Our bodies are actually quite "intelligent" - when something isn't right, they send us various "little signals." Unfortunately, many people are too busy with daily life and often overlook these signs. Today, let's talk about seemingly insignificant secretions like tears, sweat, phlegm, nasal mucus, and saliva. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, these may reflect the health condition of our five major organs (zang organs).

1. Poor Liver Function First Manifests in the Eyes – Tearing in Wind, Dry and Irritated Eyes

Do you ever find yourself like this: step outside into the breeze, and tears start streaming down your face? Or after staring at your phone or computer for too long, your eyes feel as dry as the Sahara Desert?

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, this may not be an issue with the eyes themselves, but rather your "liver" giving you a warning.

TCM often states that "the liver opens into the eyes," meaning the health condition of the liver is directly reflected in the eyes. Another important function of the liver is "storing blood," acting as the body's "blood reservoir." When liver blood is sufficient, it can adequately nourish the eyes, making them bright, lively, and vision sharp.

If liver blood is deficient and this "blood reservoir" is depleted, the eyes lose nourishment, naturally leading to problems like dryness, irritation, blurred vision, and tearing in the wind. Such individuals may also commonly experience dizziness, brittle nails, and nighttime insomnia with excessive dreaming, as insufficient blood fails to nourish the mind, affecting both the brain and spirit.

Treatment Approach: The focus should be on nourishing liver blood. You may consider Gui Shao Di Huang Wan (Rehmannia Pill with Angelica and Peony), which builds upon Liu Wei Di Huang Wan by adding Angelica sinensis (danggui) and white peony root (baishao), specifically designed to replenish liver blood.

2. Qi Deficiency in the Heart Causes Uncontrolled Sweating – Sweating Easily, Night Sweats While Sleeping

Some people are naturally "sweaty-handed treasures," breaking into a full sweat with just slight nervousness or activity, even to the point of dampening the bed sheets while sleeping at night—this is called night sweats.

At this point, we need to pay attention to our "heart." In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the heart is considered the "sovereign organ," responsible for driving the yang qi throughout the body. When heart yang is sufficient, it's like having a "little sun" inside the body, firmly holding the body fluids within the pores and ensuring sweat is excreted normally.

If heart yang or heart qi is insufficient, this "commander" lacks strength and can't regulate the opening and closing of the pores, allowing sweat to "escape" uncontrollably. This leads to sweating easily with minimal activity, palpitations, and shortness of breath. At night, when yang qi is supposed to withdraw inward, weak heart qi makes it difficult for yang to enter yin, increasing the likelihood of night sweats, as well as possible feelings of chilliness and cold hands and feet.

Treatment Approach: The key lies in warming and tonifying heart yang and astringing to stop sweating. You might consider Xinbao Wan (Heart Treasure Pill) to help replenish heart yang.

3. Weak Spleen and Stomach Lead to Persistent Phlegm-Dampness – Constant Phlegm in Throat, Feeling Unrefreshed

Many people often feel something stuck in their throat that they can neither cough up nor swallow, especially when waking up in the morning—they always need to "clear their throat" first and cough up some phlegm before feeling comfortable.

The root of this "phlegm" likely lies in the "spleen." The spleen and stomach act as our "logistics commander," responsible for transforming the essence of food and water we consume. When spleen qi functions well, what we eat and drink can be converted into useful qi, blood, and body fluids to nourish the entire body.

Once spleen deficiency occurs, its transformative capacity declines, and the body's dampness can no longer be metabolized properly. This excess "dampness" accumulates and turns into sticky "phlegm." Hence the saying, "The spleen is the source of phlegm production." Besides excessive phlegm, such individuals often exhibit typical signs of spleen deficiency with dampness retention, such as poor appetite, bloating, loose stools, and bodily heaviness.

Treatment approach: The core is to strengthen the spleen, eliminate dampness, and dry dampness to resolve phlegm. The classic Er Chen Wan (Two Aged Herbs Pill) can be considered—it’s a foundational formula for drying dampness and transforming phlegm.

4. Weak lung qi, constant runny nose — prone to colds with clear nasal discharge

When the seasons change, there are always some people who are the first to catch a cold, experiencing symptoms such as sneezing, a runny nose with clear discharge, and chills—as if no matter how many layers they wear, cold wind penetrates straight to their bones.

This often indicates a weakened defensive function of the "lungs." Traditional Chinese Medicine believes that "the lungs govern the skin and body hair"—here, "skin and body hair" not only refers to the skin and hair but also includes a defensive energy on our body's surface known as "Wei Qi." When lung energy is abundant, the Wei Qi is strong, acting like an "invincible shield" for the body, warding off invasions of external wind-cold pathogens.

If lung qi is deficient, this "protective shield" develops gaps, making it easier for wind-cold to invade, leading to dysfunction in the lung's dispersing and descending functions. This manifests as symptoms such as nasal congestion, clear nasal discharge, cough, and chills.

Regulation approach: Requires releasing the exterior to dissipate cold and ventilate lung qi. You may consider learning about Tongxuan Lifei Pills, specifically designed for treating this wind-cold constraining the lungs condition.

5. Kidney essence deficiency, excessive saliva secretion in the mouth - dry mouth, sore waist, spitting saliva

The term "excessive spitting" mentioned here does not refer to excessive drooling, but rather to an abnormal sensation of oral fluids - experiencing dry mouth while constantly feeling the urge to spit out thick, sticky saliva.

In traditional Chinese medicine, saliva is classified into "xian" (thin saliva) and "tuo" (thick saliva). "Xian" is relatively clear and thin, associated with the spleen; whereas "tuo" is thicker and more viscous, originating from the kidneys and formed by kidney essence. If kidney essence becomes deficient and kidney yin is insufficient, abnormalities in fluid metabolism can occur. On one hand, insufficient yin fluids fail to moisten the mouth, leading to dryness; on the other hand, deficient fire causes body fluids to rise and thicken, resulting in sticky saliva that constantly needs to be expelled.

People with kidney yin deficiency may also experience symptoms such as soreness and weakness in the lower back and knees, heat sensations in the palms and soles (five-center heat), tidal fever, and night sweats due to insufficient yin fluids failing to control yang energy.

Treatment approach: The fundamental treatment involves nourishing yin and supporting kidney function. You may want to learn about the well-known Liuwei Dihuang Pills (Rehmannia Six Formula), which is a classic prescription for nourishing kidney yin.