for regeneration of body cells or tissues.
Strong foods or herbs are really our forgotten foods. Because of their often disagreeable taste or smell and our lack of knowledge concerning their utilization, our forefathers eliminated them as food and later generations ignored them. Our forefathers in their search for food, tasted many plants such as carrots and ginseng. They took the better-tasting carrots back to their farms and then passed the knowledge of farming, eating, and selling carrots on to their progeny. All regular foods sold in markets are chosen according to these criteria: (1) acceptable taste or smell, (2) easily farmed or produced, and (3) easily processed or cooked. As a result regular or familiar foods, such as beef, corn, apples, etc., have in time become a very small part of our total food territory. The plant called ginseng and most other plants, animals, and minerals have been tossed aside and forgotten. Lately, however, the world has taken a greater interest in these forgotten foods.
Examination of the present dietary situation has revealed three problems:
1. Since regular food represents only a small part of our food territory, it is possible for a human being to be deficient in some vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and other substances that nourish particular parts of the body and regenerate special cells or tissues even though they eat the best of regular foods.
2. There is evidence that proves that human beings cannot assimilate capsules of concentrated vitamins or synthetic nutrients that were invented to replace or supplement the inadequate regular diet. Nutrients can only be assimilated in natural food form, because every nutrient is balanced with other nutrients and is accompanied by naturally complimentary substances which increase its assimilation and its effectiveness.
3. Scientists thus far have not had the opportunity to test all of the forgotten foods. In other words, the properties in herbs are in some ways still a mystery and are not as familiar to us as proteins, vitamins, etc. Also, the chemical terms used to describe nutrients are inadequate for describing herbal properties. Many herbs contain properties that are unique to that herb and new terms must be invented for them. For example, Ginsenin is a property unique to ginseng.
By studying the forgotten foods, or the Tao of Forgotten Food Diet, we can promote health and prevent illness because we will know how to use them to improve the function of our internal organs and our entire body. The study of forgotten foods is divided into three sections: Taoist Herbology, Taoist Etiology, and Health Condition Determination.
II: TAOIST HERBOLOGY
Taoist Herbology is a two-part study of herbs. The first part is analysis of all plants, animals, and minerals to determine their nutritional values (proteins, vitamins, minerals, etc.), energy levels, and other chemical compositions. The second part is determining which parts of the human body each particular herb affects most and how those parts are affected. This also involves preparation of the part of the herb most suited for utilization. For example, the magnolia tree’s leaves and flowers are not of importance, whereas the outermost layer of the bark is of importance. The latter substance contains properties called Tetrahydromanodolol, Isomagolol, and Ho-Curare, which are very helpful in regenerating the stomach and uterus tissues. Another property called Magnolol is a gentle kind of antibiotic and antitoxin.
Emperor Shen Nung, the founder of the Shen Nung Dynasty (3494 B.C.), and his administration researched the properties of herbs and their relation to mankind. Since the Shen Nung Dynasty thousands of different herbs have been researched and hundreds of herbal formulas have been developed, due to the efforts of Taoists who regard herbal knowledge as most essential in the attainment of immortality.
For more than 6,000 years Taoists have kept written records of the herbs they used and their experiments with them; these written records are the basis upon which the theories and principles of Taoist Herbology were developed to make possible the formulation of herbal combinations with very little chance for error. These writings also explain how the herbal raw ingredients must be processed and prepared to obtain maximum healing results with minimum waste.
Herbs contain many nutrients―ginseng for example contains Vitamins B1, B2, C, Calcium, minerals, amino acids, etc.―but they also provide nutrients that are not found in regular food. These unique properties are called Effective Properties or Effective Composition. For example the Effective Properties of ginseng are Panaquilon (C32H56014), Panax Sapogenol (C27H4802), Panaxin (C38H66012), Panacin (C15H24), Ginsenin, and Amylase. We may call them “supernutrition.”
Herbs are strong foods; their nutrients are highly concentrated in natural, easily assimilable form. For example the herb called Atractylodes has high levels of nutrients such as Vitamins A and D (more than 20 times the amount in cod liver oil); Essential Oil, which can calm overactive organ functions; Atractylodes or Atractylons, which can lower blood sugar and relax heart muscles; Vitamins P, B1, and B12; several amino acids; and minerals. The intake of 1/4 ounce of Atractylodes equals 3 complete regular food meals―without extra fat, cholesterol, sugar, etc. It also costs less than a regular meal.
