I. The concept of “liver” in Chinese medicine
The liver is located in the upper right abdomen of a person and is wedge-shaped, usually not easily accessible under the right rib cage or can only reach the edge. However, it can be touched when the liver is diseased or when there is a “large liver”.
According to Chinese medicine, the liver is responsible for draining and collecting blood. Drainage means to unblock, vent, and raise. The liver’s main function is to regulate the qi of the whole body, so that the activity and movement of qi can be normalized. Human life activities are caused by the continuous movement of the qi in the human body, and the movement of qi is called “qi qi”. The movement of qi is called “qi qi”. The form of qi movement is “rising and falling”. The liver is the master of ascension, which means that the liver has the function of lifting qi upwards and making it move upwards. If there is not enough Qi rising, there will be Qi stagnation, such as pain in the chest, breast or abdomen. If the Qi rises too much, it will cause the Liver Qi to move upward, causing headache, redness and irritability. If Qi rises too much, it will not only lead to pathological manifestations such as vomiting blood, hemoptysis and other blood overflowing from the top, but also to sudden fainting and unconsciousness, which is called “Qi syncope” in Chinese medicine.
The liver is responsible for draining, which on the one hand promotes the transport and transformation functions of the spleen and stomach. The main manifestation is to regulate the movement of the spleen and stomach, so that the spleen can raise the clear and the stomach can lower the turbid. If the draining of the liver is abnormal, it will affect the clearing function of the spleen, which is dizziness in the upper part of the body and diarrhea in the lower part of the body; it will affect the lowering function of the stomach, which is nausea and vomiting and belching in the upper part of the body, bloating and stomach pain in the middle part of the body and constipation in the lower part of the body.
The liver is the master of drainage, and on the other hand, it is manifested in helping the excretion of bile. Bile has the function of promoting the digestion and absorption of dietary items. If the liver is not draining, the bile is not excreted smoothly, which can lead to dysbiosis and pain, bitterness in the mouth, anorexia, greasiness, jaundice, etc.
The liver also has the role of regulating the emotions. This is because the activities of the emotions depend on the normal movement of Qi and Blood. And the movement of qi and blood depends on the normal drainage of the liver. That is why it is said in the Nei Jing Su Wen (The Treatise on Pain) that “all diseases are born of qi”. The normal function of the drainage of the liver, then the qi is smooth, qi and blood and regulation, the mood is easy to cheerful; liver drainage function is abnormal, then the liver qi depression, depressed mood; the liver’s rise and drainage is too much, Yang Qi is too ascending, then the mood is easy to be impatient, the slightest stimulation, then easy to anger.
The liver also has a role to play in reproductive functions such as menstruation in women and sperm discharge in men.
Another function of the liver is the main blood collection. The liver has the physiological function of storing blood and regulating the amount of blood. When the body is strenuously active or emotionally excited, the liver transfuses blood to the periphery of the body for the body’s needs. When a person is quiet or emotionally stable, the need for blood in the periphery of the body decreases and some of the blood returns to the liver for storage. This is why the Suwen Five Organs Generation Chapter says, “Therefore, when a person is lying down, blood returns to the liver”. If the liver is diseased and the blood collection function is malfunctioning, it will not only cause blood deficiency or bleeding, but also cause lesions of insufficient blood moistening in many parts of the body. For example, if the liver blood is insufficient to moisten the eyes, the eyes will be dry and faint, and night blindness will occur; if the liver blood is insufficient to moisten the tendons, the tendons will be constricted, the limbs will be numb, and flexion and extension will be unfavorable. Insufficient blood in the liver or abnormal blood collection function of the liver can also lead to menstrual disorders in women and abnormal sperm discharge in men.
The human spirit and soul are based on blood. Because the liver collects blood, the liver can collect the soul. If the liver’s blood collection function is normal, the soul will have a place; if the liver’s blood is not sufficient, the soul will not keep its place, which can be seen as insomnia and dreaminess, sleepwalking, dreaming, horror, and even hallucinations.
Liver in the will is anger. Anger can cause Qi and blood to rebel and Yang to rise and escape. Since the liver is responsible for draining and promoting Yang Qi, it is anger in the will. If one is angry, the liver’s yang energy will rise too much, so it is said that “anger hurts the liver”; conversely, if the liver’s yin and blood are insufficient, the yang energy will rise and drain too much, and one will easily become angry.
The liver in the orifice is the eye.
