09/24/2021
The Five vital substances of the body are Qi, Blood, Spirit, Essence and Body Fluids. These vital substances are part of a yin-yang system to determine a diagnosis.
☯️TCM practitioners look at their patients to determine a diagnosis for treatment using a yin-yang system. The balance of this yin-yang system should work in harmony. When it does so, the body is healthy, otherwise, we experience illness.
These 5 substances play a vital role in warming, protecting, containing, transforming and moving functions within the mind-body.
✔️Qi is the most fundamental substance and is translated as the “life force” energy that flows through our body, meridians, and organs. If Qi is obstructed it can result in deficiencies which can result in pain and illness. It flows within our blood.
✔️Xue (Blood) is the liquid “life force” that is used to nourish our muscles, bones, organs. Blood circulates throughout the whole body much like Qi but it is fluid. Blood and Qi and flow together. Blood is created and transformed from our food. If Blood is stagnated or deficient, then anxiety, insomnia, irritability or fatigue may be experienced.
✔️Body Fluids nourish our skin, muscles, brain and organs. It comes from our food and drink, especially our water. Our kidneys and lungs help with water dispersion and metabolism. Without enough Body Fluids, you may experience poor skin conditions and dryness.
✔️Spirit/Shen is stored in the Heart and supplies our mind. It is part of our emotional wellbeing, consciousness and thought processes and is nourished by Blood. Imbalances such as anxiety, depression and insomnia may show a lack of spirit. We create harmony within the body with our Spirit. The Heart is the governor of all organs and your heart stores your Spirit. Without Spirit, the rest of your body is lustless and lacks motivation.
✔️Essence/Jing is responsible for your physical being and your innate soul of a person akin to the DNA you get from your parent). It is located within the kidneys and circulates through eight major pathways. It is a big part of the reproduction and ageing process. Jing regulates development and growth.
TCM is simple yet so complex.
