March 1, 2024
Be kind to your kidneys!
The kidneys are the root of Yin and Yang in the body. The kidneys store what Chinese Medicine calls ‘Jing’ or ‘essence’ - effectively this is the primordial substance that makes us who we are. As we go through life, our Jing or essence diminishes so healthy kidneys are involved in keeping us looking and feeling young. Signs of weak Jing are early greying of the hair and weak teeth. It is thought that large ear-lobes indicate strong Jing (hence images of the Buddha generally have huge ear-lobes).
In Chinese Medicine the kidneys have several key roles (in addition to those of removing waste and supporting the production of blood) these are:
- Dominating reproduction, growth and development
- Governing water within the body
- Supporting the brain
- Controlling the reception of qi (energy)
- Housing the ‘will’ (Zhi)
In terms of the Five Elements the kidneys relate to winter; Yin; and to the North; to cold; to fear and to the colour black or inky blue. Foods of these colours are particularly beneficial to the kidneys.
When Yin is deficient conditions that involve heat rising can occur so it is the Yin Kidney Meridian and its Yang partner the Bladder Meridian that are used to treat in these cases.
Issues that may arise with Kidney Yin deficiency are:
- Night sweats
- Extreme thirst/wasting
- Some types of headache/dizziness
- Insomnia
- Poor memory
- Restlessness
- Palpitations
- Chesty issues - wheezing, certain types of asthma, cough
- Impotence (yes, acupuncturists are frequently asked to treat this!)
- Fertility issues/loss of libido (male and female)
- Sore or dry throats
- Tinnitus/some hearing problems
- Urinary disorders
- Susceptibility to fright
- Disordered menstruation/post-partum disorders
- Lumbar spine issues
- Oedema
- Issues with bones or bone growth
- Constipation due to dryness
{Deadman.P., and Al-Khafaji.M. A Manual of Acupuncture(2011) Journal of Chinese Medicine Publications: Hove}
If you look after your Kidneys they will look after you on so many levels from energy to fertility, from your bowels to your brain!