When herbs are made following classic Taoist methods into Taoist herbal combinative remedies (explained in detail later), all of an herb’s properties are retained. Not one of these properties like Vitamin B1, Ginsenin, or Magnolol are isolated or extracted from the rest and refined into singular properties with petrochemicals. Taoist remedies are minimally processed the natural way to retain as much as possible these original herbal properties.
In laboratory studies, adrenalin was shot into the human body, resulting in raised blood sugar levels. After ginseng was administered, the blood sugar level returned to normal. This is an example of super-nutritional healing, a very important property found only in herbs. It is almost impossible to obtain such effective compositions in any daily, regular food diet, (which provides only simple nutrients).
Modern laboratory technology presently cannot identify all of the properties in all herbs because some unknown elements are lost in the analytical process. Nevertheless, these unknown elements still play important roles in helping and preventing illnesses.
HOW DO HERBS WORK?
Herbs, like regular foods, work by adjusting the flow of vital energy in the entire body of the human being. This is accomplished by increasing the energy where it is too low and decreasing the energy where it is too high. When human beings absorb the properties of the herbs, they also absorb the vitality of the herbs. The herbs’ vitality passes through the pathways of energy (meridians) to reach the internal organs, to support and adjust them to their optimal efficiency. For example, ginseng’s electromagnetic field particularly circulates around the lung and spleen-pancreas meridians.
Herbs have been found to have tremendous energy levels. These energy levels were defined by two characteristics: Yin, which is negative, weak, sedative, and reducing; and Yang, which is positive, strong, tonifying, and increasing. Eventually the use of only these two characteristics was found to be unsatisfactory. In order to be more precise the two characteristics were expanded to a scale of five, which are:
All herbs and regular foods belong to one of these five categories. As an example, dog meat is very energizing and is called Hot. Beef is Warm. Seafood such as clams is Cold. Pork is Cool. The whole egg is Neutral. If we are to effectively use our foods for better health, we must determine their energy levels; because our foods, if not properly balanced, can either over-energize or deplete us. Too much shellfish will deplete our energy, and too much dog meat will excessively energize us, encouraging hypertension, congestion, nervousness, etc. We can see, then, that it is very important to balance the energy by correctly combining the foods we eat.
For thousands of years it was known that every type of food affects our meridians in some way. Knowing this, Taoists spent an enormous amount of time determining which foods and herbs affected which meridians. They found that ginseng, for example, affected the lung and spleen-pancreas meridians. Its warm characteristics tonify and stimulate its related meridians (the lung and spleen-pancreas meridians). Besides the meridians, herbs directly affect the internal organs and supply the necessary materials to regenerate their particular cells or tissues.
Taoists determined the relationship of herbs and internal organs by matching their similar characteristics. Since there are five main internal organs, Taoists used five tastes to represent each organ.
Then Taoists categorized every herb under these five tastes, after the taste of every herb was determined. For example, ginseng is sweet so it affects the spleen-pancreas. The herbs work like the Five Animal Exercises (see Tao of Revitalization, Table of Contents), that is, they support or degenerate the organs according to the Five-Element Theory and the Mother and Child Law.
An interesting fact about herbs is that they also purify the human body. We all know that the better we eat, the stronger our body becomes. But we neglect to take into account the fact that our bodies also contain parasites, such as germs and worms. As our foods make us stronger, it also makes these parasites stronger. If we like our foods, then the parasites must also like them. An example of this can be the corruption of an orange. If we place an orange on a table for a few weeks at room temperature, the orange will become covered with green-gray microorganisms. If we place a true ginseng root in the same environmental conditions for many years, the root will remain unchanged, because the microorganisms hate its taste and will never consume it. Nutrients from regular foods nourish us as well as the parasites (which take away what is supposed to be ours). In contrast, nutrients from herbs nourish us only. In this way the parasites are naturally eliminated and we are allowed to enjoy the full value of our nutritional intake.
Every day we are poisoning our bodies with polluted air and water; genetically-modified, preserved and chemicalized foods; drugs and alcohol. Some herbs are very effective in removing or neutralizing these toxins, because they improve the function of our internal organs.
