Functions of the Heart Flashcards
What are the 6 functions/aspects of the Heart?
- governs Blood
- controls Blood Vessels
- manifests in the complexion
- Houses the Mind (Shen)
- opens into the tongue
- controls sweat
What are the Heart relationships with smell, colour, taste, climate, sound?
- scorched
- red
- heat
- laughing
What are the 2 ways the Heart governs Blood?
- transformation of Gu Qi (Food-Qi) into Blood takes place in Heart
- Heart is responsible for circulation of Blood (although LU, SP, and LR also play role)
What happens to circulation when Heart-Blood is deficient?
- circulation is slack, hands may be cold
T/F: although it is Liver-Blood that is stored in the Uterus, the Heart controls the downward movement of Qi and Blood that makes menstruation occur.
True.
Heart controls the discharge of blood that occurs during menstruation.
What houses the Shen (Mind)?
Heart-Blood
What do the points CV-15, HT-7, BL-15 tonify?
Heart-Blood
What does a “choppy” pulse indicate?
Heart-Blood deficiency
What causes a “hard” pulse?
Heart-Blood stagnation
- Blood Vessels harden, often due to arteriosclerosis (hardening of arteries)
What might be indicated by mental-emotional problems (like depression), poor memory, dull thinking, insomnia or somnolence (drowsiness, sleepiness), and in extreme cases unconsciousness?
Blood deficiency, Heart is weak
What roots the Mind (shen), embraces it, and anchors it?
Heart-Blood
What does the Heart’s function of housing the Mind depend on?
adequate nourishment from Blood
What does the Heart’s job of governing the Blood depend on?
The Shen/ Mind
If Heart-Blood has Heat, what might happen?
restlessness, agitation, insomnia/ not sleep well
Mental restlessness, emotional problems, and sadness, might induce what?
- deficiency of Heart-Blood
- might in turn cause pale complexion, weak/irregular pulse, palpitations
Which organ is the root of Qi?
Lungs
Which organ is the dwelling of Willpower?
Kidneys
Which organ is the root of harmonization?
Liver
What organs can be called the “Five-Shen Residencies”?
The 5 Yin (Zang) organs
What is the physiological basis of the Spirit?
the 5 yin organs
Which Spiritual Aspect can be defined as, “that part of the Soul which is indissolubly attached to the body and goes down to Earth with it at death”?
The Corporeal Soul (Po) of the Lungs
- the somatic expression of the Soul
Which Spiritual Aspect can be defined as, “ that part of the Soul which at death leaves the body, carrying with it an appearance of physical form”?
The Ethereal Soul (Hun) of the Liver
How might a disharmony of Heart (either excess or deficiency) manifest in a person’s speech?
- talking incessantly
- laugh inappropriately/suddenly
Generally speaking, excessive sweating relates to the Heart (esp when it relates to emotional tension). Which other pathologies can also cause excess sweating?
- Lung-Qi deficiency (spontaneous sweating)
- Heat or Damp-Heat, esp of stomach (excess sweating)
