I met Amy when she came up from North Carolina to give acupuncture to her group of patients. I had been informed to go by Wilson, who was a long time patient of her. Wilson had a small publication called the ‘Tao Experience Foundation’ in which he wrote many articles on TCM, Diet, Tai Chi Chuan, Pakua Chang, and Qigong as well as other informative articles. I had been told about Tai Chi from my Karate friend while in high school in Virginia Beach. He gave me a book on it and the Edgar Caycee New Age store at the beach had a class. During that time I used to do a lot of skateboard competitions and had many injuries from falls on the streets and half pipes. While in college at VCU, my sister suggested I go to the park where Wilson was teaching. From that time, Wilson taught me some Tai Chi basics, the first section of Yang short form, Ba dua jin, Huashan Animal frolics, a Huashan Qigong set, and the 5 elements Pakua and Hsingyi. In the Spring of 1991 I was with friends down by the James river climbing rocks and fell. I had a hairline fracture in the scaphoid bone in my wrist.

I went to get acupuncture. Amy asked if I had been doing the diet in which I said yes. She began to take my pulse and she told me straight away I was malnourished. I was vegetarian at the time for 2 years starting in high school. “Your kidneys are weak, drink more water”. Another thing she noticed from my pulse was how weak I was. “Do you take long naps?” I said yes, because I thought nap are ok, but she said, You dont need to nap, your not a baby anymore, you should meditate.” She proceeded with acupuncture in my wrist but also placed them along the entire front of body and a second session on the back of my body. I must admit that it was an introduction to a state of relaxation I had never felt before even as someone interested in eastern culture, meditation and developing a “Buddhist heart, Taoist Mind”. Amy was a meditation master in Taiwan and suggested I learn TM (Transcendental Meditation) since it was practical for people these days. meditation would be a replacement for naps and rest the mind. She also said about being vegetarian “You’re not a monk, you need to eat meat”. She explained bluntly that we live in a society where energy is the most important thing we need. Monks do not live in normal society so their lifestyle allows them to be vegetarian.

I did decide eat a balance of meat and vegetables and increase of ‘warm’ foods and elimination of ‘cold’ and ‘fire’ foods from meals. My wrist pain improved from the years of skateboard falls and the rock climbing break. At that time, my energy still was not where I am today, but it really was getting progressively better. I also got to learn TM from Dr. Jonathan Shear who was a philosophy professor at VCU. From him I had to do the preliminary lectures, interview and application process, and do the ceremony to get my ‘personal mantra’ based on ayurvedic astrology. After the check up sessions, it greatly improved my meditation and concentration ability. On a side note: Jon was also a practitioner of Guang Ping Tai Chi in which he was a student of Kou Lien Ying while in San Francisco. He later was student of Weiqi He of Fu Zhong Wen’s Yang Tai Chi, and while we were in Shanghai, he met Dr. Li Li of a student of Ma Yu Liang of Wu style Tai Chi and became a Wu style practitioner.

In subsequent visits by Amy she was always someone to impart wisdom. One time She put a needle in my forehead at the ‘yin tong’ point and my forehead went red immediately. “You think too much” she said. She was always right and her special talent was face reading. She asked my Chinese zodiac sign and I said I was born year of the Rat. “Oh you will be sad when there is something you don’t get, and you tend to think more than you can do.” There was never a time where anyone who was her patient wasn’t amazed by her skills, and everyone who knew her, flocked whenever she came to town.

One of my favorite sayings she told me once was based on some overtraining I was doing. As I got overly involved in Chinese martial arts, I was practicing Chang Chuan, Pakuachang, and Tai Chi while also being assistant coach to children and adult classes at the recreation center with Coach Weiqi and learning Goulin qigong from her husband Coach Xu. “Tai Chi is there for you, you don’t have to be there for Tai Chi,” Amy said. I often hear that in my head when I start to get overly interested in training like a mad man.

