About Equiguard & Chinese Medicine
Equalize Kidney Energy & Guard Against Body Disharmony
Urinary Health
In Western physiology, urine is considered to be a fluid and dissolved substance excreted by the kidneys. This fluid contains a lot of important health information. When a sample of urine is taken to the laboratory for analysis, we can get a good picture of the functioning of the body. For example, by measuring urine volume, concentration of creatinine, urea and proteins, we understand how well the kidneys are functioning. By measuring the pH, sodium, potassium, calcium, we also have a general idea about our body’s fluid, electrolyte and acid-base balance.
In Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), a more holistic interpretation of urine is used. Urine is not only an excretory fluid. Its volume, frequency, color and the feeling during urination additionally reflects how healthy our yin yang balance is (i.e. the degree of hotness and coldness present in our body). An excess of heat or cold on our bodies can cause serious health problems and this is reflected in the urine. For example, if there is too much heat in the body, the urine will appear deep yellow and urinated for a short amount of time. In more severe heat situations, individuals may experience painful and burning urination. When there is too much coldness present in the body, the urine appears colorless with frequent, long and clear urination. In some situations, individuals may also experience nighttime urination.
It is not uncommon to occasionally have periods with frequent, long, clear urine in our daily life experiences, particularly when we drink a lot of water or when the weather is cold. But usually after a short period of time, the frequency, quantity and color of the urine will go back to normal. However, if frequent, long, clear urination persists for a considerable period of time in the absence of the above environmental factors, we should consider whether we have too much internal coldness present in our bodies. In Chinese medicine, this situation is usually caused by a certain degree of kidney yang deficiency or kidney qi deficiency.
Kidney yang is considered to be the “life fire” in the body. It is the foundation for all other organs. Kidney yang provides energy, power and warmth for all the body’s physiological activities and functions. In addition, it empowers the various transformation processes inside the body. One of them is the qi transformation of fluids.
Urine is formed by the qi transformation from body fluids powered by the kidney yang. The normal outflow of urine requires a healthy balance of kidney yang energy. In healthy and normal situations, kidney qi, which is supported and promoted by kidney yang, regulates the optimal outflow of urine. This is referred to as “control of the opening and closing of the gate.” The gate requires kidney qi to open it, allowing the optimal amount of urine to be discharged when there is an urination urge. Conversely, the gate also needs kidney qi to “consolidate” and keep the gate closed when there is no urination urge. Inadequate gate opening or closing will lead to health problems.
For example, when a slight degree of kidney yang deficiency is present, it results in a kidney qi deficiency. This means there will be inadequate kidney qi consolidation at the gate and urinary frequency will arise. At night, yang qi in the environment is weaker than during the daytime so individuals with insufficient kidney yang qi will be further weakened. This is why some individuals experience frequent nighttime urination. Most cases are due to an inadequate consolidation of kidney qi at night.
As you can see, kidney yang and kidney qi play a very important role in maintaining urinary health. Therefore, it is a good idea to maintain healthy kidney yang qi energy in order to support normal urination when you notice there is a presentation of internal “cold” in your urine.
Deeper Meaning of Urinary Health – Kidney Health
In TCM, urinary health is not just limited to our understanding of the urinary system. It encompasses the TCM theory of kidney health. The kidneys are thought to be the roots of our primordial life. Like Western medicine urination is ruled by the kidneys. This function is summarized in TCM as the “kidneys rule water.” Not surprisingly, healthy urination has a particularly close connection with kidney health.
The kidney organs belong to the water element according to the Five Elements Theory. Just as the ocean water nourishes the development of early living organisms in the evolutionary history, the kidneys possess life nourishing properties and were interpreted by old TCM practitioners as the organs that “rule growth, development and reproduction”. In fact, our whole aging cycle is governed by the growth and decline of kidney qi. Therefore, an abundance of kidney qi is necessary to maintain a healthy aging process. If kidney qi becomes deficient too early, our body will experience premature aging and decline in other organ functions. In order to lead a natural and healthy life, maintenance of kidney harmony is important and that is why the kidneys are regarded as the “foundation of our primordial life”.
