The nebulous yet unsettling form of mental and physical discomfort known as tension is often perceived as a sensation of occasional muscular tightness, stiffness or soreness arising in the region of the head, neck, shoulders and upper back. It is also experienced as internally generated feelings of occasional frustration, nervousness, obligation, indecision or doubt, or simply as being burdened by seemingly overwhelming demands. Tension produces an occasional state of uneasiness in which it becomes difficult to relax the muscles and joints and calm the Mind and Spirit. In order to perform work, Qi, Moisture and Blood are shunted into the smaller spaces and denser structures of the limbs, neck and head − the long muscles, joints, spine and the brain − to facilitate a sustained level of physical and mental activity. However, because of the accelerated pace of work in modern societies, people are often unable to adequately relax and rest. The reservoirs and currents of Qi, Moisture and Blood fluctuate from hour to hour and season to season, according to rhythms described by Yin/Yang and Five Phase theories. When these constituents are sequestered in the head and limbs for extended periods, stagnation ensues, leading to sensations of fullness, pressure, a desire for release and occasional feelings of strain and fatigue. As the expectation of continual effort and unvarying performance is perpetuated and entrenched, inwardly and outwardly, a person can become caught in a ceaseless cycle of over-arousal and inadequate recuperation. Ultimately, a continual state of tension leads to the depletion of adaptive reserves − an insufficiency of Qi, Moisture and Blood and the attrition of Essence. Depletion leads to occasional fatigue, and eventually to compensatory disturbances of the Five Organ Networks, and is especially taxing to the Heart (emotional equanimity, sensory awareness and cognitive proficiency) and Kidney (sexual potency, mental alertness and physical stamina). To ease the occasional tension that results in stagnation, leading to irritability and weariness, Loosen Solution clears the senses, calms the mind and soothes the nerves by relaxing the muscles, clearing Heat, purging Wind, regulating Qi, tonifying Blood and Moisture and adjusting the functions of the Liver and Heart. Loosen Solution is for many people who work in excess of the time they spend relaxing and replenishing. RATIONALE This formula is derived from the classical Sour Jujube Soup (Suan Zao Ren Tang), first formulated in the third century by Zhang Zhong Jing. In addition to the original ingredients − dry fried Sour jujube seed, Poria, Sichuan lovage rhizome and Anemarrhena rhizome − additional herbs have been added to heighten the effects of quieting the Mind (An Shen) and relieving occasional irritability (Zhi Zao Fan). Dry fried Sour jujube seed, Poria, Polygala root and Schisandra fruit nourish the Blood and Qi of the Heart and Liver, easing occasional mental and emotional agitation and strain, while Poria and Altaica rhizome dissipate the Dampness and Phlegm that can cloud the senses and interfere with clear perception and judgment. Magnetite, Fluorite, Dragon bone, Gambir stem branch and twig, Altaica rhizome, Amber resin and Sichuan lovage rhizome relax the Liver by subduing the Yang (flaring of Fire and uprising of Internal Wind) and regulating Qi, thereby soothing nerves, relaxing muscles and relieving occasional pressure. Gardenia fruit purges Heat and Damp Heat from the Heart and Liver, while Ophiopogon tuber and Anemarrhena rhizome replenish the Moisture (Yin) that is lost as a result of occasional dehydration due to strenuous work and excessive thinking or worrying.
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