TCM week 2 Flashcards
earth element
-organs
-secretion
-emotion
-smells
-flavour
-sound
-sense
-seasons
-climate
-timing
Spleen & Stomach Meridians
Saliva is the secretion
Pensiveness and worry are the emotions
Fragrant is the odor
Sweet is the flavor
Emotional sound is Singing
Illness sound is Swallowing
Sense is Taste
Season is Late summer or the last 2 weeks of every season
Climate is Moist and Thunderous
Stomach: 7 - 9am,
Spleen: 9 – 11am
spleen organ functions (6)
Governs Transformation and Transportation
Controls the blood
Controls the muscles and the 4 limbs
Opens into the mouth, and manifests in the lips
Controls the ‘raising of Qi’
House the Yi (Intellect)
how does spleen govern transformation and transportation
Receives Food Qi from the Stomach and converts it into Food Essence
Important for digestion and production of Qi and Blood
Send Clear fluids to the Lungs, and Turbid fluids to the Small Intestine
spleen - transform and transport
what happens to food qi it gets from stomach
food qi from stomach into food essence
send clear fluid to lungs and turbid fluids to SI
what can a dysfunction in spleen lead to in regards to transformation and transportation
dampness/phlegm accumulation
what does spleen do to control blood
raise qi
how does spleen control the blood
Keeps Blood within the vessels
Uses ‘raising of Qi’ function to accomplish this task
“Control” also refers to Spleen’s assistance in making Blood
Uses ‘transformation and transportation’ function to accomplish this task
how does spleen control muscles and 4 limbs? via what does it do this?
via food qi
Qi extracted from the food gets sent to the muscles of the limbs to assist their functioning
Weak Food-Qi extraction leads to poor muscle functioning, which can lead to weak muscles and/or atrophy
signs on lips of spleen dysfunction
dry, red, pale, or swollen lips
how does spleen open into the mouth and manifest in the lips
Chewing of food to prepare it for transformation
Saliva is also controlled by the Spleen and is important in aiding digestion
Taste is also controlled by Spleen and assists in digestion
Changes in the lip color and texture resemble the state of the Spleen
where does spleen send qi
sends refined qi up to lung and heart
“raising of qi”
where does spleen send yang fluids to
upwards to be used by sense organs and be released from nose and mouth
what does stomach do to qi
descending of qi
stomach vs spleen effect on qi
stomach descends and spleen goes upward
how does spleen prevent prolapse and herniation of organs
raising qi
spleen and raising of qi
Sending refined Qi upwards to the Lung and Heart
Also sends Yang fluids upwards to be used by sense organs and be released from nose and mouth
Works closely with Stomach’s function of ‘descending Qi’
“Raising” also implies keeping organs in their place to prevent prolapse or herniation
what does spleen house?
yi (intellect)
spleen and housing the intellect
Thinking, studying, focusing, memorizing, concentrating, and generating ideas.
Closely connected to Shen (heart) and Zhi (kidneys)
Pensiveness or brooding negatively affects the Yi
what are the 3 conditions that can come from spleen qi deficiency
- spleen yang deficiency
- spleen qi sinking
- spleen failing to control blood
STOMACH ORGAN FUNCTIONS (5)
Controls ‘receiving’
Responsible for “Rotting” and “Ripening”
Controls transportation of Food Essences
Controls descending of Qi
Origin of Fluids
how does stomach control receiving
Related to food and drink arriving and staying in the stomach for processing
“Sea of Qi and Blood and of Food Drink”
Dysfunction may lead to poor appetite and/or rebellious Qi
how is the stomach responsible for rotting and ripening
Prepares the food for extraction by breaking it down, which makes it easier for the Spleen to transform and transport
Similar to a cauldron
“If there is Stomach-Qi there is life, if there is no Stomach-Qi, there is death”
how does stomach control transportation of food essences
Identical to Spleen’s function of transportation to the 4 limbs
A difference is that Stomach’s function will have an affect on the pulse quality
Stomach Qi can also affect tongue coating
which way does stomach move qi
down
what assists stomach in the descending of qi
liver qi
where does stomach send qi to
small intestine for further seperation
stomach and the descending of qi
Sends down to Small Intestine for further separation
Also works with Spleen’s ‘ascending’ function
Assisted by Liver Qi
Dysfunction may lead to stagnation of Qi in the Stomach
how much fluid does stomach like
like wet, dont like dry
stomach and the origin of fluids
Fluids are required for rotting and ripening
Stomach ensures that fluids which are not used to produce food essences are used to produce body fluids
The Stomach likes wet and dislikes dry
