The Lung’s Function
Chinese Medicine holds the lungs responsible for taking in and warming external environments through breathing. Furthermore, they serve to protect our bodies from pathogens by dispersing Defensive Qi (Wei Qi). When our lungs become compromised due to illness or weak health, their protective capacity becomes ineffective resulting in frequent infections.
The lungs are closely associated with our skin and body hair, and their condition reflects on how they appear on our bodies. Dry skin may indicate that phlegm accumulation is blocking qi flow within our lungs and leading to buildup of toxins within them; when our lungs are healthy enough, voice and throat movements become strong while breath remains deep; but when our lungs struggle with chronic bronchitis or accumulation, voices can become weak or even muffled altogether.
Lung acupuncture treatments can improve circulation and lung capacity, making breathing easier and giving more energy. Acupuncture can be especially helpful in cases like chronic bronchitis and emphysema where overworked lungs need extra support healing, supporting healing while breaking cycles of coughing.
When your lungs aren’t functioning optimally, it could be down to imbalances elsewhere in your organ systems. Chinese medicine provides therapies designed to clear phlegm, reduce inflammation, and bolster immunity – helping create lasting lung health through stronger foundational practices.
Cupping and TuiNa are powerful techniques for improving lung function, opening the chest and clearing away phlegm. Both techniques can rebalance yin-yang balance within the lungs to improve airflow while relieving any trapped emotions. A great way to nourish lung energy is consuming foods rich in minerals and proteins like mushrooms, white radish and white fungus which are commonly found in Traditional Chinese Medicine recipes – or simply eating such as mushrooms in daily diet. In addition to diet, herbal therapy, acupuncture and Qigong may all help improve lung health significantly!
The Lung’s Symbolism
The Lungs reside at the front and outside edges of our ribcages, nestled next to our heart and great vessels in our chest cavity. They are associated with sadness, grief (especially prolonged and intense sadness) as well as with autumn’s changing season, signaling release and turning inward. When digestion is poor leading to constipation we may struggle to process our emotions; their disrupted Qi can manifest in illness such as chest pain, asthma or persistent cough.
As an integral organ for respiration, the lungs take in oxygen through mouth and nose and play an essential role in fluid metabolism as well as regulating circulation and excretion through sweating and urination. Deficit of defensive Qi in the lungs may result in loss of fluids from skin surface areas leading to spontaneous daytime sweating episodes.
Lungs are protected by two serous membranes known as pleurae; an outer parietal pleura lines the interior wall of a ribcage while an inner visceral pleura directly covers each lung surface. Any spaces between these membranes are filled with lubricating pleural fluid for added lubrication. Each lung is divided into sections known as lobes; right lung has three lobes while left lung has two.
The lungs control the flow of zong qi (pectoral qi), a liquid substance responsible for keeping tissues warm, clearing away waste products from respiratory tract and lung tissues and preventing stagnation in both lung and throat areas. Its composition includes both natural qi produced by lungs as well as that produced by heart.
An indication of weak lung energy is a persistent dry cough, although other symptoms could include shortness of breath upon exertion, excess phlegm in the throat or chest area, lack of energy and feeling cold and dry all of the time. Foods which resonate with our lungs include all members of the onion family (onion, chives, shallot, spring onions and scallion) as well as all cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli radish watercress crucifers such as brocolli radish watercress; all pungent foods like chilli and garlic also resonate well as well as plants such as basil thyme with its strong scent acrid taste or horipito (Pseudowintera colorata – native plant found throughout Aotearoa). White colored foods also resonate well with this organ of your body.
The Lung’s Relationship with the Colon
The lungs are the body’s primary repository for Wei Qi (defensive qi) and thus form its first line of defense against pathogenic influences, protecting from external winds, cold, dampness and heat as well as other potentially pathogenic agents. Furthermore, Wei qi helps disperse across your skin and outside environment for maximum effectiveness.
The lung and large intestine work closely together in terms of breathing regulation and waste removal, providing an essential service that ensures fluids are distributed effectively while waste is eliminated efficiently.
Notably, the lungs are closely linked to Po (Corporeal Soul), an aspect of consciousness that deals with emotions and instincts. Lungs play an essential role in regulating Po, helping process emotional responses more quickly while grounding them more firmly than any other organ system can. Since they’re also tightly interlinked with digestion systems, it is crucial that proper digestive health be prioritized for overall well-being.
Digestion problems can have serious repercussions for lung function. Coughing and breathing difficulties may result, while lung tissue plays a vital role in opening and regulating water pathways; any imbalanced function could result in water stagnation causing signs such as phlegm buildup or restricted urination.
To maintain healthy lungs, it is vitally important to nourish lung yin, moisturize zang organ pair and strengthen lung qi with herbal medicines that contain anti-inflammatory, diaphoretic and expectorant properties, such as Licorice root.
Additionally, it’s essential to purge the large intestine when there is too much heat accumulated in the lung network, leading to coughing or asthmatic breathing. This can be achieved using herbs like platycodon, ophiopogon, polygonatum and trichosanthes root; additionally it’s vital to nourish both large intestine and its associated organ pair (zang organ pair) when deficient – herbs such as astragalus or schizonepeta are highly recommended.
The Lung’s Relationship with the Skin
Chinese medicine holds that our lungs have an intimate connection to both skin and hair health, dispensing vital nutrient-rich fluids that nourished both. Furthermore, they control water passage through our bodies by controlling perspiration and excretion via pores; any disruption in their function could cause dry skin, rashes or acne breakouts. Our emotions also have an influence on this organ; grief or sadness unmanaged can break its “qi”, making us susceptible to infection.
Similar to our hearts, Lungs are also affected by external environmental conditions and play an essential role in our defensive qi – which protects us against external pathogens. When Lung qi becomes weak it compromises these defenses leading to more frequent colds being caught.
Diet can provide us with vital support for optimal lung health. Chinese herbs with anti-inflammatory effects, like Licorice Root, may help ease respiratory conditions. Acupuncture works by stimulating nerve pathways to trigger release of neurotransmitters with pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory properties – stimulating these is what gives acupuncture its power!
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) takes an holistic approach to lung repair, using herbal medicine and acupuncture alongside an understanding of how our lungs interact with other aspects of our bodies. Being mindful of our diets and environments around us can have a substantial effect on lung health; for added support, book an appointment with a qualified acupuncturist!