The liver in the fluid is tears. As tears are the change of blood, the material basis of tears is blood. Therefore, the liver is in the fluid for tears. If the Liver is deficient in Yin and Blood, the eyes will be dry; if there is heat in the Liver meridian, you will see red eyes with wind and fire and tears in the wind; if there is damp heat in the Liver and Gallbladder, you will see increased eye discharge. Hyperactivity of Liver Yang is seen as dizziness and dizziness. Internal movement of liver wind is seen as oblique upward vision.
The liver is in the body and the tendons, which means that the tendons depend on the nourishment of liver blood. When the liver is full of blood, it can nourish the tendons; when the tendons are nourished by blood, they can move flexibly. If the liver blood is insufficient, the fascia will lose nourishment and movement will be unfavorable, and tremors in the hands and feet, numbness in the limbs, and unfavorable flexion and extension will occur.
The liver is in the claws, because the claws and nails are the continuation of the tendons in the body. The liver is in the body and the tendons, so the claw and nail are closely related to the liver. If the liver blood is sufficient, the claw nails are tough, red and lustrous. Insufficient liver blood, the claw nails dry and lusterless, brittle and easy to break.
Second, the relationship between the liver and other internal organs
Heart and Liver: The heart is the master of blood, and the liver stores blood. The heart is the master of the spirit, and the liver stores the soul. The heart to promote the operation of blood, depends on the normal function of the liver main drainage, the human spirit activity, depends on the blood to do the material basis. The draining of the liver depends on the driving of the heart qi.
Lung and Liver: The relationship between the lung and liver is mainly in the regulation of qi. If the lung rises too much or the lung descends too little, it will be manifested as upward rebellion of qi and fire, or coughing and wheezing, or hemoptysis, or chest distension and pain, dizziness and headache, redness of the face and eyes, etc. If the lung descends too much or the liver does not ascend, then the diarrhea will continue and the dirty qi will sag.
Nourishing the liver in four seasons
The Neijing says, “The four seasons of yin and yang are the root of all things. So the sages nourish yang in spring and summer, and yin in autumn and winter, in order to follow their roots.”
Nourishing yang means nourishing life and growth, and nourishing yin means nourishing and adopting.
Recent people have proposed many new ideas based on this.
1. Spring and summer warm the yang energy, and autumn and winter nourish the yin fluid
2. Spring and summer nourish the heart and liver, while autumn and winter nourish the lungs and kidneys
Spring
Huangdi Neijing? Suwen, “Spring is the month of March, which is called hair Chen, heaven and earth are born, and everything is glorious. Sleep at night and get up early, walk widely in the court, be hair slow shape, in order to make the will to be born, born and do not kill, give and do not take away, reward and do not punish, …… against it is hurt liver” “The four times of yin and Yang, the fundamental of all things.”
The “Nei Jing” cloud: “the east produces wind, wind produces wood, wood produces acid, acid produces liver, liver produces tendons, tendons produce heart, liver main wood. Its in the sky for the mysterious, in the people for the Tao, in the earth for the transformation. In the sky is the wind, in the earth is the wood, in the body is the tendon, in the hide for the liver, in the color for the pale, in the sound for the horn, in the sound for the call, in the change for the grip, in the orifice for the eyes, in the taste for the acid, in the sound for the anger. Anger hurts the liver, sadness is better than anger; wind hurts the tendons, dryness is better than wind; acid hurts the tendons, pungency is better than acid.”
1.It is appropriate to exercise
Spring is the main wind, moving for its nature, so spring is suitable for sports. In particular, spring excursions are good for physical and mental health, and good for the draining of liver qi. Exercise helps Yang Qi to rise, but “less fire is angry, stronger fire eats Qi”, that is, the slightly hot Yang Qi (medicine taste is warm) helps people’s Yuan Yang to be produced, but overheated Yang Qi (medicine is on the side of big pungent and hot) can lead to the dissipation of Yuan Yang. Therefore, it is advisable to exercise more in spring than in winter, but it is not advisable to exercise vigorously, as it will consume qi and hurt blood. Because the liver collects blood, the body yin and use yang, too much heat and too dry will hurt the liver’s yin and blood.
And chronic liver disease patients, in the spring to pay attention to rest, not strain.
2, diet should be light and clear, nutritious
The liver is the main sour taste, you can eat some sour food to soften the liver and nourish Yin. Chinese medicine believes that “acid sweet Yin”, so you can eat some acid with sweet food, such as apricots, plums, peaches, apples and so on; avoid eating spicy and fatty sweet products, such as fried, fried, spicy food; avoid smoking and quit drinking; avoid condiments. Vegetables good for the liver: spinach, spring bamboo shoots, lilies, cabbage, rape, persimmon peppers, tomatoes, cruciferous vegetables. Fruits should be used citrus, lemon, etc. Dressing should be “spring cover” to nourish Yang, should not take off cotton clothes too early to protect the cold products, to consume Yang Qi.
