-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