Emotions and health. Emotional causes of illness

In modern medicine, more and more attention is paid to the emotional and mental causes of illness. According to some data, from 50% to 80% of diseases occur due to internal emotional instability. What is said about the influence of emotions on the development of diseases in the canons of traditional Chinese medicine - the oldest science of our civilization?

Chinese medicine also identifies seven types of feelings (emotions), which are considered internal causes of diseases. This emotional activity is a physiological response to the external environment. Any emotional stress from excitement or inhibition disrupts the functions of internal organs and causes their diseases.

Seven types of emotions:
joy (si),
anger (well)
sadness (yu),
thoughtfulness (sy),
sorrow (bey),
fear (kun),
fright (ching).

Under normal circumstances, these seven senses do not lead to illness. However, as a result of prolonged mental irritation or sudden sharp mental trauma, changes in emotions go beyond physiological control and can cause disruption in the functioning of yin-yang, dense and hollow organs, qi (energy) and blood.

The result is ailments that in Chinese medicine are called internal wounds. Therefore, there is a close connection between the seven senses and qi. Unusual changes in the seven senses can injure the internal organs, mainly affecting the movement of qi of these organs, which leads to abnormalities in the ascending-descending cycle, causing disorder in the circulation of qi and blood.

Anger

Excessive resentment can interfere with the cleansing function of liver qi. The qi soars upward, causing the blood to follow it and block the purification holes, causing fainting. Anger is associated with the liver. By its nature, anger causes the growth of qi, which leads to flushing of the face and red eyes, headaches, and dizziness. This is caused by the growth of liver fire. Anger can also cause liver qi to “attack the spleen,” leading to lack of appetite, upset stomach, and diarrhea.

In the long term, suppressed anger often contributes to the stagnation of qi in the liver. This can lead to depression or menstrual irregularities. It is interesting to note that people who take herbs to relieve qi stagnation in the liver often experience attacks of anger, which cause relief. In addition, anger and irritability are often a determining factor in the diagnosis of qi stagnation in the liver. Coffee consumption should be avoided while treating liver related anger as coffee heats up the liver and greatly aggravates the condition.

Joy

Excessive joy and laughter lead to the fact that the qi of the heart slowly dissipates, the psyche cannot concentrate, therefore it is said that joy is a slowdown of qi. The emotion of joy is associated with the heart. Disorders associated with joy may sound paradoxical, since most people want to experience as much joy as possible. The disorders caused by this emotion are not caused by real happiness. Rather, the imbalance arises from too much worry or irritation, or sudden good news, which comes to disrupt systems.

When assessing stress levels, psychologists evaluate all sources of stress, both positive and negative. Clearly, the death of a spouse or the loss of a job is a significant source of stress. However, while marriage or promotion is a joyful event, it is also a source of stress.

A person who is constantly surrounded by holidays and parties, excess and busy life events, may eventually develop an imbalance in the heart with palpitations, anxiety and insomnia. Such a person may also exhibit emotional disorders, since the heart is the seat of the spirit (Shen). A severe disturbance of the heart Shen may manifest itself as joyful chatter or bursts of laughter. This is the result of the heart's inability to provide a place of stable rest for the spirit.

Sorrow

Excessive sorrow and grief lead to suppression of the will, the qi of the lungs is emptied, so they say that grief is a waste of qi. Sadness and grief affect the lungs, leading to fatigue, shortness of breath, crying or depression. Treatment for this disease includes acupuncture on the lung and kidney meridians. Herbal formulas are often used to tonify the yin qi of the lungs.

Fear

Staying in fear leads to fragility of the kidney qi, it sinks down, urinary and fecal incontinence occurs, therefore it is said that fear is a sinking of qi. The emotion of fear is associated with the kidneys. This connection can be seen when extreme fear causes a person to urinate uncontrollably. In children, it can also manifest as bedwetting, which psychologists associate with feelings of insecurity and anxiety. Prolonged anxiety due to worries about the future can lead to depletion of kidney qi, and ultimately to chronic weakness.