3, to regulate the mood, not annoyed, not angry, not excited.
The liver is a wood, in order to adjust to the smooth, the liver is the main regulator of emotions. In spring, the Yang Qi rises, and emotions are easily excited. Therefore, in spring, we should maintain a calm and happy state of mind, listen to some elegant and soothing music to relax our emotions and get enough sleep. “People sleep blood to the liver”, so more sleep can nourish the liver.
4.Spring medicine meal
(1) peppermint, rose tea drink for emotional discomfort, bloating and pain
(2) cassia seed tea: emotional disorders, constipation
(3) mustard and pig liver porridge: liver yin and blood deficiency
(4) mother-of-pearl and snapper soup: yin deficiency and fire, restlessness, restlessness at night
(5) Angelica spinach and egg flower soup: dizziness and palpitations due to deficiency of liver yin and blood
5, spring and summer climate at the beginning of warm but still cold, pay attention to the protection of human yang energy. Avoid wind and cold to reduce the occurrence of infectious diseases.
6.Compared to winter, you can sleep late and get up early.
Summer
The “Nei Jing” cloud: “summer in March, this is the summer show, heaven and earth, the gas interchange, all things are flashy, sleep at night and get up early, not tired of the day, so that the will is not angry, so that Huaying into the show, so that the gas can be released, if the love outside, this summer gas should be, the way to nurture long. Against it is sad, autumn for ^ malaria, bong collection is less, winter solstice heavy illness.”
”The south produces heat, heat produces fire, fire produces bitter. Bitter produces the heart, the heart is the main blood, blood produces the spleen, the heart is the main tongue. Its in the sky for heat, in the earth for fire, in the body for the pulse, in the hide for the heart, in the color for red, in the sound for the symphony, in the sound for laughing, in the change for worry, in the orifice for the tongue, in the taste for bitter, in the will for joy. Joy is sad, fear is better than joy, heat hurts qi, cold is better than heat; bitter hurts qi, salty is better than bitter.”
”The central main dampness, dampness over earth, earth produces Gan, Gan produces spleen, spleen produces meat, meat produces lung, spleen main mouth. Its in the sky for the wet, in the earth for the earth, in the body for the meat, in the hide for the spleen, in the color for the yellow, in the sound for the palace, in the sound for the song, in the change for the retching, in the orifice for the mouth, in the taste for the sweet, in the will for the thinking, thinking hurt the spleen, anger is better than thinking; wet hurt the meat, wind is better than wet; sweet hurt the meat, acid is better than sweet.”
1, summer diet light, eat more bean food, such as mung beans, adzuki beans, lentils, soy products and so on, to relieve summer heat and dampness, strengthen the spleen and kidneys.
2, do not greedy cold injury to the spleen and stomach, because liver disease is most likely to grasp the spleen, resulting in weakness of the spleen and stomach, the disease is easy to diarrhea.
3, eat more vitamin-rich vegetables and fruits can protect the liver.
4, maintain an optimistic state of mind, but can not be very happy and sad, because Chinese medicine believes that summer should be heart, and happy sad.
5, pay attention to hygiene, to prevent infectious diseases.
6, should not exercise too much, depleting the essence and hurting the qi. Swimming, walking is the best choice
7, you can sleep late and get up early, and take a nap at noon.
Suitable food for summer.
Duck: nourish Yin and clear heat, promote water and reduce swelling
Western ginseng: benefits qi and nourishes the body
Fish: nourish Qi and nourish, reduce fat and supplement protein.
Seasoning: ginger, garlic, vinegar, etc.
Not to eat: pepper, pepper, cumin, star anise, etc.
Fruits to be eaten in summer.
Watermelon, peaches, plums, tomatoes, cucumbers, apples, peaches, etc.
Summer should eat more “bitter”, because the bitter taste into the summer, bitter can clear heat, damp, bitter melon, bitter vegetables, bitter tea, kale, cover vegetables, etc..
Summer meals.
(1) mung bean porridge: love fire, distress and bitterness.
(2) adzuki bean porridge: damp-heat evidence, lower limb edema, etc.
(3) cold bitter melon: liver fire wins, metabolic syndrome.
(4) Cold fungus: anemia, constipation, fatty liver.
(5) steamed live fish: hypoproteinemia.
(6) boiled fish balls with winter melon: hypoproteinemic ascites.
(7) stewed loach with tofu: hypoproteinemia
(8) Silver fungus and lotus seed soup.
(9) lotus leaf and glutinous rice porridge.
