Lecture 8: KI/BL Patterns & Food Therapy Flashcards
What are the five primary functions of the Kidney?
- Stores essence
- Governs water
- Rules mingmen
- Controls reception of qi
- Houses will power
Talk about the Kidney’s function of storing essence.
- Governs birth, develoment, reproduction, sexuality and aging
- Kidney essence produces marrow, substance that form brain and is transformed into bone marrow
Talk about Kidney’s function of governing water.
- Production and movement of body fluids
- Responsible for discharge of fluids along with help from bladder
Talk about the Kidney’s function of ruling Mingmen.
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
Talk about the kidney’s function of controlling the reception of qi.
- 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
Talk about the Kidney’s function of storing will power. State of strong vs weak will power.
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.
What are three other important functions of the Kidney?
1.
What happens if there is too much KI energy?
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.
What is the function of the bladder?
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.
What behaviour may present if Kidney wisdom is compromised? Bladder?
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.
General Etiology of Kidney Patterns
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).
KI Qi Xu Etiology
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).
KI Qi Xu Dietary Therapy
Temperature: Neutral, Warm sometimes hot
Cooking: Warming - grilled, fried, baked
Flavour: Neutral-warm sweet, neutral-warm pungent, neutral-warm salty
KI Qi Xu Dietary Avoidances
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
KI Qi Xu
POT
2 Foods for Exam
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)
Kidney Yin Xu Etiology
- Heredity
- Emotions - fear, anxiety, worry
- Excessive sexual activity
- Chronic illness
- Febrile disease, EPF
- Overwork, esp. mental overwork
- Loss of blood
- Loss of body fluids
- Improper treatment. eg. overdose of Chinese herbs (eg. ginseng to boost energy)
Kidney Yin Xu Dietary Therapy
Thermal nature: Neutral, Cool
Cooking methods: Cooling - blanching, steaming
Flavours: neutral-cool sweet, neutral-cool sour, neutral-cool salty
Kidney Yin Xu Food Examples
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
Kidney Yin Xu Dietary Avoidances
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
Kidney Yin Xu
POT?
2 Foods for Exam
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)
Kidney Yin Xu
Lifestyle Suggestions
- 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
Kidney Yin Xu Lifestyle Avoidances
- 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