Fright

Sudden fear leads to the fact that the heart has nothing to rely on, the spirit has nothing to join, confusion and confusion arise, therefore it is said that fear is chaos of qi. Fear puts a particular strain on the kidneys and heart. The fight-flight response causes an excessive release of adrenaline from the adrenal glands, which are located at the upper pole of the kidney. This causes the heart to respond with rapid heartbeat, anxiety, and insomnia. Chronic stress can be very debilitating to the entire body, causing a wide range of problems. Severe fear can have a lasting effect on the Shen of the heart, as occurs in victims experiencing post-traumatic stress syndrome.

thoughtfulness

Excessive thoughtfulness leads to the fact that the movement of qi inhibits its free work, transportation through the spleen and stomach is weakened, therefore they say that thoughtfulness is the binding of qi. Thinking too much or obsessing over an idea can also deplete the spleen, causing qi to stagnate. A person who is overthinking may experience symptoms such as poor appetite, reluctance to eat, and bloating after eating. Over time, a pale complexion with spleen qi deficiency may appear. This can eventually affect the heart, causing a person to daydream at night. Students are often affected by this imbalance.

Sadness

Sadness can deplete the spleen's energy. This can cause digestive upset and ultimately lead to chronic fatigue. A weakening of the spleen is accompanied by a disruption in obtaining qi from food, and the lungs are not able to effectively extract qi from the air. A person who "carries the whole world on his shoulders" feels bad because the spleen qi leads to dampness.

This means that in order to maintain peace of mind and eliminate the harmful effects of the seven senses, you need to be friendly, optimistic and reduce the influence of extraneous thoughts. Traditional Chinese qigong can provide a good service in this matter.

“Internal causes” of diseases are caused by emotional stress. It is traditionally believed that internal, emotional causes of disease directly damage the internal organs, in contrast to external climatic factors, which first affect the External aspect.

The view of the Internal Organs as a physical-mental-emotional sphere of influence is the most important aspect of Chinese medicine. The central place in it is occupied by the concept of Qi, as an energetic substance that provides physical, mental and emotional phenomena simultaneously. Therefore, in Tibetan medicine, the body, mind and emotions are integrated into a single whole, without beginning or end, within which the Internal Organs are the main sphere of influence.

Emotions are emotional stimuli that influence our emotional life. At normal levels they do not cause disease. Almost no one can eliminate anger, sadness, anxiety and fears from their life, and they sometimes happen in life, but these conditions should not lead to disharmony. For example, the death of loved ones causes a natural feeling of sadness. Emotions become the cause of illness only if they last for a long time or if they are very intense. Only if we are in a certain emotional state for a long time (months and years) do emotions become the cause of illness; for example, if someone in the family or a situation at work causes anger and indignation in us, then after some time this will cause disharmony in the Liver and cause internal disharmony. In some cases, emotions can cause illness in a short time if they are intense enough; shock is a prime example of such a situation.

In Tibetan medicine, they talk about emotions only when they become the cause of a disease, or they are manifestations, symptoms of a disease. She does not ignore emotions as causative factors of disease, but she also does not attach too much importance to them to the exclusion of other causative factors.

In Eastern medicine, emotions (as causes of disease) are mental stimuli that disrupt the Mind (Shen), Ethereal Spirit (Hun) and Body Spirit (Po), and through them disrupt the balance of the Internal Organs and the harmony of Qi and Blood. Therefore, emotional stress is an internal cause of illness, which directly damages the Internal Organs. “Excessive joy and anger affect the Yin organs... when they are damaged, the disease is in the Yin.”

Emotions are internal causes of illnesses that directly cause internal disharmony; in this they differ from external climatic factors, which can cause internal disharmony only after passing the stage of External disharmony. For example, sadness and sadness directly deplete Lung Qi and cause Lung Qi deficiency. The External Wind can penetrate into the space between the skin and muscles (this is the “External” /aspect/), block the circulation of the Protective (Wei) Qi and cause the typical symptom of the External syndrome of cold intolerance and fever. Only after passing through the stage of External Syndrome can the External Wind become internal (usually turning into Heat) and deplete the Lung Qi inside.