(10) Duck blood and eggplant casserole: liver and yin blood deficiency, chronic anemia.
(11) stewed old duck with shiitake mushrooms: liver cancer patients.
(12) honeysuckle and chrysanthemum tea: hyperactive liver yang, dizziness.
Autumn
”Nei Jing” cloud: “Autumn March, this is called Rong Ping, the weather to rush, the earth to bright, early to sleep and get up early, with the chicken, so that the will is peaceful, in order to slow the autumn punishment, convergence of the spirit, so that the autumn qi flat, no outside its will, so that the lung qi clear, this autumn qi should be, nourishing the road to harvest also, the reverse is hurt the lungs, winter for the food drainage, the consecrated hide less.”
”Western dryness, dryness, gold, gold, pungent, pungent lung, lung hair, hair, kidney, lung main nose. Its in the sky for the dry, in the ground for the gold, in the body for the fur, in the hide for the lungs, in the color for white, in the sound for Shang, in the sound for crying, in the change for cough, in the orifice for the nose, in the taste for pungency, in the will for worry. Sadness hurts the lungs, joy is better than sadness, heat hurts the skin, cold is better than heat; pungency hurts the skin, bitter is better than the heart.”
1, autumn and winter climate dry, so autumn and winter nourish Yin. It is advisable to eat more nourishing, moisten the lungs, replenish Yin and produce fluid vegetables and fruits, diet to nourish and nourish Yin. Such as.
Persimmon: can remove annoyance, clear heat, and produce fluid
Pear: moisten the lung, eliminate phlegm and cough, cure constipation
Longan: nourishes, strengthens, calms the mind, and nourishes the blood.
In addition, it is advisable to eat sesame, walnuts, glutinous rice, honey, dairy, sugar cane, jujube, tomato, banana, lotus root, silver fungus, radish, tofu, lily, persimmon
Drink more water, milk, and use less onion, ginger, garlic, leek and chili.
2, sleep enough, it is advisable to go to bed early and get up early. Early to bed: in line with the convergence of Yin essence to nourish Yin, early to rise: in line with the stretching of Yang Qi to protect the lungs.
3, prevent cold and keep warm, comfortable environment, pay attention to skin care, keep the skin moist.
4, psychological adjustment: autumn wind and autumn rain worry people, so we should use some comedy, comedy skits to regulate emotions, prevent depressive episodes, and slow down the impact of autumn sanguine gas on the human body.
5, pay attention to the science of bathing, avoid washing too often, water too hot, rubbing too much.
Winter
”Nei Jing” cloud: March, this is called closed, water ice chap, no disturbance to the Yang, sleep early and get up late, must wait for the sun, so that the will if the ambush if hidden, if there is a private intention, if they have got, to cold on the temperature, no leakage of skin. So that the gas is taken away, this winter gas should be, the way to nourish and hide. Against it will hurt the kidneys, spring for impotence and convulsions, less of those who serve.”
”Northern cold, cold water, water salty, kidney bone marrow, marrow liver, kidney main ear. Its in the sky for cold, in the earth for water, in the body for bone, in the hide for kidney, in the color for black, in the sound for feather, in the sound for moan, in the change for ÌÎÌ_ÌÎ_ÌÎÌ_ÌÎÌ_ÌÎÌ_ÌÎÌ_ÌÎå The goblet is a goblet of water and the goblet is a goblet of water.
Winter is the season closely associated with the kidney. In winter, everything is mainly closed, people should be closed, need to keep warm not cold; essence to be closed, should be raised not to drain; character to be closed, should be low-key astringent not open. Kidney and liver are closely related, because liver and kidney are the same source, essence and blood are the same source. So it is advisable to soften the liver and nourish it, nourish the liver and blood, but not to promote excessive, excessive drainage.
1. In winter, it is advisable to go to bed early and get up late to nourish the essence. It is not advisable to do more outdoor activities or strenuous exercises. It is good to exercise properly in good weather and get some sunshine. But excessive outdoor activities, easy to feel cold and cold, especially after strenuous exercise is more likely to occur.
2, emotional peace, should not be mood swings, especially fear of fright will hurt the kidney energy. Appropriately look at humorous stories, sitcoms, listen to uplifting music, help to adjust the mind.
3, food therapy.
(1) angelica ginger lamb soup, suitable for Yang deficiency for a long time, after childbirth or after a serious illness of the elderly.
(2) Cordyceps stewed old duck, suitable for the old slow branch, long-term asthma.
(3) stewed old turtle with peony: suitable for people with chronic liver disease and cirrhosis of the liver.
(4) Pay attention to keep warm and avoid feeling wind and cold.