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Our mission is to help you help others become healthier and happier by providing health education and tools in a fun, easy and simple way!
Our mission is to help you help others become healthier and happier by providing health education and tools in a fun, easy and simple way!
Boncho Friends
🍲 Food vs Herbs in Traditional Chinese Medicine
Why can’t a patient just eat more ginger instead of taking an herbal formula?
This is a common question in clinic. Understanding the difference is a key step from student thinking → practitioner thinking.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), food therapy and herbal medicine both support healing, but their strength and purpose are different.
🏃♂️ Food Therapy (食療): The Foundation
Food is the first layer of healing in TCM.
PURPOSES OF FOOD THERAPY:
• Nourish Post-Heaven Qi
• Support Spleen and Stomach
• Maintain balance and help prevent disease
Action: Gentle and gradual.
Because food is eaten daily and in larger amounts, its energetic properties must be mild and harmonizing. Its effects build slowly through consistent nourishment.
Example:
Adding warming foods like ginger or cinnamon can support digestion, but the effect through food is subtle and cumulative.
🏥 Herbal Medicine: Targeted Intervention
When a pattern of disharmony has developed, food alone may not be enough.
PURPOSES OF HERBAL MEDICINE:
• Clear Heat
• Warm Cold
• Move Qi stagnation
• Invigorate Blood
• Resolve Dampness
Action: Focused and potent.
Herbal formulas combine multiple medicinals to correct a pattern through pattern differentiation. Because of their stronger actions, they are usually used in smaller doses and for specific periods.
💡 Clinical Insight
Food builds the foundation of health.
Herbs restore balance when it is already lost.
If diet and lifestyle are ignored, herbal treatment often does not last. But when a pattern is strong, simply “eating better” is usually not enough.
The skill of a practitioner is knowing when to nourish and when to intervene.
📚 Want to master Materia Medica and pattern differentiation faster?
Our Boncho TCM Study Decks help students and practitioners visualize herbs, formulas, and clinical thinking in a simple, practical way.
🔗bonchofriends.com
Link in bio to explore the decks 🥰
1 week ago | [YT] | 3
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Boncho Friends
🍲 Food vs Herbs in Traditional Chinese Medicine
Why can’t a patient just eat more ginger instead of taking an herbal formula?
This is a common question in clinic. Understanding the difference is a key step from student thinking → practitioner thinking.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), food therapy and herbal medicine both support healing, but their strength and purpose are different.
🏃♂️ Food Therapy (食療): The Foundation
Food is the first layer of healing in TCM.
PURPOSES OF FOOD THERAPY:
• Nourish Post-Heaven Qi
• Support Spleen and Stomach
• Maintain balance and help prevent disease
Action: Gentle and gradual.
Because food is eaten daily and in larger amounts, its energetic properties must be mild and harmonizing. Its effects build slowly through consistent nourishment.
Example:
Adding warming foods like ginger or cinnamon can support digestion, but the effect through food is subtle and cumulative.
🏥 Herbal Medicine: Targeted Intervention
When a pattern of disharmony has developed, food alone may not be enough.
PURPOSES OF HERBAL MEDICINE:
• Clear Heat
• Warm Cold
• Move Qi stagnation
• Invigorate Blood
• Resolve Dampness
Action: Focused and potent.
Herbal formulas combine multiple medicinals to correct a pattern through pattern differentiation. Because of their stronger actions, they are usually used in smaller doses and for specific periods.
💡 Clinical Insight
Food builds the foundation of health.
Herbs restore balance when it is already lost.
If diet and lifestyle are ignored, herbal treatment often does not last. But when a pattern is strong, simply “eating better” is usually not enough.
The skill of a practitioner is knowing when to nourish and when to intervene.
📚 Want to master Materia Medica and pattern differentiation faster?
Our Boncho TCM Study Decks help students and practitioners visualize herbs, formulas, and clinical thinking in a simple, practical way.
