Class Notes from Lesson 8-7 Constitutional

 Lesson 8-7: Skin and Mucosa

I'm finding it easier to copy and paste from the section he is reading - his explanations, interesting notes, annotations, etc, I'll put in parentheses and italicized.

OUTLINE OF FUNCTION: SKIN This is the protective covering that connects with the mucosa (the inside skin) like the outside of a doughnut. It cools and heats the blood through vasodilation, vasoconstriction, sweating and simple conduction. It provides a major surface for excretion of waste products, through sweat and sebaceous fats, that is sometimes equal to the kidneys. It acts as the first immunologic defense barrier to the outside. It is heavily protected by the granulocytes of innate immunity, and is capable of rapid shifts of arterial and venous blood and lymph, to both defend the surface and to protect the fluids by sending them deeper into the body. It contains many sensory organs and is responsible for monitoring our direct environment. It is SUPPOSED to get infections first, and can isolate organisms very effectively while resistance is accomplished and healing can occur.

(He mentions rubbing the skin with a towel to stimulate the skin or taking a sauna, etc simulates the skin, which helps the kidneys. Kidney or liver deficiency also results in dry skin. He talks about how alcohol is a vasodilator and while it feels warming, it can make hypothermia more likely... says ginger and chili peppers in the socks is okay to keep your feet warm)

OUTLINE OF FUNCTION: MUCOSA This is the protective covering that connects with the skin at the entrances, and guards the body from any aspect of the external environment that enters into it (respiratory and digestive) or when there is even the possibility of physical access (urinary tract, reproductive, etc). Even though these tissues are often buried deep in the body, they, like the external skin, face the outside and drain outwards. Since the body organizes waste products in order to excrete them (usually to the nearest outside surface), mucus is excretory as well as secretory. Mucus protects the mucosa, taking the place of the dead but flexible squamous epithelium that covers external skin, and when the mucosa is irritated it protects itself by increased secretions. Unlike external skin, the cells below this slime are alive, and absorption is possible much more rapidly than through the skin. Mucus membranes are therefore highly permeable and specialized membranes that are contiguous with the outside skin.

If the outside is dry, the inside usually is also. If there are skin allergies, there will be similar reactions in the mucosa. If the person is moist and sweaty, their mucosa will be hypersecretory. As well as their skin heals, so does their mucosa. There are some different neurologic and circulatory responses effecting the two skins, and they may sometimes present different evaluations.

(All mucus membranes must drain. Any blockage leads to pain and infection. Red, flaky skin is sign of problem protein metabolism and cell proliferation. Or problem with lanolin production/fat metabolism - usually B12 and Folic Acid deficiency, sometimes Magnesium. Anything that effects the skin or lungs also effects the intestines.)

SKIN/MUCOSA DEFICIENCY SYMPTOMS are often caused by liver deficiency. Together with the liver symptoms, vasodilation and secretory stimulus is often inadequate . Dry flaky skin, with crack and fissures, eczema and strange rough spots are typical, as well as frequent mouth, rectal and vaginal sores or inflammation.

••HERBS THAT STIMULATE generally increase blood supply, stimulate cholinergic sympathetic and parasympathetic enervation , or support the liver (and related functions ) to make better quality proteins and fats for cell regeneration. Remember, you need to stimulate blood constituents for rebuilding, blood availability to the tissues, and excretory secretions from the skin.  

SKIN/MUCOSA DEFICIENCY. VASCULAR STIMULANT: Aristolochia, Asclepias (all). Calendula, Capsicum, Guaiacum, Hydrastis, Stillingia, Xanthoxylum.

LIVER STIMULANT: Guaiacum. Mahonia, Panax (all) 

SKIN/MUCOSA EXCESS SYMPTOMS are greasy and oily skin, often with adolescent type acne (acne vulgaris). There is hypertrophy in often-used membranes, such as keratosis pilaris, and a tendency to ingrown hair, sebaceous cysts or hydrosis. All the skin is oily, not just the face, and all the skin is moist, not just the face, neck, hands and feet (an adrenalin-induced sweat). The person has warm, radiant heat and often a strong body scent. Mosquitoes love them, and cold-bodied lovers covet them in the winter.

(Cold and dry weather, especially if you go from hot and moist inside to cold and dry outside can cause skin and lung irritation)

••HERBS TO COOL are either sedative to skin nerves or decrease liver excitability. Skin/mucosa excess is usually dependent on reproductive, liver and kidney excess and hard to effect directly. 

SKIN/MUCOSA EXCESS. NERVE COOLING: Ambrosia, Encelia, Ephedra, Euphrasia, Krameria, Urtica.

LIVER COOLING: Arctium, Erigeron, Euphrasia, Taraxacum, Tribulus 

(Citrus, mushrooms and lemon balm diminish hyper-secretion... lots of sweating)

Here is the link to the Southwest School of Botanical Medicine Course

https://www.swsbm.com/school/