-IBIS-1.5.0-
rx
Chinese physiology
digestion
diagnoses
definition
Digestion: the Transformation of Qi - Triple Warmer Energetics
the process of extracting Qi from the environment and transforming it into Qi the body can utilize, i.e. the Zhen (True) Qi.
digestion is a post-natal process, the intake of nutrients is primarily associated with the mouth, as opposed to the prenatal process in which nutrients were received through the umbilical cord.
Referred to as Triple Warmer energetics because the metabolic process involves numerous organs; the Triple Warmer is a summation of their collective functioning.
the Upper Warmer houses the Heart and Lung
the Middle Warmer houses the Spleen and Stomach
the Lower Warmer houses the Kidney
The Kidney provides the basic energy to "fire" the digestive process
this is an aspect of kidney Yang or Kidney Fire
Kidney Fire is dependent on Xian Tian Jing (Pre-Natal Essence)
The metaphor for the digestive process is the cooking of food
the Lower Warmer is the fire
the Middle Warmer is the pot and the stew/soup
the Upper Warmer is the steam in which the "essence" of the food is found
the essence of food is thought to be held in its smell (and flavor)
The "creation" of True Qi
the Spleen is responsible for extracting of the essence of the food, but it depends on the Kidney to activate it
the transformation is not complete, however, until the Lung combines the extracted essence of air called Kong Qi with the essence of food called Gu Qi.
thus, it is the Lung and Upper Warmer that create the True Qi for the body
The "creation" of Xue (Blood)
the Spleen is primarily responsible for producing Blood
it extracts the nutrient aspect of the food and directs it upward to the Upper Warmer
Xue (Blood) is "completed" by the heart with the admixture of Shen (Spirit) and Jing (Essence) sent up by the Kidney
Qi and Xue (Blood) are then distributed throughout the body and together may be more usefully considered as the True Qi
Qi and Xue (Blood) are said to circulate in the channels
some channels are said to have more of one or the other
several organs are involved in the distribution of Qi
the Triple Warmer "conducts" the process but it is relatively passive in this context
the Lung, as the uppermost organ and the place where Qi is completed "sends" Qi down to the rest of the body
one of the Spleen functions is said to be distribution of Qi
the Liver "spreads" the Qi in a uniform and timely fashion
Recycling the True Qi
once the tasks of nourishing the body-mind-spirit have been accomplished, any surplus Qi is converted by the kidney into Jing
this is Acquired Essence or Hou Tian Jing
The "creation" of Fluids
the Spleen is the organ responsible for the transformation of water into fluids
the Stomach receives water, the Small Intestine separates the Clear from the Turbid (the pure from the impure) the useful from the non-useful
the "Clear" water is passed on to the Spleen for conversion into usable body fluids
the "Turbid" water is passed on to the Urinary Bladder for elimination
footnotes