By Robert Newman, LAc, Dean of Clinics at Emperor’s College Acupuncture Clinic
Missed Part 1 of this series on Ginseng? Check it out here.
Part 2: Ginseng and Qi
In part 2 of Ginseng – An Overview, I will briefly explain a few terms used in Asian medicine that are relevant in connection with understanding the functions and usages of the various types of Ginseng. One important term and idea is that of Qi (pronounced like “chee” and sometimes spelled “Chi” or “Ch’I”), one of the 5 fundamental substances in the body. Qi is said to be a part of everything that exists. It can be dense and material or it can be etheric and more of energy. It is not clearly definable or measurable; so, like gravity, it’s known only by its manifestations, effects, and functions.From a health standpoint, many people believe it has simply to do with one’s energy level. It is indeed linked with one’s energy level, but it is much more than just that. In Chinese medicine, it is considered a refined substance made by the internal organs, helping to nourish the mind and body.
The General Functions of Qi and Ginseng as a Qi Tonic
Robert Newman, LAc
The general functions of Qi within a living organism includes the following: linked with all movement and is the source (not cause) of all movement; source of all transformations and reactions in the body; transports fundamental substances in the body (fluids, Blood, Essence); holds fundamental substances in the body to prevent loss or leakage (of fluids, Blood, Essence); raises/holds up organs; protects the body; warms the body. For the purposes of discussing the functions of some types of Ginsengs (since some types of Ginseng are Qi tonics) down below, it is useful to know the symptoms of a lack or insufficiency of Qi: some common symptoms may involve tiredness, weakness, weak voice, spontaneous sweats, no appetite, loose stools, palpitations, frequent urination, frequent colds, edema, among others (you might have noticed that some of the symptoms of Qi insufficiency can involve an excess of fluids, also known as dampness; this is because Qi is very important in the processing, metabolism and movement of fluids in the body).
Fluids are also a fundamental substance in the body and they include any fluids except for Blood: so that means sweat, tears, saliva, digestive juices, urine, lymph, mucus, endocrine secretions, etc. Fluids moisten and partly nourish all the organs and tissues. Signs of fluid insufficiency include: dryness of lips, skin, hair, eyes, and/or mucus membranes; thirst, constipation, dark urination, etc. Signs of fluids excess/stagnation include: edema, diarrhea, swellings, tumors, masses, Lung phlegm, some mental disturbances, certain types of strokes, etc. (phlegm is said to be from fluids that have congealed and stagnated for a longer time and/or to more severe degree, so phlegm is related to a fluid imbalance).
Yin and Yang
Lastly, you may very well have heard of the terms, “Yin” and “Yang.” However, you may not be familiar with what they specifically mean. They are a pair polar opposites that can be used to characterize anything that exists in the universe; they can only be gauged or measured and evaluated in terms of each other and are relative states which are always in dynamic flux. Yin characteristics include aspects such as: interior, cold, water, deficiency, night time, negative polarity, female, earth, inferiorly located, winter time, slowness, conservation, storage, softness, frontally located, passive and contemplative, matter/substance and form. Yang characteristics include aspects such as: exterior, hot, fire, excess, day time, positive polarity, male, heaven, superiorly located, summer time, rapidity, transformation, change, hardness, posteriorly located, active and aggressive, energy, and function.
From a health standpoint, Yin and Yang are used as a way of interpreting signs and symptoms into a pattern or picture showing where disharmonies and imbalances exist. Yin generally includes conditions that involve interior and/or cold and/or deficiency issues; Yang generally includes conditions that involve exterior and/or heat and/or excess issues. Generally, people usually have a mixture of some Yin and some Yang imbalances existing simultaneously. Also, Yin and Yang are mutually dependent and can only be supportive of life in conjunction with each other—they must both be present for life to be possible and they must both be present in sufficient amounts in order for someone to be healthy.
If there is a deficiency of Yin, symptoms can range from signs of dryness with a mild degree of deficiency to signs of a special type of heat—known as “deficiency heat”—with a greater level of deficiency; signs can include mild fever or feeling of heat in the afternoon and/or night, dry mouth, dry throat at night, night sweats, feeling of heat in the palms of hands and soles of feet and the chest, dry stools, dark urine, a red tongue with little or no coating and possibly small cracks present, mild restlessness, unclear anxiety, waking up during the night, dizziness, vertigo, sore back, achy bones, poor memory, ringing in the ears, nocturnal emissions, etc. If there is Yang deficiency, symptoms can include chilliness and aversion to cold, cold arms/legs, pale face, no thirst, tiredness and weakness, joint pains that are worse with cold and better with heat, hair loss, impotence, infertility, incontinence, low libido, cold/spontaneous sweating, loose stools, poor appetite, edema, loose teeth, chronic vaginal discharge, weakness of the low back and/or knees, clear/copious urination, and a pale tongue with a thin white coating.
Missed Part 1 of this series on Ginseng? Check it out here.
Stay tuned for Part 3 of this series: “Siberian Ginseng and American Ginseng Explained“
Featured image adapted from the photograph “Chinatown Ginseng” by bernard_in_va, available under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.