Pulse of Oriental Medicine: Alternative Medicine That Works for Regular Folks
Alternative Medicine That Works for Regular Folks

 
   

Executive Burnout

by Brian Benjamin Carter & Annika Paraskeva

Christina was an executive in the European division of a major technology company. She had a wonderful several years working and learning. She traveled more than 150 days per year. In the last year and a half, she was no longer learning anything new and the travel miles began to wear on her.

She became fatigued and depressed. Finally, her doctor prescribed a short leave of absence. She was anxious about going back to work and relieved when she got an extension. She came to San Diego to relax.

Rootless & Homeless

Christina was pale, thin, and exhausted. We talked for a while... she described feeling like she had no root. She was engaged to a man who also worked at the same company. They had been forced to make a no-talking-about-work rule at home. She had her own apartment, but lived more often at her fiance's. She felt she had no real home.

From a chinese medical pattern differentiation perspective, she had physical symptoms and signs [For the sake of brevity, the details are excluded from this short case discussion] of Kidney and Spleen deficiency, Heart & Liver blood deficiency, and Liver qi stagnation.

Her feelings of no root and no home fit with her physical pattern diagnosis. In Chinese Medicine, the Kidney is the root. She had clear symptoms and signs of Kidney deficiency. The Spleen and Stomach belong to the Earth phase which is associated with home. She had clear symptoms and signs of Spleen deficiency.

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Settling Down and Building a Home

When I mentioned this, she agreed that she had been wanting to be at home more. I observed that she was reaching that stage of life where you settle down, establish a family and build a home. I said, "I don't want sound out-moded or sexist, but many women - once they've found a man they can trust - experience a natural desire for family and home-building." She confirmed that she did trust her fiance, and had been experiencing those feelings. "It is an instinct," she agreed.

Three Herbal Formulas in One

In accordance with her pattern differentiation, we wanted to prescribe Gui Pi Tang. Gui Pi Tang would cover the Spleen qi and Heart blood deficiency. We also wanted to tonify her root (Kidney), so we added You Gui Wan. We were concerned about the Liver qi stagnation and the cloying herbs in the first two formulas, so we also added Shu Kan Wan (Chai Hu Shu Gan Wan).

Using the TCM Formulas herbal prescription service, we were able to get one-third of each of these liquid herbal formulas in one 4oz. bottle for $25. This is a great way to avoid patients having loads of half-used bottle of herbs in their cupboards... and it saves them money !

"Do you guys ship to Europe?" Christina asked, thinking about refills.

"We do now," I said. "Our first European customer!"

Christina took the herbs for a week and was feeling great. Then she went on a trip and forgot to bring them. She crashed again. Now she's going back on her herbs!

Find a licensed acupuncturist here: "Resources for Finding Acupuncturists and Herbalists"

 
       
 
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