NOTE

Emotions directly affect the internal organs. External pathogenic factors (for example, Wind) first affect the external aspect (the space between the skin and muscles) and only then the internal organs (if the pathogenic factor is not expelled)

The most important feature of Chinese medicine is the position that internal organs influence our emotional state. For example, if Liver Yin is deficient for dietary reasons and causes Liver Yang to rise, it can cause a person to become irritable. And the opposite example, if a person is constantly irritated by some situation or some person, this can also lead to the rise of Liver Yang. “fear, sadness and worries of the Heart damage the Mind... worries of the Spleen damage the Intelligence... sadness and shock of the Liver damage the Etheric Spirit... anger of the Kidneys damages the Willpower"

It is further said: “If there is a deficiency of Liver Blood there is fear, if it is in excess there is anger... if there is a deficiency of Heart Qi there will be sadness, if it is in excess there will be manic behavior. From this passage it is clear that on the one hand, emotions can damage the internal organs, and on the other hand, disharmony of the internal organs can cause emotional imbalance. Since the body and mind are inseparable and form a single whole, emotions can not only cause disharmony, but they themselves can be a consequence of disharmony. For example, a prolonged state of fear and anxiety can lead to Kidney failure and vice versa, if the Kidneys become weakened, say, due to overload, then this can cause a state of fear and anxiety. Identifying such conditions is very important for practice, since only in this way can we develop specific recommendations for our patients. Patients are often reassured by learning that their emotional state has a physical basis and, conversely, that their physical symptoms have an emotional basis. If we can clearly identify this connection, we can treat the corresponding disharmony and make specific recommendations to patients.

Each emotion emits a specific mental energy that belongs to a specific internal Yin organ. This actually explains why a certain emotion damages a certain internal organ: because each internal organ also produces a certain mental energy with specific characteristics that “resonate” with the corresponding emotional stimulation. Therefore, an emotion can be considered as something that comes from the outside and directly damages an internal organ; to some extent, the Internal Organs have positive mental energy, which turns into negative emotion only when subjected to certain external influences.

For example, why does anger damage the Liver? If we accept that the Liver is characterized by easy, fast and free movement, that its Qi has an upward tendency, which corresponds to the spring/key, and that the strong Yang energy rushes upward, and corresponds to the Tree in its expansive movement, then it becomes clear that why the liver is damaged by anger. This emotion, with its rapid flare-up, with the rushing of Blood to the head, when a person feels strong anger, when facial features take on an aggressive appearance, clearly fits the above-listed characteristics of the Liver and the Wood element to which this organ belongs. These same mental and emotional qualities of the Liver, which can lead to anger and resentment, promote positive mental development over many years.

The nature of “resonance” of the internal organ and emotions.

Each internal organ has a positive mental emotion, which turns into negative under emotional stress in certain life situations.

The understanding of emotions in Tibetan medicine has changed over the years. The Yellow Emperor's Classic identified specific Yin organs that are affected by emotions from the perspective of the Five Elements teaching.

anger damages the liver

joy damages the heart

brooding damages the Spleen

Anxiety damages the lungs

fear damages the kidneys.

Anger damages the Liver, sadness counteracts anger... joy damages the Heart, fear counteracts joy... brooding damages the Spleen, anger counteracts thoughtfulness... anxiety damages the Lungs, joy counteracts anxiety... fear damages the Kidneys, brooding counteracts fear.

An interesting feature of this passage is the indication of the counteraction of emotions along the Subordinate Sequence in the cycle of the five Elements. For example, fear belongs to the element Water, just as the Kidneys and Water control Fire (Heart), and the emotion associated with the element fire is joy, so it turns out that fear counteracts joy. This pattern is interesting because it often turns out to be true, for example, anger suppresses thoughtfulness (that is, it does not allow NA to concentrate). But in the same Yellow Emperor Classic, two more emotions were added, sadness and shock, and the number of emotions became seven.

