Lecture 8: KI/BL Patterns & Food Therapy

Question 1

What are the five primary functions of the Kidney?

Answer 1

1. Stores essence
2. Governs water
3. Rules mingmen
4. Controls reception of qi
5. Houses will power

Question 2

Talk about the Kidney’s function of storing essence.

Answer 2

• Governs birth, develoment, reproduction, sexuality and aging
• Kidney essence produces marrow, substance that form brain and is transformed into bone marrow

Question 3

Talk about Kidney’s function of governing water.

Answer 3

• Production and movement of body fluids
• Responsible for discharge of fluids along with help from bladder

Question 4

Talk about the Kidney’s function of ruling Mingmen.

Answer 4

Mingmen: fire of life, root of original qi, source of fire for all internal organs

• Warms lower burner and bladder, ST/SP to aid digestions
• Harmonizes sexual function
• Warms essence and uterus
• Assists kidney’s reception of qi
• Assists heart in housing the mind

Question 5

Talk about the kidney’s function of controlling the reception of qi.

Answer 5

• Controls receptions of air, Qing qi
• Lung and Kidney work together
• Lung sends essence and qi into kidneys, KI holds and grasps qi down, if not it will escape upward and there will be breathlessness

Question 6

Talk about the Kidney’s function of storing will power. State of strong vs weak will power.

Answer 6

Will power (Zhi) – KI determine willpower, includes determination, enthusiasm, spirit of initiative, steadfastness, ability to focus and pursue goals in a single-minded way. Also includes memory and recall.

If KI are weak, will power will be lacking, mind easily discouraged and swayed from its aims, motivation lacking

Important aspects of mental depression are associated here. Tonifying KI will offer a good result.

Question 7

What are three other important functions of the Kidney?

Answer 7

1.

Question 8

What happens if there is too much KI energy?

Answer 8

Trick question: You cannot have too much KI energy! The idea is to tap in and use it wisely.

All about conserving and utilizing resources with wisdom, resources inherited at birth. If KI not functioning properly we may squander these resources.

Question 9

What is the function of the bladder?

Answer 9

Receives turbid fluids from SI and kidneys, stores and then discharges them in the form of urine.

Bladder works in harmony with Kidney. Role is to mediate utilization of these resources, reservoir that holds these resources and doesn’t let too much dissipate.

Question 10

What behaviour may present if Kidney wisdom is compromised? Bladder?

Answer 10

If KI wisdom is compromised it may present as paranoia, secretive behaviour.

BL may manifest as anxiety d/t overstimulation of nervous system on mind.

Question 11

General Etiology of Kidney Patterns

Answer 11

Heredity: Prenatal Jing/Ancestral (Yuan) Qi of each individual is formed at the moment of conception from a combination of the parents’ Jing, both in general, and especially at conception. If parents had unhealthy or weak Jing (perhaps also inherited), or if conception occurred when they were too old or exhausted, the offspring could have a weak constitution.

Emotions: The Kidneys in Five Element theory correspond to Water, which is associated with fear, anxiety, and shock. Fear descends Qi. Kidney rules the two lower orifices, control of which is often lost during bouts of extreme fear. Fear in children can cause enuresis. In adults, fear (anxiety/worry) tends to deplete the Yin of the Kidneys and cause Kidney Yin Deficiency that may lead to Heart Yin Deficiency.

Excessive Sexual Activity: Weakens Kidney energy, especially in men, since ejaculation depletes Kidney Jing. The Heart is directly related to Kidneys in that they mutually support and nourish each other. Therefore, weak Kidneys can weaken the Heart. Conversely, Deficient Heart Qi from sadness and/or anxiety can weaken Kidneys causing impotence, frigidity, inability to have orgasm.

Chronic Disease: Most chronic disease eventually weakens the Kidneys, causing Deficiency of Kidney Yin or Yang.