To be most effective herbs must be used in their natural, unrefined and unchemicalized state. Most modern drugs have a common problem: negative side-effects. The side-effects occur because of the high concentrations of chemicals in them. If herbs were purified, chemicalized, and refined like many of the foods we have today, they too would lose much of their potential and natural balance. Thus, the most effective way to use herbs is to use the most potent portion of the plant in its natural state.
One very important principle of Taoist Herbology is that herbs must always be used in a combination or recipe. In the texts of Herbology it is stated that “There is not one thing in the world that is absolute.” Everything, including herbs, has a positive side and a negative side. For example, ginseng energizes the body, especially the lungs and spleen-pancreas, slowly; but it also produces a strong side-effect if used alone. One of the properties of ginseng called Ginsenin tightens the arteries. If the utilizer has a weakness in the vascular system, constant use of ginseng could lead to a stroke or heart attack. In order to offset or neutralize this possibly unpleasant side-effect, one must combine ginseng with another herbal ingredient, such as Astragalus. This herb is very effective in relaxing the blood vessels.
Another principle used in developing herbal formulas is to use at least four ingredients. Taoists use governmental terms when dealing with herbs: Emperor, Prime Minister, and at least two Ministers.
In order to produce an effective formula, it is necessary to correctly combine the herb’s energy level (characteristics) and the specific organs (taste) they affect. For example, there is a very popular herb formula comprised of ginseng, atractylis, poria (a type of mushroom) and licorice. These four herbs in combination energize the lungs, spleen-pancreas, and stomach without side-effects.
For thousands of years, Taoists have processed and prepared five types of herbal combinations: Tan, Kao, Wan, Shan and Jiu. The preparation of Tan involves highly technical alchemy. Considerable amounts of time―even entire lifetimes―were spent in preparing the Tan, because herbs for these must be collected when their potency peaks and must be processed by complicated alchemical processes. Every herb has a “peak profile,” i.e. their potency peaks only during specific seasons, dates and times. The alchemical processing of herbs involves specific months, dates and times and the appropriate orientation of the sun, moon, North Star, planets and stars. This kind of work is most delicate and highly complex, requiring a tremendous amount of knowledge and wisdom. The resulting Tan is the most effective of all forms of herbal combinations because it helps human beings immortalize their physical bodies.
The preparation of Kao involves only a simple extraction of the herbal combination. The resulting Kao is a liquid with honey-like consistency. Certain herbal combinations can be made into a Wan, or tablet. Certain other herbal combinations may be made into powders, or Shan. Jiu is a preparation of certain herbal combinations in wine. The latter four forms are easier to prepare than Tan and are therefore less effective.
Sometimes all five forms of herbal combinations are substituted by another form: tea. Tea is used by most people because it is the easiest way to prepare herbs. Also the preparation of tea does not require a great deal of work or knowledge. That is why tea is rather ineffective in correcting abnormal conditions.
In the last twenty years, modern techniques have been implemented for the preparation of herbs. When the herbal combinations are simply freeze-dried, powders and granules are produced with the combinative remedies’ natural state and effective properties fully preserved. Powders and granules are convenient to take and are much more effective than herbal tea preparations.
THE LAWS OF TAOIST CLASSIC REMEDY PREPARATION
The most exceedingly important fact is that herbs must never be used singularly, as a sole ingredient, even with fillers. One must never use one single herb alone. To reiterate many herbs must be combined in complimentary ways that emphasize their healing properties while neutralizing their negative effects. The importance of the right kind of combination can never be over-emphasized. A person simply cannot formulate a combination according to his or her own preference or at worst whim. It must be combined according to:
1) The Five-Element Theory and Mother and Child Law
2) The Energy Theory
3) The pH balance
4) The Emperor and Ministers Theory (explained above)
5) In unchemicalized (not isolated or refined by petrochemicals) state, and
6) With a long period of time for experimentation including single blind and double blind tests (in the case of Taoist Classic Remedies, the period of experimentation exceeds 3,000 years).
