Blood/Body Fluids/Jing/Shen Flashcards
Definition of Blood:
- red liquid which flows inside the vessels to all parts of the body
- has abundant nourishing and moistening properties
- one of the fundamental substances which comprises and maintains vital functions of the human body
Production of Blood (Fundamental Constituents)
1. Water and Grain Essence (Grain Qi): extracted by Spleen and Stomach from food and drink
- “source of generation and transformation of qi and blood”; post-heaven root
2. Nutritive Qi
- “Nutritive Qi mixes with the body fluids and [together] they infuse the vessels and transform into blood
3. Essence (and Marrow)
- “the Kidney stores essence and essence is what blood is made from”
4. Body Fluids
- “Nutritive Qi mixes with the body fluids and [together] they infuse the vessels and transform into blood”
Production of Blood (Relationship to Organs)
- Spleen and Stomach
- supply basic constituent for production of blood (water and grain essence)
- “source of generation….”
- Post Heaven root - Heart
- final transformation of substances into blood occurs in the Heart
- Heart commands blood vessels (circulates blood to all organs which promotes organ function and in turn stimulates production of blood) - Kidneys
- Kidney essence can transform into blood and blood can nourish Kidney essence
- Original Qi (from Kidney essence) promotes Sp/St production of food essence – assists Ht to produce blood - Lung
- commands Qi – “Qi generates blood”, healthy Lung leads to healthy Qi leads to strong blood production - Liver
- stores blood
- WOOD: Qi of Spring, birth, generation (assists Sp & Ht to produce blood
Circulation of Blood
What is the residence of Blood?
Explain the mechanism of circulation
Vessels are the Residence of Blood
Mechanism:
- Heart – commands the blood vessels, pumps blood through the vessels under power of Ht Qi
- Spleen – Spleen Qi controls the blood, holding it within the vessels
- Liver – *stores blood (regulates volume of blood in circulation–maintains optimal amount depending on activity) *promotes free flow of blood and qi (Qi moves blood, so Liver aids smooth circulation of blood)
- Lung – “faces the hundred vessels”; commands qi (Lung assists Heart in circulating blood)
What are the Functions of Blood?
A. Nourish and moisten entire body
- all parts of the body rely on blood for nutrition, and their functions depend on it (internal organs, 5 sense organs, 9 orifices, 4 limbs, 100 bones, etc.)
B. Material foundation for mental activities
- blood nourishes the Heart and shen
- “Blood, shen qi”
What are the Body Fluids?
What are they comprised of?
- name for all the normal, healthy fluids in the body (except Blood) – fluids contained inside all the tissues
– secretions (gastric secretions, intestinal secretions, saliva, synovial fluid) also urine, sweat, tears
- comprised primarily of water
- typically contain a large amount of nutritive substances
- one of the fundamental substances (comprising the body; maintaining bodily functions)
Production of Body Fluids
1. Stomach
- receives Water and Grain
- absorbs fluids and sends them to the Spleen
2. Spleen
- receives fluids from Stomach, separates “clear from turbid”, sends “essence” (clear portion) of fluids up to Lung, sends “turbid” portion of fluids down into SI
3. Small Intestine
- receives turbid fluids from Spleen, further separates clear from turbid, clear fluids sent to UB, turbid to LI
4. Large Intestine
- receives turbid fluids from SI, absorbs a bit more fluids, remaining fluids go out with the stool
Circulation of Body Fluids
What are the main organs involved?
“fluids enter the Stomach which sends the essence qi up to the Spleen. Spleen qi disperses the essence up to the Lung. The Lungs regulate the water passages and send [fluids] down to the UB, the water essence to the entire body and circulating in the five channels”
Main organs involved:
Spleen - Lung - Kidney - UB - TB - Liver - Heart
Circulation of Body Fluids (MAIN ORGANS)
- Spleen (sends clear up, turbid down to SI, can directly send some clear fluids to the 4 limbs and entire body)
- Lungs (receive clear fluids from Spleen, diffuse fluids to surface and upper portion of body, descend fluids to Kidney and UB and lower portion of the body)
- Kidneys
a. Kidney yang provides energy for St receiving and passing fluids to Sp, Sp transporting fluids, Lung diffusing and descending fluids, SI separation of clear from turbid, UB “qi transformation”
b. Lungs send portion of BFs to Kidney, Kidney sends them to UB, Kidney yang assists UB to transform them into clear and turbid portions - UB (receives fluids from Kid, assisted by Kidney yang UB transforms fluids into clear and turbid portion – clear to Lung via TB for diffusion, turbid excreted as urine)
- TB (passageway for distribution of Bfs, assists all organs in their fluid-related functions)
- Liver (regulates free flow of qi in body – when qi moves, fluid moves)
- Heart (under power of Heart yang, Bfs circulate with Blood in the blood vessels)
What are the 3 main avenues/types of Body Fluids?
