Each of us is blessed with two kidneys located in the upper abdomen; they sit against the back muscles on either side of the spine and are about the size of a closed fist. Some of their responsibilities include: removing waste products from the body balancing fluid levels releasing hormones controlling the production of red blood cells However, in Eastern medicine, the kidneys’ responsibilities go far beyond the physical. The kidneys are associated with winter, the emotion of fear, the color black, and they govern birth, growth, reproduction, and development. Considered the “root of life,” the strength of the kidneys comes from the relative strength of each parent at the moment of conception. Pretty cool. You may be wondering how these two organs could have so much to do with so many seemingly disparate things? That’s the beauty of a holistic system. Eastern medicine differs from Western medicine in some …