LIVER HEALTH
The Liver stores blood which is the organ responsible for Qi and blood as well as the smooth flow of emotions. According to the Five Element theory in TCM, the Liver is the “mother” of the Heart. Continual stress or depression will cause Liver energy to become compromised (Live Qi deficiency) since one of its energetic functions is to smooth and regulate emotions.
The eyes are the sensory organ related to the Liver. Blurry vision, red or dry eyes, itchy or sore eyes may be a sign that your liver is not functioning well.
The opposite of Liver Qi deficiency is the Liver Qi stagnation, which causes anger. If you are often irritable, get angry easily, have a sense of tightness on the chest, or soreness inside the chest, you may have Liver Qi stagnation and need to soothe the liver.
HEART HEALTH
The Heart, according to Chinese medicine, is the king of all organs. This means that all the other organs always give their energy to help the Heart maintain their balance. The Heart’s partner is the Small Intestine.
According to the Five Element Theory, the heart is directly related to the liver and the stomach. The Liver is the “mother” of the Heart, the Stomach is the “child” of the Heart. The balance of Heart energy comes from the balance of Stomach energy. Continual stress causes Liver energy to be low because one of its energetic functions is to smooth and regulate emotions. So, the Liver cannot properly support the Heart when the Liver Qi is deficient. To maintain healthy Heart function, it’s important to maintain a balance of the Liver and the Stomach.
OTHER ORGANS HEALTH
The Kidney is the organ as known in TCM as storing and controlling Jing (the essence of qi as well as the basis for body matter and functional activities). The function of Jing is to promote growth, development, sexual maturation, reproduction, and ageing. The kidney works like the powerhouse of the human body. It supplies reserve energy to any organ running low on Qi. Its partner organ is the Bladder. Deficiency of the Kidney Qi (low in Kidney energy) may cause osteoporosis, joint pain, lethargy, infertility or development issue.
The ears are the sensory organs related to the Kidney. Any ear problems may be a signal from the body saying the Kidney is now functioning well, such as deafness, tinnitus, or ear infection.
The Lung is the organ known in TCM as maintaining healthy immune defences against pathogens, as well as circulating Qi and fluids throughout the body. A partner with the Large Intestine, the Lung is also responsible for excretion of metabolic wastes. Deficiency of Lung Qi may result in cold, trachea Inflammation or allergies, such as hay fever.
The nose is the sensory organ related to the Lung. Any of the following symptoms indicates compromised Lung function: runny nose; sneezing; congested sinuses; loss of smell.
The Spleen and Stomach partner together to control digestion. They “feed” all other organs with nutrition and power from food. The stomach and spleen are mostly affected by chronic emotions such as depression, anxiety or overthinking. Therefore positive emotions will support a healthy digestive system.