Gao Fang (Gao Zi), also known as Gao Zhi, has a comprehensive effect of nourishing and treating diseases, making it the first choice for health maintenance in winter.In the Huangdi Neijing (Yellow Emperor’s Inner Canon), it emphasizes “treating the unillness before it becomes illness.” Gao Fang, as an important means of health preservation, can support the body’s zheng qi (vital energy), expel pathogenic factors, balance yin and yang, and regulate qi and xue (blood), achieving the goal of “preventing disease before it occurs, preventing changes in existing diseases, and preventing recurrence after illness.”
When to Start Gao FangGao Fang can be taken in all four seasons, but it is best in winter. The Huangdi Neijing discusses the characteristics and health maintenance principles of spring, summer, autumn, and winter, emphasizing “nourishing yang in spring and summer, and nourishing yin in autumn and winter to follow its roots.” In winter, all things grow slowly, and the body’s pores are tightly closed, with yang qi being restrained. At this time, Gao Fang can provide nourishment, offering energy reserves for the coming year, enhancing vitality and resistance, hence the saying “winter supplementation.”Before taking Gao Fang, one can first prescribe a kai lu fang (opening formula) for about two weeks to test and adjust before formally preparing the Gao Fang.Gao Fang’s Advantages in Women’s HealthGao Fang has unique advantages in treating women. Women are based on xue (blood), especially in aspects of menstruation, pregnancy, childbirth, and lactation, which can easily lead to blood deficiency and qi injury, resulting in pathological products like phlegm and stasis. In cases of mixed deficiency and excess, deficiency is often predominant, making it crucial to tonify deficiency in treating gynecological diseases. Gao Fang excels in tonifying deficiency, particularly in regulating and nourishing qi and xue, while also being gentle, long-lasting, portable, and palatable. Women suffering from dysmenorrhea, habitual miscarriage, infertility, ovarian dysfunction, chronic pelvic inflammatory disease, menopausal syndrome, insufficient qi and xue after various surgeries, postpartum or post-illness qi and xue deficiency, and pre-pregnancy conditioning can receive targeted prescriptions based on individual constitution and conditions, using Gao Fang for treatment.
Women Suitable for Gao FangMenopausal Syndrome: After entering menopause, women often experience menstrual irregularities, irritability, heat sensations, insomnia, palpitations, memory decline, and melasma. For these women, early use of Gao Fang can help regulate and balance the yin and yang of the organs, assisting them in smoothly transitioning through menopause. By using targeted medication based on syndrome differentiation, it can reduce hot flashes and sweating symptoms, alleviate depression and anxiety, and significantly improve sleep quality.1.Chronic Pelvic Inflammatory Disease: Chronic pelvic inflammatory disease can be a recurring issue for many women. Traditional Chinese Medicine believes that pelvic inflammatory disease is mostly caused by damp-heat, but when it persists, it inevitably leads to deficiency of qi, xue, yin, and yang in the organs. Therefore, treatment needs to support the body and expel pathogens. For such diseases, Gao Fang can be used as it not only employs tonifying herbs to support the body but also expels pathogens. By applying Gao Fang based on syndrome differentiation, it can protect women’s qi, xue, yin, and yang, enhancing their ability to resist diseases and helping them avoid recurrent pelvic inflammatory disease.2.Declining Ovarian Function: Traditional Chinese Medicine believes that the decline in ovarian function is caused by “kidney essence deficiency, depletion of tian gui (heavenly water), and weakness of chong and ren (two important meridians).” This leads to dysfunction of the heart, liver, spleen, and kidneys, causing pathological changes like qi stagnation, blood stasis, phlegm-dampness, and internal heat. Therefore, the decline in ovarian function is a disease of “deficiency at the root and excess at the surface.” Gao Fang can nourish the source of menstrual blood, coordinate organ functions, balance yin and yang, promote smooth qi and xue, and support digestion, making its nourishing power superior and effects more comprehensive. When ovarian function is well-regulated, estrogen levels stabilize, menstruation normalizes, and fertility becomes hopeful.
3.Hypomenorrhea:
Hypomenorrhea often presents as a generally normal cycle but with significantly reduced menstrual flow, or the duration of menstruation is less than 2 days, or even just spotting. Many have a history of significant mental stress, irregular lifestyle, exposure to cold, or multiple abortions. Others may have no clear cause. If not treated promptly, it can develop into amenorrhea or infertility, affecting normal physiological functions and reproductive capabilities. Traditional Chinese Medicine believes that hypomenorrhea is mostly due to deficiency syndromes, such as spleen and kidney deficiency, insufficient generation of qi and xue, and an empty blood sea, leading to reduced menstrual flow. Excluding organic causes, for functional hypomenorrhea, patients can use Gao Fang to greatly tonify qi and xue, strengthen the spleen, nourish the kidneys, and enhance essence, ensuring sufficient qi and xue so that menstruation can resume and increase menstrual flow while also enhancing physical constitution.
4.Postpartum Disorders (including after medical abortion):Women experience significant loss of yin and xue during pregnancy, childbirth, and lactation, making them susceptible to cold, heat, dampness, and stasis, combined with postpartum stasis. Insufficient yin and xue can lead to both deficiency and excess. Based on the principles of “postpartum deficiency and stasis,” Gao Fang can be used for treatment, combining tonification and expulsion, which can both resolve stasis and promote uterine recovery and discharge of internal stasis, while also balancing and nourishing qi, xue, yin, and yang, aiding in the recovery of the postpartum woman’s vitality.Contact UsThe Gao Fang at Tongling Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital is tailored as “one person, one formula,” guided by TCM theory, advocating a combination of disease differentiation and syndrome differentiation, comprehensively considering the patient’s constitution to prescribe Gao Fang, fully utilizing the advantages of TCM with significant clinical efficacy. Gynecological specialists are available daily for consultations, and we welcome all female friends to come for consultation and experience!Consultation Phone:2866330 Dr. Cui, Dr. Wu
Click to identify and follow us, thank you for your attention!
Source: Gynecology
Editor: Publicity Department