Internal Cold

Question 1

What is the classification of foods that are suitable for internal cold?

Answer 1

Generally hot to warm (temperature)
Flavours of sweet and pungent

Question 2

What are beneficial foods for internal cold?

Answer 2

Meat/Seafood: lamb, venison, chicken
Vegetables: ginger, garlic, spring onions, onions, garlic, chives and fennel
Grains, legumes, nuts & seeds: oats
Spices: chili, cinnamon, anise, black pepper, cloves, coriander
Drinks: high proof alcohol, mulled wine, chai tea

Question 3

What foods should be avoided in cold conditions?

Answer 3

Cooling-cold foods and cooking methods.
Salty, sour foods

Question 4

What cooking methods should be used with cold conditions?

Answer 4

Cooking with alcohol, grilling. Frying. Roasting, smoking, searing and baking.

Question 5

What culinary herbs should be used for cold conditions?

Answer 5

• Sheng Jiang (fresh ginger)
• Xiao hui Xiang (fennel)
• Rou Gui (cinnamon bark)
• Ding Xiang (clove)
• Rou Dou Kou (nutmeg)

Question 6

What is Gan Jiang?

Answer 6

Zingiber officiale (ginger)

Question 7

What are the actions and indications for Gan Jiang?

Answer 7

• Warms the centre and dissipates cold for cold in the middle. Cold pain in the stomach and abdominal area, vomiting and diarrhoea
• Restore yang to unblock the vessels for yang collapse conditions. Reversal counterflow cold of the limbs with a faint pulse
• Warms the Lung and dissolve phlegm for cold phlegm lodged in the Lung, presenting as panting and cough with copious phlegm

Question 8

What are the classifications of Gan Jiang?

Answer 8

Nature: hot
Taste or flavour: acrid
Direction of action:
Site of action: Spleen, Stomach, Kidney, Heart, Lung

Question 9

What is the dosage of Gan Jiang?

Answer 9

3-10g

Question 10

What are the cautions / contraindications of Gan Jiang?

Answer 10

Contraindicated for patients with Yin Xu and internal heat
Bleeding due to blood heat

Question 11

What is Li Zhong Wan?

Answer 11

1. Dang Shen
2. Gan Jiang
3. Bai Zhu
4. Zhi Gan Cao

Question 12

What are the functions of Li Zhong Wan?

Answer 12

Warms the middle jiao to expel cold
Reinforce Qi and Spleen

Question 13

What are the patterns / signs and symptoms for Li Zhong Wan?

Answer 13

• Spleen and stomach xu with cold. Abdominal pain, diarrhoea, vomiting, anorexia, no thirst, pale tongue, deep thready or slow pulse.
• Spleen yang xu: fatigue/exhaustion, chronic digestive weakness, loss of appetite, chronic mouth ulcers, nausea and vomiting, waxy, pale complexion, abdominal distension, abdominal or epigastric pain. Cold intolerance, cold extremities.
• T: pale, wet, swollen tongue
• P: deep, slow

Question 14

What are the cautions / contra for Li Zhong Wan?

Answer 14

Early phase illness, Yin Xu with heat.
Use with caution for blood and fluid depletion due to Yang Xu and loss of blood.

Question 15

What is the dosage for Li Zhong Wan?

Answer 15

8-12 pills, 2-3 times per day. Away from food where possible.

Question 16

What is Si Ni Tang?

Answer 16

1. Sheng Fu Zi
2. Gan Jiang
3. Zhi Gan Cao

Question 17

What is the function of Si Ni Tang?

Answer 17

Recuperate depleted Yang and rescue the patient from Yang collapse

Question 18

What are the signs and symptoms for Si Ni Tang?

Answer 18

• Exhaustion of Yang and excess of Yin, marked by cold limbs, tiredness, sleepiness, cold pain in abdomen, watery diarrhoea with undigested food
• Key symptoms: extremely cold extremities, aversion to cold, listless and dispirited. Lethargy with a constant desire to sleep
• Secondary symptoms: lying down in foetal position, vomiting, diarrhoea with undigested food. Painful and cold abdomen, increased urination, absence of thirst.
• T: pale, little or thin, white glassy coating
• P: deep or thin, submerged and faint

Question 19

What are the cautions for Si Ni Tang?

Answer 19

Cannot be used for cold limbs due to accumulation of Yang Qi in the interior and Yang cannot reach the surface (true heat and false cold)

Question 20

Is the formula Si Ni Tang able to be prescribed in Aus?

Answer 20

Due to S2, S4 restrictions of Fu Zi, Si Ni Tang classic formula is not available to be prescribed in Aus. Alternative compositions of Si Ni Tang may be available for sale and use in Aus.

Question 21

What is the dosage of Si Ni Tang?

Answer 21

Decocted in water, take the decoction till it is cold if vomiting occurs