--- title: "How to use acupuncture's \"emotions\" to understand your gut health" entity: "blog" canonical_url: "https://www.drdanwool.com/blog/emotions" markdown_url: "https://www.drdanwool.com/llms/blog/emotions" lastmod: "2025-04-02T13:32:00.000Z" --- Medically reviewed by [Dr. Dan Wool, NMD](https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdanwool/) Arizona-licensed Naturopathic Physician and Gastroenterology Specialist Updated: November 11, 2025 In addition to standard of care Western medicine, it often surprises people ewe also learn Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and acupuncture in naturopathic medical school. It was one of my favorite subjects. While I don't do a lot of acupuncture with my patients, I constantly use it in my clinical thinking - seeing the patterns of how they present - one of the many beneficial tools in the toolbox of a naturopathic doctor. ## What is Five Element Theory? TCM diagnosis relies in part on "Five Element Theory," where each organ meridian is associated with specific emotions. Pairs of meridians share a common element: wood, fire, water, metal and earth. When an organ system is balanced, it supports positive emotional states, but when imbalanced, it can lead to excess or deficient emotional expressions. Imbalanced mental-emotional states are a common root cause of chronic gut health conditions. It's important not to take this literally: each "organ" is the reference name of an acupuncture meridian comprised of many individual points, not a problem with the actual organ -- that is, it's more spiritual than literal -- but often accurate when brought into the context of how someone presents in clinic. ## Acupuncture's Five Elements and Emotional Connections Here are the Five Elements and their emotional associations: ### 1. Wood Element – Liver & Gallbladder - Balanced Emotion: Compassion, patience, decisiveness - Imbalanced Emotion: Anger, frustration, resentment, irritability - Explanation: The Liver meridian governs the smooth flow of Qi ("life force"). When Qi is stagnant, it leads to pent-up anger or irritability. The Gallbladder (GB) meridian is linked to decision-making, so imbalance may cause indecisiveness or rash actions. - Common ailments: Irritability, headaches, muscle tension, eye issues, digestive discomfort, indecisiveness. - Where I usually see it: - Liver Qi Stagnation: Patients wake up between 2-4am and can't get back to sleep for an hour, then wake up in the morning and feel like they never slept despite 7-8 hours total.. They also sigh a lot during the day. - Dull achy pain in upper right quadrant, especially after large fatty meals and/or lots of alcohol - Colicky pain that comes and goes to the right of the sternum (gall bladder). - How to balance: - Reduce alcohol and large or fatty/greasy meal consumption - Gentle movement activities like yoga or Tai Chi; - Getting up from your desk every so often to stretch and move around ( preventing stagnation ); Deep breathing - Journaling - especially a gratitude journal at bedtime; - Don't hold emotions in - let them out - irritability is an emotions that is sort of stuck in between anger and frustration. ### 2. Fire Element – Heart & Small Intestine - Balanced Emotion: Joy, love, enthusiasm - Imbalanced Emotion: Excessive excitement, mania, restlessness, anxiety - Explanation: The *Heart meridian is the "house of the Shen" (spirit/mind/countenance), so emotional disturbances like anxiety or insomnia can arise from an imbalances. The Small Intestine helps with clarity in discernment and decision-making. - Where I usually see it: Patients stuck in a bad or tough job - usually with bad boss or co-workers - or stuck in low emotional points in relationships (can't decide what they want in life) with gut aches or even the chronic of that - Celiac disease. Overstimulated patients - excessive social media, caffeine, late night activities - "speed" living instead of the rhythms of nature. - How to balance: - Reduce spicy foods and excessive caffeine in your diet - Breathe. Develop a mediation or deep breathing practice - Grounding - take your shoes off and stand on a cool lawn for a few minutes (re-grounds your body into the earth's energy) (And yes, I know it's hot in AZ!) - Limit Internet/social media. Try a social media or [Internet fast for a couple weeks](https://academic.oup.com/pnasnexus/article/4/2/pgaf017/8016017#) - Get with friends - reconnect (i.e. rekindling "heart" connections) with others ### 3. Earth Element – Spleen & Stomach - Balanced Emotion: Nurturing, thoughtfulness, stability - Imbalanced Emotion: Worry, overthinking, obsession - Explanation: The Spleen meridian in TCM is responsible for digestion (both physical and mental). The Stomach is responsible for the "rotting and ripening" of food and ability to comfortably "stomach" or "digest" life. - Where I usually see it: - Spleen Qi Deficiency: Overthinking or obsessive thoughts, leading to digestive issues and fatigue. These people have a pale, swollen tongue with scalloped edges - How to balance - Slow down when eating - avoid screens and multitasking - focus only on eating - Establish routine and structure to your day to ease overthinking - Make time for self care and nurturing activities - Avoid excessive raw and cold foods ### 4. Metal Element – Lungs & Large Intestine - Balanced Emotion: Courage, integrity, ability to let go - Imbalanced Emotion: Grief, sadness, inability to let go - Explanation: The Lungs process grief and loss. Chronic sadness or an inability to release emotions can weaken Lung Qi, leading to breathing issues or immune weakness. The Large Intestine meridian helps with elimination, both physically and emotionally. - Where I see it: - Chronic lung issues and lung cancer. People who are literally "coughing up crap" could be said to be getting rid of emotional grief little by little, but not enough to "let go" of it completely. And how could someone who never smoked cigarettes get lung cancer? Longstanding unresolved grief that they never dealt with; they carry it with them in their very breath until it weighs their lungs down and metastasizes - Constipation: Literally "holding onto your crap" emotionally in the Large Intestine (a/k/a colon). - How to balance: - " Rituals of release" - therapy, journaling - especially symbolic actions like writing a letter and burning it or what I call a "burn journal". - Stay well hydrated to nourish lung function and prevent constipation ### 5. Water Element – Kidneys & Urinary Bladder - Balanced Emotion: Willpower, wisdom, resilience - Imbalanced Emotion: Fear, insecurity, lack of willpower - Explanation: The Kidneys in TCM store the "essence" (Jing) and are related to our deepest reserves of energy. Fear (especially chronic) can deplete Kidney Qi, leading to exhaustion, adrenal fatigue, or bone issues. The Bladder (UB) helps in releasing stored tension. - Where I see it: - Adrenal fatigue: Literally "burnout" (of fluids). Waking up tired. Low morning cortisol seen in labs. Crashing in the late afternoon. - Kidney stones: Literally everything dries out leaving just the minerals - Low back pain: "Echoing" pain from kidneys around L2/just below rib cage - just enough pain to quit or not even start. Not feeling "supported" enough to carry on. - Cheating on diets: Starting diets but straying after a couple days and not finishing. - Thinning and/or white hair: loss of youthful "essence" from energy depletion - Urinary tract infections (UTI) or cystitis: Literally "pissed off" - not releasing that stored tension so it builds up and "burns out" the fluid and allow bacteria to thrive - Premature skin wrinkles: "Water" moistens and nourishes the skin, when its energy is depleted, the skin shows it. Also tense people (Bladder) tend to look tense. - How to balance: - Prioritize rest and rejuvenation: Recognize stressful activities - it's not always work or family; sometimes it's things like high intensity exercise (HIIT) - Avoid caffeine and alcohol: These feel good but ultimately dehydrate and deplete energy behind the scenes; take a break. - Stay well hydrated: aim for ~60oz of water daily - not too little, not too much - Adrenal support supplements: T hese often contain vitamins and Chinese herbs that provide nutrients and synergize will with energy meridians. - Mineral rich foods: The kidneys real job is to exchange minerals to maintain fluid and blood pressure in your body. Water also follows solute (minerals) in the body. Having a healthy electrolyte and mineral balance keeps the kidneys and bladder (peeing regularly) at a steady. Bone broth is mineral dense and very nourishing to the Water systems ## Frequently Asked Questions About Acupuncture for Digestive Health ### Can I use acupuncture to help my stomach issues (GERD, IBS, etc)? Yes. Traditional Chinese Medicine's Five Element Theory connects organs to emotions. Imbalanced mental-emotional states cause chronic gut conditions. Earth Element (Spleen/Stomach) relates to worry and overthinking affecting digestion. Acupuncture addresses root causes by restoring balance through meridian energy flow, complementing naturopathic treatment for lasting digestive health. ### What is Five Element Theory in Traditional Chinese Medicine? Five Element Theory associates organ meridians with emotions and elements (wood, fire, earth, metal, water). Each element connects to specific organs and emotional states. When balanced, they support positive emotions; when imbalanced, they cause physical and emotional symptoms. Scottsdale naturopathic doctors use this diagnostic framework alongside Western medicine. ### How do I know which element is out of balance? Common signs include: - Wood (Liver) - waking 2-4am, sighing, irritability; - Fire (Heart) - anxiety, overstimulation; - Earth (Spleen/Stomach) - overthinking, digestive issues; - Metal (Lungs/Colon) - grief, constipation; - Water (Kidneys) - adrenal fatigue, fear, low back pain. Balance through lifestyle changes, diet modifications, stress management, proper hydration, and rest. ## The Bottom Line The Five Elements are not just about acupuncture - it's a nice way to think about whether your body is in balance or not. Lifestyle, diet, emotions and movement all play a role. The key is self-awareness: noticing which element is out of balance and taking small, daily steps to restore harmony. About the Author ## Dr. Dan Wool, NMD Dr. Dan Wool is a naturopathic doctor who specializes in gastroenterology, hormones and men's health in Scottsdale, Arizona. [Set up a free 15-minute discovery call with Dr. Wool today! ](https://drdanwool.com/booking) [Read more about Dr. Wool's Gut Health Journey](/about)