At one of the earlier sessions of acupuncture she told me that “you cannot force chi” in the aspect that you cannot make Qi grow inside. It was a lesson of relaxing and using the mind to sense your current state of ‘chi awareness’ and using what you got. Once I told her I was taking American ginseng. I was about 24 or 25 years old. She said, “Your not an old man, you don’t need that.” She always recommended ginger tea in the morning with breakfast and small cup of peppermint tea with licorice root in the evening. There was another occasion she did acupuncture and the needles were stuck or hard to take out without having to massage the points around the needle. She said that my body needed acupuncture so bad that it would not let go of the needles.

Now 20 years later, I cannot express how grateful I am to have met Wilson and Amy. Both have been extremely valuable to my life in many ways. I am not sure where I would be in life if it wasn’t for their compassion to help others. The TCM diet, ancient knowledge, systems of qigong, massage, martial arts, and meditation have a great deal of value for people as we move towards globalization. It’s so true that we really are responsible for what we put in our body.

matt

Head/neck region

1. lift head toward sternum
2. twist head left and right
3. turn head toward ear and push on shoulder
4. pull head elongating spine.

Legs-
1. lift leg as far as can go comfortably
2. press knee into chest
3. circle hip joint both directions
4. bicycle circles and reverse direction
5. pull leg

Arms-
1. relaxing shaking of arm and pull up/front of body
2. relaxing shaking of arm and pull toward feet
3. relaxing shaking of arm and pull laterally
4. relaxing shaking of arm and pull across body
5. relaxing shaking of arm and pull close to ear

Patient on stomach-
Series for the back:
place pads under ankles
1. circle palm 9x on sacral region and reverse direction
2. circle palm 9x on lower back and reverse direction
3. circle palm 9x on mid back and reverse direction
4. circle palm 9x on upper back and reverse direction.
5. place one palm on shoulder and other on opposite hip and circle hip
6. switch #5 to opposite shoulder/hip and repeat.
7. on left side on back. you can do the circle going up to shoulder and circle shoulder
8. repeat #7 on right side of back.
9. pull the legs

The chinese diet is based on thousands of years of research in many Taoist monasteries. These places have researched the energies of the diet for health and medical benefits. The food energies are based on 5 energy types. Cold food energy is a weak force that makes the person feel generally tired. Cool food energy generally has a cooling effect on the persons system. Warm food energy have a warming and nourshing effect on the human body. Fire food energy is strong and has a heating effect that generally makes the person seem to have alot of energy, but is the most dangerous of them all. Neutral food energies are more used for people who have attained stable health. The cold and fire foods are the ones to avoid because they throw the ‘qi’ off balance by being extremes. A combination of these cold and hot/fire extremes leads to ‘Empty Fire’ leading to serious imbalances.

Meats-
5 elements differentiation-
Wood-chicken
Fire-lamb
Earth-cow
Metal-horse
Water-pig
Beef: neutral, sweet, Sp & St Qi & Blood Tonic
Lamb:
warm, sweet, Sp, Ki, Qi Tonic, Warms Interior
Ham: warm, salty, Sp Qi Tonic, Produces fluids, subdues Reb. Qi
Pork: neutral, sweet & salty, Sp, St. Ki, Lubricates dryness (Ni: si. cold)
POULTRY
Duck:
neutral, sweet & salty, Lu, Ki, Facilitates water passage, reduces, swellings
Chicken:
warm, sweet, Sp, St. Qi Tonic, Warms Interior
EGGS
Chicken egg:
neutral, sweet. Blood tonic, lubricates dryness
Egg white:
cool, sweet. detoxifies, lubricates Lu, coos hot sensations, benefits throat
Egg yolk:
neutral, sweet, Ht & Ki, blood tonic, lubricates dryness
Neutral
Chinese cabbage:
neutral, sweet, St & LI, promotes digestion & urination, tonifies Ki & Brain.
Carrot:
neutral, sweet, Lu & St. Sp Qi tonic, dries dampness & Phlegm
Corn: neutral, sweet, St & LI, Qi & Blood tonic, regulates Middle Jiao stimulates appetite, diuretic
Black Fungus:
neutral, sweet. St & LI, Qi & Blood tonic, cools Blood, stops bleeding
White Fungus:
neutral, sweet, Lu, Yin tonic, produces fluids, lubricates Lu
Pumpkin:
neutral, sweet. (Lu & Sp), Qi & Blood tonic, dries Damp, diaphoretic
Potato:
neutral, sweet. Sp, Sp Qi tonic, heals inflammation
Sweet Potato:
neutral, sweet. Lu, Sp & Ki, Qi, Blood & Yin tonic, benefits Kidneys, astringes Jing
Shiitake Mushroom:
neutral, sweet. St. Qi & Blood tonic, benefits St
Celery:
neutral, sweet bitter, St & Liv, Qi & Blood tonic, clears Heat. sedates Yang, dries Damp, calms Liver, expels Wind
Taro: neutral, sweet & pungent. St & LI, Qi, Yang & Blood tonic, circulates Qi & Blood, clears Heat. reduces swellings
Turnip:
neutral, sweet. pungent. bitter, Qi, Yang & Blood tonic, circulates Qi & Blood, clears Heat & Yang, dries Damp, diaphoretic, lowers Reb. Qi, detoxifies Yin tonic, clears Heat & Fire, dries Damp, clears Lu, lubricates Dryness, diaphoretic