The kidneys store kidney essence, which TCM believes is an essential fundamental substance for promoting life activities in the body. This essence is also the substance responsible for growth, development and reproduction. The essence is comprised of the functions of both kidney yang and kidney yin. Kidney yang is mainly responsible for promoting the warming, exercising, exciting and qi transformation functions, while kidney yin is mainly responsible for promoting nourishing, calming, forming, yang and heat inhibiting functions. In fact, kidney yang is so important that it is known as the “root of yang qi”in the body as kidney yin is known as the “root of yin qi” in the body. If kidney disharmony happens, the functions of all other organs will be affected. Therefore, supporting normal kidney function plays a fundamental role in the health maintenance strategies of Traditional Chinese Medicine.
It is wise to preserve our kidney essence through a healthy living style. Maintaining a simple, balanced and nutritious diet, feeling tranquility, peace and contentment in our hearts and getting adequate rest and sleep are examples of a healthy life style. It is normal that our essence is consumed with aging, but, if external factors such as an unhealthy lifestyle accelerate the consumption of kidney essence, we should resume a healthy kidney harmony as soon as possible before illness and disease result.
Equalize Kidney Yang Energy & Guard Against Body Disharmony
Equiguard® is a herbal formula that focuses on maintaining healthy kidney and urinary functions by supporting kidney yang and consolidating kidney essence. By consolidating the kidney essence and supporting kidney yang, the kidneys are able to “rule the water” and thus maintain urinary health. In this way, our kidneys will have adequate yang energy to support the yang energy of all other body organs, which can help prevent other health disharmonies arising due to a kidney yang or kidney qi deficiency.
Who Is Most Suitable To Take Equiguard®?
Individuals who experience nighttime urination with clear, white, long and frequent urination episodes accompanied by a kidney yang or kidney qi deficiency are most suitable to take this formula.
Herbal ingredients in the Equiguard®
Common Name | Latin Name | Pinyin |
Epimedium | Herba Epimedii | xian ling pi |
Cherokee Rose fruit | Fructus Rosae Laevigatae | jin ying zi |
Chinese Raspberry fruit | Fructus Rubi | fu pen zi |
Malaytea Scurfpea fruit | Fructus Psoraleae | bu gu zhi |
Morinda root | Radix Morindae Officinalis | ba ji tian |
Dodder seed | Semen Cuscutae | tu si zi |
Glossy Privet fruit | Fructus Ligustri Lucidi | nu zhen zi |
Chinese Magnoliavine fruit | Fructus Schisandrae | wu wei zi |
Astragalus root | Radix Astragali | huang qi |
Rationale of Equiguard®
In order to benefit from Equiguard®, it is important for individuals to make sure this supplement fits with their own yin yang balance. Kidney yang should be supported in a gradual manner since health disharmonies can occur if the rate is too fast.
Equiguard® uses Epimedium as the monarch herb and main ingredient in its formula. Unlike other yang supporting herbs, its mild warm nature, coupled with its pungent and sweet taste, enables kidney yang to be supported in a moderate and gentle way. This herb also helps support strong tendons and bones.
For other herbs in Equiguard®, both Morinda root and Malaytea Scurfpea fruit also invigorate and strengthen kidney yang. The Malaytea Scurfpea fruit can consolidate kidney essence and reduce excessive urination too.
In the prescription of Equiguard®, herbs such as Cherokee rose fruit, Chinese Raspberry fruit and dodder seed are chosen for their ability to consolidate kidney essence. By consolidating kidney essence a sufficient source is maintained for the production of kidney yang, which is vital for Equiguard® in supporting the energy of physiological functions in the body.
In addition to kidney essence consolidation, both Cherokee rose fruit and Chinese raspberry fruit are astringent in taste, which make the prescription of Equiguard® good for reducing excessive urination.
The glossy Privet fruit invigorates both liver and kidney yin. Since yin and yang generate each other, addition of Glossy Privet fruit can assist with production of kidney yang. The Chinese magnoliavine fruit astringes the lungs and nourishes the kidneys, and therefore, helps Equiguard® to consolidate kidney essence. The astragalus root can support qi, which also helps Equiguard® to replenish yang qi in the body.
These herbs in the Equiguard® are combined in such a way to maintain kidney yang harmony. Healthy kidney function allows for a smoother aging process and optimal urinary health.
Precautions
For conditions of fever and any other inflammatory conditions, painful urination, burning sensation in the genital organs, scant urine, deep yellow urine, turbid (cloudy) urine or for appearances of a deep red tongue color or a yellow coating on the tongue, Equiguard® is not recommended until these conditions are resolved.
Do not take Equiguard® if you are on diuretic medications or have constipation. Equiguard® has not been evaluated in persons who have high blood pressure or who are pregnant.