🔗bonchofriends.com
Link in bio to explore the decks 🥰
1 week ago | [YT] | 3
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Boncho Friends
Struggling to remember the difference between Chái Hú and Shēng Má?
You aren’t alone!
These two herbs are often confused because they both share a primary "lifting" action. But in the clinic, their mechanisms are worlds apart. 🏔️✨
Here is the breakdown for your next Materia Medica exam or patient formula:
🔗 The Similarities (Why we mix them up!)
Both herbs are famous for:
• Raising Yang.
• Treating organ prolapse (uterus, rectum, etc.).
• Appearing in iconic formulas like Bǔ Zhōng Yì Qì Tāng.
⚖️ The Differences (How to choose!)
The key is understanding which system you are trying to influence.
1. Chái Hú (Thorowax Root)
• Focus: The Liver & Shaoyang level.
• Action: It harmonizes and spreads Liver Qi while lifting Yang.
• Clinical Signs: Use this when you see Liver Qi constraint, rib-side discomfort, or alternating chills and fever (Shaoyang pattern). Think of it as "smoothing the flow" to allow the lift.
2. Shēng Má (Black Cohosh)
• Focus: The Spleen & Stomach.
• Action: It lifts Spleen Qi and clears heat from the surface.
• Clinical Signs: Use this when there is Spleen Qi sinking, chronic diarrhea from deficiency, or when you need to vent rashes/pathogenic heat. It provides the "upward push" for a sunken middle burner.
💡 Clinical Pro-Tip
While they move in the same direction, the lift comes from different sources.
• Chái Hú is your "Harmonizer."
• Shēng Má is your "Venter/Lifter."
In many formulas, they are paired together to provide a comprehensive upward "boost" from both the Liver and Spleen systems!
If this was helpful please:
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Check out the Boncho Study Decks to turn complex TCM theories into a fun, collectible experience! Just like your favorite childhood trading cards, you can collect each herb, learn their unique personalities, and master TCM one friend at a time. 🃏✨
1 week ago | [YT] | 7
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Boncho Friends
🪵 Why Early Spring Can Feel Like "Internal Pressure"
The seasonal shift into spring is more than just warmer weather. It is a major physiological transition in how the body moves energy.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, spring is the season of Liver energy. The Liver system is responsible for the smooth movement and flow of Qi throughout the body. As we transition from the stillness of winter, spring energy begins expanding and rising.
⚖️ The Liver Qi Paradox
When this rising movement becomes excessive or "stuck" (stagnant), the transition creates internal pressure. This imbalance often manifests as:
- Irritability or sudden mood swings.
- Physical tension, specifically in the neck and shoulders.
- Sleep disturbances, such as waking consistently between 1–3 AM (Liver time).
- Restlessness and impatience.
Understanding this seasonal surge of Yang helps us better support our patients (and ourselves) as they navigate the shift from winter's containment to spring's activity.
Clinical Tip: This is the ideal time to focus on movement that encourages the smooth "venting" of Liver Qi to prevent it from becoming constrained.
Looking to master seasonal TCM?
Check out our study decks at bonchofriends.com or join our community of future practitioners at bonchoschool.mn.co 📚✨
#TraditionalChineseMedicine
1 week ago | [YT] | 5
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Boncho Friends
⚡️ Awaken Your Liver Qi: Jing Zhe (驚蟄)
The thunder rolls, the earth warms, and hibernating insects awaken. Jing Zhe, the 3rd Solar Term (March 5 – March 20), marks a powerful seasonal shift in Traditional Chinese Medicine!
During this time, Yang Qi begins to rise more strongly in nature. As the environment becomes warmer and more active, our internal Qi also starts to move upward and outward after the stillness of winter. ☯️
🪵 The Liver & Rising Spring Qi
In TCM, Spring corresponds to the Liver system, which governs:
• The smooth flow of Qi
• The health of tendons and sinews
• The eyes and vision
As Yang rises during Jing Zhe, the Liver becomes more active. If Qi flows smoothly, the body adapts well to the season. But when Qi becomes constrained or Yang rises excessively, imbalance can appear.
