L4: Western Energetics I: Humoural system Flashcards
Summarise the elements and the qualities
Four Elements
What does Fire govern?
- Digestive secretions
- All enzymes
- Yellow bile
- Metabolism
- ‘Digestive fire’
- Heart, Liver, Stomach (heat-generating organs)
- Active, muscular heat-generating tissue
- Spirit and intelligence
Four Elements
What does Water govern?
- All vital fluids* (especially clear)
- Kidneys, bladder, urinary tract
- Mucosa (digestive, respiratory, genitourinary)
- Lymphatic system
- Brain and spinal cord
*Phlegm, mucus, plasma, lymph, serous and interstitial fluids
Four Elements
What does Earth govern?
- Dense, solid parts of the body
- Bones, joints, structural connective tissue
- Nervous tissue and bone marrow
- Teeth and gums
- Hair and nails
- ‘Solidity/groundedness’
Four Elements
What does Air govern?
- Lungs, chest, thorax
- Cavities and open spaces
- Blood and vital force
- Arteries
- Hollow/porous tissues
- Points of exchange/contact (lungs, kidneys, digestive mucosa)
Five Qualities
What are the bodily experiences and appearances with Heat?
- Hot (inflammation)
- Swollen
- Tender
- Excess of blood (redness)
- Pain
Five Qualities
Examples of manifestations of Heat
Fever
Inflammation
Anything with -itis on the end
Five Qualities
Diagnostics of Heat
- Rapid, superficial pulse
- Red, elongated tongue
- Autoimmune condition
Five Qualities
How does Heat work therapeutically in the body?
- Purifies
- Drives impurities out of the body (eg Cayenne)
- Clears out pathogens (immune reactions, fever)
Five Qualities
What are the herbs we consider for Heat qualities ?
- Rosemary: increases circulation, improves brain function
- Thyme: stimulates immunity and is antimicrobial
- Garlic: circulation, digestion, immunity
- Cayenne: safe, natural stimulant
Five Qualities
What are the bodily experiences and appearances with Cold?
- Pale
- Dark
- Inactive
- Lack of stimulation
Five Qualities
Examples of manifestations of Cold
- Hypothyroidism
- Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
- Poor circulation
Five Qualities
Diagnostics of Cold
- Deep, slow pulse
- Dark red, purple, black tongue
- Pale or blue/purple skin
Five Qualities
How does Cold work therapeutically in the body?
Binds and tightens
(eg cold pack on inflammation)
Five Qualities
What are the herbs we consider for their Cold qualities ?
- Rose: cools the liver, topically soothes skin, balances hormonal excesses
- Plantain: takes the heat out of bites and stings
- Barberry bark: cooling and anti-microbial digestive remedy
- Goldenseal: cooling anti-inflammatory action on mucous membrane surfaces
Five Qualities
What are the bodily experiences and appearances with Moist?
- Lack of tone
- Respiratory discharges
- Skin discharges
- Soggy or boggy tissues, prolapses
Five Qualities
Examples of manifestations of Moist
- Phlegm, mucous
- Diarrhoea
- Profuse sweating (hyperhydrosis)
- Oedema
Five Qualities
What are the herbs we consider for Moist qualities ?
- Marshmallow -lubricates the skin and mucous membranes
- Wild Lettuce – lubricating expectorant to treat dry coughs
- Slippery Elm bark powder – stool softener and mild laxative for hard, dry stool
Five Qualities
Diagnostics of Moist
- Relaxed or obscure pulse
- Wet, coated tongue (glossy or white)
Five Qualities
How does Moist work therapeutically in the body?
- Nourishes
- Lubricates
- Eg marshmallow and aloe vera protect mucous membranes and skin
Five Qualities
What are the bodily experiences and appearances with Dry?
- Withered/atrophied
- Weak
- Pallor from lack of fluids/nourishment
Five Qualities
What are the herbs we consider for Dry qualities ?
- Golden seal –dries up infective discharges e.g. upper respiratory, urinary, digestive system
- Raspberry leaf– stops uterine and vaginal discharges
- Oak Bark – firms up flesh and stops bleeding e.g. gums
Five Qualities
Examples of manifestations of Dry
- Dry skin and mucous membranes
- Loss of muscle mass
- Constipation due to internal dryness
- Osteoporosis
Five Qualities
Diagnostics of Dry
- Weak, tense (wiry) pulse
- Dry tongue, no coating
- Rigidity, brittleness
Five Qualities
How does Dry work therapeutically in the body?
- Sets limits and boundaries in health
- eg drying up excess secretions in diarrhoea, stopping bleeding
Five Qualities
What was the most prized quality in Hippocratic medicine?
Neutral
Five Qualities
What does a Neutral quality indicate?
Balance between hot/cold, dry/damp
Five Qualities
Neutral can be said to be opposite to _____?
Wind
Five Qualities
What are the herbs we consider for Neutral qualities ?
