The Lung Channel

As we shift (slowly) towards warmer weather, I cringe at the predictable Minnesotan behavior of diving headfirst into the summer wardrobe. Breezy 45 degree days can feel balmy to many of us, but its a time of year where we need to be cautious while peeling back the layers. Many people tend to get colds during drastic weather shifts as well as an increase of allergy symptoms. I was reminded of some invaluable wisdom from one of my favorite teachers, Mei Wang, about the importance of keeping our lung channels covered during this time of year.

The lung channel starts in the middle of the abdomen and extends upwards to travels across the chest below the clavicle and down the thumb (lateral) side aspect of the arm. The lung channel is a yin channel (taiyin) which means its more delicate and near the surface.

In east asian medicine the lungs have a very important job of governing the Qi of the body. The lungs also control respiration and have a relationship with the skin, hair, nose and blood vessels. The lungs are delicate and are the most “exterior” organ that helps regulate what is allowed into the body. In other words, the lungs essentially are in control of our first line of defense, called Wei Qi. When the lung Qi is weak it can be easily “invaded” (think virus, bacteria or allergies).

Woodblock illustration from a work on 'Chinese' medicine by the 18th century Japanese physician Hara Masakatsu, published in 1807 (4th year of the Bunkwa era). The lung channel of hand taiyin is one of the twelve channels

It is wise to wear light, loose fitting clothing that covers the arms, especially on breezy days. Where there is stagnation there is disease so we want the channels to be warm which supports free flow of Qi and Blood. Cold and wind tend to cause tightness, stagnation and depletion of Qi and Blood in the channels. If covering the arms and the legs is too much for you, choose an outfit with shorts and a long sleeve shirt versus a t-shirt and pants for example. Light clothing like linens and cottons are also great options to cover the arms while not trapping heat. This simple practice helps to keep our lung qi strong and vibrant, ready to protect us from unwanted visitors that make us feel crumby.