Each emotion has a specific effect on the circulation of Qi. “Anger sends Qi up, joy sends Qi down, sadness destroys Qi, fear sends Qi down, shock dispels Qi, thoughtfulness ties it into a knot” (5). Dr. Shen Yang in “Treating the Three Categories of Causes of Disease” (1174) said: “Joy dissipates Qi, anger excites, anxiety makes Qi rough, thoughtfulness ties into a knot, sadness makes Qi tense, fear lowers, shock moves” (6). The influence of emotions on a certain internal organ should not be perceived in a narrow framework, because in the same Classic of the Yellow Emperor there are instructions about the influence of emotions on internal organs that differ from what was said above. “Anxiety and thoughtfulness excites the Heart” “sadness excites the Heart”

The impact of emotions also depends on whether the emotion is expressed or suppressed. For example, anger, manifested externally, affects the liver, it is the same anger, but suppressed, it also affects the Heart. If someone’s anger manifests itself during meals, which, unfortunately, can be seen in some families, then the anger will also affect the Stomach and will manifest itself as a String pulse in the right Middle position of the pulse examination (Stomach pulse AN). The impact of emotion also depends on the constitutional characteristics of a person. For example, if a person has a constitutional weakness of the Heart (manifested by a crack along the midline of the tongue, reaching the tip of the tongue), then fear is more likely to damage the Heart, not the Kidneys.

All emotions strike the Heart.

Moreover, in addition to directly affecting the corresponding organ, emotions indirectly affect the Heart, because the Heart shelters (literally, is the house of AN) the Mind. It is the only one that is responsible for the ability to know and, thanks to it, the Mind can recognize and feel the effect of emotional stress. Fei Bo Seng (1800-1879) gave a very clear explanation on this matter:

“The seven emotions affect the five Yin organs selectively, but they all attack the Heart. Joy damages the Heart... Anger affects the Liver, but the Liver cannot recognize anger, but the Heart can and therefore anger affects both the Liver and the Heart. Anxiety affects the Lungs, but the Lungs cannot recognize Anxiety, but the Heart can, so it affects both the Lungs and the Heart. Brooding damages the Spleen, but the Spleen cannot recognize thoughtfulness, but the Heart can, and it affects both the Spleen and the Heart.

Yu Chan in “Principles of Medical Practice” (1658) said: “Anxiety excites the Heart and is reflected in the Lungs; thoughtfulness affects the Heart and is reflected in the Spleen; anger affects the Heart and is reflected in the Liver; fear affects the Heart and is reflected in the Kidneys. Therefore, all five emotions strike the Heart."

all emotions damage the Heart: “The Heart is the Elder (literally in the text Master) of the five Yin organs and six Yang organs. ...sadness, shock and anxiety excite the Heart. When the Heart is excited, the five Yin organs and six Yang organs become loose (11). The Chinese writers clearly described the idea that all emotions damage the Heart because all seven emotions contain the radical "heart" in their names. This is probably the most important aspect of the function of the Heart and the main reason for calling the Heart the “monarch” of the internal organs. The fact that all emotions damage the Heart can explain the diagnostic value of the red tip of the tongue, reflecting the presence of the Fire of the Heart and indicating the emotional nature of the condition, even if the emotions are associated with another organ.

Effect of emotional stress on the body

The first effect of emotional stress is to directly affect the circulation of Qi and the direction of its flow. Qi is not substantial and the Mind with mental and emotional energies is basically a non-material type of Qi. Therefore, it is natural that emotional stress affects the Mind, disrupts the circulation of Qi, and interrupts the Qi Mechanism above all. Although each emotion has a specific effect on Qi, as discussed above (anger sends Qi up, sadness depletes Qi, etc.), they all still tend to cause Qi to stagnate after a while. Even emotions that deplete Qi, such as sadness, cause Qi to stagnate as the depleted Qi becomes unable to circulate Qi properly. For example, sadness depletes the Qi in the chest. Qi becomes depleted and cannot circulate properly, and therefore Qi stagnation develops in the chest.

