There are Several Lymphatic System Organs and a Number of Lymphatic System Diseases. While Lymphatic System Drainage is Well Known, Amazingly, the Lymphatic System Structure and Lymphatic System Function has been Neglected by Both Scientific and Medical Communities.

  While Several Lymphatic System Organs Exist and a Number of Lymphatic System Diseases Occur, Why has the Lymphatic System Structure and Lymphatic System Function been Neglected by Both Scientific and Medical Communities? 

In the Concluding Remarks of the article titled ‘The New Era of the Lymphatic System: No Longer Secondary to the Blood Vascular System’, the authors (190) state:

Since its original description by Hippocrates, the lymphatic system has been neglected by both scientific and medical communities because of its vagueness in structure and function. Even after its rediscovery 400 years ago, the lymphatic system was considered a secondary vascular system that supports the blood vascular system. However, a series of landmark discoveries in lymphatic research has significantly advanced our understanding of not only the organogenesis, function, and anatomic structure of the system, but also the cellular and molecular biology of LECs . In particular, substantial attention has been given to the elucidation of the molecular control of physiological and pathological lymphangiogenesis, re-evaluating its essential roles in human health and well-being. This paradigm shift simultaneously forced us to take a brand-new look at the lymphatic system as the other, not the secondary, vascular system. Considering the vital functions that the lymphatic system engages in and how little knowledge we have regarding the system, lymphatic research is truly a gold mine that invites ambitious young scientists and clinicians. (Emphasis is mine)

I found it remarkable that the authors stated that ‘the lymphatic system has been neglected by both scientific and medical communities because of its vagueness in structure and function’ (emphasis is mine). Interestingly, while many TCM practitioners consider that the Triple Energizer constitute a defined group of functions performed by the other tangible Zang and Fu organs, TCM practitioners that actually do believe that the Triple Energizer is also a real tangible organ are at a loss to describe its structure because of its vagueness when being described by the ancient medical classics. Not one knowledgeable person would even doubt the existence of the Lymphatic System, but its vagueness leaves them befuddled. I hope by this stage that you now grasp the pure simplicity of the structure of the Triple-Energizer Metasystem. It is the omnipresent predominantly connective-tissue maze that is ‘nothing but membranes’, and its ubiquitous entire-body 3-D infrastructure acts like a bag or an external wall that contains all the bodily systems, structures, and organs that are themselves not connective tissue. Thus, I propose that a combination of the elements of the Connective-Tissue Metasystem coupled with elements of the Primo Vascular System constitutes the Triple-Energizer Metasystem or San Jiao.

This enlightening book is easy to understand, and is essential reading for everyone wishing to know more about the mysterious Sanjiao and the wondrous biochemical and biological processes that are being performed inside our body by the ubiquitous Sanjiao which supervises the Lymphatic system which also governs water management throughout the entire body. Facets of these two intricate systems are being discovered and verified by modern scientific research on a daily basis. This informative book can be securely purchased by clicking the ‘BUY NOW’ button at the bottom of this page.

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Summary of Chapter 44

The flow path of the superficial lymphatic system sums up the description of TCM Triple Energizer fluid movement after it has left the Stomach, whereby fluids from the Spleen are directed up to the Upper Heater to the Heart to be pumped to the Lungs for oxygenation and subsequently returned to the Heart, after which clean, pure, filtered, oxygenated, live-giving red Blood is pumped to the body to sustain life.

Lymphoid tissue (cells and organs that make up the lymphatic system) includes white blood cells (leukocytes), bone marrow, the thymus, spleen, and lymph nodes, which are all part of the immune system. The most diffuse lymphoid tissue is found in the loose connective-tissue spaces beneath most wet epithelial membranes, such as those that line the gastrointestinal tract and the respiratory system. Macrophages help eliminate invaders by engulfing foreign materials and initiating the immune response. These cells may be fixed in one place, such as lymph nodes, or they may wander in the loose connective-tissue spaces. The most common cell type in the lymphoid tissue is the lymphocyte.

Hippocrates (460–377 bc) first described the lymphatic vessel as containing ‘white blood’ and coined the term chyle (from the Greek chylos, meaning ‘juice’). Lymph is a clear, colorless fluid that serves as the transport medium of your lymphatic system. Your lymphatic system is part of your circulatory system and has a number of functions, including the removal of interstitial fluid, the extracellular fluid that bathes most of your tissues. Lymph also transports white blood cells between your 600 to 700 lymph nodes and other areas of your body. There are 500 to 1,000 times more toxins in fat cells than in the rest of the tissues. If your lymph becomes sluggish, then your fat cells may swell—and one of the consequences is cellulite. The presence of cellulite indicates that your detoxification system needs support. This especially applies to your liver and lymphatic system.

