Prof. Gilbert Ezengige
Records show that most terminally sick patients in intensive care units ‘give up ghosts’ between 3 am and 5am. Those are the hours that the VITAL FORCE (Qi) reaches its peak in the Lung Meridian according to the Organ Clock Theory made available to us by ancient Chinese masters of philosophy.
A renewal of vitality takes place at those hours. If one’s physical body has become so weak due to an illness, it will lack the impetus or momentum to become reenergized during the lung meridian hours (3 am to 5am). This explains the high death rate recorded in those hours.
Following the Organ Clock is a path to healthier living. Going against it repeatedly spells doom to individuals. Every 2 hours, great physiological activities happen to us. Whether we are aware of these happenings or not does not matter. Ignorance is not an excuse in our civil law talk less of the well-ordered cosmic or universal laws.
Let’s take a health tour; Become acquainted with this sequence. It is a daily affair that you can easily comply with. You can’t run away from your shadow.
📍 3am to 5am (LUNGS)
“Early to bed, early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.”
You should wake up by now (3am-5am), stretch your body fully. Nature prompts us most times to even yawn severally as we take in more air. It is the LUNG MERIDIAN’S peak period.
When there is an imbalance in your Lungs, you may wake up from sleep at those hours coughing or gasping for air as if you are choked or you embarked on a marathon race. In that case, you need to support your lungs with Vitamin C, Vitamin A and Zinc. Enjoy citrus fruits like oranges, grapefruits, tangerine etc. Having a bite on bitter kola and ginger as well. Try to control your grief as it negatively affects your lungs. Well at this point, an acupuncturist can stick some beautiful needles at specific places on your body to restore balance in your system “by fire by force”.
📍5am to 7am (Large Intestine) Nature is shouting at the top of her voice. Visit the toilet, evacuate your bowel, Colon cleansing! Colon cleansing!! Colon cleansing!!! Do all you can to obey that call. Drink water to assist the flushing process if need be. Do not eat any type of food within this time frame except water. The forces of nature are performing their plumbing tasks. Cooperate or suffer later from constipation.
Our mothers helped us to achieve that as toddlers. They actually trained us. They made us sit on potty in the early hours as a daily routine. This is poop o’clock time. Why did we deviate from that healthy lifestyle? Well, if you already have problems with performing this task at the stated period consume lots of pawpaw, pineapple, banana, fermented products like ogiri, iru, yogurt etc. Also be ready to have interesting sessions with your acupuncturist for a systemic reset.
📍7 am–9 am (Stomach)
Now is the appropriate time to “refuel” your tank. If you have been living healthily, within these hours, you will sense hunger pangs as your stomach begins to grumble. Stomach acids are at their peak, ready to break down that sumptuous breakfast meal. If you are continually skipping breakfast, oh I am sorry for you, so much harm has already been done. However, it is never too late, you can still repent today, accept the good news and start eating like a hungry lion between between the hours of 7am-9am.
Support your weak stomach with regular intake of lemon grass tea and bitter leaf juice. A nutrient like Vitamin B complex will help you too if your stomach needs some “panel beating” . Remember the popular cliché, “eat like a king in the morning, like a prince in the afternoon and like a pauper at night”.
Remember however that you should eat healthy foods and not junks (especially at those hours). If you disobey, never bother, nature will package loads of heartburn and send them your way for you to manage and also keep you a little busy.
📍9 am–11 am (Spleen & Pancreas) Food metabolism, processing, utilization of glucose, of energy.
If you always feel tired after your breakfast, review items in your breakfast meal. You should not feel sloppy, tired and weak at those hours. Space will not permit me to go to greater details in discussing the spleen meridian as understood by an acupuncturist. It goes beyond what modern physiology ascribes to the spleen. All the same, if you feel heavy like logs of wood at those hours after breakfast, consider foods rich in folate and iron, also embrace a blend of antioxidant herbal teas containing especially uda, eru (Xylopia eathiopica). Consume Dates, mushroom and dark green vegetables such as ugu (Telfaria occidentalis) generously.
📍11 am – 1 pm (Heart)
At these hours, your heart’s function is at its peak, it is busy pumping blood like a pro, better circulation is assured. This is the best time for physical activities requiring a lot of driving force, all over the world events demanding energy, confidence and public speaking are slated in these hours of the day. However, the feeling of excessive joy or sadness as well as anxiety weakens the heart and these should be controlled.
If you continuously feel anxious, according to TCM your heart might be overworking and it requires attention. Yes, here, an acupuncturist can easily be of help to remedy the situation. In naturopathic medicine, nutrients like Coenzyme Q10, magnesium, omega -3 fatty acids can be prescribed. Fruits like watermelon and tomatoes will certainly support the heart meridian and by extension the heart as an organ. Herbs like garlic and Moringa oleifera are very useful also.
