11/11/2018
Put simply 😊
TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE BODY CLOCK
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), there is an organ clock that represents the time of the day when each organ is functioning optimally and has the most energy.
There are 12 organ systems and 2 accessory systems that are represented by this clock.
Here is a brief discussion of the organ systems with their corresponding times, and how imbalances in these systems may arise both physically and emotionally.
3am – 5am : Lung Time
• Early stirring gentle breathing
• Grief
• Sadness
The toxic waste from your lungs becomes loosened between 3 to 5 am, and when you awaken, this is why you cough sometimes. Your lungs are trying to expel the loosened waste. If you are coughing in the morning, this indicates that your diet and lifestyle needs tweaking in order to reduce mucus and toxicity. Feeling ill at this time can also be an indication of deep grief that must be dealt with.
5am – 7am : Large Intestine Time
• Rising and defecating
• Guilt
• Stuck
• Defensiveness
To get the day off to a good start, give yourself enough time early in the morning to honor the normal elimination function of the large intestine. The morning is the most important time to drink plenty of water and the worst time to have caffeine. Caffeine is a diuretic and takes water away from your colon to the kidneys and bladder for evacuation, but your body need water in the morning to keep up its repair and maintenance of the large intestine and colon. If you are feeling bad at this time, drink lots of water. Drinking plenty of water at this time keeps you from getting constipated, gaining weight, looking and feeling older and improves your overall health. From an emotional perspective, you may need to let go of guilt.
7am – 9am : Stomach Time
• Healthy eating
• Disgust
• Despair
Now the flow of energy moves to the stomach stimulating hunger. You are encouraged to eat a hearty, healthy breakfast and thereby producing good amounts of long-lasting energy. Eating larger meals of the day early delivers nourishment to the small intestine when it is strongest, which aids absorption and assimilation. Issues during this time may mean that your stomach is too cold (especially since we as a Western society love salads, ice water, and smoothies!) Be sure to drink ginger tea to nourish the stomach.
9am – 11am : Pancreas/Spleen Time
• Thinking and working
• Jealousy/Worry
• Low Self-esteem
TCM considers the Spleen the most important digestive organ, so even a late breakfast will be digested easily. On the other hand, this is also the time when allergies can show up the strongest because the Spleen is busy working with the Liver and your immune system. A healthy spleen produces antibodies when there is an infection and constantly watches the blood for invaders. Illness during this time can mean your spleen is deficient, or you are worrying/having self esteem issues. The spleen is also aided by ginger tea (Lily’s solution to everything!)
11am – 1pm : Heart Time
• Meeting talking and eating
• Joy
• Frightfully Sad
Don’t overtax your heart at this time. You may sometimes notice a rapid heartbeat, double beats and/or skipping beats during this time period. Research shows that seventy percent of heart attacks occur during this time frame. Being full of joy, enthusiastic and restful makes the heart stronger, whereas the opposite emotions of saddness and gloom weaken the heart. Doing anything heat inducing during this time is not good for optimal heart health as the heart has an aversion to heat according to the TCM.
1pm – 3pm : Small Intestine Time
• Sorting and organizing
• Insecurity
• Vulnerable / Gullible
• Feelings of Abandonment
Have you noticed that between 1 to 3 pm you are more apt to have indigestion, pain and bloating? This shows a problem with your small intestine. Are you feeling insecure, self doubt, or abandoned? Do you have leaky gut? Bone broth soup can work wonders for gut issues and malabsorption.
3pm – 5pm : Bladder Time
• Storing and reserving
• associated with the Skin
• Irritation
• Timidity
At this time you may notice that you are tired and want a nap. Salty foods strengthen the Bladder, so drinking a cup of savory miso soup or nutrient-rich broth would be beneficial at this time.
5pm – 7pm : Kidney Time
• Driving and consolidating
• Fear
• Terror
The feeling of being tired and wanting a nap could continue into this time frame. On the other hand when the Kidneys are healthy and working properly, you will feel energetic at this time and not tired. The kidneys are aligned with the adrenals, the glands that produce cortisol to help us spring out of bed in the morning. Early morning, from 5-7 am, is when kidney energy is weakest—a reason that people with depleted kidney energy often have trouble waking up to a new day.
7pm – 9pm : Pericardium, Circulation S*x Time
• Associated with the brain, including the pituitary and hypothalamus and the reproductive organs
• Socializing and flirting
• Unresponsive
• Hurt/Extreme Joy
• Inability to Express Emotions
• Depleted
Between 7 to 9 pm do you have intense cravings for sweets or processed carbohydrates that turn to sugar immediately in the system? The reason is because the Kidneys regulate the Pancreas, and if you do consume sweets during that period, you may notice lower back pain, which is a kidney symptom. The kidneys, bladder and pancreas are all parts of the same whole. If you need a nap early in the evening it is just your pancreas, as directed by your kidneys, putting you out so it can do its repairs.
9pm – 11pm : Triple Warmer Time
• Associated with the Thyroid and Adrenals
• Controls Metabolism
• Energy Transfer and Regulates Temperature
• Relaxing and Chilling
• Hopelessness
• Confusion, Paranoia
The Triple Warmer governs Blood Vessels and Arteries. From 9 to 11 pm the blood vessels go into repair mode. If you get headaches, feel abnormally tired or weak, this means that the blood vessels are in heavy repair.
11pm – 1am : Gall Bladder Time
• Sleeping and regenerating
• Bitterness
• Resentment
(Related to liver, see below)
1am – 3 am: Liver Time
• Deep resting and dreaming
• Anger
• Frustration
• Rage
The Liver and Gallbladder spring into action between 11 pm to 3 am. Do you ever have nights when you can’t sleep at this time? This means that waste is not being processed by your liver and it acts as an irritant to your body causing insomnia and frayed nerves. Your brain just won’t stop. You may need to deal with unresolved anger and grudges towards others.