Aging: Kidney Jing declines with age

Physical Overwork: Weakens Kidney Yang

Mental Overwork: Weakens Kidney Yin (very common in Western culture).

Question 12

KI Qi Xu Etiology

Answer 12

Heredity: Prenatal Jing/Ancestral (Yuan) Qi being weak

Emotions: The Kidneys in Five Element theory correspond to Water, which is associated with fear, anxiety, and shock. Fear descends Qi.

Excessive Sexual Activity: Weakens Kidney energy,

Chronic Disease: Most chronic disease eventually weakens the Kidneys, causing Deficiency of Kidney Yin or Yang.

Aging: Kidney Jing declines with age

Physical Overwork: Weakens Kidney Yang

Mental Overwork: Weakens Kidney Yin (very common in Western culture).

Question 13

KI Qi Xu Dietary Therapy

Answer 13

Temperature: Neutral, Warm sometimes hot

Cooking: Warming - grilled, fried, baked

Flavour: Neutral-warm sweet, neutral-warm pungent, neutral-warm salty

Question 14

KI Qi Xu Dietary Avoidances

Answer 14

Temperature: Cool, Cold

Cooking: Cooling

Flavours: Sour, Excess bitter (is a qi tonic but can drain too much heat)

Avoid excessive intake of thermally cold food, raw foods, too much dairy, too many tropical fruits, frozen foods, denaturalized foods, canned foods, or ice-cold beverages.

Bitter Melon, Brown sugar, Butter, Cereal Grass, Chard, Cheese, Clam, Coffee, Citrus, Milk, Crab, Grapefruit, Kiwi, Mung bean, Nori, Octopus, Salt, Seaweed, Spinach, Water Chestnut, Watermelon

Question 15

KI Qi Xu

POT

2 Foods for Exam

Answer 15

POT:

• Tonify KI Qi

Walnut:

• Warm
• Sweet; Bitter
• Tonifies KI Qi
• (Strengthens Lung Qi and Kidney Yan as well)

Cod:

• Warm
• Sweet; Salty
• Strengthens KI Qi
• (Strengthens ST Qi)

Question 16

Kidney Yin Xu Etiology

Answer 16

1. Heredity
2. Emotions - fear, anxiety, worry
3. Excessive sexual activity
4. Chronic illness
5. Febrile disease, EPF
6. Overwork, esp. mental overwork
7. Loss of blood
8. Loss of body fluids
9. Improper treatment. eg. overdose of Chinese herbs (eg. ginseng to boost energy)

Question 17

Kidney Yin Xu Dietary Therapy

Answer 17

Thermal nature: Neutral, Cool

Cooking methods: Cooling - blanching, steaming

Flavours: neutral-cool sweet, neutral-cool sour, neutral-cool salty

Question 18

Kidney Yin Xu Food Examples

Answer 18

Black sesame seeds (especially for constipation)

Apple, Black Bean, Barley, Blueberry, Caviar, Chinese Cabbage, Citrus juice, Corn, Cucumber, Goose, Ghee, Green tea, Hemp seed, Kale, Kidney bean, Mulberry, Mung Bean, Orange, Pear, Pork (defatted soup), Tomato, Spelt, Spinach, Water Chestnut Congee, Yogurt

Question 19

Kidney Yin Xu Dietary Avoidances

Answer 19

AVOID

Temperature: Warm to Hot

Cooking Methods: Warming (eg. frying, barbecuing)

Flavours: Warm-Hot Pungent, Warm-Hot Bitter, Excess salt

Food Examples: Alcohol, Black tea, Coffee, Cayenne, Cinnamon, Cloves, Garlic, Chili Pepper, Leek, Lamb

Question 20

Kidney Yin Xu

POT?