SWEAT
URINE
STOOL
What are the functions of Body Fluids?
- Moisten and Nourish
- Transform and generate Blood
- Excrete metabolic wastes (sweat, urine, stool)
- Carrier of Qi (Qi rides around in/on BFs)
What are the 2 types of Body Fluids?
-
Jin
- clear, light, thin, watery
Functions:
- moisten (organs, flesh, skin, vessels/channels)
- transform into Blood (liquid portion of blood; facilitates movement of blood by regulating viscosity)
- manifests as sweat, tears, saliva, mucous
2. Ye - turbid, heavy, dense fluids
- don’t circulate much (don’t move, don’t move with Qi)
Functions:
- moisten joints (“stored in the space b/w the meeting of bones and sinews”)
- moisten spine, brian, bone marrow
Fluids of the 5 Viscera
- each viscera transforms/generates its own fluid
Heart: sweat – “Blood and sweat have same origin”
Lung: mucous (snivel) – moistens nose
Spleen: thin saliva – protect/clean mouth; assist swallow/digestion
Liver: tears – moisten/protect eyes
Kidney: thick saliva – same as thin; moisten and nourish Kidney essence
Jing/Essence
What is the basic meaning of Jing?
What are the 3 types of Jing?
- refers to a fundamental substance for
1. Formation of the human body
2. Maintenance of physiological processes
Includes ALL Jing in the body
Three Types:
Pre-Heaven, Post-Heaven, Kidney
Pre-Heaven Jing
Formation and Storage
Formation:
- reproductive essence from mother and father merge to form Pre-Heaven Jing of the fetus (contains attributes from both parents; quality determined by condition of parents at conception and influenced during gestation)
Storage:
- stored in the Kidneys (finite amount, definite quality at birth; spending, depleting, preserving – regular/irregular lifestyle, illnesses & injuries, abusive/excessive behaviors)
Pre-Heaven Jing
Functions
- Fundamental/basal substance of human body
- Responsible for growth and development of fetus
- nourishes embryo and fetus during pregnancy; template/pattern which determines growth patterns - Determines basic constitution, strength, and vitality
- sufficient & high quality = good constitution and longevity
- insufficient and/or poor quality = poor constitution and longevity
Post Heaven Jing
Formation & Function
Formation:
- refined and extracted from Water and Grain by the Sp and St (also known as Water and Grain Essence – essence of the 5 viscera and the 6 bowels)
Function:
- Nourishes the 5 viscera and 6 bowels (and subsequently all tissues of the body)
- Excess Post-Natal Essence that remains after organs are nourished is stored in the Kidneys (together with Pre-Natal E. comprises the Kidney Essence)
Kidney Jing
Production and Storage
Production:
- originates from Pre-Heaven Jing
- constantly replenished by Post-Heaven Jing
Storage:
- stored in the Kidneys
Kidney Jing
Functions
1. Growth and development (after birth, provides basic material for growth and development: bones, teeth…)
2. Forms basis for reproductive function and fertility (development and maturation of reproductive system; formation of sperm and ovum; nourish Uterus and promote menstruation; close relationship to fertility, conception and pregnancy)
3. Generate Marrow (bone marrow, spinal cord, brain)
4. Transforms into Blood (Jing generates Marrow, and Marrow can transform Blood)
5. Forms basis of Kidney Qi (Kidney yang (MM) acts upon Kidney Jing to form Kid Qi)
6. Determines constitutional strength and resistance to exterior pathogens
- “Jing is the root of the body. When Jing is stored, there will be no febrile disease in Spring”
Mind/Spirit: Shen
What is the definition?
What are the functions?
Narrow meaning: consciousness, spirit, and thinking
- the most immaterial form of Qi in humans which gives rise to all mental, emotional, cognitive, sensory, etc. activities
Broad Meaning:
- the outward appearance of the vital activities of the whole body
Functions:
- consciousness, thinking, memory, insight, cognition, sleep, intelligence, wisdom, ideas, affection, feelings, senses
Shen
Physiology
What is the physiological basis of Shen?
What nourishes Shen?
Where does Shen reside?
-
Jing is the physiological basis of Shen
- “when two Jing unite, it is called Shen” -
Blood nourishes the Shen
- provides nutrition; provides material basis to “anchor” Shen - Shen resides in the Heart (Heart commands the Shen, Heart Blood nourishes Shen and anchors Shen)
What are the 3 treasures?
What is the root?
What nourishes the body?
Where does Shen arise from?
Jing is the root (pre-heaven)
Qi nourishes the body (post-heaven)
Shen arises from and is nourished by Jing and Qi