Adaptogens
* Siberian ginseng
* Ashwagandha
* Schisandra berry
* Gota kola
* Reishi mushroom
Nutritive
* Oatseed
* Schisandra berry
* Ashwagandha
* Maca
* Bilberry
Five Qualities
Herbs may be hot, cold, moist or dry in varying _____ and _____
degrees
combinations
Five Qualities
Marshmallow is _____ and _____
Cool and moist
Five Qualities
Golden seal is _____ and _____
Cold and dry
Five Qualities
Cayenne is _____ and _____
Hot and dry
Five Qualities
Pleurisy root is _____ and _____
Warm and moist
Four humours
List the four humours, their related elements and their associated ‘characteristic’
Melan - black
Cholic - bile
Four humours
Characteristics of Blood
- Relates to Air
- Hot and Moist
- Affintity to Spring
- Youth, health, vitality
- Carries the vital force to all tissues
- First humour from digestive processes
- ‘Produced’ in the liver
Four humours
Blood out of balance
- Excess -> stagnation
- Weight-gain
- Overburdening of digestion (liver, gall bladder, pancreas)
- Poor circulation (reduced supply of nutrients)
- Fatigue, high BP, hypoxia
- High quantity/low quality blood
Four humours
Strategies to normalise Blood
- Minimise rich foods, meat, alcohol
- Mainly vegetarian diet to cleanse and restore blood (green*, leafy vegetables, bitter greens, beets)
- Dark red, black and blue forest berries
- Blood-moving spices (garlic, ginger)
- Social exercise (dancing, team games)
*Remember chlorophyll molecular structure similar to haemoglobin
Four humours
Characteristics of yellow bile
- Relates to Fire
- Affinity with Summer
- Hot and Dry
- Represents Fire of Digestion*
- Heat of metabolism
- Physical activity
- Action-oriented people
- ‘Produced’ in the gall bladder
*transformation of raw materials
Four humours
Yellow bile out of balance
- Excess can lead to hot/dry consitution#
- Red skin
- Skin eruptions, eczema, psoriasis
- Febrile (physical fevers and state of mind:)
- Indigestion, dyspepsia, heartburn, ulcers
- Sleeplessness
- Irritability, anger, frustration
- Cravings (excitement, drugs, alcohol when bored)
Four humours
Strategies to normalise yellow bile
- Cooling foods and juices
- Salads and raw foods
- Avoiding unhealthy fats
- Maintain fluids, correct hydration
- Bitter tonics (release bile, cool digestion)
- Calming exercise, deep breathing
- Eating in calm atmosphere (not close to bedtime)
Four humours
Characteistics of phlegm
- Relates to water
- Affinity to autumn
- Cold and moist
- Clear fluids of the body (plasma, cerebrospinal fluid, synovial fluid, mucous and serous exudations of respiratory, urinary and reproductive tracts)
- Functions: lubricate, nourish, moisten, flush out toxins (lymphatic system)
- Is ‘produced’ in brain and lungs
Four humours
Phlegm out of balance
- Cold, wet conditions (excess mucous/catarrh, common cold)
- Water retention/oedema
- Lymphatic stagnation
- Slow metabolism, hypo-function of adrenals and thyroid
- Disturbed water balance (as a result of sluggish digestion)
- Stagnation: cysts and tumours
- Arthritis: thickening of synovial fluid
Four humours
Strategies to normalise phlegm
- Avoid foods that weaken digestive fire (cucumbers, melons, dairy, cold drinks, sugars, starches)
- Include stimulating, drying foods (pungent: cayenne, garlic, black pepper, ginger)
- Fennel seed, cardamon, fenugreek, milk thistle act on liver to produce less phlegm
- Warming, drying expectorants to remove thick accummulations (pleurisy root)
Four humours
Characteristics of black bile
- Relates to earth
- Affintity to winter
- Cold and dry
- Opposite to blood*
- Associated with pathology and disease
- Is ‘produced’ in the spleen
*youth and vitality
Four humours
Black bile out of balance (pathologies)
- Accumulations may be difficult to clear, requiring longer treatment
- Melancholy (nervous humour) rises to the head
- Tics, spasms, tremors, nervous exhaustion
- Rheumatism, arthritis, neuromuscular disorders
- Circulatory disease, hardening of the arteries
- Digestive bloating, acidity, regurgitation, constipation
- Itchy, dry skin, psoriasis
Four humours
Strategies to normalise black bile
- Avoid rough, dry or astringent foods (nuts, pulses unless soaked or puréed, nightshades)
- Include blood-building foods (spinach, nettle, leafy greens, dark red berries)
- Include soluble fibre (flaxseeds, high pectin fruits)
- Spicy foods to promote better digestion (fennel, cardamon, cumin, coriander)
Four humours
Herbal strategies to normalise black bile
- Purgative, liver-cleansing: senna, cascara, rhubarb root, barberry bark, wormwood
- Cholagogues and bitters: barberry bark, dandelion root, gentian root, myrhh
- Colonics, enemas, bowel cleansing protocols
- Detoxification protocols
- Nervines: skullcap, St John’s wort, valerian, lavendar
Four temperaments
Who introduced the concept of the four temperaments that are associated with the four humours?
Galen
Four temperaments
What are the characteristics of a sanguine temperament?
- Hopeful
- Courageous
- Youthful
- Naive
Four temperaments
What are the characteristics of a Choleric temperament?
- Firey
- Quick to anger
- Forceful
- Proactive
Four temperaments
What are the characteristics of a Melancholic temperament?
- Despondent
- Sleepless
- Reflective
Four temperaments
What are the characteristics of a Phlegmatic temperament?
- Calm
- Unemotional
- Philosophical
Four humours
Four humours
What are the states that could exist between the humours?
- Dyscrasia was the term used to refer to imbalance, which caused disease.
- Eucrasia was the desired state of harmony and balance in the humours.
- Plethora referred to an excess of any humour
Four humours
What lifestyle issues also need to be in balance for good health?
- Fresh air
- Exercise
- Sleeping and waking
- Food and drink
- Excretion
- Passions and emotions
Which Middle Eastern system of medicine is closely related to humoural medicine?
Unani Tibb
