kidney health series

Maintaining the health of internal organs in traditional Chinese medicine - Kidney chapter


There are many descriptions in the ``Yellow Emperor's Neijing'' regarding ``Humanity'', and in the ``must-read'' section of the medical sect, it advocates the viewpoint that ``Humanity must first come to life, and life must come to life immediately.''

Normally, the importance of organs such as the heart and brain is obvious, but why do we think of the feet first in transmigration?

Generally speaking, from a modern medical perspective, the kidneys have functions such as excreting metabolites and regulating endocrine, but their importance has not reached the level where they can immediately save lives. yeah.

However, it should be noted here that the definition of "kidney" in Chinese medicine and Western medicine is different. In the Yellow Emperor's Inner Classic, the kidneys are referred to as the "place of the essence, the main bone," and are considered to be the engine of life, and are also referred to as the "book of the innate." In Chinese medicine, the kidneys are an expression of function; they store energy, control water, accept qi, form bones, and produce the skull; they are organs of water and fire; are not identical to the kidneys of

01 Kurosei, main duct reproduction

Essence is the basic substance of human life, is stored in the kidneys, and has two sources. One is innate, inherited from the parents, and is called the innate spirit. The other type is generated from nutrients from food and is called acquired spirit. The innate spirit and the acquired spirit depend on each other and promote each other. The innate spirit depends on the supply and cultivation of the acquired spirit to perform its functions. Both are attached to the kidneys and are supplied to meet the body's growth, development, and reproductive needs.

The energy in the kidneys gradually grows from childhood, and in adolescence, the energy in the kidneys becomes active, leading to menstruation in women and semen in men. Afterwards, when the energy of the kidneys is enriched, the body develops healthily and fertility is strengthened.

02 Main water, manage water metabolism

The kidneys are the main organs that manage fluid metabolism in the body, regulating the distribution of fluids within the body and the excretion of waste fluids. Therefore, the kidneys are called water organs. Normally, water passes through the kidneys and remains in the body, with the clean part remaining in the body and the cloudy part becoming urine and being excreted towards the bladder. This entire process is called "gasification" (referring to a series of biometabolic processes). The above effects are the result of the evaporation and oxidation of kidney yang and kidney qi, which play an important role in maintaining the balance of water metabolism in the body. Therefore, if kidney yang deficiency or oxidation abnormalities disrupt the balance of water metabolism, symptoms such as edema and difficulty urinating may occur. Additionally, if your kidney qi is weak, you may not be able to change qi and water, leading to symptoms of increased urination.

In fact, in clinical practice, some hydrops may be treated from renal supplementation. For example, for yang deficiency dropsy, Chinese medicine has a typical prescription called Zhenwu Tang, which includes drugs with yang supplementing effects such as Fuzi and ginger.

03 Main bone, manage your memory

The kidneys store energy, and energy produces the skull. This includes the spinal cord and bone marrow. Because the spinal cord communicates with the brain and fills the brain, it is said that ``the kidneys produce the bone marrow, and the kidneys control the bones.'' If the kidney energy is abundant, the bones and brain will be full, the person will be full of vitality, the ears will be sharp, the eyes will be bright, the bones will be strong, and the movements will be agile. On the other hand, when kidney energy is insufficient, the brain does not fill up and the bone marrow becomes empty, causing tinnitus in the head, amnesia and hearing loss, bone weakness and lack of strength, delayed craniotomy in infants, and failure of intellectual development. symptoms may appear. There is also a saying that ``teeth are excess bones,'' and if teeth tend to loosen and fall out early, the main cause is a lack of energy in the kidneys. The condition of your hairline is also related to the rise and fall of kidney energy and blood nourishment.

The theories of Chinese medicine have been confirmed by modern scientific research to be reasonable. For example, ``the kidneys control bones'' has been proven to be effective in treating osteoporosis, but for chronic diseases such as osteoporosis, it should be done slowly and without haste. need to be addressed.

04 Breathing in cooperation with the main qi and lungs

The kidneys are the main organs that store qi, and the function of the kidneys refers to the function of the kidneys to fix the qi inhaled by the lungs. Breathing is led by the lungs, and the Qi inhaled by the lungs is collected by the kidneys and used throughout the body. Therefore, normal breathing is the result of cooperation and harmony between the lungs and kidneys. If the kidneys are full and properly stored, breathing will be deep, long, and even. When kidney qi is insufficient, storage is insufficient and symptoms such as shallow breathing and frequent asthma occur. This is called ``肾無䰔''.