2 Foods for Exam

Answer 20

POT:

• Tonify KI Yin

Black Soybean:

• Neutral
• Sweet
• Strengthens KI Yin
• Supplements SP and KI

Pistachio:

• Neutral
• Sweet, Bitter, Sl. sour
• Tonifies Kidney Yin
• (Moistens Lung and skin)
• (Nourishes liver yin)
• (Purifies blood)

Question 21

Kidney Yin Xu

Lifestyle Suggestions

Answer 21

• Eat animal products in small amounts
• Drink plenty of fluids
• Eat congees as they are cooling, demulcent and tonifying
• Take time out to just sit and rest
• Establish good sleep hygiene
• Find proper pacing for activities to maintain energy reserves
• Try to find a good work and life balance
• Gentle exercise like walking
• Find restorative practices like yoga, tai chi, meditation
• Aloe vera gel or colloidal silver if parasites are an issue

Question 22

Kidney Yin Xu Lifestyle Avoidances

Answer 22

• Avoid excessive sexual activity
• Avoid excessive physical exercise
• Avoid excessive drug use or medication abuse
• When possible mitigate exposure to extreme emotional situations
• Be especially careful to avoid overwork during menses
• Limit warming foods and avoid extremely hot foods
• Avoid overeating
• Avoid smoking
• Avoid alcohol
• Avoid caffeine

Question 23

Kidney Yin Xu Herbs

Answer 23

• Marshmallow root (Althea officinalis)
• Prepared Rehmannia root
• Mandarin (tian men dong)
• Asparagus root
• Lui Wei Di Huang Wan - Six Ingredient Rehmannia Pill

Question 24

Kidney Yang Xu Etiology

Answer 24

1. Heredity
2. Emotional stress
3. Overwork/over exercise
4. Too much sex
5. Sex during puberty (females)
6. Exposure to cold
7. Cold/raw food, poor diet
8. Chronic illness
9. SP Yang Xu
10. Retention of Dampness in SP

Question 25

Kidney Yang Xu Dietary Therapy

Answer 25

Basically the same as for qi deficiency, but foods with a stronger yang character can be used. _Thermal nature:_ neutral, warming, sometimes hot _Cooking method:_ warming _Flavour_: neutral to warm-sweet; neutral to warm-pungent; neutral to warm-salty; occasionally also hot

Question 26

Kidney Yang Xu Dietary Avoidances

Answer 26

_Temperature_: Cool, Cold _Cooking Methods_: Cooling eg. steaming, salting (pickling in brine) _Flavours_: Sour, Bitter, Excessive salt _Food Examples:_ Asparagus, Banana, Clam, Coffee, Dandelion, Grapefruit, Lemon, Lettuce, Lime, Peppermint * Thermally cold or cool foods, raw foods, ice water * Sugar * Alcohol * Juices like orange juice or tropical fruit juice * Sour milk products * Excess liquid consumption

Question 27

Kidney Yang Xu Food Examples

Answer 27

Spices that warm the kidney yang: Anise seeds, Black peppercorn, Cinnamon bark, Cloves, Fennel, Fenugreek, Ginger (dried) Chicken, Goat, Goat milk, Lamb, Lobster, Salmon, Trout, Venison Onion family Quinoa

Question 28

Kidney Yang Xu POT 2 Foods for Exam

Answer 28

**POT:** * Tonify KI Yang **Quinoa:** * Neutral, Warm * Sweet, Sour * Tonifies KI Yang * General Qi tonic * Targets SP, ST, BL **Venison:** * Warm * Sweet, Pungent * Tonifies KI Yang * Strengthens Qi, Blood and Yang

Question 29

Kidney Yang Xu Lifestyle Suggestions

Answer 29

* *Jin Gui Shen Qi Wan* - Golden Chest Kidney-Qi Pill * Eat substantial warming breakfast (porridge) * Eat at least one or two warm meals daily (soups/stews) are beneficial. * Stay warm and bundled up if going in the cold * Take warming baths, saunas * Moderate exercise * Be very careful with overwork * Take enough rest * Good work/life balance * Careful with emotional strain, find ways to mitigate negative emotions