⚠️ Common patterns seen during Jing Zhe
• Liver Yang Rising: Headaches, migraines, dizziness, or eye discomfort.
• Liver Qi Stagnation: Irritability, mood swings, and neck or shoulder tension.
• External Wind patterns: Seasonal allergies, itching, or skin eruptions as dormant pathogens become active.
🍵 Supporting the body during Jing Zhe
✅ Gentle movement
Stretching, walking, or Qi Gong helps promote smooth Liver Qi circulation.
✅ Sleep rhythm
Maintain consistent wake times that align with the increasing daylight.
✅ Seasonal foods
Young spring greens, sprouts, scallions, and chives help support the Liver’s Qi movement. Light soups can help keep digestion balanced.
🚫 Try to avoid
• Emotional suppression that constrains Liver Qi
• Sudden intense exercise after winter inactivity
• Excessively spicy foods or overheating the body
As nature awakens from winter dormancy, the goal in clinic is to help Qi rise smoothly without creating excess heat or stagnation.
Happy Jing Zhe everyone 🥰
📚 Want to study the 24 Solar Terms through a TCM lens?
Explore our study decks at bonchofriends.com
#TraditionalChineseMedicine
2 weeks ago | [YT] | 5
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Boncho Friends
👁️👁️ The Liver & The Eyes in TCM
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the Liver (肝) opens into the eyes. Because the Liver stores Blood and ensures the smooth flow of Qi, its balance directly affects both vision and emotional regulation.
☯️ Recognizing the difference between Liver Excess and Liver Deficiency is essential for accurate TCM pattern differentiation.
🔴 Liver Excess (Liver Fire / Liver Yang Rising)
When Liver Qi stagnates, it can transform into Heat or Fire that rises upward.
- Emotional signs: irritability, sudden anger, feeling like you are “seeing red.”
Physical signs: red or bloodshot eyes, headaches, dizziness, and heat in the upper Jiao.
- Clinical pearl: This is an active excess pattern where constrained Qi disrupts normal physiological flow and ascends to the head and sensory orifices.
⚪ Liver Blood Deficiency
The Liver also stores Blood and nourishes the eyes. When Liver Blood is insufficient, the eyes lose proper nourishment and moistening.
- Emotional signs: frustration, feeling stuck, difficulty expressing emotions.
Physical signs: dry or gritty eyes, blurred vision, fatigue, pale complexion, or dizziness.
- Clinical pearl: This pattern reflects insufficient nourishment rather than excess activity. The Liver cannot adequately support the sensory organs or regulate emotional flow.
💧 Tears and the Liver
In TCM, tears are the fluid of the Liver. In clinical settings, patients sometimes cry during treatment when stagnant Liver Qi begins to move.
That deep sigh after crying often reflects Qi movement and emotional release, signaling that stagnation is beginning to resolve.
🛠 Supporting the Liver in Practice
• Diet: Green foods support the Wood element and Liver system.
• TCM Horary Clock: Liver time occurs between 1 AM and 3 AM, when its restorative processes are most active.
• Emotional expression: Allowing safe emotional release is often as important as point selection.
Understanding these patterns helps us see beyond symptoms and recognize the deeper Qi, Blood, and emotional dynamics of the Liver system!
📚 Want to sharpen your pattern recognition skills?
Explore more at bonchofriends.com 🥰
#TraditionalChineseMedicine
2 weeks ago | [YT] | 7
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Boncho Friends
Ever feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day or enough coffee in the world to fix your fatigue? 🥱
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), “tired” is not a single diagnosis.
It’s a pattern. And before you try to fix fatigue, you have to differentiate it.
Are you experiencing Obstruction (阻) or Deficiency (虚)?
Here’s how to tell:
1️⃣ The “Heavy” Fatigue (Obstruction 阻)
This is not a lack of energy. It’s a blockage in the flow of Qi and Blood through the channels.