Many patients with lung diseases have weak lungs for a long time. When treating such lung diseases in Chinese medicine, we usually approach the lungs from the ankles, and there are several supplements that are effective in supporting lung function. Alternatively, there are Chinese medicines that can supplement both the lungs and the feet.

05 The ears are opened, “the feet and ears hear the five tones”

The energy of the kidneys passes through the ear holes, and the hearing of the ears is closely related to the rise and fall of the energy of the kidneys. When the kidney energy is full, the sense of hearing becomes sharp. A lack of kidney energy can cause symptoms such as tinnitus and hearing loss. Therefore, clinically, debilitating tinnitus and hearing loss are generally associated with kidney problems. However, actual medical conditions require knowledgeable treatment, and traditional Chinese medicine is characterized by its holistic and knowledgeable perspective.

06 Kidney controls two types of excretion

The formation of urine fluid is the result of the evaporative action of the kidneys and is controlled by the kidneys, although storage and excretion are dependent on the bladder. The regulation of stool is also related to the evaporative function of the kidneys. Therefore, if the kidneys are weakened and the vaporization is abnormal, symptoms such as urinary frequency, enuresis, urinary leakage, urinary insufficiency, decreased urinary output, urinary retention, fecal obstruction or irregular sliding may occur.

07 The flower is in the hair, and “the legs and hair see blood.”

Whether your kidney energy is full or not can be reflected in your hair. Hair growth and shedding, shine and dryness are determined by the fullness of the kidney essence and the nourishment of the blood. That's why there is a saying that ``hair is leftover blood''. The reason why black sesame seeds and he shuyu can make your hair black is because these medicines can replenish the kidneys and replenish the seminal blood. However, it does not apply to everyone. This is due to individual differences.

Kidneys are the innate basis, the origin of life, the basis of growth, reproduction and survival of the human body, and maintain normal water metabolism, biochemical vitality, respiratory movement, and hematopoiesis in the body. This is a fundamental guarantee. In the ``Submon/Reilan Mystery Theory,'' it is written that ``the person of the kidney, the official of strength, and the appearance of skill.'' The kidneys are like energetic, strong, and powerful officials, and it is from here that human wisdom and skill are born. Therefore, the role of the kidneys is very important.

Relationship between kidneys and five organs

cardiorenal intercourse

The heart and kidneys are mutually dependent and constrain each other. Based on the attributes of yin and yang, the mind is located at the top of the body and belongs to yang, and among the five elements, it belongs to fire. On the other hand, the kidneys are located in the lower half of the body and belong to Yin, and among the five elements, they belong to Water. In normal physiological conditions, the heart yang continues to descend, the kidney yin continues to rise, the upper and lower intersect, and the yin and yang complement each other. This normal relationship of mutual support and mutual restraint is called ``heart and kidney, mutual communication'' or ``water, fire, and cooperation.''

Spleen and kidney support

The kidneys are the innate root, and the spleen is the acquired root. There is a relationship that says, ``The born gives birth to the born, and the born feeds the born.'' The healthy functioning of the spleen and qi depends on the warmth of the kidney yang, and the kidney energy also depends on the spleen's transformation of water grain essence. Furthermore, the spleen is in charge of transport and transport of water, while the kidneys are in charge of water metabolism. These two must cooperate and complete the water metabolic process. Therefore, the relationship between the spleen and kidneys physiologically feeds and promotes each other. In Chinese medicine, this is called ``spleen and kidney mutual assistance.''

Hepatorenal homogeny

The relationship between the liver and kidneys is primarily a mutualistic relationship between essence and blood. In Chinese medicine, the liver stores blood and the kidneys store energy. In the five elements, the liver is wood, the kidneys are water, and the blood in the liver is produced by the essence of the kidneys. Metaplasia of the liver blood depends on the aspiration of the essence in the kidneys. The abundance of energy in the kidneys also depends on the nourishment of the blood. In Chinese medicine, this is called "liver and kidney same origin" or "semen blood same origin."

lung-kidney mutualism

The lungs belong to metal, and the kidneys belong to water. The gold in the lungs produces the water in the kidneys, and the two have a mother-son relationship. The kidneys are in charge of water, raising clear water and lowering cloudy water. The lungs, on the other hand, are the upper source of water, producing wind, cooling, and water supply. The lungs and kidneys cooperate and are interdependent in their water metabolic functions. Furthermore, the lungs control breathing, and the kidneys contain Qi. These two organs have the function of coordinating the flow of Qi in and out of the body. In Chinese medicine, this is called "lung-kidney mutualism."