Heart Yin Deficiency

This pattern is affiliated with autoimmune disorders (blood, chi and yin deficiencies), harmful or unmanageable stress, and the impact of violent movies and computer games on the mind. Causes include chronic anxiety or worry, prolonged periods of intense concentration; overexertion, drug abuse and excessive stimulation of the senses by realistic violence in movies or computer […]

Heart Fire Blazing

This pattern represents a physical reaction to excess stress, anger, frustration and long periods of depression. It is caused by emotional tension, from doing many projects at the same time or constant forced decision-making, that pushes the person over the top. Too much thinking causes heart fire and symptoms. This pattern also appears during drug […]

Phlegm Fire Harassing the Heart

This pattern is affiliated with bipolar disorder, alternating between manic (crazy laughter, over confidence, shouting) and depression (dullness, confusion, muttering to oneself). The initial stage is wild behaviour or over excitement that eventually develops into mental symptoms. This pattern is caused by severe emotional problems and depression that harms both heart and spleen. This pattern […]

Heart Blood Stagnant

This pattern is affiliated with atherosclerosis and CVD and can therefore be serious. Strong emotions particularly anxiety, grief, resentment or bottling-up anger over a long period of time, upset the smooth flow of chi, stopping its movement or disturbing its action. When chi stops moving, blood stops flowing and this causes blood stagnation. In heart […]

Spleen Yang Deficiency

This pattern is affiliated with chronic fatigue syndrome, candida overgrowth, ulcers, gastritis and obesity and is characterised by a deficient spleen creating chilliness and cold limbs. The spleen comprises the entire digestive system and aspects of the circulatory system. In spleen yang deficiency the digestive process is impaired and foods and fluids don’t move smoothly […]

Full Heat in the Small Intestine

This pattern is caused by emotional hyperactivity or chronic emotional problems which have a ‘heating’ nature. Behaviours include a relentless drive to work on several projects at once, mental restlessness, and the need to keep pushing hard in every direction and using up vast amounts of energy (many artists and creatives display this pattern). It […]

Spleen Chi Sinking

This pattern is affiliated with chronic fatigue syndrome, candida overgrowth, ulcers, gastritis and obesity and is characterised by a deficient spleen. In Chinese medicine the spleen comprises the entire digestive system and aspects of the circulatory system. In spleen chi sinking the digestive process is impaired and foods and fluids don’t move smoothly creating symptoms, […]

Small Intestine Chi Pain

This pattern is affiliated with hernia of the small intestine, colitis, food allergies and enteritis and is caused by stress, anger, frustration and resentment. A secondary cause is excessive consumption of cold and raw foods. Symptoms: Lower abdominal twisting pain which may extend to back, abdominal distention, dislike of pressure on abdomen, stomach rumbling, flatulence, […]

Spleen Not Controlling Blood

This pattern is affiliated with chronic fatigue syndrome, candida overgrowth, ulcers, gastritis and obesity and is characterised by a deficient spleen unable to control blood. In Chinese medicine the spleen comprises the entire digestive system and aspects of the circulatory system, including containing blood in its vessels. In spleen not controlling blood the digestive process […]

Small Intestine Deficient and Cold

This pattern is affiliated with candida infections, food allergies, enteritis, chronic dysentery and is caused by excessive consumption of cold and raw food, and difficulty in managing stress. Symptoms: Abdominal pain, desire for hot drinks and pressure on abdomen, stomach rumbling, diarrhoea, pale and abundant urination.