Articles
How Emotions Affect Your Health
Share
Comments (1)
We all know people who seem “stuck” in a certain emotional state. Some people seem angry all the time. Others seem sad. Still others seem fearful and some “too” happy. All of us know someone who worries all the time.
In the Chinese system of the five elements, each of the “5 negative emotions” —sadness, anger, worry, fear and over-joy—has a direct relationship to a specific organ and affects the body in a predictable way. There is a negative feedback loop between the organs and emotions, where resonating in any one emotion imbalances its associated organ. When an organ is imbalanced, a person becomes more prone to experiencing that negative emotion.
Lungs
A person lacking in lung qi (lung energy) is more likely to feel sadness. Over time, feelings of sadness weaken the lung’s qi. Symptoms of weak lung qi include shortness of breath, catching colds easily, fatigue and asthma.
Liver
When the liver’s qi stagnates, it leads to feelings of anger, irritability, and “stuckness.” Symptoms of stagnant liver qi include depression, muscle pain (especially shoulder pain or pain under the ribs, or flank pain), pre-menstrual cramping and headaches.
Spleen
Weak spleen qi creates a tendency to worry or over-think, just as these actions weaken the qi of the spleen. Symptoms of spleen deficiency include digestive problems, bloating after eating, edema, poor appetite, pale complexion, fatigue and a tendency toward “damp” conditions such as candida, vaginal discharge, sinus congestion and skin rashes.
Kidney
If the kidney’s qi is weak, a person easily becomes fearful, just as being fearful depletes the qi of the kidney. Other symptoms of weak kidney qi include fatigue, urinary problems, a tendency to have low back and knee problems, hearing problems and sexual energy issues.
Heart
The heart’s qi is damaged by what the Chinese call “excessive joy,” which can also be described as over-excitement or manic behavior. Resonating in this state disturbs the heart’s qi and makes it difficult to remain calm and balanced. Disturbance of heart qi can cause symptoms such as insomnia, dream-disturbed sleep, poor memory, and restlessness.
It’s normal to experience a full range of emotions. However, in a healthy individual, these emotional states are temporary and a person is able to return to a balanced state within an appropriate amount of time.
Breaking the Vicious Cycle: How to Restore Your Health
- Take some quiet time to reflect or meditate. Pay attention to the way that this emotional state feels in your body. Are you holding tension in your muscles, face, shoulders or abdomen? Is your breathing relaxed and normal? Try not to judge your thoughts or bodily states, but to simply observe them.Being objective observers, we can learn to recognize when we become unbalanced and also understand how we are creating tension and damaging our bodies.
- Implement dietary and lifestyle changes that improve the health of your imbalanced organs.
- For any of the above emotional disharmonies, acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine are very helpful in breaking the vicious cycles of emotional and organ imbalance. Make an appointment with a licensed acupuncturist.
Lungs
To strengthen the lungs and help with sadness, add pungent foods or spices to your diet. Try some breathing exercises, like yogic pranayama practices. Take a daily walk or other exercise to induce deep breathing. Laughter is great medicine.
Liver
To move the liver qi and help manage anger and irritability, reduce or eliminate stagnancy-inducing foods such as: meat and dairy products; poor quality oils (especially trans fats); and excessive amounts of nuts or seeds. Also eat smaller meals. Sour foods such as vinegar and lemon will help as well. Exercise to move your qi. Dance. Try to develop true compassion for others.
Spleen
To strengthen the spleen qi and reduce worry and over-thinking, avoid iced drinks and raw vegetables that weaken the digestive fire, eat foods that are naturally sweet, like brown rice, sweet potato and squash. Avoid overly sweet foods, refined sugars, and nutritionally empty carbohydrates. Eat whole grains like millet, quinoa, amaranth and buckwheat. Eat small amounts more frequently, and avoid overeating. Exercise regularly. Drink a cup of ginger tea daily, especially if you feel cold easily.
Kidneys
To strengthen the kidney qi and reduce fearfulness, avoid over-working and excessive sexual activity (excessive ejaculation for men). Avoid sugar. Eat black beans, walnuts, adzuki beans, and small amounts of lean, organic meats—especially lamb, beef, and pork kidney. Try to avoid stress. Learn to meditate. Try tai chi!
Heart
To harmonize the heart’s qi and to reduce “over-joy,” avoid stimulants, alcohol, tobacco and sugar. Be careful of over-using the computer or watching too much television, particularly before bed. Focus on one task at a time until completion. Try oyster-shell calcium tablets, whole wheat or wheat germ. Herbal teas, particularly chamomile, valerian and rooibos, have calming qualities. Some high-quality organic dairy products can be helpful for grounding.
May you all be happy!
Want more expert tips for leading a healthier life? Visit Tips for Healthy Living. | |
Posted in: Emotions & Your Health, Tips for Healthy Living
One Response To This Article. Add Your Comment
Related Articles
| Answer a few questions and get a detailed, personalized action plan. |
|
Please Visit Our Sponsor