The Vibe: Moving through molasses.
The Mind: Thick brain fog, mental “fuzz.”
The Tell: Rest doesn’t help. Sometimes sleeping more makes it worse.
In TCM, this pattern often relates to Dampness, Phlegm, or Qi Stagnation impairing movement.
Treatment Principle: Move & Clear.
Restore circulation. Transform Dampness. Regulate Qi.
Adding heavy tonics or rich “strengthening” foods here can aggravate the obstruction and increase the sense of heaviness.
2️⃣ The “Empty” Fatigue (Deficiency 虚)
This is a true insufficiency of Qi, Blood, Yin, or Yang.
The Vibe: Weak, faint, easily winded.
The Mind: Spacey or low rather than foggy.
The Tell: Rest helps, but you crash again quickly.
This pattern reflects depleted reserves.
Treatment Principle: Tonify & Build.
Replenish Qi. Nourish Blood. Support Yin or warm Yang as indicated.
Pushing through with intense activity or dispersing strategies will further drain what little is left.
⚖️ Why This Matters
Treating the wrong pattern can backfire.
• Tonifying an Obstruction can “clog” the system further.
• Dispersing a Deficiency can exhaust the body.
This is the heart of pattern differentiation:
Treat the pattern, not just the symptom.
Understanding the difference between Heavy and Empty fatigue builds clinical clarity—and smarter self-care.
Ready to strengthen your TCM foundations?
🔗 Explore our Study Decks at bonchofriends.com
📚 Join Boncho School for free structured lessons at bonchoschool.mn.co
#TraditionalChineseMedicine #PatternDifferentiation #ChineseMedicine #HolisticHealth
2 weeks ago | [YT] | 8
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Boncho Friends
In TCM, your palate is a diagnostic tool. Cravings aren’t just "hunger". They are often a signal that a specific organ system is seeking balance. By understanding the energetic properties of these five flavors, we can harmonize our Qi and support our internal landscape.
🟢 SOUR | The Gatherer
- Focus: Liver & Gallbladder
- Action: Astringent and stabilizing.
- Benefit: Sour foods (like lime or plums) help "collect" energy, aid digestion, and prevent the loss of fluids. They are excellent for calming an overactive Liver.
🔴 BITTER | The Clearer
- Focus: Heart & Small Intestine
- Action: Cooling and descending.
- Benefit: Bitter herbs and foods (like dandelion or thistle) clear excess Heat and dry out Dampness. Use these to stimulate digestion and "calm the spirit" during times of restlessness.
🟡 SWEET | The Harmonizer
- Focus: Spleen & Stomach
- Action: Grounding and nourishing.
- Benefit: Naturally sweet foods (like corn or sweet potatoes) tonify Qi and strengthen the Spleen. They provide sustainable energy and ease physical and emotional tension.
⚪ ACRID | The Mover
- Focus: Lungs & Large Intestine
- Action: Expanding and circulating.
- Benefit: Acrid foods (like radish or ginger) scatter stagnant energy and promote the flow of Qi. Essential for opening the Lungs and "pushing out" external pathogens.
🔵 SALTY | The Softener
- Focus: Kidneys & Bladder
- Action: Descending and lubricating.
- Benefit: Salty flavors (like seaweed or oysters) soften hard nodes, moisten dryness, and guide energy downward to support Kidney essence.
✨ Practitioner Tip: Recognizing these patterns allows for deeper "Food as Medicine" integration.
If this was helpful please:
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Drop 🍋 if you’re craving one of these tastes today!
📚 Want to strengthen your TCM food energy?
Our Healing Foods Deck helps you master these concepts with tactile, easy-to-read cards—perfect for study or patient education!
Shop now at: bonchofriends.com
🏫 Want to dive even deeper?
If you want to learn TCM in a way that is simple, fun, and easy, join us at Boncho School to explore more!
