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Element Spotlight - Metal

In our exploration of the elements in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), we've moved from Fire and Earth to Metal, which governs the Lung and Large Intestine meridians and corresponds to the season of Autumn. Let’s delve deeper into the characteristics and functions of these meridians.


Large Intestine

Horary Cycle Time: 5AM - 7AM

Primary Actions:Official of Transportation

  • Controls passage and conduction

  • Transforms stool and re-absorbs fluids.


Lung

Horary Cycle Time: 3 AM - 5AM

Primary Actions:

  • “The Prime Minister” - Puts out all the work.

  • Governs Qi and Respiration

  • Controls channels and blood vessels.

  • Regulates water passages

  • Manifest in body hair

  • Opens in the nose, controls nasal mucous

  • Affected by worry, grief, sadness, loathes the cold.


The Metal Element is associated with autumn, dryness, skin / hair, pungent, grief, weeping, rotten, and nose. Recurrent subluxations in the Metal element can cause issues in the low back, unilateral pelvis, knee, shoulder, ribs, T12 - L1. Additionally, muscles like the tensor fascia lata, hamstrings, quadratus lumborum, deltoids, serratus anterior, diaphragm, and coracobrachialis can be affected.


Emotionally, the Metal element is linked to feelings of dogmatically positioned (stuck) and grief. Physically, a Lung-Qi Deficiency can manifest as slight shortness of breath and cough, weak voice, spontaneous daytime sweating, dislike of speaking, bright-white complexion, tendency to catch colds, tiredness, dislike of cold. In the large intestine meridian, there can be damp-heat, the clinical manifestations of this are: abdominal pain not relieved by a bowl movement, diarrhea, mucus and blood in the stools, offensive odor, burning in the anus, scanty dark urine, fever, sweating that does not decrease the fever, feeling of heat, thirst without a desire to drink, feeling of heaviness in the body and limbs.


As a provider, the emotional connections of the Metal element stand out. Have you ever held on to grief or not allowed yourself to process grief? Have you ever felt stuck? These emotions can affect your digestive system, skin and hair health, and respiratory function. By opening up your body and mind to different perspectives on health, you can better understand your body’s response to stress. When your body sounds the alarm, it is crucial to listen to it and find the root cause of your concern.


As always, we are always here to help at Jai Yen Chiropractic and Wellness.


References:

Deadman, Peter & Al-Khakaji, MAzin: A Manual of Acupuncture, 2004

Maciocia, Giovanni: The Foundations of Chinese Medicine, 2005

N.E.T Master Chart

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