The Daniel Adler Clinic Newsletter: Issue 18, Balance

In this issue:

We all live with anxiety in one form or another.

Most of the time, anxiety can be a good friend — helping us stay cautious, safe, and considerate of ourselves and others. At times, however, this powerful emotional energy can become so intense that it turns into a disruptive force in our lives.

It may break through our sleep, affect appetite and bowel movements, cause palpitations and sweating, and in some cases interfere with our ability to function day to day.

Quite rightly, many of us consult our GPs and use medication to help us cope. This is a wise and necessary step.

At the same time, I would be remiss if I did not mention that within my Kampo herbal pharmacy there are approaches and formulas that can complement and support you in living with this very human emotion — helping to shift the experience from “dealing with an enemy” to “living with a companion.”

In this newsletter I’ll share how working with anxiety, rather than against it, and matching Kampo formulas to your individual constitution can help restore balance.

Book a Kampo Treatment

– Inspired by traditional Kampo/TMC principles

Kampo is particularly fascinating in its approach to anxiety and other mental health conditions. It does not rely on a “one-size-fits-all” model. Instead, I carefully consider your individual constitutional makeup before selecting any formula.

Broadly speaking, Kampo understands constitution through three fundamental substances: Qi, Blood, and Fluid.

These terms describe the relative proportion and functional state of these substances within your body, and how they interact to produce symptoms and shape your overall experience of health. This constitutional understanding plays a central role in determining which formulas may be appropriate to help find balance.

Each substance has its own qualities and functions within the body–mind system, influencing how you “operate” and how anxiety is expressed. A Qi-type, Blood-type, and Fluid-type person may experience anxiety in markedly different ways, and each may require very different formulas — using different herbs — to regulate and calm the nervous system effectively.

Formulas containing herbs that work directly with fluid metabolism may be considered for someone who is a “Fluid-type,” particularly when there is excess or accumulation of fluids.

A fluid-type person experiencing anxiety will also have symptoms such as bloating and nausea after eating and a characteristic “sloshing” sound in the abdomen. Other clues that point to an imbalance of fluid include a feeling of heaviness, loose stools, or mild water retention (puffy ankles or puffiness around the eyes); these signs, together with the abdominal findings, help indicate that a fluid‑regulating formula would be appropriate.

So I would consider a formula like Yi Gan San Jia Chen Pi Ban Xia (Bupleurum, Citrus and Pinellia Formula) as one which has herbs that work with Fluid Metabolism and herbs which settle and "pull down" the rising anxiety.

However, this same formula may not be appropriate for an anxious “Qi-type” person, who may already be inherently “drier” in nature. Such a person may have a generally nervous disposition, experience habitual poor sleep, and they may have an abdomen that is very “jumpy” or reactive to touch — bearing in mind that abdominal palpation is a key part of Kampo diagnosis.

A Qi‑type client might report waking with a racing mind, difficulty falling back to sleep after waking, a tendency to feel thirsty, and a preference for cooler drinks. Other clues include dry stools or a scanty appetite, frequent sighing or a hurried speech pattern, and a pulse that feels thin or rapid. These signs, together with the reactive abdominal findings, suggest that moisturizing and grounding formulas would be more suitable.

In these cases, I would choose formulas such as Gui Zhi Jia Long Gu Mu Li Tang (Cinnamon and Dragon Bone Combination) or Gan Mai Da Zao Tang (Licorice and Jujube Combination) which may be more appropriate.

These formulas contain herbs that both nourish and moisten, while also settling and stabilizing the nervous system.

A “Blood-type” person who has anxiety and also experiences symptoms such as throbbing headaches, flares of intense heat in their body, flushed complexion and habitually bloodshot eyes, tongue sores and mouth ulcers and disturbing dreams or nightmares needs formulas that contain herbs that cool and regulate the blood circulation, easing internal agitation and soothing the nervous system in the process. Formulas such as Huang Lian Jie Du Tang (Coptis and Scute Combination) or Jia Wei Xiao Yao San (Bupleurum and Peony Combination) are two classics that I would consider using.

Other accompanying signs can include a flushed complexion, mouth or tongue sores, sensitivity to spicy foods, poor sleep quality, and certain menstrual irregularities.

Of course, we all contain Qi, Blood, and Fluid. However, depending on our constitution (genetic makeup), personality, and lifestyle, one of these substances may be more dominant. This dominance strongly influences how your nervous system responds to stress and what kinds of symptoms emerge when anxiety is present.

Kampo is unique in its insistence that a formula must match the patient in the same way a key matches a lock. By taking time to understand how you experience your anxiety, your specific symptoms, and who you are as a whole person, I gain insight into what kind of “lock” you are—and which “key” (formula) may be the best fit.

The formulas and examples provided in this article are for interest and educational purposes only and do not constitute medical advice or a prescription.

A professional consultation is essential before taking any herbal formula. Please do not self-prescribe.

Book an Kampo Treatment

– Traditional Zen proverb

Beatrice is officially a Registered Acupuncturist (R.Ac).

She will continue to work alongside me at the Dupont Naturopathic Family Centre and I highly recommend her work.

Book Directly with Beatrice
Email beatrice.acupuncture@gmail.com or
Call the clinic directly (416) 588-7789

Take a moment to find your own balance — notice one routine that unsettles you (rushed mornings, too much caffeine, skipping meals) and try one small adjustment. Move at a gentler pace, sip a calming tea, or eat at a regular mealtime.

Start by finding one brief practice that balances you — a three‑minute belly‑breathing pause, a slow walk outside, or a short self‑massage of the abdomen to ease tension.

Together, we can explore your individual constitution, your lived experience of anxiety, and whether Kampo herbal medicine may be an appropriate and supportive part of your care.

If you ever feel uncertain or alone with your anxiety, know I’m here to help you find balance — you don’t have to do this by yourself.

Stay golden,

Daniel (T’agyol) Adler