Body fluids, or Jīn yè, are, like qi and blood, an essential and omnipresent substance in the body. Their role is to maintain all the physiological activities of the body.

In addition, body fluids are governed by the Kidneys due to the transforming and vaporising action of qi, so that the clear parts are reused, while the cloudy parts are transformed and excreted in urine.

There are two types of body fluids or liquids: the Jīn (like perspiration) and the yè liquids (denser).

• Jīn, which are very clear and fluid, are used to nourish and moisten the skin and muscles. They give shine to hair and fur. They are under the control of the Lung. They circulate with the Qi (called here protective qi).
• The yè, thicker, viscous, are much richer and directed towards the organs in depth. They nourish the bones, the marrow, the viscera, the brain… They lubricate the joints and moisten the interior of the body. They are under the control of the middle heater and circulate with the nourishing Qi.

The state of the body fluids (Jīn yè) is essential. Indeed, they play a humectant, nutritive, toxic neutralizing and body heat regulating role.

From the point of view of Chinese medicine, fluid metabolism consists of various repeated processes of separation of pure and impure liquids. Our body seeks to guide or eliminate the pure fractions upwards and outwards and to bring down the impure fractions (turbid matter not essential to the body) for elimination.

In TCM, the diagnosis is not directly about the body fluids, but rather the study of the quality of the Qi. When body fluids are not properly produced, there is a lack of blood or stagnation of qi. There is also heat invasion, profuse sweating or repeated vomiting.

Pathogenic phenomena (first symptoms of a disease) appear such as:

• Dryness of the skin, eyes, nose or mouth,
• Constipation,
• Invasion of moisture (oedema, water retention…) or even mucus (sputum…).

In principle, if the Qi and the organs are functioning well, the body fluids regulate themselves. In all cases of dysfunction, the treatment of the Spleen, the Stomach and the Kidneys should be preferred.

By paying attention to our lifestyle we can maintain a strong defensive Qi. This implies a healthy diet, sport, adequate rest, a peaceful environment, free of stress, therefore a good management of our emotions, the practice of an art etc.

In Chinese medicine, there are six energies (Liù Qì; 六气) which are part of man’s life. For he is in constant contact with them. These can become perverse only if they are in excess.  These six energies are:

• Wind (fēng; 风)
• Cold (hán; 寒)
• Heat (rè; 热, which can become: huǒ; 火 = fire)
• Dampness (shī; 湿)
• Drought (zào; 燥 or hàn; 旱)
• Heat wave (kùshǔ 酷暑 or shǔ; 暑)

When one of these six energies is in excess, it will definitely cause adverse effects on our body. To maintain our defensive balance, we resort to a few acupuncture sessions. Sometimes one is enough. For those who prefer it, we prescribe pharmacopoeia recipes adapted to each person according to the balance to be restored.