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What Causes Health Problems?
As we discussed in the
last newsletter, the most fundamental question in any system of
medicine revolves around the definition of health. Within Chinese
medicine, health can be seen as the movement of qi that is proper to
the individual. This correct movement of qi ensures that the all of the
functions of life, mental, physical and emotional, are balanced and
dynamic within the body.
This brings us to the next question about health: What causes
health problems? From this perspective, health is disrupted when
something throws off the correct balance and movement of the qi. The
resulting abnormal movement of qi then becomes the beginning of
disorder within the body and can be seen as the root of a health
problem.
So what is it that throws off the correct movement of qi and begins
this process of disorder within the body? Traditionally speaking,
health problems originate in some combination of what are called the
Three Factors. The Three Factors are External Factors, Internal Factors
and Miscellaneous Factors.
External Factors - The Season and the Environment
External factors, most fundamentally, are seasonal and
environmental conditions (for a specific discussion of the seasonal
influence of springtime see the February and March Newsletters on our
newsletter archive page). Seasonal and environmental conditions are
direct manifestations of the quality of the qi of nature. This can be
described in terms of the four seasons, five phases and six qi of the
environment (Cold, Heat, Summer Heat, Dryness, Dampness and Wind). If
our body does not harmonize with the qi of the season and adapt to the
environmental conditions, or if those conditions are too extreme, there
is an internal reaction that alters the normal functioning of the body.
In that situation there is a disturbance of the normal movement of the
qi that leads to physical and mental disorder.
Internal Factors - The Emotions
The natural movement of the emotions is the healthy movement of the
energy of life. Ideally, the emotions move naturally and spontaneously,
like the movement of the tides. If this movement is free and easy then
our emotions rise and fall according to the circumstances without
disturbing the heart and are simply an expression of the proper
movement of the qi. However, if the emotions become stuck then the
natural movement of energy within the body becomes exaggerated and
begins to move astray. What was once natural emotion grows distorted,
beginning a process of movement away from our own nature. Any emotion
can thus lead to a disturbance of the qi.
Miscellaneous Factors - Our Circumstances and Choices
Miscellaneous Factors involve the circumstance and choices within
life. This includes the resources that we have to restore and renew our
energy, the type of stress that is in our life, the amount of physical
activity that we get, the times and amounts that we sleep, what our
work is, the foods that we eat, how we eat those foods, and so on.
When there is a specific health problem it is usually not one
single factor that was involved with how it came to be. It is usually a
combination of all of these factors that come together in a certain way
to cause a disruption to the movement of the qi, which is strong enough
to persist. We should be careful not to blame ourselves, as these
factors may come together in a way that is quite out of our control.
However, regardless of the specific causes, we can try to understand
these processes in general terms in order to help us move towards
greater health - the movement of the qi that is proper to us.
In the next newsletter I will discuss the external influences of the seasons and environment in greater detail.
Look up previous newsletters on our Archive Page.
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