Stagnation of Qi after some time can lead to stagnation of Blood, especially in women. And Blood stasis especially affects the Heart, Liver and Uterus.

Stagnation of Qi can also lead to Heat, and most emotions can eventually lead to Heat or Fire. There is a saying in Chinese medicine: “five emotions can turn into Heat.” This happens because emotions cause stagnation of Qi, which, when compacted, after some time generates Heat, similar to an increase in the temperature of a gas if it is subjected to compression - an increase in the pressure of a gaseous body, as is known, is accompanied by an increase in temperature.

Therefore, in anyone who has been exposed to emotions for a long time, one can find signs of Heat, which can be a manifestation of Heat of the Liver, Heart, Lungs, Kidneys (Empty Heat, if we talk about the last organ). This can often be seen on the tongue, which may become red, dark red and dry, and may be red at the tip. A red tip of the tongue is a very common symptom in clinical practice and very reliably indicates that the patient is under the influence of emotional stress. The red tip of the tongue is treated with one very good drug based on medicinal herbs.

Over time, Heat can turn into Fire, which is higher in intensity, more drying, and more powerfully affecting the Mind. Therefore, emotional stress can lead to Fire patterns over time; Fire can damage and cloud the Heart and cause agitation and anxiety. Disorder in the flow of Qi caused by emotions can eventually lead to the formation of Phlegm. Since the smooth flow of Qi in the right direction in the Qi Mechanism is the basis for the transformation, transportation and excretion of fluids, therefore, a disorder in the circulation of Qi caused by emotional stress can lead to the formation of Phlegm.

Phlegm, in turn, blocks the openings of the Mind and itself becomes the cause of new emotional and mental disorders.

Chinese sages lived to be 100 years or more, and this proves the effectiveness of traditional Chinese methods of treating and preventing diseases.

Every person knows that the main method of treating almost any disease is to eliminate the cause that caused it. We try to look for the “root of evil” in the air we breathe, in the foods we eat, and even in other people with whom we communicate. However, the cause of human illness lies much deeper, namely in his soul, and it was this secret that the Chinese sages revealed to humanity.

How and why our emotions can cause many diseases and how to help the body cope with them?

Emotions are the main causes of human diseases

People have different attitudes towards traditional medicine, and especially oriental medicine: some ignore it, some do not understand and ridicule it, and some prefer to be treated only with such methods. But the fact remains: Chinese sages lived to be 100 years or more, and this proves the effectiveness of traditional Chinese methods of treating and preventing diseases.

A person’s emotions and his internal state are one of the most powerful factors influencing the state of all internal organs. In the East, it is believed that strong and uncontrolled emotions can indeed cause serious illnesses, but a simple and accessible method of controlling them still exists.

Causes of diseases:

why emotions can cause human illness;

how different emotions affect the state of internal organs;

Massage will help prevent the causes of diseases in the body.

Why emotions can cause human illness

The role of emotions as one of the main causes of human diseases has been known to traditional Chinese medicine for a long time. There is even the term “seven senses”, which refers to the seven types of human emotions:

thoughtfulness;

With moderate expression and a predominance of positive emotions, they do not affect the body in a negative way. However, if we are talking about prolonged and strong exposure to a stress factor, strong emotions may well cause illness. Eastern sages call such diseases “internal wounds,” which disrupt the circulation of energy in the human body and the functioning of its internal organs.

