The importance of the spleen and stomach to human beings.
According to the theory of Chinese medicine, the spleen and stomach belong to the five elements of earth, located in the middle jiao, and share the important task of transforming qi and blood, so it is said that the spleen and stomach are the “source of qi and blood biochemistry”. The body’s qi and blood (equivalent to various nutrients) are transformed into food by the spleen and stomach, and the spleen and stomach are also said to be the “essence of the latter”, which is the root of human survival.
What is the difference between the spleen in Chinese medicine and the spleen in Western medicine?
In Western medicine, the spleen is a substantial lymphoid organ located in the left upper abdomen, unrelated to the body’s digestive and circulatory functions, which produces various blood cells during the embryonic period and serves as a breeding ground for lymphocytes and monocytes in adulthood, and is useful for immunity. The endothelial cells and macrophages in the spleen sinus can also engulf aging red blood cells, bacteria, foreign bodies, etc. The spleen sinus can also store some blood and release it into the blood when the body needs it.
In Chinese medicine, the spleen is an anatomical and functional concept that summarizes the functions of the digestive system and part of the circulatory system. It is believed that the spleen is open to the mouth, with its flora in the lips, in the will for thinking, in the fluid for salivation, and in the main muscles and limbs.
The functions of the spleen in TCM are.
1. to transport and transform water and grain, that is, to digest.
2. main ascending, that is, transporting nutrients from food to the heart and lungs, and preventing the internal organs from sagging
3. the main regulator of blood, that is, to provide binding and controlling power for the blood to run, to prevent bleeding, and to maintain normal blood circulation.
The relationship between the spleen and the stomach is that of the superficial ligaments.
The spleen is the main transporter and the stomach is the receiver. One is the receiver and one is the transporter, and they cooperate with each other in order to accomplish the task of digestion and absorption and transport of nutrients.
The spleen is responsible for ascending and clearing, transporting water and grain to the heart, lungs, head and eyes, and maintaining the relative constancy of the position of the internal organs, while the stomach is responsible for lowering, including the downward movement of cooked food into the small intestine, and then the downward movement of food residues into the large intestine, which transforms the dregs. The spleen ascends and the stomach descends to ensure that the process of digestion, absorption and excretion of waste is carried out properly.
The spleen is Yin and likes to be dry, while the stomach is Yang and likes to be moist and badly dry. The so-called spleen likes to dry and hate damp, means that the spleen is not healthy, will cause water-damp stagnation; water-damp stagnation in turn can affect the spleen’s transport role. The so-called stomach likes to moisten and hate dryness, refers to the stomach’s fluid is sufficient, accept the normal decomposition function, the diet of water and grain can be decomposed and controlled in the intestines to moisten and descend.
The relationship between the spleen and the stomach is that yin and yang are in harmony, dryness and humidity are mutually beneficial, and the rise and fall are in harmony with each other to maintain the normal function of digestion and absorption of human food. If the lift is out of balance, they will affect each other. Clear gas does not rise will inevitably lead to turbid gas does not fall; turbid gas does not fall will also affect the clear gas does not rise. Such as the spleen for wet trapped, transport and transformation of dereliction of duty, the clear gas does not rise, can affect the stomach and the acceptance of the descending, can appear less food, vomiting, nausea, abdominal distension and other symptoms. On the contrary, if the diet is not in order, food stagnates in the stomach and the stomach loses harmony and descent, it can also affect the spleen’s ascending and transporting, which can lead to abdominal distension and diarrhea.
Check whether the spleen and stomach are healthy.
People with a bad spleen and stomach can be seen from their appearance.
1, lips: Generally speaking, the lips of people with good spleen and stomach are red, moderately dry and wet, lubricated with light; while the lips of those with bad spleen and stomach are white, bloodless, appear very dry, easily burst skin and cracked.
2, taste: the spleen is open to the mouth, spleen deficiency people taste light, no appetite. Symptoms such as bad breath and swollen gums are mostly related to the lack of digestive capacity of the spleen and stomach and the accumulation of heat in the stomach.
3. Salivation: This is also a sign of spleen deficiency. The spleen is responsible for transporting water and dampness, so if the spleen is deficient in water and dampness, the person will have more saliva and often spit. When sleeping, drooling will occur.