III: TAOIST ETIOLOGY
Taoist Etiology is the study of Bing and their causes. Bing means that one’s “health is not as it should be.” The western equivalent of this term may be disease, although the word disease is not an appropriate translation of Bing because it connotes diagnostic procedures that result in the amassment of symptoms under a name, such as leprosy, bubonic plague, etc. Taoists do not invest time in following the progress of a disease or in naming a disease; instead they prefer to pinpoint the cause of a disease and find ways to eliminate the cause. Taoists realize that it is fruitless to combat all the diseases on earth on a one-by-one basis. They therefore sought ways to fortify the human body against the onslaught of all diseases. Taoists gave all the dis-eases (a more appropriate translation of Bing) of the world only three names: Air Dis-ease, Water Dis-ease and Blood Disease. This serves to indicate the chief sources of myriad problems. Taoists also categorized all casual agents of dis-ease under seven titles: External Causes, Internal Causes, Non-External Causes, NonInternal Causes, Blood poisoning, Water poisoning, and Food poisoning. An understanding of the logic behind these subjects is necessary for proper herb utilization.
The accumulation of air in humans, according to Taoist sages, can cause many kinds of diseases. When they spoke of the air within the body, they were referring to the amount of pressure therein. The internal pressure of the body must be balanced with the external pressure of the environment. If the internal pressure is low or weak, we have a condition much like that of a vacuumized can. A hissing sound is produced upon opening such a can, due to the external air rushing into the can because the can has no air inside. When the internal pressure of the body is weak, the external air (called “wind”) will press into the body through the millions of tiny pores in the skin. The air naturally presses into the weakest and often the most exposed part of the body. When this “wind” gets into the tissues of the body, the tissues expand, causing the pores of the skin to be squeezed shut and the air to be trapped inside. Because the trapped air is unable to escape through the closed pores, the local tissues are under pressure. This strain on the tissues causes pain, the first symptom of Air Dis-ease. Pain is usually felt in the areas of the upper back, shoulders, neck, and chest skin, because these are the main nerve areas and they are often exposed. The skin is often referred to as the “third lung” because Taoists believe the skin is closely related to all the organs of the respiratory tract. A series of second symptoms, occurring along the respiratory tract, immediately follow the first symptom of pain, because of this skin-respiratory tract relationship. The sinuses are affected, the nose becomes runny or stuffy, the throat becomes itchy and sore, the function of the lungs is impaired, and the energy of the lung meridian becomes depleted. Moreover, the microscopic germs and viruses and mold and mildew spores brought in by the air penetrate deeply into the tissues and cause many problems. A third series of symptoms arising from this activity is usually a bowel or digestive dysfunction (upset stomach or diarrhea). These symptoms indicate that the body is working diligently to repel the attack of Air. Whether the Air Dis-ease will be the common cold, the flu, or other illnesses will be determined by the germs and viruses.
Moreover, accumulation of air in the body can be the cause of mental disorders, quick-temperedness, vertigo, or headaches. One knows that these problems are caused by accumulation of air when the problems are accompanied by these problems:
1. Shortness of breath―difficulty in doing deep breathing―and the sensation of an object fixed in the chest.
2. Inability to inhale―no matter how much air one breathes in, the lungs never feel full.
3. Inability to exhale―blockage of outcoming air. This is not to be confused with emphysema, which is the lack of lung flexibility.
4. Gastritis either in the stomach (belching) or in the intestines (flatulence). This occurs because air is being released to relieve the high internal pressure.
5. Unnecessary sighing. This is an indication of excess pressure on the organs. This symptom is most accurately interpreted in younger individuals, because they should not feel the need to sigh from depression, as adults do. Sighing indicates an abnormality of the respiratory system.
The modern pathological terms used above are given to help the reader gain a greater understanding of Air Disease. These terms were used by Kesetsu Otsuka, M.D., a famous and respected professor and physician, to interpret Air Dis-ease.
The transference of Air Dis-ease is not thought to occur through physical contact with an infected individual’s body parts, but it is thought to occur through exposure to the same germ-ridden air. It is not possible to contract a virus by touching unless the body is already weak and its internal pressure low. It is possible to receive germs through the air from an infected person, especially if they are using mentholated substances, such as cough drops, lozenges, syrups or ointments. The menthol has the effect of carrying germs out of the body and into the air through diffusion of its odor.
Mold and mildew spores have equally lethal effects on health, although they are not thought of in this way. The mold and mildew growing in basements, attics, or other places in the home are usually though of as benign, but the spores they release enter the body through breathing and cause various problems ranging from respiratory problems to even cancer. Dr. Chang was the first and only person to lecture on the subject, triggering national news reports beginning in 2004.
