The Five Elements and Our Body

In my previous post I stated what are the five elements, In this post we will study how each element is designed to our final goal of holistic healing. If you understand the elements, yin and yang, and the meridian system, diagnostics and healing will be much more fruitful. Like with all aspects of life, we have to start with a good foundation before we can start to put the building blocks together. After this post there will be one more to complete the set.

Wood

The liver corresponds to wood , because it promotes the spreading of qi and blood like the tree spreading out freely in Traditional Chinese medicine. Trees produce green leaves, so green corresponds to wood. Immature fruit, green in color is usually sour, and sourness is related to wood. Trees grow in spring, and the weather in spring is often windy. So spring is the season belonging to wood. The eyes and tendons all belong to wood, because the condition of the liver can be reflected in the eyes, and the liver controls the tendons though the meridians(we will discuss meridians in an upcoming post). Anger is easy to impair the liver, and patients with liver troubles are usually bad tempered. Therefore, among the various emotions, anger is classified into the category of wood.

It is believed that there must be close relationships among the things classified in the same category. Liver, gallbladder, eyes and tendons of the human body all correspond to wood, because they are closely related to each other though meridian.

Fire

The heart corresponds to fire because it circulates blood which carrying energy to the whole body , like fire produce warmth. Fire has red flame, so red corresponds to fire. The burned food tastes little bitter, and bitterness is related to fire. Fire is hot, and the weather in summer is hot. Summer is the season belonging to fire.The tongue and vessel all belong to fire, because the condition of the heart can be reflected in the tongue, and the heart controls the vessel though the meridians. Over-joy is easy to impair the heart-spirit, leading to clinical manifestations such as mental disorder, trouble sleep. Therefore, among the various emotions, joy is related to fire.

Heart, Small intestines, tongue and vessel of the human body all correspond to fire, because they are closely related to each other though meridian.

Earth

The spleen corresponds to earth because it govern transformation and transportation the food and water, produce qi and blood for whole body, just like the earth produce the food and water for us. Earth produce mature food which is yellow in color and very sweet in taste. So yellow and sweet correspond to earth. Late summer is the middle of the seasons, like the earth is in the middle of five elements. And the weather in late summer is rainy. So late summer and moist belong to earth. The mouth and flesh all belong to earth, because the condition of the spleen can be reflected in the mouth, and the spleen controls the flesh though the meridians.Worry is easy to impair the spleen-qi, leading to clinical manifestations such as poor appetite, loose stool. Therefore, among the various emotions, worry is related to earth.

Metal

The lung corresponds to metal because it inhale the air and killing foreign matters by sneeze, like the metal is often cutting. Metal can kill everything, and when autumn comes, everything dies, nothing leaves behind. As we know, White in color reflect every ray, no ray leaves behind. So autumn and white correspond to metal.The nose and skin all belong to metal, because the condition of the lungs can be reflected in the nose, and the lungs controls the skin though the meridians. Sadness is easy to impair the lung-qi, leading to clinical manifestations such as short of breath, asthma. Therefore, among the various emotions, sadness is related to metal.

Water

The kidney corresponds to water because it stores essence and governs water of the whole body. Water is cold, and winter is cold too. So cold and winter correspond to water. Sea is salty, so salty in taste belong to water. Dark surfaces absorb energy, Sea keep most energy in our planet. So dark pertains to water. The ear and bone all belong to water, because the condition of the kidneys can be reflected in the ears, and the kidneys control the bone though the meridians. Fear is easy to impair the kidney-qi, leading to clinical manifestations such as frequent urination, more sweating. Therefore, among the various emotions, fear is related to water.

You may be asking what is Fu and Zang organs? these explains the physiological function, pathological changes, and mutual relationships between the organs. There are 5 Zang organs and 6 fu organs. You may be observant and see that my lists equal to 5 each and not 6 fu organs, well one fu organ is actually the body cavity which is known as Sanjiao. San or 三 ( san / sān )means 3 and 窌(jiào) is pertaining to a room so sanjiao is a general term for the three sections of the body trunk. The upper jiao contains the heart and lung, the middle jiao contains the spleen and stomach, and the lower jiao contains the kidney and urinary bladder.

Thank you for reading and uprooting my post, there is much more foundation to be set before diving in to the herbal part of treatment but as promised my next post will be the famous ginger.