4, weakness of the limbs: often tired, lethargic, is also a sign of Spleen Qi deficiency.
What are the common diseases of the spleen and stomach?
Stomach pain, diarrhea, vomiting, acid reflux, belching, dysentery, constipation.
Diseases of the spleen and stomach can accumulate to the five viscera. The spleen and stomach are located in the middle jiao and belong to earth in the five elements, so if something goes wrong with the spleen and stomach, it is likely to involve the five viscera. There is a saying in Chinese medicine that “nurturing the spleen and stomach is nurturing vital energy, and nurturing vital energy is nurturing life”, and the health of the spleen and stomach is an important factor in determining the length of a person’s life. The spleen and stomach are the “root” of health. If the spleen and stomach are not strong, it will lead to many diseases.
The heart and the spleen are like a mother and son. The spleen is the master of transportation and production of qi and blood, while the heart is the master of blood vessels, and the spleen produces qi and blood to feed the heart. Once the spleen is out of order and fails to benefit qi and generate blood, it will lead to imbalance of one’s heart and blood and cause heart diseases. Therefore, patients with heart and blood deficiency should be treated from the spleen and stomach, such as palpitations, shortness of breath, insomnia and weakness, with Gui Shen Tang. The main drugs in Guei-Spleen Tang are Radix Codonopsis and Radix Astragali which are Qi tonics.
The liver and the spleen and stomach affect each other. The spleen produces blood and the liver harbors blood, and the flow of liver qi depends on the normal function of the spleen to transport and transform. If the spleen and stomach are deficient, they cannot produce essence to nourish the liver, which will lead to liver qi stagnation, because the spleen is of the earth and the liver is of the wood, and there is a term in Chinese medicine called “earth congestion and wood depression”. Some people often have distention and fullness in the abdomen and stomach involving both sides of the body, belching, acid swallowing, pale mouth and weakness. The formula includes Atractylodes macrocephala, Fu Ling and Jujube for strengthening the spleen, and Chai Hu, Angelica Sinensis and Bai Shao for draining the liver.
The spleen, stomach and lung, according to Chinese medicine, when the spleen qi is deficient, the lung qi will be extinguished first. This means that the functions of the spleen and the lungs are mutually influential. When the spleen is deficient to a certain extent, the lung is deprived of nourishment, and it is easy to show signs of lung qi deficiency such as shortness of breath and shortness of breath when moving. In Chinese medicine, there is a saying that the spleen and stomach are the source of phlegm, and the lungs are the reservoir of phlegm. The strength or weakness of lung qi depends on the strength of the spleen and stomach. Deficiency of the spleen and stomach often leads to deficiency of lung qi, which makes it easy to suffer from colds and other respiratory diseases. Therefore, when treating some chronic respiratory diseases and treating lung diseases, it is necessary to add drugs that nourish the spleen and stomach to obtain better results.
The spleen and the kidney are successively related. If the spleen is deficient in producing essence to nourish the kidney, the kidney is often also deficient. The strength of the essence of the kidney is related to the health of the spleen and stomach, and whether they can provide sufficient nutrition to nourish the kidney. Long-term spleen deficiency can lead to kidney deficiency, which manifests itself as irritable heat in the heart, easy night sweats, or fear of cold, cold hands and feet.
Nourish the spleen and stomach together. The spleen and stomach are the essence of the day after tomorrow, and the spleen and stomach must be nourished first. Stomach illnesses are mostly related to a person’s uncontrolled diet, while spleen illnesses are related to overwork. Although the causes of spleen and stomach illnesses are different, but must be raised together.
1, diet regimen.
The spleen and stomach have three fears. One is afraid of raw, two afraid of cold, three afraid of support. Therefore, to maintain a good spleen and stomach, we must pay attention to raw, cold and support.
The spleen and stomach like finely chopped food the most. If you can chew each mouthful of food repeatedly, your health will be significantly better than that of your peers.