How different emotions affect the state of internal organs

A person’s emotions can affect his body in various ways. Eastern sages claim that not only negative emotions can cause human illnesses, judge for yourself:

joy is a positive emotion, but Eastern medicine knows that prolonged and very strong joy negatively affects the heart, depriving it of energy;

Anger is a negative emotion that harms the liver. Anger and anger “ignite a fire” in the human body, which means that the liver begins to work with a much greater load and can be seriously damaged;

grief is a condition that negatively affects a person’s lungs. In the east, it is believed that depression and grief explain the large number of tuberculosis patients in places of detention;

anxiety is a dangerous condition that provokes stagnation of energy in the body, so organs such as the stomach and spleen suffer;

fear is a strong blow to the kidneys. It deprives this organ of energy, causes urinary incontinence during fright and, according to Eastern sages, can lead to death.

Massage will help prevent the causes of body diseases

As you now know, human emotions can cause illness. However, learning to control them is not so easy, because things happen around us every day that are almost impossible to react to calmly.

But at the moment a strong emotion arises, you can calm it down, and for this you need to do a simple massage of your fingers!

To prevent diseases of the body at a time of strong emotions, press 3-10 times along and across the following fingers:

massage your little finger in any situations that make you feel afraid;

massaging your thumbs will help with anxiety and anxiety;

the index fingers are connected to the lungs, and therefore they need to be massaged when feeling bitterness and melancholy;

massaging the ring fingers will help calm your anger and also helps remove toxins from the body, so it is recommended when drinking alcohol and smoking;

The middle fingers are responsible for the heart, blood and intestines, so their massage will save you from anxiety, resentment, vulnerability and even excessive joy.

Now you know that strong emotions can cause human illness, and you can try a simple method to control them!

The human body is a very complex and perfect mechanism. Initially, everything should work perfectly in it. But the complexity of the mechanism is where the catch lies. It's not too hard to destroy. The health mechanism can collapse for two reasons - through the fault of the owner himself and due to external influences. Chinese doctors believe that all human diseases have their origin in unnatural behavior of people. All the strong emotions we experience lead to illness. This is called defeat by excess of the seven senses.

Emotions are the main enemy of man. But not all emotions are so dangerous. A person is protected from the influence of other people’s evil emotions by his own energy shell. But sometimes a hole or a very small hole forms in it. It is through this hole in the aura that other people’s negative emotions penetrate. Why does this hole form? If a person is very emotional and cannot cope with a storm of passions, this is a reason for the formation of a gap in the aura. If a person likes to promise and not fulfill, then such karmic debts also have a bad effect on the aura. The integrity of the aura can also be disrupted due to the fact that a person is an energy vampire. Such activities ultimately bring no benefit to the vampire.

What seven senses can disrupt human health? Practically, these are all emotions, but they manifest themselves too strongly. These are joy, anger, grief, melancholy, cowardice, fear, sadness. If you get too angry, the Qi energy goes to the head, you may get a migraine, your face will turn red, and you may even vomit blood. When joy is too long and intense, Qi is inhibited, the person becomes inattentive and absent-minded. If you grieve for a long time and deeply about something or someone, Qi dissolves. Strong fear directs Qi downward, you may be struck by diarrhea, strong fear makes the movement of Qi chaotic. Too long and dreary thoughts provoke stagnation of Qi.

An excess of the seven senses can both provoke new diseases and aggravate existing ones.

Empty couch

Good morning! Catch the answers to yesterday's test! ⠀ 💖...

In Chinese medicine, diseases are divided into external and internal.

Internal diseases caused by our psychological state, the “seven emotions”: joy, anger, brooding, anxiety, sadness, fear and horror.

Reasons external diseases The “six extremes” or “six evils” are considered: wind, cold, heat, dryness, humidity, summer heat.

First I'll tell you about "six extremes".

Of course, there are other factors that lead to diseases: poor nutrition, lifestyle, external circumstances, but more on that another time.

As a Chinese Medicine physician, I use this classification to determine the causes of a patient's illness.

"Six Evils", which have been known since ancient times, accurately describe many diseases and their manifestations in the body. For example, in nature, wind often appears and disappears suddenly. In the same way, the disease-causing symptoms of “wind” appear and disappear suddenly.