The body fluids move upwards and meet in the Upper Heater, where they are returned to the heart. As the Spleen is the major lymphatic organ from a western viewpoint, it is very interesting that it ensures that the Lymph is directed upwards. It is a common fact that in traditional Chinese medicine, it is believed that by ensuring smooth flow of Qi in all directions of the body, the Liver ensures that Spleen Qi flows smoothly upwards in its assigned direction. The filtered lymph from the two subclavian veins enters the heart, where it is mixed with venous blood also entering the heart. From here, the mixture is pumped to the Lungs to be oxygenated and then returned to the heart. At this point, the combined body fluids have been purified, filtered, mixed, and oxygenated so that at this phase in the Heart, the processed fluids have become rich red Blood that can be circulated through the body once again to bring new life to every cell in the body. This mirrors TCM theory, which states that blood is made red in the heart.

I found it remarkable that the authors (190) stated that ‘the lymphatic system has been neglected by both scientific and medical communities because of its vagueness in structure and function’ (emphasis is mine). Interestingly, while many TCM practitioners consider that the Triple Energizer constitute a defined group of functions performed by the other tangible Zang and Fu organs, TCM practitioners that actually do believe that the Triple Energizer is also a real tangible organ are at a loss to describe its structure because of its vagueness when being described by the ancient medical classics. Not one knowledgeable person would even doubt the existence of the Lymphatic System, but its vagueness leaves them befuddled. I hope by this stage that you now grasp the pure simplicity of the structure of the Triple-Energizer Metasystem. It is the omnipresent predominantly connective-tissue maze that is ‘nothing but membranes’ and its ubiquitous entire-body 3-D infrastructure acts like a bag or an external wall that contains all the bodily systems, structures, and organs that are themselves not connective tissue. Thus, I am convinced that a combination of the elements of the Connective-Tissue Metasystem coupled with elements of the Primo Vascular System constitutes the Triple- Energizer Metasystem or San Jiao.

Regarding the elusive morphology and mysterious pathophysiology of the lymphatic system, researchers (190) now believe that the lymphatic system is finally being appreciated as a stand-alone vascular system. They advised that ‘a series of landmark discoveries made in the past decade has begun to change the previous misconception of the lymphatic system to be secondary to the more essential blood vascular system’. It is intriguing that both the San Jiao and the Lymphatic System are believed to have elusive morphology and mysterious pathophysiology and that both organ systems have ‘been neglected by both scientific and medical communities because of its vagueness in structure and function’. It is more intriguing that both organ systems have a major role in managing water and fluids throughout the body.

As if he was reading from 62^nd Difficult Issue in the Nan Ching, regarding how the Triple Burner channels Yuan Qi and fluids through the meridians associated with wells, rapids, brooks, and streams, in the article titled ‘Heal Your Lymphatic Ocean’, the author, David Yarrow (195), poetically states, ‘Lymph keeps our inner world wet and clean. It actually washes and bathes the entire insides of your body.’

While mucus is an often despised substance, it is a product of high importance throughout the body with the role of lubrication and moistening our body’s inner sensitive surfaces. When metabolic wastes and introduced toxins accumulate in the body, the lymphatic system performs its assigned function, collects the rubbish material, and then naturally has to dispose of the abnormally large mucus discharges. Yarrow (195) advises that this cleanup throughout the body results in numerous diverse sicknesses, including ‘colds, sore throats, ear infection, hayfever, rhinitis, flu, pneumonia, constipation, sinus headache, acne, arthritis, bronchitis, asthma, to name only a few’. Thank goodness for the cleansing property of the Lymphatic System, the Triple-Energizer Metasystem, and mucus.

REFERENCES:

(190) Choi, I., S. Lee, Y. K. Hong, ‘The New Era of the Lymphatic System: No Longer Secondary to the Blood Vascular System’, Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Medicine, 2/4 (2012).

(195) Yarrow, D., ‘Heal Your Lymphatic Ocean’ (1989). Available from <http://www.dyarrow.org/lymph.htm>.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:

I wish to sincerely thank Dr Paul U. Unschuld for the selfless and tireless work he has committed to make many ancient Chinese medical classics available in English for study and research. My book is based predominantly around his scholarly work ‘Nan-Ching: The Classic of Difficult Issues’. I also wish to sincerely thank Professor Unschuld for permission to use citations of his translation in my book. His translation of ‘Nan-Ching: The Classic of Difficult Issues’ can be purchased from the following link: https://www.amazon.com/Nan-ching_The-Classic-Difficult-Comparative-Studies/dp/0520053729

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