Cassia seeds come from the cassia, an annual plant that grows in the world's tropical zones. It is an upright-growing plant that can reach a height of more than four feet, with large, green leaves and yellow flowers. The entire plant is picked and reaped in autumn, then dried in the sun. The seeds threshed off the plant, and can be used either raw or after being fried.
Externally, cassia seeds range in color from greenish-brown to dark brown, with a smooth surface. Some cassia seeds may have small yellowish bands on the outer surface.
In traditional Chinese medicine, cassia seeds are sweet, bitter and salty in flavor, slightly cold in nature, and are associated with the Liver, Kidney and Large Intestine meridians. Its main functions are to remove heat, improve eyesight, and relax the bowels. Traditionally, it is used to treat blurred vision and eyes that are bloodshot. Some practitioners employ cassia seed as a laxative to treat constipation. There is also evidence that it helps to reduce blood pressure. Cassia seed is often used as part of a larger formula, and is mixed with herbs such as lyceum, rehmannia and dioscorea.
The typical dosage of cassia seed is between six and 12 grams, decocted in water for oral consumption. The seeds should not be decocted for any considerable length of time if they are being used to treat constipation. If the seeds are being used alone, larger doses (up to 30 grams) can be used.
Whole, dried cassia seeds can be found at some Asian markets and specialty stores. Some shops also sell cassia seed powders and decoctions. Some practitioners also make a cassia seed paste, which can be applied to the skin and treat parasitic disorders such as ringworm.
Because cassia seed appears to lower a person's blood pressure, it should not be taken by people who are currently using blood pressure medications. Cassia seed should also be avoided by patients who have qi deficiency combined with loose stools. As always, make sure to consult with a licensed health care provider before taking cassia seed or any other herbal remedy or dietary supplement.
References
Chronic pain afflicts over 20% of the adult population. Sadly, most MDs have essentially no education in treating pain, beyond offering a few toxic medications. Then they tend to steer people with pain away from those health practitioners who are trained. This puts the acupuncture community on the front lines for addressing this epidemic.
When the body is going through a stressful event, the sympathetic system is activated. This activation will help the body with a life-threatening situation. If this state is activated for prolonged periods of time, it starts to consume energy. These traumatic events that generate stressors in the autonomic nervous system (ANS) will eventually become internalized.
| Digital Exclusive
One of the things that makes acupuncture so difficult to measure is that the medicine actually does contain some esoteric aspects. There have been numerous studies that demonstrate the neurochemical reasoning behind why acupuncture points stimulate the autonomic nervous system to enact change However, not all the benefits of TCM can easily be measured by randomized, controlled trials. But does that make them fundamentally and definitively untrue?
| Digital Exclusive