These germs, viruses, mold and mildew can be expelled from the body through the usage of herbs and the encouragement of the natural eliminative processes of sweating, vomiting, and bowel movement. Herbs are used to induce these eliminative processes, kill the germs and viruses, nourish and strengthen the weakened body, and help the body build up its weakened internal pressure. We must never try to suppress fevering, sweating, coughing, etc. because the germs and viruses will go deeper into the tissues. Then serious problems will develop from latent germ or virus growth, causing permanent damage to the functions of the body.
There are five causes of Blood Dis-ease. Blood Dis-ease can occur when the bone marrow and spleen-pancreas become dysfunctional and produce inadequate amounts of blood cells. Blood Dis-ease is also caused by blood corruption, blood clotting, and blood extravasation.
Corruption of blood could be caused by bad air, foods, or physical contact with poisons. These poisons move through the body and damage enzymes, nutritional elements, and internal organs. If the quality of the blood is bad, such as unbalanced levels of iron or sugar, or if the quantity is insufficient, many problems such as low energy, migraine headaches, blood clots, and anemia will result.
Blood clotting is caused by sedimentation, poor circulation, low energy levels, high body temperature, pressure exerted on blood vessels by excess water in the tissues, accidents, heavy exercise, heavy labor or surgery. These result in three types of “dead blood” blood clots: those that form from heavy sedimentation; those that accumulate on the sides of the arteries; and those that settle to the bottom of the blood vessels.
Iron supplements often recommended for women and older individuals can be very dangerous, because the excess iron, being heavy, settles to the bottom of the vessels and attracts other sediments. If consumption of extra iron is continued over a long period of time, outpocketings in the blood vessels may be created. These pockets containing sediments may break and disperse the blood into the surrounding membranes, causing internal bleeding. This is sometimes indicated by blood in the stools. Blood clots occur in the areas of the lower stomach, the intestines and the sexual organs because of the gravitational pull of heavy sediment to the lower parts of the body. Many autopsies reveal black-colored blood clots in these areas.
Another common cause of blood clotting is poor circulation caused by sitting and driving for long periods of time. Watching moving objects while being inactive depletes our energy, which is another cause of blood clotting. When blood circulates slowly, it is more likely to be “cooked” by body heat, especially when the temperature of the body is high. Heated blood then coagulates and settles usually in the stomach area. Excessive pressure upon blood also causes it to coagulate and settle. Last but not least, bruises are another form of blood clotting. Bruises result from accidents, heavy activity, and surgery.
Extravasated blood resulting from broken blood vessels can cause serious problems. Germs and viruses tend to settle in extravasated blood, and when the blood is absorbed, the germs and viruses are also absorbed into the bloodstream. Extravasated blood will settle in the abdominal area.
The major symptoms which indicate Blood Dis-ease are:
1. Dry and dark skin and nails. The skin appears very sooty, perhaps ashen, and the nails may be purple. The area around the eyes and lips becomes dark.
2. Bruising easily or feeling cold because the circulation is blocked.
3. Abnormal menstruation. The timing, amount, color, cramps, headaches, etc. give a very good indication of the condition of the blood.
4. Frequent and/or sudden changes in body temperature.
5. Sudden loss of appetite, swollen stomach, or a feeling of fullness in the abdomen.
6. Heavy-headedness, headaches, pain in the shoulder blade area, insomnia, somnolence, forgetfulness, light-headedness, blackouts, heart palpitation, or a feeling of fear which is unfounded.
7. Chronic digestive disorders such as hyper-acidity or heartburn.
A further breakdown of the results of Blood Dis-ease includes:
1. Ulcers of the stomach or duodenum.
2. Stomach cancer.
4. Chronic constipation, diarrhea, and hemorrhoids.
5. Hardening of the arteries.
7. High or low blood pressure.
8. Female organ disorder.
13. Mental illness.
14. Urinary problems―kidney or bladder infections or stones.
16. Pneumonia or bronchitis.st1:City>,
Another Japanese physician, Dr. Nangahama, did extensive studies into the causes of Blood Dis-ease. These concerned inheritance from parents, abnormal menstruation, high temperature (inflammation), weak blood vessels, liver weakness, hormone imbalance, and unbalanced blood systems.
