The color green

[Guest guest]

The color green is associated with the Liver and Gall Bladder, the element

Wood, and the season of spring. If the skin has greenish tones, suspect and

rule in or rule out Liver and/or Gall Bladder problems. Greenish tones in

the complexion also can indicate Blood Stasis or chronic pain.

 

The color yellow is associated with the Spleen (and Stomach), Dampness

problems, and the element Earth. Suspect and RI/RO Spleen problems if the

complexion is yellowish. (Actually, there's different shades of yellow

associated with different things, but I don't want to go into detail about

this now.)

 

If the person has a yellowish complexion that also has green tones in it,

suspect Liver Invading Spleen.

 

There is a special relationship between the Wood (Liver) and the Earth

(Spleen) elements. It's the Victor-Vanquished relationship. The VV

relationship is an inverse one. If the Victor is too strong, it will

supress the Vanquished element. In the above case, Liver Invading Spleen,

the Liver is overacting on the Spleen, causing the Spleen to be weak, and

triggering Spleen Deficiency problems like loose stools, poor appetite,

fatigue, various digestive system problems, etc.)

 

The face color sometimes may seem to be a contradictory oddity. When this

happens, it can indicate the true Root of a condition. For example, a

person's main and pressing problems may be those of Spleen Deficiency. But,

if there are greenish tones in the face, this can indicate that the Root of

the Spleen problems lie not in the Spleen but in the Liver because the Liver

is Invading (over-acting on) the Spleen and causing it to be weak. Spleen

tonics are going to be of limited use in cases like this because the Liver

is going to continue to Invade the Spleen. Think of trying to bail out a

leaky row boat. The boat just keeps filling up until the hole is repaired.

The main thrust of the treatment in this case needs to be restoring balance

to the Liver. You'll include herbs to build up the Spleen, but the main

focus will be on the Liver. (Note: In some cases the Liver will Invade the

Spleen not because the Liver is overly strong but because the Spleen is

weak. In this case the focus will be on strengthing the Spleen instead of

on the Liver.)

 

There is something besides over-acting on which can occur in VV

relationships. The element which normally is the vanquished one - Earth in

this case - turns around and beats up on what normally is the Victor. The

term for this is " Insults " - as in Earth Insulting Wood. Gall stones is a

good example of this. So are some (not all) cases of hepatitis. Jaundice

frequently occurs when a person has gall stones and when a person has

hepatitis. The whites of the eyes and even the complexion are yellow -

indicating Dampness and/or Spleen imbalance, but the most pressing symptoms

are in the Gall Bladder (the stones) or the Liver (the liver swells and the

liver profile test is abnormal). Gall stones frequently are due to Damp

Heat problems. There wouldn't be Dampness to contribute to the stones if

the Spleen wasn't messed up. Likewise, there wouldn't be Dampness

interfering with the smooth flow of Qi in the liver and causing it to swell

if there weren't problems in the Spleen.

 

The color white (as in pale) usually is assoicated with Cold, but it also

can indicate Lung problems. People who are having problems breathing

frequently will have pale complexions. Blood Deficiency problems can also

result in a pale complexion.

 

Red is associated with Heat and/or problems in the Fire Element (Heart).

 

Cold and Heat problems can occur anywhere in the body.

 

Information taken from The Foundations of by Giovanni

Maciocia, p. 29.

 

Victoria

 

_______________

Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com