Eggshell:
checks gastric acid, arrests bleeding
DAIRY
Milk: neutral, sweet, Ht, Lu, St. Lu & St tonic, produces fluids & lubricates the intestines
Butter:
warm, sweet, Yang, Qi & Blood tonic, circulates blood
SEAFOOD
Shrimp:
warm, sweet, Kidney Yang tonic
Eel: warm, sweet, Liv, Sp, Ki, Qi tonic, treats Bi syndrome, strengthens bone
Mussel:
warm, salty, Liv & Ki Qi tonic, treats simple goiter
Abalone:
neutral, sweet & salty, detoxifies, sharpens vision
Shark:
neutral, sweet & salty, Sp, Tonifies Qi, Blood, & Yin lubricates dryness, reduces swelling, tonifies S Zang
Carp: neutral, sweet, Sp & St, facilitates water passage, promotes milk secretion, heals swelling
Cuttlefish:
neutral, salty, Liv & Ki, Blood tonic, sharpens vision
Oyster;
neutral, sweet & salty, Blood tonic
Oyster shell:
cool, salty, Liv & Ki, stops sweating, astringes Jing, softens hardness Saltwater clam:
cold, salty, St. promotes water passage, elimir;ates phlegm, softens hardness
Freshwater clam: S
cold, sweet & salty, Liv & Ki, detoxifies, sharpens vision
Crab: cold, salty, Liv & St, activates blood, cools heat sensations facilitates recovery of dislocations
Kelp: cold, salty, St. softens hardness, facilitates water passage

GRAINS
Five element differentiation
Wood-wheat
Fire-corn
Earth-grain
Metal-rice
Water-bean
Glutinous rice:
warm, sweet, Sp, St. Lu, Sp Qi tonic
Malt: si. warm, sweet, Sp & St. promotes digestion
White rice:
neutral, sweet, Sp & St. Sp Qi tonic
Rice bran:
neutral, sweet & pungent, St, LI, descends energy
Rye: neutral, bitter, dries dampness, diuretic
Whole wheat:
cool, sweet, Ht, Sp, Ki, Ht & Ki tonic
Wheat bran:
cool, sweet, St, cools St Fire,
Buckwheat:
cool, sweet, LI, St, Sp, Qi & Blood tonic, clears Heat sedates Yang,
Job’s Tears:
cool, sweet, Sp, Lu Ki, detoxifies, Sp & Lu Qi tonic, diuretic
Barley:
cool, sweet.& salty, Sp & St. regulates St, expands intestines, promotes urination
Millet:
cool, sweet & salty, St. Sp, Ki, Qi & Blood tonic, clears heat, lubricates dryness, Tonifies Yin, benefits digestion detoxifies

