The Large Intestine in Traditional Chinese Medicine receives food and liquids from the Small Intestine.
- After receiving the food and liquids it reabsorbs part of the liquids.
- The remainder it discards in the stools.
Energetic functions
- Controls the transit and passage.
- Transforms the stools and reabsorbs the liquids.
- Its maximum energy is from 5 to 7 in the morning.
Transit and passage
Takes the food and liquids from the Small Intestine and transforms them into stools.
- Ensures that the stools move downward to be discarded.
- Ensures that nothing is retained.
Transforms the stools
Responsible for giving form to the stools as the final product of the extensive process of digestion.
- Reabsorbs part of the liquids.
- The reabsorption must be in balance with the discarding.
Psycho-emotional functions
By taking charge of transit and passage the Large Intestine gives us the opportunity to let go.
- The human body is not made to retain, accumulate.
- The capacity to let go and not live in the past is influenced by the Large Intestine.
- Detachment as a capacity for movement is the mother of will and self-esteem.
According to G. Maciocia LI-4 is the best point for letting go and calming the mind.
Interior-Exterior Relationship with the Lungs
- The Lung-Qi provides the necessary force to the Large Intestine for defecation.
- A stagnation of stools in the Large Intestine will prevent Lung-Qi from descending and it will also stagnate.
- Like the lungs, LI influences the skin.
Main symptoms of dysfunction
- Constipation.
- Diarrhea.
- Gas.
- Abdominal pain.
- Haemorrhoids.
- Bleeding or mucus in the stools.
Related syndromes and pathologies
Pathologies
- Constipation.
- Diarrhea.
- Ulcerative colitis.
- Colon or irritable bowel.
Channels
- Large Intestine Channel.
- Divergent of Large Intestine.
- Connecting Channel of Large Intestine.
- Muscle Channel of Large Intestine.
Return to Yang Organs.