Basic Jin-Ye (Fluid) Concepts

[Guest guest]

Fluid physiology is an often neglected TCM topic in the West. Based on my

own experiences and observations, I suspect that Fluid pathology often is a

factor in some of the more troubling symptoms in chronic health problems.

Symptoms such as some cases of nausea, some cases of blood pressure

irregularities and fainting, some cases of dizziness, edema, etc.

 

From the book Fluid Physiology and Pathology in Traditional

by Steven Clavey, p. 1:

 

" Basic Concepts

 

" Jin-ye

 

" Jin-ye, body fluids, is the general term for all the normal physiological

fluids in the body, including internal fluids which may be secreted by the

zang organs, such as tears, saliva, sweat, normal nasal mucus and Stomach or

Intestinal fluids, and also the fluids which act to moisten the various

tissues within the body, such as the skin, the flesh, the tendons, the bones

and the marrow.

 

" There are three points necessary to remember about jin and ye fluids:

 

" 1. They are substantial (i.e. they are material substances)

 

" 2. They are very sensitive to changes in the state of qi and blood, or

changes in zang-fu functioning, or changes in the environment surrounding

the body

 

" 3. The tree factors qi, blood and body fluids form the only media of

communication between the zang-fu and their related tissues and organs. "

 

For those new to TCM: TCM recognizes some medical concepts that are without

form. For example, Phlegm can be substantial or insubstantial. The Organ

System, the Triple Heater exists in function but not in form. (Later on you

will see that the Triple Heater plays a major role in Fluid physiology in

the body.) But the Jin-Ye are substantial. They have form. They exist

physically.

 

The term Zang-Fu refers to Organs and Bowels in the body. Both Zang and Fu

means " Organ " , but there are differences in the two. The Zang are the

" solid " , aka Yin Organs. They store vital substances. The Zang are the

Liver, the Heart, the Pericardium, the Spleen, the Lungs, and the Kidneys.

 

The Fu are the " hollow " Organs, and they transform food and drink to produce

Blood and Qi. The Fu, aka Yang Organs, are the Gall Bladder, Small

Intestine, Triple Heater, Stomach, Large Intestine, and Bladder. Readers are

reminded that TCM Organs are collections of functions and not just the

anatomical organs recognized by Western medicine. For example the TCM

Organ, the Kidneys, includes not only the kidneys but many of the functions

of the adrenal glands as well as being associated with the ears, hearing,

the bones, and marrow. The Spleen includes not only the spleen but also

many of the functions of the pancreas.

 

Problems with Qi (Deficiency, Stagnation, and in some cases even direction

of the Qi flow will impact on Fluid physiology. So will changes in the

Zang-Fu. So will weather changes in susceptible individuals. A " normal "

example of the last is that people will tend to urinate more in cold weather

than in hot. In hot weather fluids are being lost through sweating. In cold

weather, the only way out for fluids is as urine. (Actually, the TCM

concept of this is a bit more complicated than what is recognized in Western

medicine. One of the symptoms of Internal Deficiency Cold, aka Yang

Deficiency, is that the person will urinate a lot.)

 

In turn, the state of the Fluids in the body (along with Blood and Qi) will

impact on the Organs. A Western example of this is heart rate speeding up in

cases of dehydration. The heart pumps faster in order to move less blood in

order to try to make up for there being less blood.

 

Victoria

 

 

_______________

Send and receive Hotmail on your mobile device: http://mobile.msn.com