Chinese Metal Element
The Chinese associate the metal element with the colon and the lungs. However, it is more practical to think of the metal element as associated with the immune system. The skin and the mucous membranes (which line the lungs and digestive tract) are like a shield to protect our bodies from harmful substances and allow only life-giving nutrients to pass. The inner and outer skins can be thought of as our first line of defense. The lungs are the major center of this defense for the respiratory tract and are thought to receive the life force Chi. The bowel is the center for the digestive tract, and the intestines drain away the dregs.
Stressed (Excess) Metal
In the Chinese system, metal stressed symptoms are associated with respiratory congestion. Symptoms center around acute congestion of the respiratory system, probably caused by poor lymphatic circulation due to digestive problems and bowel obstructions. Specifically, shallow breathing, wheezing, cough, sinus congestion, lymphatic swelling, asthma attack and excessive grieving or sadness are all metal-stressed symptoms.
Breathe Activator is a Chinese formula for reducing acute respiratory congestion. Its Chinese name “Xuan Fei” means “ventilate the lungs,” referring to its ability to open up the respiratory passages and get rid of mucus congestion. It dilates the bronchioles, decongests and expels phlegm, and enhances immune activity. It is helpful for a wide variety of respiratory conditions, including shallow breathing, wheezing, bronchitis, asthma, chronic cough, sinus congestion, hay fever and sinus headaches.
Weakened (Deficient) Metal
A deficiency or breakdown in the metal element would be associated with chronic weakness of the respiratory system, such as emphysema, chronic lung infections, frequent colds and flu. In metal weakness, the lungs become dry and inflexible. Specific symptoms include: pallor, fatigue, shortness of breath, excessive perspiration, poor appetite, feeble speaking, shortness of breath, tension in chest, repressed or deep-seated grief, “hardness of heart”, inability to feel close to others, weakened immune response, inability to stand up and defend one’s self, disintegration, or an inability to express sorrow and grief.
Lung Support is a Chinese formula designed to enhance deficient metal energy. It enhances the function of the mucous membranes lining the lungs and the colon to improve immune response. Chinese Lung Support is useful for people who suffer from chronic lung diseases, including emphysema, tuberculosis, chronic asthma or bronchitis and lungs that have been damaged or weakened by smoking.