📍1 pm – 3 pm (Small Intestine) You might have already also taken your lunch; your small intestine is busy sorting out nutrients like a well-paid and satisfied customs officer. What should I absorb and what should go to waste.? To avoid experiencing post-lunch fatigue, remember to eat like a prince during lunch break and not like a king.
Unfortunately, most people violate this rule. What is that 5 wraps of eba or fufu “doing in front of you”.? A very good and an appropriate question that requires an objective answer from you. Well, if you observe that your small intestine needs some pampering, go for foods rich in digestive enzymes like pawpaw and pineapples containing papain and bromelain respectively. Go for fermented foods and have yourself a tea of cloves (kanafuru) daily.
📍3 pm – 5 pm (Bladder)
If up till this time, starting from the morning hours, your have been drinking enough water (as is expected), you will observe that there will naturally be an increase in the frequency of your urination within the hours of 3pm to 5pm. If you haven’t been drinking enough water, this is when dehydration symptoms such as dry lips and afternoon headache will start to rear its ugly head. If you have bladder problems, consider high water content fruits/ vegetables also rich in sodium, magnesium and potassium such as coconut water and cucumbers. Brew cornsilk tea and take daily. Controll your fears as entertaining fears always harm your bladder as well as your kidneys. Acupuncturists are always available to stick those beautiful dare-devil needles at the correct spots to help your bladder meridian wahala.
📍5 pm – 7 pm (Kidneys)
After a hard day’s job, you certainly will feel some level of tiredness, that is understandable and expected. But if you regularly feel thoroughly exhausted during this time, your kidneys are hinting that they need a reset especially when the symptom is accompanied with strong desire for salty foods and you are experiencing all forms of skeletal pains. You could help yourself at this time by taking more water with little sea salt. Rock salt (obuotoyo) is okay. Include supplements like Vit D, Omega-3 fatty acids and zinc. The food seasoning Iru (Parkia biglobosa) is desirable, also water extract of its stem bark can be ingested as herbal tea, water leaf (Talinum triangulare), Phyllantus amarus, Boehavia diffusa (Etiponla) will support both the Kidney meridian and the kidneys as physical organs.
📍7 pm – 9 pm (Pericardium)
Again, space will not permit me to explain how pericardium is considered as a separate organ from the heart in TCM. What is the takeaway here? Nature prepares you at this time for relaxation. This is the best time to sit around a table and share loving thoughts and stories with your loved ones. Some good friends may hang out to have some drinks together. Children will flock near their parents to listen to soul stirring stories (tales by moonlight kind of stories). Feeling of friendship, affection and even sexual desire increases with most people at this time. Oxytocin (the love hormone) also peaks at these hours which also promotes intimacy. When the pericardium is imbalanced, foods and nutrients like avocado, grapes, magnesium, Vit E, Date palm will help. Do not forget the needle-wielding acupuncturist near you that is expected to perform the magical.
📍9 pm – 11 pm (Triple Burner) Among its numerous functions, the triple burner also known to acupuncturists as triple heater, triple warmer, triple energizer or San jiao works like a thermostat to the human body. Your body is now actively regulating your temperature (actually lowering your body temperature), preparing you for sleep. If you regularly, for one reason or the other fail to go to sleep within this time frame, you are gradually courting insomnia and other sleep disorders. You will also be preventing the production of melatonin from your pineal gland which aside from maintaining your circadian rhythm is also an antistress and an anticancer hormone. Adaptogens like Moringa oleifera and vitamin Bs are useful for the pericardium.
📍 11 pm – 1 am (Gallbladder) You should be asleep by this time of the day not frequenting the kitchen like a hungry ghost and coming out munching one thing or the other. This is the period for the gallbladder to actively process fats and clear toxins while you are asleep. You can now understand why you should eat like a pauper at dinner. You should spare the gallbladder that extra task of processing fats and clearing toxins (according to TCM philosophy). If you insist on eating late when you are to be sleeping, nature will reward you with indigestion and restless sleep. To support your gall bladder, go for palm kernel oil, olive oil, beet root, lemon and fresh pawpaw leave water extract. Supplements like choline, inositol and Vit D are also beneficial. Yes, you read my mind, an acupuncturist will help you with his or her silver or gold-plated needles.
📍1am – 3 am (Liver)
The liver while you sleep at these hours doubles its task of breaking down toxins, metabolic waste, pollutants, alcohol, drug substances, chemicals, excess hormones etc. that are inimical to the body. When you regularly and intentionally stay awake at this time of the morning like a monitoring spirit, you create enormous problems for your system. Are we surprised why cancer cases are on the rise? No food except water may be taken during these hours. Also, manage your anger as uncontrolled anger viciously harms your liver big time. You may support your liver meridian with nutrients and supplements like vitamin C, B complex, citrus fruits, guava, avocado, garlic and onions.
Follow the Organ Clock sequence and achieve a beautiful you.
Please note that herbal, nutritional supplements and remedies are best prescribed by trained and licensed natural medicine physicians.