The human body is essentially composed of water―it is 70% water―so water is essential to our well-being. But water is also a source of many problems. The greatest percentage of water is in our blood. Water cools the blood temperature, thins the blood, and facilitates circulation of blood cells. Water cleans the blood of poisons or deposits and carries these to the kidneys to be eliminated in the urine. When the kidneys cannot filter all the water either because they are weak or because there is just too much water, the water goes back to the blood to circulate through the body. Usually by this time more water has accumulated in the blood. The blood vessels become enlarged, then they begin to contract spasmodically, squeezing the water into the tissues where it becomes trapped. Ballooning of the tissues and occasional pain are the results. Taoists call this water “dead water,” and it gives rise to mucous, or phlegm.
One of the causes of water retention and mucous buildup is the chemicals in the water we drink. If we take an ordinary drinking glass full of water and leave it undisturbed, we may see for ourselves what happens to the stagnant water in our body. Please refer to Tao of Balanced Diet, Water Retention as one of the Eight Causes of Weight Problems, for complete details on the formation of mucous in the body, a gel-like substance which accumulates and harbors harmful microorganisms.
Besides kidney weakness or dysfunction, another cause of water retention is simply over-consumption of liquids. Again please refer to Tao of Balanced Diet to learn why eight glasses of water per day can be extremely harmful.
Water accumulates in six areas and causes many problems. They are:
1. In all the major organs. Microorganisms contained in the water cause inflammation of these organs.
2. In the tissues and under the skin―cellulite.
3. Between the membranes in the chest cavity surrounding the organs, muscles, and bones. We need a certain amount of water here to serve as lubrication; but when it is germ-infested, it causes inflammation.
4. Underneath the heart area, causing a “floating” condition of the heart and fibrillation of the heart.
5. In the area of the diaphragm. Water can affect the liver and cause cancer.
6. ln the brain.
The accumulation of mucous causes many kinds of Water Diseases, which are indicated by five groups of symptoms:
1. Heart palpitation.
3. Shortness of breath.
6. Constipation or diarrhea.
7. Vomiting (especially vomiting of water).
8. Cold or chilly sensations.
Group Two (excesses or deficiencies in internal secretions):
4. Vaginal secretion.
2. Tinnitus (ringing ears).
3. Heavy headedness.
4. Chest pain.
5. Stomach pain.
6. Shaking or trembling.
7. Excessive thirst.
1. Gurgling, sloshing sounds from the stomach or abdomen.
3. Swelling of the body, especially the ankles and legs.
4. Female organ disturbances.
2. Interference with a locomotive function.
The diseases resulting from water accumulation are:
1. Dropsy of the stomach or stomach ulcers.
2. Bronchitis, asthma, pneumonia, and pleurisy.
3. Cardiac problems and heart disease.
4. Glaucoma, cataracts, myopia, and hyperopia.
5. Nervousness, neuritis, epilepsy, and madness.
6. Urinary problems―kidney or bladder infections, nephritis, and kidney atrophy.
7. Arthritis and diabetes.
The above modern pathological terms were supplied by Kesetsu Otsuka, M.D.
The body has three natural outlets for mucous:
1. Respiratory tract. The mucous is expelled naturally by coughing.
2. Skin. Water is eliminated either naturally through perspiration, or mechanically through the use of saunas, steam baths, hot baths, and herbs.
3. Bladder. Water is passed out in the urine.
In the expulsion of mucous, herbs are used to divert mucous from the respiratory and epidermal outlets to the bladder and to stimulate the natural diuretic function of the body to expel the mucous. The herbs are also capable of building the energy of the body, especially the kidneys.
Bringing the kidneys back to a healthy state is a difficult task. The practice of flushing the kidneys and taking diuretic pills extracts more work from the kidneys, but they also increase one’s thirst. Drinking more water, although it defeats the purpose by making the kidneys work harder, is always recommended for alleviating thirst. The only effective way to treat the weakened, tired kidneys is to energize and nourish them to make them stronger. When a horse is tired, we must feed him and let him rest. Beating a horse to make him work will kill him. Diuretics have the effect of beating the kidneys, whereas herbs feed the kidneys with nutrients and energy. Along with herbs, mechanical methods for water expulsion, such as saunas, steam or hot baths and massage, may be used to dislodge mucous and eliminate it.
There are five types of climates which, after prolonged exposure, adversely affect the body. These are as follows: wind, which affects the liver, gallbladder, and nervous system; cold, which affects the kidneys, bladder, bones, and sexual organs; heat, which affects the heart, small intestine and circulatory system; dampness, dew, mist, or fog, which affects the spleen-pancreas, digestive system, and muscles; and dryness, which affects the lungs, large intestine, skin, and breathing or respiratory system.
