Gentle Reader {subtag:name},
A recent article that I was reading discussed research findings on the differences between aerobic exercise and strength-training in promoting cognitive acuity. They found that strength training improved cognitive function whereas aerobic activity had no effect. Boiling it down: strong muscles equal strong mind.
Such a strange coincidence that this should affirm a central tenet of Chinese medicine. Let’s digress, shall we?
Chinese medicine holds that functions attributed to brain (and mind) in modern biomedine are in fact tasks managed by the visceral organs, i.e., pancreas/spleen, liver, lungs and so on. This brings us back to a recurring theme: Chinese medical correspondences.
Muscles correspond to “thought” (si1, 思), which corresponds to the digestive organs: spleen and stomach. It’s a common Chinese medical view that excessive thought damages the spleen, but it is equally true that feeble thought is an indication of digestive imbalance, which could be indicated through flaccid or fatty muscles, with or without obvious signs of digestive malfunction. Often these are the numerous conditions attributed to “metabolic disorder.”
Correspondences work mutually. Muscle fitness improves digestive function. Eating foods that strengthen the digestion, i.e., spleen, in turn benefit the muscles and thought. Thought, muscle, digestion, a trinity of sorts in terms of its indivisibility and mutuality.
The article concludes with a discussion on the physiological effects of exercise and the molecular compounds, i.e., the “active agents” either extracted from herbs or synthesized, benefitting an exercise regime. The thought occurred to me that there must be some Chineses herbs that perform these functions while meeting certain criteria:
- The first is ease of use, which includes safety. Side-effects are inconvenient. Many people are taking all kinds of combinations that also need to be accounted for.
- Second is demonstrable efficacy. Essentially, what are the clinical findings?
- Finally, is it a price performer? Need I say more? Cheap. Ok. I said it.
I thought of the Chinese herbs known to “generate flesh”… in particular astragalus.
Next month I’ll pick up with the research findings on astragalus as it relates to the trinity. If you’re already willing to test for yourself, then I have something that meets the above criteria. ph 323.936.5152