Hey, today I'm going to write on the TCM Large Intestine, pretty much similar to the Small Intestine in term of the structure. And I'll show you How to link the 2nd Yang Organ - the Large Intestine with the Yin Organs which is more interesting. The TCM Large Intestine is the best-correlated match to the TCM Lung. As I've mentioned previously, all 6 Yang Organs comply strictly to the:
- tubular configuration and
- TCM Fundamentals
Under normal condition. The unwanted residue being transferred over to the Large Intestine is no longer called digested food because all the CLEAR nutrient has been absorbed by the Small Intestine in feeding all parts of the body. Moreover, the smooth sailing of the transfer characteristics at the large intestine is greatly dependent on :
- the clear passage and smooth sailing from the stomach and
- closely associated with TCM spleen transportation
- TCM Lung's Qi descending movement and
- sealed storage characteristics of the TCM Kidney
TCM FUNDAMENTALS
So, what are the physiological functions of the Large Intestine? On the whole, they are 3 of them, namely:
Therefore, I'll start from the transfer of the unwanted residue from the ileum through the ileocecal valve into the cecum. I have to inject some knowledge into the explanation to make the subject more lively and vivid.
Water Reabsorption
Hence, the Cecum which is a small portion like a 'sac' or pouch, of the ascending colon. So over here thick mucous membranes are secreting a large amount of mucus to mix up with solid residue transfer over from the Small Intestine. It acts more like lubricating the solid waste and pushes upward the ascending colon in the effect of churning 'milk cream to make butter'. So this churning extracts salts and electrolytes such as sodium and potassium to be absorbed back into the body. There is only one way upward slowly through the ascending colon and no reflux is allowed because of the ILEOCECAL valve. In another word, the churned cream cannot reflow into the Small Intestine due to one-way traffic from the ileocecal valve.
The large intestine can more or less regulate the water metabolism of the whole body by reabsorbing the water into the system. So when the large intestine is weak and cold in the TCM perspective, there will be a lack of power to drive the absorption resulting in more water retention in the faeces which upset the normal function of the large intestine. And this would result in a change:
- in the quality and
- quantity of the faeces and also
- the number of time of defecation in one day.
This means that water will have to flow in its water path in the TCM perspective.
So now water didn't flow in its waterway in that sense causing the faeces to be too wet. On the contrary,
when there is over absorption, constipation can take place. So there are many TCM Physicians practise fortifying the Stomach Qi deficiency in the effort to treat the irregular dry or loose stool using herbs, acupuncture and moxibustion. I would say if the procedure is in order then it really can regulate the water reabsorption in the large intestine.
Defecation
The completed action of Defecation is brought about by the waves of intestinal muscular contraction in the wall of the colon. So there is also the compaction of the loose 'stuff' carried out through the Large Intestine into solid faeces, especially in ascending and transverse colon. The pushing force which is mass muscular contraction would push the faeces towards the rectum one to three times per day causing the urge to release them through the Anus.
Over here I have a few TCM terminologies to explain about defecation so that it would be easier to understand in clinical studies in my later blogs. They are namely:
- damp-heat accumulation,
- urgency but unfinished feeling,
- large intestine Qi Stagnation,
- blood stasis,
- whether the bowel form thick or thin tubular shape,
- goat-shit (marble)shape,
For example, if there is a Qi Stagnation coupled with damp-heat from the stomach, then the likely consequences would a bad abdominal pain and diarrhoea with frequent urge but an unfinished feeling.
Production of Vitamin K
Our body starts to produce Vitamin K from the intestinal bacteria once external food begins to ingest through the mouth. These intestinal bacteria are largely found on the wall of the colon called microflora. This is a rather important product of the Large Intestine because Vitamin K plays a key role in:
Hence, newborn babies are given Vitamin K inoculation in the first 3 days to prevent accidental haemorrhage. This is because the neonates don't possess any bacteria in their large intestine and Vitamin K is not transferred from the mother's placenta.
The Appendix
Last and not least, the Appendix is the small portion of the Large Intestine which looks like a little 'worm' believed to be just a useless remnant from our evolutionary past. However, modern science has proved it to be a re-depository store for good bacteria and restore the good bacteria into the digestive system especially during recovery from a major illness. It is situated at the junction between the large and small intestine right at the bottom of the cecum.
***Reference:
( Emperor's Interior Sutra is available on sales better known as the esoteric scripture of the yellow emperor in Amazon, it's just a different way of naming the book cover)
Best of all
Xiong