LEGUMES
Soybean Oil:
hot, pungent & sweet, lubricates intestines Sword bean: warm, sweet, Ki, St & LI: warms interior, tonifies Ki, descends Reb Qi.
String bean:
neutral, sweet, Sp & Ki, Qi, Blood & Yin tonic
Yellow soybean:
neutral, sweet, Sp & LI, Qi tonic, lubricates dryness, eliminates edema
Black soybean:
neutral, sweet, Sp & Ki, circulates Blood & fluids treats Bi syndrome, detoxifies
Corn:
neutral, sweet, LI & St, Qi & Blood tonic, diuretic
Hyacinth bean:
neutral, sweet, Sp & St, Qi tonic, eliminates edema
Broad bean:
neutral, sweet, Sp & St, Qi tonic, eliminates edema
Peas: neutral, sweet, Sp & St, Qi & Blood tonic, descends Reb Qi, diuretic, induces bowel movements Kidney bean:
neutral, sweet & bland, diuretic, heals swellings
AdZUkI bean:
neutral, sweet & sour, Ht & SI, diuretic, heals swellings, detoxifies
Castor bean:
neutral, sweet & pungent, Lu & LI, detoxifies & heals swellings, induces bowel movements
Mung bean:
cool, sweet, Ht & St. detoxifies, clears heat, diuretic
Soybean:
cool, sweet, LI & Sp, Qi & Blood tonic, clears Heat, lubricates dryness, eliminates edema
Tofu: cool, sweet, Sp, St, LI, Qi tonic, produces fluids, lubricates dryness, detoxifies NUTS
Walnut:
warm, sweet, Ki & Lu, Ki tonic, lubricates intestines, astringes Jing
Chestnut:
warm sweet, Sp, St & Ki tonic, circulates Blood & stops bleeding

vegetables
Asparagus:
cool, sweet & bitter, Lu & Ki, Qi, Blood & Yin tonic, clears Heat & Fire, dries Damp, lubricates Dryness, clears Lu, diaphoretic
Lettuce (Iceberg):
cool, bitter & sweet, St & LI, Qi & Blood tonic, clears Heat & Yang, dries Dampness & diuretic, aids lactation
Cucumber:
cool, sweet, Sp. St & LI, clears Heat Yang, & detoxifies, promotes urination & quenches thirst
Eggplant:
cool, sweet, Sp, St & LI, Qi & Blood tonic, clears Heat & Yang, removes Blood Stagnation, relieves pain, heals swelling
Mushroom (button):
cool, sweet, Lu, LI, St & Sp, Qi & Blood tonic, clears Heat & Yang, calms Shen, stimulates appetite, regulates Qi, transforms Phlegm
Spinach:
cool, sweet, LI & SI, Qi & Blood tonic, clears Heat & Yang, hemostatic, lubricates Dryness
Winter Melon:
cool, sweet, Lu, LI, UB, & SI, detoxifies, diuretic, transforms Phlegm
Swiss Chard:
cool, sweet, Su, LI, Sp & St. Qi Y Blood tonic, clears Heat & Yang, detoxifies, hemostatic, relieves coagulations
Watercress:
cool, sweet & pungent, Lu & St. Qi, Yang & Blood tonic, circulates Qi & Blood, clears Heat & Yang, lubricates Lu, quenches thirst, diuretic
Radish:
cool, pungent & sweet, Lu & St. Qi, & Blood tonic, clears Heat & detoxifies, transforms Phlegm-Heat, lowers Reb. Qi
Bamboo shoot:
cold, sweet, Tonifies Qi, Blood & Yin, clears Heat, detoxifies (often used to balance warm energy of meat)
Kelp: cold, salty, St & Sp, Yin tonic, clears Heat, lubricates Dryness, softens Hardness, promotes flow of Water
Lotus Root:
cold, sweet, Sp St & Ht, Qi, Blood & Yin tonic, cools Blood (when raw), stimulates appetite, produces muscles, relieves diarrhea (when cooked)

