5. Smiling in the Sunlight

5. Smiling in the Sunlight

Question: Yesterday, I watched a traditional Chinese medicine program about summer health preservation for liver and gallbladder fire. It said that for young people, the focus should be on clearing liver and gallbladder fire, with remedies like Shugan Hewei Wan and Longdan Xiegan Wan. For elderly people, however, it’s not advisable to clear fire; instead, they should nourish yin and clear fire. Is this correct? My mother is 58 years old and recently has experienced dizziness, dry eyes, excessive eye discharge, bitter taste in mouth, and chest and flank distension. If we follow the principle of nourishing yin and clearing fire, what medicines should she take?

Answer: For elderly people, “clearing fire” doesn’t always mean nourishing yin and lowering fire; it depends on the specific condition. If the fire is caused by hypertension, then nourishing yin and lowering fire is appropriate; if it’s inflammation in the head and face, such as pharyngitis, rhinitis, or conjunctivitis, then there’s no need to nourish yin and lower fire. Your mother’s symptoms indicate liver qi stagnation, which turns into fire over time. From a Western medical perspective, we should consider: ① cholecystitis; ② hepatitis; ③ hypertension. The first two require soothing the liver and clearing fire, while the third calls for nourishing yin and lowering fire.

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