We are about to be showered with the decorations and advertising for another secular holiday. February 14 is Valentine’s Day. We know that this originally pagan celebration turned Hallmark holiday is about hearts, flowers and romance. I thought it would be a great opportunity to discuss the role of the heart in emotional health, physical health and fertility from the Chinese medicine perspective.
In Chinese medicine the heart is the repository of the Shen or Spirit. If the Shen is resting in the heart, the patient tends to be calm, have healthy relationships and good sleep. A person with a healthy Shen has the ability to form emotional connections and love. As a practitioner, I gauge the health of a patient’s Shen by examining the eyes and face. The state of a person’s Shen can have ramifications as to how a treatment is designed. A disturbed Shen can result in anxiety or insomnia and even disturbing behavior.
The heart controls the blood to the other organs. This has ramifications for the health of the spleen, liver and kidneys especially, and fertility.
Joy is the emotion associated with the heart. Chinese medicine warns against excessive joy. We have all seen how people who get overexcited can tip over into manic behavior. The emotional stability of the heart both affects and can be affected by the emotions of other organs. Anger is the emotion of the liver. Frustration and irritation both disturb liver Qi and are the result of malfunctioning liver Qi. The tangles associated with love can have these effects; we may act short-tempered and moody.
Obsession about love can harm the spleen, thus hampering digestive functions, fluid metabolism and the smooth course of Qi (energy). People with spleen Qi deficiency may appear pale, they are easily fatigued, have poor appetites and poor digestion.
After love comes marriage and as the rhyme goes, the baby carriage. In Chinese medicine the heart controls the blood, which fills the Chong, Ren and Du channels and is then directed to the uterus to facilitate healthy conception and implantation. Insufficient blood flow can lead to irregular periods and inadequate ovulation, which can result in conception challenges.
I make sure the heart can fulfill this function using both acupuncture protocols and herbal formulas that nourish the heart as well as nourish and move the blood.
The heart and the kidneys, which store Jing, or essence, must be in harmony. Too little Jing can inhibit the proper function of organs that release fertility hormones. Disharmony can promote (more) anxiety, insomnia and just feeling overwhelmed, resulting in the blocked flow of Qi. Here is where practices like Qi Gong, meditation or yoga can help with stress reduction and encouraging emotional balance. I recommend that my patients needing help with anxiety, depression, insomnia seek out such activities. These practices build up the body’s reserves instead of depleting them. Strength training and cardiovascular exercise are great but they do break down before building up. Do go running, in moderation, but add Qi Gong, a venerable form of exercise that promotes energy flow and nourishment of the organs.
“The true course of love never did run smooth” is a famous line from “Midsummer’s Night Dream.” So maintain your heart with acupuncture to protect your emotional health, spirit, sleep, and fertility. Happy Valentine’s Day.
Sara Youner, DACM, is an acupuncturist in Springfield, New Jersey. She can be reached at (908) 400-2314, [email protected], and www.morninglightacupuncturenj.com.
She is in network for Horizon BCBSNJ and affiliated carriers.