Peanut-
, SWeet, sp & lu,
Peanut Oil:
neutral, sweet, Qi & Blood tonic, lubricates intestines, pushes accumulations downward
Almond:
neutral, sweet, Lu, Qi & Blood tonic, lubricates Lu, relieves cough, transforms phlegm, lowers Reb Qi
SEEDS
Cottonseed:
hot, pungent, Sp & Ki, Sp & Ki tonic, arrests bleeding, stops Sp Qi sinking
Sunflower seed:
warm & neutral, sweet & bland, Liv & LI, stops diarrhea, facilitates eruption of measles, subdue Liv
Pinenut:
warm, sweet, Lu, LI & Liv, lubricates Lu & LI, stops cough, Qi, Yang & Blood tonic, promotes fluids, moves Stagnant Blood, expels cold & wind
Dill seed:
warm, pungent, Sp & Ki, Qi & Yang tonic, moves Stagnant Blood, regulates Qi, expels cold
Fennel seed:
warm, pungent, St. UB & Ki, Qi & Yang tonic, moves Stagnant Blood, regulates Qi, expels cold, harmonizes St
Bitter apricot seed:
warm, pungent & bitter, toxic, Lu & LI, stops cough, relieves asthma, lubricates intestines
Sweet apricot seed:
warm, pungent & sweet, Lu, LI, Sp, Sp Qi tonic, lubricates intestines, stops cough
Sesame seed:
sI. warm, sweet, Liv & Ki tonic, lubricates intestines, “blackens” gray hair, general tonic
Black sesame seed:
neutral, sweet, Liv & Ki tonic
Cherry seed:
neutral, bitter & pungent, LI, promotes measle eruption, detoxifies
Lotus seed:
neutral, sweet & harsh, Sp, Ht & Ki tonic. Qi & Blood tonic, constricts the intestines

Warm
Guava:
warm, sweet, (St & LI) obstructive & constrictive, stops diarrhea & bleeding Chinese Date (red & black):
warm, sweet, Sp & St, Qi & Blood tonic, produces fluids, detoxifies,
Longan (Long Yan/Dragon’s Eyes):
warm, sweet, Sp & Ht, Yang, Qi & Blood tonic, removes Blood Stag., calms Shen Coconut milk & meat:
warm, sweet, produce fluids, promote urination, kills intestinal worms
Peach:
warm, sweet & sour, (Lu & LI), activates Blood, Qi, Blood & Yang tonic, produces fluid, lubricates intestines, stops cough, expels cold
Raspberry:
warm, sweet & sour, Liv & Ki, Liv & Ki tonic, controls urination, asringes Jing
Litchi:
warm, sweet & sour, Sp & Liv, Yang, Qi & Blood tonic, Regulates Qi & Blood, soothes Liv & calms Shen
Cherry:
warm, sweet & harsh: Qi, Yang, & Blood tonic, activates Qi & Blood, expels Cold, Wind, & Damp
Kumquat:
warm, pungent, sweet & sour, (Lu & Sp), circulates Qi, relieves cough, transforms Phlegm
Dried Mandarin orange peel:
warm, pungent & bitter, Sp & Lu, regulates Qi, dries dampness, transforms Phlegm Hawthorn Fruit:
sI. warm, sweet & sour, Sp, St & Liv, harmonizes Middle Jiao, removes Qi, Blood & Food
Stagnation (esp. meat), expels tapewonns
Neutral
Papaya:
neutral, sweet, (Sp, Si, Lu & LI), promotes digestiofl destroys intestinal worms, lubricates Lu, stops cough
Figs: neutral, sweet, Sp & U, St tonic, detoxifies
Grape:
neutral, sweet & sour, Lu, Sp & Ki, Qi & Blood tonic, strengthens tendons & bones, promotes urnaton
Crab apple:
neutral, sweet & sour, Ht, Liv & Lu, quenches thirst, stops diarrhea, astringes Jing
Olive:
neutral, sweet & sour, Lu & St. Qi & Blood tonic, clears Lu, benefits throat, produces fluids, detoxifies
Loquat:
neutral, (sweet & sI. bitter),(LU, St & Liv), lubricates dryness harmonizes St & soothes Liv, descends Reb. Qi, stops cough
Apricot:
neutral, sweet & sour, Lu, lubricates Lu, produces fluids
Pineapple
neutral, sweet & sour, Qi & Blood tonic, promotes urination & digestion, quenches thirst, stops diarrhea, clears Summer Heat
Plum:
neutral, sweet & sour, Liv & Ki, produces fluids, promotes digestion & urination, soothes the Liv
Sour Plum:
neutral, cx. sour, Liv, produces fluids, destroys worms

