Morning Dew Acupuncture and Wellness

Heart Disease and COVID-19 Why is a respiratory disease so dangerous to someone with underlying heart conditions? The simple answer is that if something affects our lungs to the point that it cannot do its job properly, the heart has to work that much harder to pump the oxygenated blood to the rest of the body. For an individual who already has heart conditions, the added stress could be catastrophic.... In Oriental Medicine, we do not treat each organ individually; rather, we study the relationships between them. We analyze the way the entire body can tell us what the underlying disharmony may be, and no stone is left unturned. What we think may be insignificant can actually tell us of a way in which there is disruption to the body's inner workings. So what does this mean for the relationship between the Heart and Lungs? The Lungs are the captain of the Qi. Qi is considered to be the life force that moves throughout our bodies, sustaining us through all forms of energy. The Heart governs the Blood. So in essence, the relationship between these two organs is that of the two leaders of what gives us life: Qi and Blood. As you would expect, these two forces are co-dependent on each other. The Qi pushes the Blood, as the Blood feeds the Qi. Now let's look at what COVID-19 does. As a respiratory disease, it damages the ability of Qi to move the Blood through the body as it should. For someone who already has diminished Heart functions, the Blood is already not nourishing, or feeding the Qi enough as it is. Therefore, the Qi is already weakened. Because of this, the Lungs are more susceptible to attack from things like viruses. And on it goes, each weakening the other in a vicious cycle. So what can we do? Remember, if you have heart problems, this does not mean you WILL get the virus. So we need to focus on prevention. If you are someone with an underlying heart condition, please follow the rules and standards set by the CDC. Continue all medications prescribed by your doctor during this time, and get whatever exercise you can to strengthen your heart. Call your doctor immediately if you feel any symptoms that may be related to the virus, including cough and fever. Oriental Medicine also believes that strong emotions can negatively affect our organs. The emotion that diminishes the Lungs is Sadness, and for the Heart, it is Depression. This is a very trying time in our world, but please keep your spirits up! As a community, we are working together to fight this, and we do have resources available to us. Let's help each other through this. Stay safe everyone!