Defining Diagnostics: Listening to Cues from the Body for Deeper Health

When I talk about offering consultations to clients I often use the term “diagnostics.” This doesn't mean that I as an herbalist can actually diagnose someone. This is definitely where modern allopathic (aka conventional) medicine is a wonderful thing. However, allopathic medicine often detects problems when they have become a very serious, acute problem. A benefit of more “alternative” diagnostics is that it can be possible to detect an imbalance early. This means you can prevent larger problems and disease down the road. When I talk about diagnostics, I mean reading the body for cues of what might be happening on a deeper level. Areas of the face, tongue, and eye correspond to different organ systems and parts of the body. Likewise, different pulses in the wrist also correspond to organ systems. Lines, patterns, color, and quality of pulse are all indications of what is going on in those organ systems. A trained eye can observe food allergies, stressed adrenals, liver exhaustion, lung issues, digestive imbalances, etc. For example, the second pulses on both hands, the forehead and chin, the middle of the tongue, and the bottom section of the whites of the eyes are all places I look for cues about digestive health. To check out heart health I look to the tip of the tongue, the first pulse on the left hand, the nose, and the left side of the left eye.

Some of these things I can learn from a client sharing their experiences and health history. However, sometimes to a client it seems as though anxiety is the main issue, but the underlying cause of that issue is imbalance in the digestive system which can be observed in facial diagnostic observations. As an herbalist I aim to create a formula that both addresses the client's main concern, in this example it would be anxiety, while also addressing what I am observing as the root cause of the issue, such as digestive imbalance. Therefore the herbal formula might include an herb like wood betony which is beneficial in cases of anxiety since it is an herb that helps one feel grounded. It is also a slightly bitter herb which activates the liver and assists in the process of digestion.

I once did a consultation with someone who was experiencing occasional panic attacks and anxiety. When I did a diagnostic assessment of her it was clear in the facial and eye diagnostics that there was an imbalance in the lungs. However, she said she did not have any sort of experience with asthma, allergies, pneumonia, or any other kind of lung issues. I recommended some herbs that improve lung health but also help quell anxiety, such as tulsi and mullein. But she was unable to get the herbs at that time. About a year later she was diagnosed with acute asthma. Perhaps if she was able to get the herbs she would have been able to prevent a slight imbalance from becoming a problem.

The benefit of these sorts of diagnostic techniques is that they allow slight imbalances to be detected which can be preventative of bigger problems. It also allows the source of an issue to shine through, so that the source of the problem can be dealt with and not just the symptoms. For example, someone dealing with PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) who sought out allopathic medicine would most likely receive birth control pills to reduce the symptoms of PCOS. However, this sort of hormonal imbalance will only be worsened over time with the use of birth control. When I have seen clients with PCOS I have observed hormonal and reproductive issues as well as liver and digestive imbalance through the facial, eye, and tongue diagnostics. It was clear that the problem could not be isolated to the reproductive system. So when I created a formula I included herbs that are detoxing to the liver, assist digestion, and also balance hormones. I included herbs such as sarsaparilla, vitex, and dandelion.

Hopefully this gives a snapshot of what I mean by the term “diagnostics” and why I feel it is important to incorporate this process into my consultations. It is amazing how much the surface of our bodies can reveal about what is going on deeper within. Part of this process of diagnostics is about knowing the techniques and applying them. However, a larger part of this is just about being still, taking time to connect, and see what observations rise to the surface.