SPICES & HERBS
Dried Ginger:
hot, pungent, Lu, St & Sp, Yang & Qi tonic, circulates Blood, warms Middle Jiao, opens the meridians
Pepper (black & white):
hot, pungent, St & LI, warms interior, descends Reb. Qi
Pepper (red & green):
hot, pungent, Ht & Sp, warms interior, harmonizes Middle Jiao, stimulates appetite
Cinnamon Bark:
hot, sweet & pungent, Sp, Ki, UB, diaphoretic, strengthens St, warms surface & interior
Fennel Seed:
warm, pungent, Ki, IJB, St, Warms Interior, circulates Qi
Sweet Basil:
warm, pungent, Lu, LI, Sp, St, Qi & Yang tonic, circulates Qi & Blood, harmonizes St
Dillseed:
warm, pungent, Sp & Ki, Qi & Yang tonic, circulates Qi & Blood
Garlic:
warm, pungent, Sp, St & Lu, Qi & Yang tonic, circulates Qi & Blood, warms Middle Jiao, destroys worms
Clove:
warm, pungent, St, Sp & Ki, Yang tonic, warms Interior
Fresh Ginger:
warm, pungent, Lu, St & Sp, diaphoretic, Yang & Qi tonic, circulates Blood, transforms Phlegm, stops vomiting
Coriander:
warm pungent, Lu & Sp, diaphoretic, harmonizes Middle Jiao
Nutmeg:
warm pungent, Sp & LI, Qi & Yang tonic, warms Interior, circulates Blood, warms Middle Jiao, lowers Reb. Qi
Cinnamon Twig:
warm, pungent & sweet, UB, Ht, Lu, diaphoretic, warms Upper Jiao
Star Anise:
warm, pungent & sweet, Sp, Ki, Liv, Yang tonic, circulates Qi, harmonizes St, stops vomiting
Caraway Seed:
warm, si. pungent, Ki & St, circulates Qi, descends Reb Qi
Spearmint:
warm, pungent & sweet, (Lu & Sp), diaphoretic, circulates Qi & Blood
Ginseng:
warm, sweet, & si bitter, Sp, Lu (Ht), Qi tonic, produces fluids, calms Shen
Rosemary:
warm, pungent, (Lu, St), diaphoretic, activates Blood, strengthens St. calms Shen
Saffron:
neutral, sweet, Ht & Liv, circulates Qi & i3lood, eliminates Blood Stagnation
Licorice:
neutral, sweet, Sp, St & Lu, lubricates lungs, detoxifies, moderates effects of other herbs
Peppermint:
coot, pungent, Lu & Liv, diaphoretic, regulates Qi & Blood
Marjoram:
cool, pungent, (Lu & Sp), diaphoretic, circulates Qi, drains dampness

White sugar:
neutral, sweet, Lu & Sp, lubricates Lu, produces fluids, Qi tonic
Honey:
neutral, sweet, Lu, Sp & LI, detoxifies, lubricates dryness, relieves pain
Tea: si cold, bitter, sweet, Ht, Lu & St. quenches thirst, promotes digestion & urination, awakens Shen
Salt: cold, salty, St, Ki, SI & LI, detoxifies, clears Heat, lubricates dryness, Yin tonic
Brown sugar:
warm, sweet, Liv, Sp & StQi tonic, circulates blood
Vinegar:
warm, sour & bitter, Liv & St. disperses coagulations, detoxifies, arrest bleeding
Wine: warm, sweet, bitter & pungent, Ht, Liv, Lu & St, promotes blood circulation, expels cold, speeds up effects of herbs
Coffee:
warm, sweet & bitter, Ht, Heart tonic, stimulant, diuretic
Molasses:
warm sweet Lu & Sp Qi tonic lubricates Lu stops cough
., …. , .. .
seasame oil- cool,sweet. detoxifies lubricates dryness promotes bowel movemefl produces muscles
Cool
Lemon
cool, ex. sour, promotes fluids, harmonizes St, relieves thirst
cool, sweet & sour, (St & Lu), Qi & Blood tonic, benefits St. relieves vomiting, quenches thirst.
Mango:
diuretic
Mandarin Orange:
cool, sweet & sour, (Lu), diuretic, lubricates Lu, relieves cough, 1ransfOI Phlegm