Qi and Blood and Fluid in Chinese medicine
3 min readQi，Blood and Fluid are fundamental substances of the human body which sustain the normal physiological functions of the organs and tissues.Qi，the essential energy，together with Blood and Fluid，circulates through our body and delivers the nutrients that our body needs.
Ancient Chinese philosophy holds that Qi，which is closest to“energy”in English，is the most basic substance constituting the world.Its origin is tied to the Taoist creation theory:from chaos come Yin and Yang；from Yin and Yang come the Five Elements；from the Five Elements come the Ten Thousand Things.Qi cannot be destroyed but only changed in form.
Everything is composed of Qi-our bodies，the earth，water，sound and light.Qi has six main functions to the body：
·Produces motion within the body and moves the body.
·Transforms-eg Spleen Qi transforms foods，and Kidney Qi fluids.
·Transports-eg Spleen Qi takes nutrients to the muscles，Lung Qi takes fluids to the skin to moisten it.
· Warms-Yang Qi warms the body.
·Protects-eg Stomach Qi keeps out external pathogens.
Contains-eg Spleen Qi keeps blood in the vessels，and Kidney Qi keeps fluids in the Bladder.
There are about 20 types of Qi that circulate in human beings.When you have the proper amount of Qi and it is flowing smoothly，you have health.Sometimes Qi can become stagnant，and Qi Stagnation arises from a number of causes：
·One of the main ones is emotional problems.
·Something else which can cause Qi to stagnate is Cold.An excess of foods that are too cold or foods that are too hot also can trigger Qi Stagnation problems.
·Mechanical injury can produce Qi Stagnation problems.
When it stagnates，it is compressed:this may generate Heat and lead to Fire（of the Liver or Heart，usually），and even lead to Blood Stasis.Since the free flow of Liver Qi plays an important role in fluid metabolism，Qi Stagnation may also lead to Dampness and eventually Phlegm.Hence，the consequences of Qi Stagnation are:Blood Stasis，Heat，Dampness，and Phlegm.
Blood has a different meaning in Chinese medicine than it does in Western medicine.It not only transports nourishment，but also vitality.It is a material form of Qi.The Yin and Yangorgans form Blood from food and drink.Blood circulates throughout the body from the Yin and Yang organs in the interior to the skin，muscle，tendon，and bone at the exterior level.Blood nourishes and moistens those organs and tissues，and is also viewed as the material foundation of mental activity.2Illness may be caused by Blood Deficiency，Blood Stasis，or Blood Heat.
Fluid in Traditional Chinese Medicine is a general term for all normal liquids in the body，including saliva，gastric fluid，intestinal fluid，joint cavity fluid，tears，nasal discharge，sweat，and urine. Fluid is derived from food and drink which is digested and absorbed by the spleen and stomach.It exists in the blood，tissues，and interstices of joints.Its main physiological function is to lubricate the joints，tone the brain，and moisten the orifices.
Qi，Blood and Fluid have different properties，forms and functions but have something in common.Firstly，they are the basic materials that comprise the human body and keep the body’s life activities ongoing.Secondly，they all derive from food essence.Thirdly，they physiologically depend on each other for their existence and they restrain and utilize each other.And lastly，they influence each other and have causality between each other in the pathological field.Therefore，when we treat diseases related to them，the relationship between them will be considered.
