Metabolism

In Western medicine, metabolism refers to the myriad of chemical reactions within cells that produce energy and synthesize new organic material, often compartmentalized within specialized cellular regions like mitochondria for energy metabolism and cytoplasm for fatty acid synthesis (Alberts et al., "Molecular Biology of the Cell," 2002). In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), metabolic disturbances are attributed to three primary patterns of disharmony: 1) Damp Phlegm, arising from spleen Qi or kidney Qi deficiencies that impair fluid balance and produce phlegm; 2) Spleen Qi deficiency, commonly induced by dietary indiscretions or emotional stress, affecting fluid transformation and transportation; and 3) Spleen and Lung deficiency, stemming from imbalances in spleen Qi that subsequently impact lung function, as both organs are integral to Qi production and have mutual influences (Maciocia, "The Foundations of Chinese Medicine," 2015). Thus, both Western and TCM paradigms offer unique perspectives on metabolism's complex biochemical and energetic dynamics.