Posted by Hombre on September 3, 2010, at 1:46:19
In reply to TCM, posted by sigismund on September 2, 2010, at 19:49:27
Take all this with a grain of salt...
One of the liver's roles is to spread/distribute qi and maintain the smooth flow of qi. When we get angry or frustrated or are not allowed to express our emotions and creativity, it's very easy for liver qi to stagnate. This is supposed to cause a feeling of heaviness or tightness in the chest and ribs. I remember being verbally abused as a teen and the feeling was just this heavy, sinking feeling in my chest that just drained me of energy.
When liver qi gets stuck, the 'pressure' builds and heat can result. The heat tends to flare up and cause angry outbursts or irritability, dry, red eyes or vision changes. This excess heat can burn up the 'yin' of the liver and lead to liver yin deficiency. The liver is closely related to the kidneys and injury to the liver yin could also hurt the kidney yin. More on the kidneys later.
Mentally and emotionally, they say the liver is responsible for creative expression and long-term planning. The flip side of this would be a state of liver imbalance with a tendency to be controlling and to try to control others.
The liver can also attack the spleen and hurt digestion. That's why you shouldn't sit down to a meal when you are upset.
The sinews and ligaments are associated with the liver. Poor liver function may result in pain, loss of elasticity and other problems with soft tissue.
That's about all I know about the liver. I think I've felt the liver stagnation, and when I used to have serious insomnia every night and stay up late, a TCM doctor was able to tell from my pulse that I had this tendency to stay up too late.
The kidneys are the root of the body in terms of energy and development. In my experience a weakness of the kidneys results in severe fatigue. I tend to suffer deficient kidney yang, which means I tend to have low energy, low drive, low willpower, and a burnt out feeling. But taking too many warm/hot tonic herbs will only cause the flame to burn brighter without replenishing the fuel. You may get some energy in the short term, but it doesn't last. Supplementing kidney yin and yang may be necessary and will gradually replenish one's energy reserves.
The kidney's also store Jing, or essence, which is like your most precious, concentrated form of energy. In times of crisis or severe overwork/stress, you dip into the kidney Jing for energy. Chronic stress and overexertion will exhaust Jing and lead to a severe form of exhaustion and burnout.
The kidney house the Will, and when healthy the person will have the drive to make plans and follow through. When the kidneys are weak, one may feel sort of sluggish and cold, slow to get started and unable to really turn thoughts into action. Anxiety and fear may also be present.
I believe antidepressants and stimulants tend to exhaust kidney energy. Even when I was getting some energy from effexor I felt very jittery and didn't feel very calm at all. Addressing the kidney issue has really helped with drive and anxiety. In fact, unless I overindulge in caffeine and push myself I don't get anxiety. Supplementing the kidneys also helps with the urinary hesitance and sexual issues related to antidepressant use.
The spleen is very important because of its role in transforming food and drink into the raw materials for the body's energy. Any disturbance in the spleen will cause an overall decrease in energy. One may eat good food, but if the body cannot properly break down and absorb nutrients, there isn't enough fuel for the body.
Too much cold food and drink will harm the spleen. Over or under-eating will also hurt the spleen. Eating a wide variety of cooked foods on a regular schedule is good for maintaining a healthy digestion. A weak spleen will manifest as diarrhea, or constipation alternating with diarrhea, characterized by water, loose stool with unidigested food. The spleen likes to stay 'dry'. It tends to get damp which can lead to bloating and tiredness after eating. The spleen is also key to blood formation. A weak spleen can lead to headaches, fatigue, and other symptoms that one can associate with deficient blood, especially to the brain.
The spleen is associated with the muscles. A healthy spleen will support strong muscles. Overwork and too much mental activity can hurt the spleen. The spleen is also associated with learning and memory. Learning and memory are sort of akin to eating and digestion. A weak spleen may lead to overthinking and overworrying, a common symptom of depression.
The heart is important because it houses the shen/spirit. Shen is nothing more mysterious than the sparkle in a healthy person's eyes. They say when the the blood is deficient the shen cannot find its home in the heart. This leads to insomnia, anxiety, dream-disturbed sleep, that sort of cluster of symptoms. Supplementing heart yin can help. I don't know as much about this aspect of the body to be honest, but lately I am experimenting with herbs that calm and replenish yin to help with agitated sleep and night sweats. I take seroquel purely for sleep and anxiety, and I'm starting to think that it is dulling my emotions and making me sluggish. There is a formula called Tian Wang Bu Xin Wan/Emperor's Teapills. I've only been taking it for a week or so, but I've been able to decrease my seroquel dose in half at night with no major affects on sleep. Previous attempts to decrease seroquel had me waking up too early feeling very tense.
On the whole, any practical advice for health will help the body to maintain a good homeostasis. Going to bed early, eating proper food regularly, getting some light exercise and trying to avoid stress and frustration will go a long way towards letting the body do its thing.
poster:Hombre
thread:961091
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/alter/20100812/msgs/961117.html