Functions of the Lungs Flashcards
What ‘role’ are the Lungs compared to?
The Minister (The Executive) in charge of regulation - justice; discrimination of right and wrong (cut like a sword)
PS- executives likely to be deficient in this category b/c of overuse of discrimination
What animal relates to Lungs?
White Tiger / Siberian Tiger
(which live in the mountains in the West)
- Tiger controls/represents ‘Justice’ in animal kingdom
What (climate/pathogenic influence) do the Lungs hate, and really hate?
hate cold
really hate dry
What Qi actions do the Lungs control?
D and D
diffusing/dispersing and descending
What are “the Functions of the Lung”? (10)
- govern Qi and respiration
- control channels and blood vessels
- control diffusing and descending of Qi
- regulate all physiological activities
- regulate the Water Passages
- control the skin and the space between skin and muscles, and body hair
- open into the nose
- control nasal mucous
- house the Corporeal Soul
What emotions affect the Lung?
worry
sadness
grief
Where does the health of the Lungs manifest?
body hair
What orifice to the Lungs open into?
the nose
What body fluid do the Lungs control?
nasal mucous
What aspect of the spirit resides in the Lungs?
Corporeal Soul (Po) - animal instincts
Signs and symptoms?
S.O.B.
shortness of breath
Is edema a manifestation of dysfunction of the Lung? Why or why not?
yes
- metal is parent of water
- Lung function of regulating water passages
- might think it’s KD’s fault- it’s usually LU’s
Why is Lung call the Sea of Qi?
- governs formation of Qi
Gu Qi –> Da Qi (air) + Yuan Qi –> Zong Qi (chest qi) - Zong Qi (chest qi) aids LU and HT fx of circulating Qi and Blood throughout body
- fire controls metal; heart (Emperor) gives the order to the Lungs, w/o order/directions from HT, LU (The Minister/Executive) can’t do anything
LU needing muscles to protect and contract the skin, and muscles (SP) needing the skin to protect them is an example of what relationship?
LU and SP organ Taiyin connection
Besides immune function, what is Wei Qi also representative of (according to Zach)?
mental/emotional space
- psychological boundaries (if they’re collapsed, or too rigid)
- breathe and psychology connection*
ex. breathe exercise where deep breaths give feeling of expansive psych. space (big personal bubble; projecting), and holding breath gives feeling that psych. space has reduced to skin-level (reduces bubble)
How does thickness and lustre of hair (body hair) represent health of Lung?
light hair- LU deficiency, and probably trouble letting go of things
What aspect of respiration do Lungs govern?
- inhalation
T/F: “The Lungs are the delicate organ.”
true
b/c most external of yin organs
most easily invaded by external pathogenic factors
T/F: The Lungs govern the voice.
True
T/F: “The Lungs control the 100 vessels.”
True
What can weak LU qi cause?
tiredness
weak voice
slight breathlessness
(b/c Gather/Zong Qi resides in chest, aids LU and HT fx of circulation to limb and controls voice)
What is an example of the importance of the LU’s diffusing function?
- diffusing of Qi ensures Wei Qi is distributed all over body under skin, warming skin and muscles and protecting body from ext. path. factors
(if fx is impaired, body will be easily invaded)
What are known as the “doors of Qi”?
- the pores
- b/c some Wei Qi is lost with sweat when the doors are left open
What is the name for the space between the skin and muscles?
cou li
