Late Summer: Digestion Season in Chinese Medicine
The Spleen, Pleased
August and early September mark the time of the Earth element in Chinese medicine. The Earth element governs the Spleen and Stomach, and these two organs are the stars of the digestive system in Chinese Medicine. The Stomach is the workhorse, but the Spleen is the boss. Problems associated with the spleen include too much worry, overthinking, ruminating, bloating, poor digestion and metabolism, water retention, loose or watery stools, lack of appetite (or too much appetite!), cravings for sugar and carbs, low energy, and feeling tired but not better with rest, and feeling tired after eating. The Stomach is associated with the mechanical breaking down of food, preparing your body to convert substance into usable energy. Some problems that can be associated with the stomach include: reflux, heart burn, stomach pain, constipation, insomnia, belching, and feeling like food just sits in your stomach like a ball of lead.
NOW (August and early September) is the perfect time to get these organs feeling pleased and centered! Why? Because we take advantage of the energy of the earth at this time of year — it is at its strongest right now (harvest time, anyone?) If you are feeling any of the above symptoms in a way that negatively affects your life, please do get in touch so that we can get your spleen back in order. If you have mild symptoms and want to do some things for yourself, here are some good SPLEEN helping foods and activities:
ACTIVITIES
Nurture! Do something kind for yourself, take an hour to just intentionally do a self-nurturing activity. It doesn't have to be a chore, but looking through a magazine, coloring, chatting with a loved one, going for a leisurely stroll and enjoying the view, laying on the couch binge-watching a little Netflix. The other thing to do for this earth element organ is to get out in the dirt. Dig in it, garden, touch and connect with the rich soil. Spleen, happy.
FOODS
Foods that help the spleen do it's best work include the following:
Aduki beans
Barley (here's a gluten free one! excellent for people with loose stools)
Root vegetables, but especially any squash, sweet potatoes, japanese sweet potatoes and yams
Sprouted grains like quinoa and rice (you can buy dry sprouted grains at the Merc).
Ezekiel bread and products like tortillas and granola (found in the freezer section of most grocery stores). Manna bread is another brand that is good, and can be found in the freezer section of many health food stores.
PUMPKIN — canned is great! Organic is even better!
Fresh and dried ginger, in tea or candied form.
Rice pasta
Oatmeal — a perfect spleen-happy breakfast. Add in some warm apples, walnuts and a little cinnamon and watch your digestion transform into a happy thing!
EMOTIONS
The emotions associated with the spleen are worry and overthinking, but the antidote to these are gentleness and nurturing. So here's a sweet quote I came across recently that provides a good perspective on worry:
“Worrying is praying for things you don’t want!”
So, when worry and overthinking rear their little heads (as they will), stop, slow down, be KIND to yourself, and listen to what your body needs. And you know where I'm going with this, right? Meditation is a perfect antidote to worry. Particularly a body scan that helps one feel grounded in the present moment. Here's an old favorite of mine, a ten minute body scan.
And why not include a 3 minute one for those busy types?
https://www.tarabrach.com/brief-meditation-5-minute/
The best thing to do for the spleen: go gentle, go kind, go nurture. Enjoy!
This year, I’m inspired to nurture my own spleen, and what better way to do it than with community? I've made a Facebook community where I post daily tips on how to nurture the spleen and stomach, and we all help each other stay focused on the theme of NURTURE! You can join the FB group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/nurturinghealthdaily/
Yours in health,
Julie