Question 30

Kidney Yang Xu Lifestyle Avoidances

Answer 30

* Avoid cold and raw food * Avoid excessive sexual activity * Avoid overwork * Avoid alcohol and durgs * Avoid coffee * Careful with prescription medications * Avoid too much exposure to cold and damp * Try to protect agains illness or EPF invasion

Question 31

KI Failing to Receive Qi Etiology

Answer 31

* This is a type of Yang Xu * Too much work/physical exercise esp. during puberty * LU Qi Xu * Phlegm will aggravate

Question 32

Kidney Failing to Receive Qi POT 2 Foods for Exam

Answer 32

**POT:** * Tonify Kidney Yang * Tonify Lung Qi **Walnut:** * Warm * Sweet; Bitter * Tonifies Kidney and Lung * Strengthens Kidney Qi * Moistens lung **Quinoa:** * Neutral, Warm * Sweet; Sour * Tonifies Kidney Yang * General Qi tonic * Targets SP/ST/BL

Question 33

KI Qi Not Firm Etiology

Answer 33

General factors for KI Deficiency but especially these factors: * Too much sex (males) * Many childbirths close together (females) * Too much physical work * Chronic SP Yang Xu

Question 34

KI Qi Not Firm Dietary Therapy

Answer 34

This is essentially KI Qi Xu plus SP Yang Xu _Temperature_: Neutral, Warm sometimes hot _Cooking_: Warming - roasting, smoking, searing _Flavours_: Neutral-warm sweet, neutral-warm pungent, neutral-warm salty occasionally hot

Question 35

KI Qi Not Firm Dietary Avoidances

Answer 35

_Temperature_: Cool, Cold _Cooking_: Cooling - blanching, steaming, salting **_Flavour_**s: Sour, Excess bitter Avoid excessive intake of thermally cold food, raw foods, too much dairy, too many tropical fruits, frozen foods, denaturalized foods, canned foods, or ice-cold beverages. Bitter Melon, Brown sugar, Butter, Cereal Grass, Chard, Cheese, Clam, Coffee, Citrus, Milk, Crab, Grapefruit, Kiwi, Mung bean, Nori, Octopus, Salt, Seaweed, Spinach, Water Chestnut, Watermelon

Question 36

KI Qi Not Firm POT 2 Foods for Exam

Answer 36

**POT:** * Tonify KI Qi * Tonify KI Yang * Tonify SP Yang **Lamb:** * Warm/Hot * Sweet; Bitter * Increases qi and blood * Strengthens KI Yang * Strengthens SP Yang **Mussel:** * Warm * Sweet; Salty * Strengthens KI Qi and Yang * (Strengthens LV Yang)

Question 37

KI Essence Xu Etiology

Answer 37

**Heredity**: Prenatal Jing/Ancestral (Yuan) Qi being weak **Emotions**: The Kidneys in Five Element theory correspond to Water, which is associated with fear, anxiety, and shock. Fear descends Qi. **Excessive Sexual Activity**: Weakens Kidney energy, **Chronic Disease:** Most chronic disease eventually weakens the Kidneys, causing Deficiency of Kidney Yin or Yang. **Aging**: Kidney Jing declines with age **Physical Overwork**: Weakens Kidney Yang **Mental Overwork**: Weakens Kidney Yin (very common in Western culture). Especially: * Stress, fear, insecurity * Overwork * Heredity * KI Yin and/or Yang Xu * Too much sex * Prolonged blood loss (menses eg.) * Too many children close together * Liver Blood Xu * Toxins in food and water, heavy metals * Intoxicants like alcohol and drugs * Excessive sweet-flavoured food * Too much dietary protein

Question 38

KI Essence Xu Dietary Therapy

Answer 38

It is assumed that Yin and Yang are equally Deficient, and there are no additional Signs of Heat or Cold, (never happens in clinical practice). Would have to adjust depending on whether there are heat or cold signs but otherwise: _Temperature:_ Neutral, balance of cool and warm _Cooking:_ Neutral, balance of cooling and warming _Flavours:_ Sweet, Pungent, Sour, Salty Avoid: Bitter (use caution) Use dietary advice for both yin and yang xu