Medicine hurts the spleen and stomach the most. Many western medicines can stimulate the stomach and intestines, such as ferrous sulfate, aminophylline, etc. will make people nauseous, vomiting; guanethidine, insulin, etc. will cause diarrhea; aspirin will cause stomach pain; some bitter-cold Chinese medicine, such as Banlangen, Liushenwan, etc., deficient cold body, often diarrhea people should not take for a long time. Eat in moderation, chew slowly, avoid eating raw and cold
2, emotional and mental conditioning.
The spleen is in the will for thinking, thinking hurts the spleen, people who think too much are prone to not thinking about eating, bloating after eating, so good emotions have a great impact on the function of the spleen and stomach. Laughter is the best gift to the spleen and stomach. The mood is happy, the qi and blood is regulated, the spleen and stomach rise and fall in order, digestion and absorption will be normal.
3. Exercise and conditioning.
It is often said that: a hundred steps after meals, can live ninety-nine. This means that proper activity and exercise can help health. The current living conditions, go out in a car, go home to watch TV, eat well, less activity, the result of many diseases come to the door, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high blood pressure, fatty liver, obesity, indigestion, etc.. Proper activity and exercise help the spleen and stomach to digest and absorb.
What should people with spleen deficiency not eat?
People with a weak spleen and stomach should not eat more sour food because acid enters the liver, which will make the liver qi stronger, and liver wood is grasping the spleen earth, which will make the weak weaker. So people who usually have indigestion, loose stools, low voice and other symptoms of spleen deficiency should eat less. If you suffer from gastric ulcer and excessive stomach acid, you should not eat it either, otherwise it may aggravate the symptoms.
In addition, people with spleen deficiency should not eat: foods that are cold in nature and easily damage the spleen, such as bitter melon, cucumber, winter melon, eggplant, hollow celery, kakelai, wild rice, kudzu bamboo shoots, golden needles, persimmons, bananas, batches of handle, pears, watermelon, green tofu, limbs of wheat, etc.. Among the thick and greasy food, easy to hinder the spleen qi transport function are duck meat, pig snapper meat, oyster meat, milk, sesame seeds, etc.; beneficial qi to eliminate accumulation, easy to deplete the spleen qi food is to raise Santalum, radish, parsley, etc.
What kind of food is good for people with spleen deficiency?
Foods that are good for the spleen and benefit the qi, wake up the spleen and appetite, such as japonica rice, can rice, potpourri (scorched pot), Italian rice, cooked lotus root, corn, yam, lentils, evidence beans, grapes, red dates, carrots, potatoes, shiitake mushrooms, etc.
Recommended dietary recipes for people with spleen deficiency.
1. Japonica rice porridge.
50 grams of round-grained rice, 10 grams of grapes, with the right amount of water first boil round-grained rice to ninety, add raisins, stew together until thin and rotten.
2, sweet potatoes.
Commonly known as sweet potatoes, yams, sweet potatoes. Flat nature, sweet taste, has the spleen and blood, benefit the effect of laxative. Suixiju diet recipe” said: “cooked food for the spleen and stomach, benefit energy, wind and cold, benefit color.” The “compendium of the collection” that the sweet potato can “nourish the middle, warm the stomach, fat five organs. People with spleen deficiency, can be used as a staple of sweet potatoes, often eaten.
3, dates.
Sexual warmth, taste had, has the spleen and stomach, benefit the role of blood. As early as more than two dry years ago in the “Shennong Ben Cao Jing” has “jujube an a nourishing spleen” record. Li Shizhen said, “Jujube is the fruit of the spleen, spleen disease is appropriate to eat.” For people with spleen deficiency, stomach weakness, and deficiency of blood, it is best to take jujube regularly.
The spleen can also be strengthened by yams, atractylodes, rice, potatoes, white lentils, sweet potatoes, etc., usually those that grow deep in the ground. Use them to boil porridge, Wan meat, single boiled can be, if put a little lotus leaf, the effect will be better.
Three health porridge to strengthen the stomach and spleen to promote digestion:.
The hot weather always makes people feel loss of appetite, because of this, both full and well digested porridge has become the choice of many people in summer. Here are a few recommendations for you to cook for the summer health porridge.
1, lentil porridge.
Practice: 200 grams of rice, 100 grams of white lentils, add the right amount of water, cooked into a porridge.