Have you ever had a sudden headache that quickly went away? It was a "wind" attack. If you have a headache, heavy sweating and a red face, it means that you have been struck by “heat”, i.e. your condition falls into the “heat-wind” category.

"Wind". The influence of the "wind" manifests itself as headache, sneezing and congestion. “Wind” makes the body vulnerable to other pathogenic factors (diseases), because when you already feel slightly sick and your immune system is weak, your body becomes very vulnerable.

"Cold". “Cold” leads to stagnation and disruption of the circulation of qi and blood. Excess “cold” manifests itself as chills, trembling, cold extremities, pallor, painful cramps or spasms.

"Heat". Heat is an “evil” that affects your body fluids and yin energy, and also disrupts your state of mind. Characteristic symptoms of a “heat” include red eyes and face, thirst, fever, dark or yellow discharge (yellow mucus or dark urine), irritability, sweating and itching. Perhaps the expression “hot heads” is related to these observations.

"Dryness": Problems caused by “dryness” have many similarities with “heat”, often the two factors coexist. “Dryness” absorbs fluids, especially from the lungs. Therefore, most symptoms include dryness: dry cough, dry skin, dry tongue, chapped lips and constipation.

"Humidity". Excess “humidity” often occurs due to living or working in a humid environment. Symptoms of “dampness” are stagnation of fluids: a feeling of heaviness, swelling, lethargy, sticky discharge, cloudy urine.

"Summer Heat". This pathogen is purely external in nature when you are exposed to heat for a long time. Expected symptoms are increased sweating, vomiting and dizziness. The most common illness is sunstroke.

Through thousands of years of observation, Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners have studied these six factors in detail, and this knowledge can still be applied in practice. These symptoms can help you choose the right herbs and acupuncture techniques.

For example, in case of excessive “heat”, “cooling” herbs are selected; with excess “moisture” - “drying” herbs. The same applies to acupuncture.

If you are suffering from painful cramps caused by stagnation of energy as a result of "cold", I use techniques to direct "heat" to the area and increase the circulation of chi and blood to relieve pain.

Now let's talk about the internal causes of diseases which are called the “seven emotions”: anger, fear, shock, grief, joy, melancholy and anxiety.

Traditional Chinese medicine considers these emotions to be the main sources of disease.

Do you remember how you felt when you fell in love? When were you unfairly accused of something you didn't do? When the parking spot you had your eye on was taken in front of your nose?

I don't think I need to prove that emotions have a huge impact on our body. Think about how your chest and abdomen tighten when you're upset, or how fast your heart beats and adrenaline flows through your veins when you're angry or afraid.

An emotional outburst can trigger a series of chemical reactions in the body, stimulating certain organ systems and suppressing others. It's normal to experience emotions. But when they become extreme and persist for a long time, they can harm some organs and leave your body vulnerable to disease.

In Chinese medicine The “seven emotions” are associated with different organs. Therefore, when you experience strong negative emotions, it affects the corresponding organ.

The seven emotions and their associated organs:

1. Anger is the liver
2. Fear - kidneys
3. Fright/shock - kidneys/heart
4. Joy is the heart
5. Melancholy (excessive thinking and mental stimulation) - spleen
6. Concern - Spleen/Lungs
7. Grief is easy

For example, prolonged grief affects the lungs. The opposite is also true: if you suffer from a physical illness, such as lung problems, for a long time, this will affect your emotional state and you may be sad. It's like a chicken and egg situation.

Another example: if you experience bouts of anger for a long time, this will affect your liver and lead to imbalance. And, conversely, chronic liver diseases often lead to irritability and even depression.

This ancient teaching of the "seven emotions" demonstrates the importance of a holistic approach to treating illness because the organs of our body are not isolated.

The WHOLE person must be treated. Illness or physical problems affect the entire body and mind. Treatment should be aimed at eliminating physical, psychological and mental imbalances.

Jennifer Dubovsky