The internal emotional causes of dis-ease are excessive anger, which affects the liver; excessive worry and thinking which affect the spleen-pancreas and stomach; excessive fear and fright (shock) which affect the kidneys; excessive joy which affects the heart; and excessive sadness, which affects the lungs.
NON-EXTERNAL AND NON-INTERNAL CAUSES
Acute or chronic infirmities can be caused by aberrant lifestyles: overeating, overwork, excessive drinking, excessive sexual activity, excessive fatigue, prolonged hunger, excessive talking, and excessive activity.
Blood poisoning occurs within the blood. The blood poisons are the syphilis, tuberculosis, and gonorrhea bacteria. In this modern age, herpes and AIDS are also added to the list. These are passed from one generation to the next in either the semen of the father or the blood of the mother. Once they are introduced into the human body, they are difficult to remove―even antibiotics are useless against them. Their interference with the genetic processes of the body cause unseen malfunctions of the internal organs and visible malformations of body parts. None of these abnormalities can be corrected entirely by surgery.
According to Taoism, interference by blood poisons with the genetic processes vital to prenatal development cause many problems. Sometimes they interfere with brain development and cause mental problems. Some individuals are born with weak hearts because a heart valve was malformed. Nerves are affected, livers are affected, all parts of the body are affected.
For millennia, the misery and suffering caused by these blood poisons have conditioned mankind to think that life must be terrible. Actually, the miseries are caused by the ignorance of man’s ancestors.
Through practicing eugenics, an important part of Taoist Sexology, and utilization of herbs, the blood can be cleaned and we may be assured of having clean, healthy, intelligent, and complete children. According to Taoist teachings, when the blood is kept free from blood poisons for three generations, a genius may be born to that family.
Water poisoning is caused by the buildup of mucous, which arises from germ-infested water being retained in the body. This buildup of mucous first affects the nervous system, causing nervousness, spasms, or numbness. Nervousness is the first indication that poisoning from water has taken place. A second indication of water poisoning is sluggish or bizarre thinking processes, loss of locomotive functions, or headaches―all symptoms of brain damage. Other indications of water poisoning include water retention, heart problems, and kidney problems. Parkinson’s disease is an example of water poisoning at its worst. Some herbal formulas have been created specifically to prevent or correct these undesirable situations.
Food poisoning is caused by eating incorrect combinations of foods, by the corruption of food in the body, and by food allergies.
Our foods must be acid-alkaline balanced in order to avoid corruption in our digestive system. Food improperly balanced, when mixed with saliva and other digestive juices, will go through a chemical change and will corrupt before completion of the digestive cycle. A very good indication of acid-alkaline imbalance is foul-smelling breath, an indication of the presence of corrupted food in the stomach. But sometimes bad breath is caused by a disorder in the mouth itself. A sure sign of corruption in the intestines is foul-smelling gas. Corrupted food is poisonous and it can cause decay. We all know that tooth decay results from inadequate removal of food particles from the spaces between and around the teeth. The same type of decay occurs in the digestive system when food is not eliminated regularly and completely.
For a list of the combinations of foods which become poisonous in the digestive system, such as beef and onions, please consult The Tao of Balanced Diet: Secrets of a Thin and Healthy Body.
Some types of foods are poisons within themselves and overuse of these foods causes dis-ease. Please consult The Great Tao for a complete list.
No matter how well we think we eat, it is nearly impossible to avoid poisoning from food ingestion. Our regular food diet is classified as “weak” because of its short life span after harvesting. These “weak” foods cannot support life for long―they must corrupt. This is why we so urgently need herbs, the “strong” foods, to neutralize and combat the effects of food corruption and poisoning. Of course, the herbs we use must also be carefully balanced, because improper combinations of herbs can also become poisonous.
IV: DETERMINATION OF
Many techniques were developed to determine the cause of a dis-ease, the organ(s) or bowel(s) that are most affected, the state of energy flow in the meridians―in other words, the health condition of an individual. The techniques include observation, interrogation, careful listening, face reading, abdomen reading, tongue reading, and pulse reading. (This extensive body of knowledge is beyond the capacity of this site and are available in complete detail in The Great Tao.)
