Happy Wanderer (Xiao Yao San)
The first TCM formula I want to share is one that I just placed a large order for last night in response to seeing a lot of people who fit this formula presentation lately.
Typically I like to prescribe Classical formulas which are customized for your exact symptoms and needs. But sometimes we just need something simple, and easy, and effective for one area of our lives in order to get to a place where we can look to tackle the rest of it.
Xiao Yao San translates as “Happy Wanderer”, or “Free and Easy Wanderer”. It is a very effective formula for the effects of Liver Qi Stagnation and, more generally…
STRESS!
Photo: Abode Stock - Tired depressed bored african businessman frustrated by business failure By fizkes
In the Spring, the season that corresponds with the Wood element and the Liver organ system, I wrote this post to introduce the concepts of the Liver energy. One of the key aspects of the Liver is that it controls the movement, the smooth flow, of Qi - or energy - throughout the body. It also both reflects and influences the flow of our lives - our work, our relationships, our family, our health, our home. When those life paths encounter obstacles and challenges this can block and stagnate our internal energy flow as well. Conversely, when our internal Qi flow is blocked we are more prone to interpret and react negatively to obstacles and challenges happening around us.
The stagnation of Liver Qi can result in emotional symptoms such as:
irritability
frustration
anger
depression
anxiety
PMS
Liver Qi stagnation can also manifest as physical symptoms such as:
digestive upsets
insomnia (difficulty falling asleep or waking up in the night, especially around 1:00 - 3:00 am)
headaches or migraines
menstrual irregularity, cramping, breast tenderness
fatigue
neck and shoulder tension
The name of this formula - Happy Wanderer - illustrates its aim perfectly. It helps the energy in our bodies to move more freely, which will help our lives to flow more happily.
The advice I have given for years - to go walk aimlessly in the woods to relieve stress - is now being acknowledged on a wider stage, which is awesome! “Forest Bathing” is now recognized and commended for its truly healing potential. From the Chinese point of view, the “wandering” part of the walk, the aimlessness, is a key aspect. If we walk with a set destination, a goal, or agenda we are putting constraints on the experience, and on the benefit. If we instead go out for a wander without any particular aim we are truly allowing the Qi to release and flow and relax.
Now, as promised, I said I would include formula information from all sides, so the explanation below adds a very different angle to the information above. Read below for the outcome of the use of ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry to clarify any of the above traditional wisdom. ; )
“Clinical studies and basic science experiments have widely demonstrated the antidepressant and anxiolytic effects of the herbal formula Xiao-Yao-San (XYS). However, the system mechanism of these effects has not been fully characterized. The present study conducted a comprehensive network pharmacological analysis of XYS and sorted all pharmacologically active components (149) through the TCMSP webserver. Then, all potential molecular targets (449) were predicted, of which there were 99 genes clearly related to depression. To further investigate the mechanism of antidepressant effects of XYS, a compound-depression targets (C-DTs) network was constructed, and Gene Ontology (GO) functional and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses were performed for the 99 targets. Enrichment results revealed that XYS could regulate multiple aspects of depression through these targets, related to metabolism, neuroendocrine function, and neuroimmunity. Prediction and analysis of protein–protein interactions resulted in selection of three hub genes (AKT1, TP53, and VEGFA). In addition, a total of seven ingredients from XYS could act on these hub genes and they were identified through ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q/TOF-MS), including paeoniflorin, quercetin, luteolin, acacetin, aloe-emodin, Glyasperin C, kaempferol. Hereafter, we investigated the effects of paeoniflorin and its predicted target, the results suggest that it can reverse the neurotoxicity produced by CORT and could be a neuroprotective effect by promoting the phosphorylation of Akt. Overall, our research revealed the complicated antidepressant mechanism of XYS, and also provided a rational strategy for revealing the complex composition and function of Chinese herbal formula.”
From: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2020.00284/full
Any way you want to look at it, this is a much appreciated formula for hard times.
Photo: Abode Stock - promenade avec son papa By Image'in
Disclaimer: The statements made on this page are based on traditional use and modern research. However, they have not been validated conclusively by Health Authorities. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, but only for educational purposes.