Abigail Case: Chris Feedback
Very good layout overall:
I esp. like the inclusion of definition of condition and side effects of medications. There are other
sources. See our first class for this resource. Everyone needs to research the heck out of their
conditions. In addition, I’d like you to go deeper and investigate even more. There are more nuances
to this condition that will undoubtedly give you interesting insights.
In general:
Q.- I’d like to know what the other practitioners have him on and why? And how this fits in with why
they are seeing you. Are they buffet tabling the options, or are they unhappy with their treatments?
Then I’d like a specific contract drawn up with this person and their protocol. I say this as it can be a
waste of your time to put a lot of work into a case to find out that they are being treated by other
practitioners for the same condition and using herbs for that condition and just seeing how to pick and
choose their approaches. I especially see this therapeutic overlap problem with ND’s and CM
practitioners. So what is the nature of these relationships and what are they doing with her?
Lifestyle:
Diet-need diet diary if possible-this person is in an advanced state of dysfuntion, so diet is integral.
He has insight and has practiced good mind-body things so it shouldn’t be a stretch to go further and
deeper in this nutritive yet social avenue and get away from the the social yet draining world of late
night meetings. This can be a tool to leverage your work with them by pointing them more in this
healing direction.
A large emphasis should be placed on the reminder that you can’t care for others if you aren’t caring for
yourself.
Assessment:
This person is primed for very serious problem(s). He is doing everything completely right to get a
serious course of illness, endocrine dysfunction, autoimmune condition, infection/cancer that he will not
recover from. He is at a crucial stage of his existence and quite literally for the sake of his life, needs to
embark on a course of rejuvenation. This is not overstated and in no way dramatizing his situation as his
age, and advancing conditions don’t allow for a lot of wiggle room in self care.
Sleep and anxiety are related, but the cause is not sleep.
Anxiety is from deficiency/exhaustion, immune problem is from deficiency/exhaustion.
The cause of all of his conditions is the lack of self care, probably poor nourishment, poor past disease
care, anxiety related stress or stress related anxiety, advancing age, genetic expression, lack of
appropriate exercise etc. All are causes and all need to be considered.
Using these questions will help guide where you decide to focus:
Where is this person losing energy? ? Is it being replenished? If being lost, can we stop the loss? If
not being replenished, can we increase intake?
The number one place to replenish deficiency is food, and a close interdependent second is rest. Then
comes the others, not too far behind, love, community, family, fulfillment, purpose etc…
All of his issues resolving depend on both of these being the primary focus. No herbs will help this
person in isolation but many will be invaluable when used correctly.
His lung cold is one more manifestion of his body’s way of a wake up call. Deep nourishment should be
the primary emphasis but the cold takes precedence in the order.
Amoxicllin is anti bacterial, and colds are viral so that’s an odd combination, except the duration of this
cold is unusual and therefore may have bacterial elements. Overall this is generally recognized as using
an apple peeler to peel paint. They’re different situations. By the way, antibiotics are cold in the 4th
(highest) degree. He is already deficient cold-so this will make him much worse from an energetic point
of view.
Therapeutic order is:
1) Rest, get over cold
2) Rest, recharge, rebuild the nervous and immune and mental emotional system.
Herbal Formula:
Tincture of Ganoderma doesn’t contain much bioactive constituents except small amount of ganoderic
acid and relatives to suppress inflammation and should never, under any circumstance related to
immune enhancement be used. Long Chain Beta glucan polysaccharides only extract in hot water
decoction, AND are dose dependant-1oz of dried mushroom per day is typically in therapeutic range.
1) What is the purpose of this formula precisely?
2) What is the purpose of each herb in the formula?
Ashwagandha after the cold is passed is general herbal protocol. Ashwaganda is tonifying, building and
strengthening so you generally don’t want to build/tonify when you have an infection. You generally
want to clean the system of its immune detritus, drain off the effete material and allow for natural
purging. Then in the convalescent stage, you rebuild.
Please be very specific around your herbal recommendations in terms of specific goal, and how each
herb accomplishes that goal.
Sinus infections are relatively easy to address. Bayberry is the herb par excellence via neti pot for sinus
infection. A little added goldenseal is amazing. Goldenrod/Yarrow internally at the same time is
wonderful. Esp as this is also an inflammatory condition and these lovely bitter asters stimulate the
body’s mucous membrane response into calming/tonifying/harmonizing activity that is, in inflammatory
conditions, anti-inflammatory. Cedar also works well here, esp. if old lingering infections exist. This lung
condition is a perfect cedar case. With some more herbs to burn through mucous, Elecampane and
Hyssop, Ginger, Garlic and get the muco ciliary escalator activated-Cedar, Osha, prob Balsam root .
Inhaled Essential oils also work well to increase the mucous movement: think cedar again, strong mints
(horse, peppermint), and pungent spices.
To amp up their immediate immune response: You want heat too as this person is hypofunctioning and
cold-Echinacea which is activating (though some narrowly classify it as cold and be careful as it’s possibly
autoimmune), Balsam root, Osha, Garlic. These are this person’s friends and can form the base of their
“to do now remedies”. Elderberry is anti-viral, mimosa anti spasmodic and rose astringent, wormwood
aromatic bitter so all good, but not directly addressing a certain pattern
For rebuilding
A very good remedy for this person is hot water extracted Cordyceps mycelia in capsule or powder. I’ve
taken this remedy and given it to many people, reviewed the research in depth, talked to other
practitioners and don’t find it to be adrenergic, or stimulating. I find it to be a deeply nourishing tonic
that is supportive to the lungs ability to capture energy, to balance and strengthen immune function in
hypo immune states, and to balance inappropriate function in disorganized states.
American Ginseng can also be of benefit but I find it to be too stimulating for very deficient people
contrary to the literature. I’ve heard this from many people who have also tried this herb. Plus it’s
expensive.
Astragalus is another of the lung specific deep immune tonics that should be part of this person’s
regimen in the building stage.
This should be begun as soon as his cold is finished. Other remedies to include should be similar
building, nourishing, rest encouraging remedies.
Last General Feedback:
Lung issue is mucous and architectural change and has inflammation combined with structural change
so not necessarily infection. Infection is sort of germ theory approach. The picture is bigger. From the
holistic perspective, the lungs by virtue of their role in inspiration or air/qi is the most important organ
for getting air-qi of the universal air component in the body which is why breath work is at the heart of
many healing practices.