Question 39

KI Essence Xu POT Foods for Exam

Answer 39

**POT:** * Tonify essence/jing * Tonify KI Yin * Tonify KI Yang * Tonify KI Qi * Tonify SP Qi * Tonify LV Qi (Spleen-pancreas and liver energy important for digestive fire to assimilate nutrients) **Chicken:** * Warm * Sweet * Strengthens jing essence * Tonifies qi generally, including SP/ST * Enters SP/ST and KI channels **Mussel:** * Warm * Salty * Strengthens Jing Essence * Strengthen Kidney Qi * Strengthens Kidney Yang * Strengthens Liver Qi and Yang

Question 40

KI Essence Xu Lifestyle Suggestions

Answer 40

* Eat easily digestible foods. Congees and soups are good. Sprouted foods * Supplement with organic minerals. Some of the richest and moste complete sources are seaweeds such as kelp, kombu and wakame, micro-algae, cereal grasses * Make changes gradually in terms of diet and excercise and lifestyle in general * Include jing-nurturing tonics such as royal jelly, bee pollen, processed rehmannia, bone broth * If eating dairy choose high quality fermented dairy products * Use Ginkgo biloba in cases of senility * In cases of thinnes and dyrness choose moistening foods - millet, barley, tofu, black soybeans, mung beans, seaweed, wheat germ, sesame and flax.

Question 41

KI Essence Xu Lifestyle Avoidances

Answer 41

* Avoid overeating * Do not eat late at night * Avoid sudden extreme diet changes * Avoid weakening foods, especially refined sugar * Restrict cooling foods * Avoid cofee * Avoid alcohol and drugs * Limit salt intake * Avoid raw fruits and vegetables unless there are also heat and excess symptoms * Avoid too much protein, especially hard to digest meats * Avoid prolonged use of very hot spices

Question 42

Damp Heat in Bladder Etiology

Answer 42

This is an Interior Excess Heat pattern. 1. Exposure to exterior Dampness which can penetrate the Bladder from below. 2. Dampness builds up in the Lower Burner (as a result of Kidney and/or Spleen Yang deficiency), which then combines with interior Heat. 3. Heat can arise after long-standing stagnation of Dampness itself, or from another interior Heat condition. 4. SP Qi Xu (dietary or lifestyle avoidances) 5. KI Yang Xu 6. Emotions specifically jealousy, suspicion

Question 43

Damp Heat in Bladder Dietary Therapy

Answer 43

_Temperature:_ Cool, Cold _Cooking_: Cooling - blanching, steaming, salting, boiling in plentiful water _Flavours:_ cool-bitter, cool-salty, sometimes cool-pungent and cool-sweet Need bitter, cool, alkalizing foods: aduki beans, lima beans, celery, winter squash, asparagus, mushrooms

Question 44

Damp Heat in Bladder Dietary Avoidances

Answer 44

_Temperature:_ Warm, Hot _Cooking_: Warming - deep fry, frying, grilling, barbecue _Flavours_: Sour, Hot or excess pungent, Hot or excess sweet

Question 45

Damp Heat in Bladder POT 2 Foods for Exam

Answer 45

**POT:** * Clear Heat in UB Channel * Resolve Damp * Tonify KI Yang (refer to KI slides) * Tonify SP Qi/Yang **Kiwi:** * Cold * Sweet; Sour * Clears Heat * Enters Stomach and UB channels * Drains damp * (Harmonizes Stomach) * (Reverses Counter-flow qi) **Watercress:** * Cool * Sweet; Pungent; Bitter * Clears heat * Drains damp * Enters LU, ST and UB channels * (Moves blood) * (Moistens lungs)