The world’s main religions also seek total healing like Taoism. But their scriptures are not so complete in describing the practical methods for achieving that. The purpose of all the chapters of The Great Tao and other books is to reveal these practical Taoist methods.
One should read carefully the examples following this table to appreciate these very valuable revelations.
HERBAL COMBINATION EXAMPLE
In the following example of a herbal combination the reader must realize that when a few western pathological terms are listed under Commentaries, it does not mean that herbal medicine is being prescribed for diseases, but that clear references are being provided to further the comprehension of the reader. This information under Commentaries was collected from the works of the famous and respected professor and physician, Kesitsu Otsuka, M.D., and other workers. For example:
1. Diabetes―builds up the pancreas over a long period of time.
2. Sexual disorder, including impotence, testicle infection and premature ejaculation; builds up and cleans prostate gland.
3. Kidney and bladder infections; kidney stones.
4. Cataract, glaucoma.
5. Ringing ears or tinnitus.
7. High blood pressure.
8. Water retention.
9. Stomach infections; helps digestion.
10. Can rebuild weak kidneys (Dialysis Case: GT-701 in conjunction).
11. Good against infections, including TB in the kidneys.
12. Pains in legs; swollen legs.
13. Helps regulate blood sugar.
14. Stops internal or external hemorrage.
Note: Can be used as a general tonic because it is rich in nutritive value. Stops bleeding in an emergency. Especially good for prostate problems.
Main Meridians: Rather balanced, but sedates the heart mainly and energizes the stomach, lung and kidneys.
Nutritional Value and Effective Properties: Iron, calcium, potassium, sodium, natrium, cerium, phosphorus, sugar, cellulose, glucose, ash, fructose, protein, starch, egg lipids, Mannite, Rehmanin, Tannic Acid, Resina, Tartaric Acid, Kuun, Bilinenrine, Argininin, Pachymos, Peonol, Benzoic Acid, Cinnamicaldehyde, Camphene, Cineol, Linalool, Enjenol, Aconite, Mesaconitine, Hypaconitine, and Jesconitine.
This herbal combination, used in the East today for the treatment of diabetes, was created more than 2,200 years ago when it was produced for Emperor Han Wu-Ti who contracted the disease, which was already known and treated more than 2,200 years ago. Diabetes and its test was officially recorded in Chinese medical history more than 1,300 years ago in the seventh century A.D., more than 1,000 years before its official discovery in the West.
Japanese doctors obtained magnificent
results by using this formula to treat the disease of senile cataract. For
example in 1957 Sigenari Ogura, M.D., started to
treat patients for senile cataracts with this formula. He compiled a report on
41 cases. Among the 41 pairs or 82 individual eyes treated, the visual power of
68 (83%) improved. Eight (10%) remained unchanged and 6 (7%) decreased. Ken Fujihira, M.D., reported the complete data of 285 senile
cataract cases treated with this formula at his clinic between January 1 and
Note: A non-Taoist who wishes to use herbal combinations should consult his physician first for his/her own protection.
UNDERSTANDING HERBAL COMBINATIONS
The following instructions are to help you read the following herbal combinations easily and correctly:
1. Energy Level of the Combinations. Most combinations fall within the cool to warm range, as they are rather balanced energy-wise. These are the grades in energy levels:
2. Taste Reminder:
Sweet affects SP
3. Abbreviations of Meridians:
4. Correlation to Dis-eases and Code Names:
AD = Air Dis-ease
An herbal combination may be called AD-101, BD-204, etc.
These are references to Western pathological terms derived from experiments with these herbal combinations performed by many contemporary specialists. As the reader will see, each herbal combination has been associated with benefits for a series of symptoms which may be totally unrelated to each other by medical science. This illustrates the Taoist emphasis on promoting the body’s ability to repair itself and prevent or correct an abnormal state rather than focusing on symptoms and diseases.
Each combination has its own “profile”: taste, distribution, energy level, meridians, combined attitudes, etc., and should be matched to one’s nutritional needs as determined by pulse reading and the other Taoist techniques discussed before. This is the way for the Taoist Cultivator to strengthen his physical, mental and spiritual bodies. However, the reader may be more familiar with the medical pathology, so the provided commentaries are intended to further his or her comprehension of the scope of each combination. As a matter of fact, the listed commentaries represent symptoms or diseases eventually associated with a certain abnormal state of the body’s function.