🔗 bonchoschool.mn.co
#TraditionalChineseMedicine #healthtips
3 weeks ago | [YT] | 3
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Boncho Friends
🔥 Clear Heat, But Make It Clinical!
In TCM, “Heat” is not just Heat. If you treat them all the same, you miss the pattern.
Here’s the logic you must know 👇
We divide Clear-Heat herbs into 5 clinical strategies:
☄️ 1. Drain Fire (清熱瀉火)
For strong, excess Yangming-level heat.
High fever, big thirst, big pulse.
👉 Think Shi Gao, Zhi Mu.
💧 2. Cool Blood (清熱涼血)
When Heat enters the Xue level.
Rashes, bleeding, deep red tongue.
👉 Sheng Di Huang, Mu Dan Pi.
🧱 3. Dry Damp (清熱燥濕)
Bitter & cold herbs for Damp-Heat.
Think diarrhea, leukorrhea, jaundice.
👉 Huang Lian, Huang Qin, Huang Bai.
🛡️ 4. Relieve Toxicity (清熱解毒)
For Fire-Poison patterns.
Sores, swelling, carbuncles, epidemic heat.
👉 Jin Yin Hua, Lian Qiao.
🌙 5. Clear Heat from Deficiency (清熱虛熱)
Empty Heat from Yin deficiency.
Night sweats, tidal fever, 5-center heat.
👉 Qing Hao, Di Gu Pi.
📌 Why this matters:
If you memorize herbs without category logic,
your Spleen gets damaged and your exam score suffers 😅
But when you study by pattern strategy,
you sharpen your Biàn Zhèng (Pattern Differentiation) and clinical thinking.
That’s the difference between memorizing and understanding!
⸻
💾 SAVE this for your next Materia Medica review.
📤 SHARE with your herb-study partner.
💬 Which category confuses you the most?
🃏 If you want herbs to actually stick in your long-term memory,
our Herbology Deck turns each category into visual, organized, clinical logic.
Link in bio to start building your Herb-Dex ☯️✨
3 weeks ago | [YT] | 3
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Boncho Friends
🌬️ Late February in TCM: Protect Your Wei Qi from Wind-Cold
The sun feels warmer, but the wind is still sharp.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), this seasonal shift makes us more vulnerable to Wind-Cold invasion.
Have you ever noticed a stiff neck or scratchy throat after a windy day?
In TCM, Wind often enters through specific areas called the “Wind Gates.”
📍 The Wind Gates
The back of the neck and upper back are key entry points for external pathogens.
• DU 16 (Feng Fu)
Located at the base of the skull. Known as the “Wind Mansion,” it is a direct pathway for wind to affect the head and neck.
• UB 12 (Feng Men)
Located on the upper back. Called the “Wind Gate,” it plays an important role in protecting the Lungs.
When these areas are exposed, Wei Qi can weaken. This may lead to chills, occipital headaches, stiff neck, or body aches.
🌿 If Wind-Cold Has Already Entered
We use formulas that release the exterior and expel wind.
• Gui Zhi Tang
A classic formula for Wind-Cold with Wei Qi deficiency. It warms the channels and harmonizes Ying and Wei.
• Ge Gen Tang
Often used when Wind-Cold presents with significant neck and upper back stiffness.
🏠 Simple home support
Fresh ginger and cinnamon tea may help promote a light sweat and release the exterior in the very early stage.
🧣 Late February Tip
• Keep your core comfortable.
• Protect your neck.
A scarf is not just for style. It shields your Wind Gates.
If this was helpful:
SAVE 💾 for clinic days
SHARE ✈️ with a classmate
📚 Want to strengthen your TCM foundation?
Our Foundations Deck helps you turn core theory into clear, practical understanding. Visit bonchofriends.com to learn more.
🏫 Want to dive even deeper?
If you want to learn TCM in a way that feels simple, fun, and easy to apply,
join us at Boncho School to explore more.
🔗 bonchoschool.mn.co
3 weeks ago | [YT] | 3
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