Keeping waste matter flowing through the system in essential in keeping a healthy body. What we eat is medicine in the form of food and drink and it is extremely important to provide the body with the best food and drink possible. We receive Qi through what we put into our mouths and in TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) terms the spleen and stomach have a partnership that turns what we eat into the vital life force energy that acupuncturists call Qi.
The small intestines measure approximately 20 – 30 feet or 6 – 7 metres in an adult and their job is to absorb all the nutrients out the food and drink passing through them. They attached onto the ascending colon (as you can see in the diagram) and there is a flap called the Ileocecal Valve (ICV for short) which regulates the passing of waste into the ascending colon.
The ICV is an extremely important part of the digestive system and we need to pay more attention to what it does. If the ICV gets jammed open it cannot regulate the passing of fecal matter and a person can suffer from diarrhea and eventually malnutrition. If the ICV get jammed shut then fecal matter stays in the small intestines, becomes impacted and the person can suffer from abdominal pain and constipation. The valve can also become distorted and twisted and allow for some matter to pass through, but not all. This is fairly common and when asking a client about their bowel movements they think everything is ok as they are having regular movements, but they are not fully emptying themselves and it can lead to waste matter becoming stored and sometime re-absorbed into the body.
A fantastic abdominal massage called Anmo fu can help release the ICV and release the impacted fecal matter that is being stored. A few combination acupuncture points can also help move things along too.
In TCM terms emotions are stored in the tummy and by releasing the valve and releasing the impacted waste matter we can release a lot of held onto emotions. If someone has had a huge trauma in the past it is often restrained and almost ‘Pandora Boxed’. It reflects in the body and it is the tummy that takes the brunt of it all. Likewise a severe shock can go straight to the tummy and the need to evacuate instantly happens. For some people this is enough to jam the ICV open are result in constant diarrhea.
After the tummy has expelled and the body has evacuated all of the waste there is space in the tummy. This space is where the organs should sit. Having an impacted small intestine full of hard, solid waste matter fills the space and the organ have to move upwards and out of the way. The body craves space, it needs space in the vertebras in the spine, space mentally for your mind and space for your organs.
The large intestine also is a major part in digestion too. It reabsorbs water back into the body. The food passes through the small intestine is a almost like a pulp or slop for quick movement and easy of passing down the system. The food, which is now entering the large intestine, holds no nutritional valve and become waste, however contains a high percentage of water. The body is extremely clever and will hold onto anything it needs and water is valuable the body will not waste it. So as the waste carry on its journey though the large intestines water is reabsorbs back into the body.
I cannot stress how important the Ileocecal Valve is and the need to look after our bowels. Food is medicine and by giving your body the best food you are giving your body the best in life. A car runs much better being regularly serviced every year and with the best fuel and oil added to it!!!