Question 46

Damp Heat in Bladder Lifestyle Suggestions Herbs

Answer 46

* Cranberry juice * Uva ursi, dandelion leaf tea, pipsissewa * Ba Zhen San - Eight Upright Powder * Protect yourself from exterior dampness * Regulate eating habits * Find mechanisms to regulate stress * Find ways to release negative emotions * eg. Journaling * eg. Counseling * Get regular exercise * Find work-life balance

Question 47

Damp Heat in BL Lifestyle Avoidances

Answer 47

* Avoid smoking * Avoid alcohol and drugs * Avoid eating too much meat * Caution with prescription meds * Avoid eating too much at once * Avoid eating while worrying * Avoid rushed eating * Avoid fried, greasy, fatty foods especially * Avoid too much raw or difficult to digest food * Avoid dairy * Limit or eliminate caffeine * Avoid exposure to pathogenic heat, whether through diet or climate

Question 48

Damp Cold in Bladder Etiology

Answer 48

* Usually caused by excessive exposure to exterior dampness and cold. * EPF Cold invasion esp during menstruation for women (keep LV channel and lower dan tian warm) * Too much physical exercise esp. lifting * KI Yang Xu * SP Qi Xu leading to dampness * KI Qi Not Firm * Emphasis on BL symptoms for damp-cold (burning urination, frequent urination, hesitant) Etiology of SP Qi Xu is relevant as it is often a precursor: **Improper diet:** Excessive cold and raw foods, irregular eating, too much or too little and not enough protein **Mental strain:** Excessive thinking over a long time. Discussing work or studies over lunch. **Climate:** prolonged exposure to damp weather or damp house **Chronic disease**: tends to weaken spleen (Root of Postnatal Jing and hence overworked trying to restore health)

Question 49

Damp Cold in Bladder Dietary Therapy

Answer 49

* Temperature: Neutral, Warm, occasionally hot * Cooking: Warming - baking, long simmering in liquid * Flavours: neutral-warm sweet; neutral-warm pungent; neutral-warm bitter; little bit of salty, occasionally also hot Cranberry juice, flax seed, pipsissew, uva ursi (bearberry), D-mannose, Ba Zhen San (Eight Upright Powder)

Question 50

Damp Cold in Bladder Dietary Avoidances

Answer 50

Temperature: Cool, Cold Cooking: Cooling Flavours: Excess Sour, Excess salty, Excess sweet, Excess bitter Avoid: Raw, damp, cold phlegm forming foods like dairy, clam, crab, tropical fruits, raw vegetables, avoid coffee

Question 51

Damp Cold in Bladder POT 2 Foods for Exam

Answer 51

**POT:** * Resolve dampness * Expel Cold * Tonify KI (refer to KI slide) **Dill:** * Warm * Pungent * Expels cold * Enters SP/ST, KI/BL, LV/GB * Promotes movement of qi * Warms yang **Chives:** * Warm * Pungent * Promotes digestion * Promotes movement of qi

Question 52

Bladder Deficient and Cold equates to what other pattern? Main etiology factors?

Answer 52

Kidney Yang Xu * EPF of Cold esp during mensturation * Too much sex * Overwork/ too much physical exercise

Question 53

What is interstitial cystitis? Symptoms:

Answer 53

Interstitial cystitis (IC), often called painful bladder syndrome, is a tricky condition. ... If there is urinary pain that lasts for more than 6 weeks and is not caused by other conditions like infection or kidney stones, it is likely IC. If bloodwork is done there will be no backteria. * Bladder pressure and pain worse with full bladder * Need to pee often * Pain in lower abdomen, low back, genitals * Pain during sex

Question 54

Incontinence and frequent urination aspect of IC, what pattern?

Answer 54

Sinking of KI Qi

Question 55

Suprapubic pain, feeling of distention symptom of IC, what pattern?

Answer 55

Liver Qi Stagnation

Question 56

What is the main pattern for Interstitial Cystitis?

Answer 56

KI Qi Xu with or without heat