Efficacy: lentil porridge has the role of strengthening the spleen and dampness and in the summer to stop diarrhea. Suitable for summer heatstroke caused by vomiting and diarrhea, loss of appetite and other diseases.
2, barley porridge.
Method: 200 grams of rice, 100 grams of barley, add the right amount of water, cooked into a porridge.
Efficacy: barley has the effect of strengthening the spleen and removing dampness. For loss of appetite, diarrhea, edema and skin flat warts and other conditions.
3, Shen Qu japonica rice porridge.
The first will be the Shen Qu pounded, decoction to take the juice, remove the slag, into the round-grained rice, cooked together into a thin porridge.
Effects: Eliminate food and strengthen the spleen. Used for anorexia caused by the loss of spleen health.
The volcano day consumption of eight kinds of food to clear the heat to remove the fire to nourish the stomach:.
Three volt days, so many people have no appetite, summer eat right, appetite is good, can prevent the heat; eat wrong, the more you eat, the less energy, not good for health. In fact, the summer diet to clear the main, healthy spleen, dispel summer heat and dampness as the principle, the following food recommended for you in the “eight treasures”, very suitable for voodoo days clear supplement.
1.Dish: cucumber
Reason: the most important effect on the human body in summer is summer humidity, summer humidity invasion of the body will lead to open pores, excessive sweating, resulting in gas deficiency, but also cause spleen and stomach dysfunction, indigestion. Appropriate intake of cool vegetables is conducive to quenching thirst, to remove the annoyance of summer, clear heat and fire, detoxification and laxative. Cucumber is a representative of cool vegetables, it has a high water content, and both high potassium and low sodium characteristics, suitable for summer people sweating a lot to replenish water and lost inorganic salts.
2.Fresh: Carp
Reason: In summer, when the climate is hot and humid, it is good to drink carp soup to help dispel dampness and appetite, reduce swelling and water. From a nutritional point of view, carp is rich in high quality protein, minerals and vitamins, which are easily digested and absorbed, making it suitable for all kinds of people, including children, pregnant women and the elderly.
3.Mushroom: fungus
Reason: wood fungus is sweet, flat, and belongs to the stomach and large intestine; it has the effect of benefiting the qi, moistening the lung, nourishing the brain, lightening the body, and cooling the blood; wood fungus has the name of “vascular scavenger”, so eat more black wood fungus in summer, which is good for detoxification and laxation on the one hand, and cooling the blood and increasing the appetite on the other.
4.Meat: duck meat
Reason: Among the four seasons, duck meat is particularly suitable for summer consumption, as the saying goes: “prevent bitter summer eat more duck.” Duck meat is rich in protein and other nutrients that the body urgently needs in the summer, and can prevent and control diseases. Where there is heat in the body is suitable for eating duck meat, weakness, loss of appetite, fever, dry stools and edema people eat more beneficial.
5.Grain: barley
Reason: barley is a good food to remove dampness in the body, but also has anti-cancer effect. In the summer time rainy, wet and sticky air, many people will be “summer heat”, then eat some barley porridge, can play the role of damp paralysis, stomach, edema, spleen and stomach.
6, porridge: mung bean porridge
Reason: mung beans have “food in the good, Ji Shi food grain” reputation. In the hot summer, mung bean porridge is the people’s favorite summer porridge. Mung beans are also food and medicine, and can be used to clear heat and detoxify, eliminate summer heat and water, treat summer heat and thirst, edema and so on. However, it should be noted that mung beans are cool medicinal food, the body is cold or spleen and stomach deficiency cold people drink too much, will appear abdominal pain and diarrhea.
7, drink: sour plum soup
Reason: sour plum soup is the raw material of the plum, hawthorn, cinnamon, licorice, rock sugar.
The soup eliminates food in the, the flow of Qi dispersal, thirst, astringent lung gas, in addition to the annoyance and tranquility, often drink to get rid of disease, health care and health, is a hot summer health drinks.
8, melon: watermelon
Reason: China’s folklore early a proverb: “hot day to eat watermelon, do not have to take the medicine to catch.” Watermelon is cold, sweet, to the heart, stomach, bladder meridian, with heat, thirst, diuretic effect, often eat watermelon can clear the fire and relieve heat.