Hello everyone, I am Dr. Ke of TCM. Today we are going to talk about an important topic in TCM health care - spleen deficiency. Many people know about kidney deficiency and think that kidney deficiency is the main factor affecting physical health, but it is not. In the theory of traditional Chinese medicine, the spleen is the foundation of nurture, the source of qi and blood biochemistry. Spleen deficiency is full of diseases, which will not only lead to digestive problems such as indigestion, loss of appetite, diarrhea, etc., but also affect the function of other viscera, and even lead to serious consequences such as insufficient qi and blood, decreased immunity, and accelerated aging. Therefore, it is more important to tonify the spleen than to tonify the kidney. So, how to properly replenish the spleen?Today, I will share with you some methods and experiences of Chinese medicine to tonify the spleen, I hope it can be helpful to you.
1. What is spleen deficiency?
Before understanding the ways to replenish the spleen, let's first understand what spleen deficiency is. The spleen is known as the "acquired foundation" in traditional Chinese medicine, and is mainly responsible for digesting and absorbing nutrients from food and converting them into qi and blood, ** various organs and tissues of the body. The function of the spleen is directly related to the health and vitality of the human body. If the function of the spleen is weakened or imbalanced, symptoms of spleen deficiency will appear, such as loss of appetite, abdominal distension and diarrhea, yellowish complexion, fatigue and weakness, muscle emaciation, menstrual irregularities, etc.
2. Causes of spleen deficiency.
So, what are the causes of spleen deficiency?According to my years of clinical experience and the records of Chinese medicine classics, the main causes of spleen deficiency are as follows:
1- Poor diet: Excessive consumption of irritating foods such as cold, greasy, spicy, sweet, etc., or excessive dieting, overeating, etc., will damage the digestive function of the spleen and stomach, resulting in spleen deficiency.
2- Excessive thinking: Traditional Chinese medicine believes that thinking hurts the spleen. Emotions such as excessive thinking, worry, and anxiety can affect the flow of qi and blood in the spleen, leading to spleen deficiency.
3- Work-rest disorder: Overwork or over-comfort will affect the function of the spleen. Overexertion will deplete qi and blood, and over-comfort will lead to stagnation of qi and blood, both of which are not conducive to the health of the spleen.
4- Long-term illness and frailty: Long-term chronic illness or serious illness will lead to insufficient qi and blood, and weakness of the spleen and stomach.
5- Old age and physical decline: With age, the function of the spleen and stomach will gradually weaken, and the symptoms of spleen deficiency are prone to appear.
3. Methods of tonifying the spleen.
So, how to properly replenish the spleen?According to my years of clinical experience and the records of Chinese medicine classics, there are mainly the following methods to tonify the spleen:
1- Diet to nourish the spleen: Diet is an important way to nourish the spleen. It is necessary to eat less raw, cold, greasy, spicy, sweet and other stimulating foods, and eat more foods that strengthen the spleen and dampness, nourish qi and nourish blood, such as yam, atractylodes, poria cocos, barley, gourd, red adzuki beans, glutinous rice, red dates, longan, etc. At the same time, you should pay attention to your diet rules, do not overdiet or overeat, and avoid damaging your spleen and stomach.
2- Traditional Chinese medicine to tonify the spleen: Traditional Chinese medicine is an effective means of tonifying the spleen. According to your own constitution and symptoms, you should choose the right Chinese medicine to tonify the spleen. Commonly used spleen-tonifying Chinese medicines include Codonopsis, Atractylodes, Poria cocos, licorice, yam, lotus seed meat, gam, coix seed, etc. These herbs can be taken alone or in combination. I would like to recommend a classic prescription for tonifying the spleen - Four Gentlemen Soup. Sijunzi soup is composed of four flavors of traditional Chinese medicine: Codonopsis, Atractylodes, Poria cocos and licorice, which has the effect of invigorating qi and strengthening the spleen. It is suitable for symptoms such as spleen weakness, yellowish complexion, low voice, shortness of breath and fatigue, lack of food and loose stools. I myself often take Sijunzi soup to tonify my spleen, and I feel that the effect is very good.
3- Moxibustion to tonify the spleen: Moxibustion is a traditional method of tonifying the spleen. It is necessary to choose the appropriate acupuncture points for moxibustion, such as Spleen Yu acupoint, Stomach Yu acupoint, Zhongguan acupoint, Guan Yuan acupoint, Zusanli acupoint, etc. These acupuncture points are closely related to the function of the spleen and stomach, and moxibustion can be used to stimulate the acupuncture points, regulate qi and blood, and enhance the function of the spleen and stomach. Moxibustion is done by lighting moxa sticks and hanging them 3-5 cm above the acupuncture points for 10-15 minutes each time, 2-3 times a week. Pay attention to avoid burns during moxibustion**, drink more water after moxibustion, and avoid getting hot.
4- Exercise to tonify the spleen: Exercise is an auxiliary method to replenish the spleen. It is necessary to choose the appropriate exercise method to replenish the spleen, such as walking, jogging, tai chi, yoga, etc. These exercises can promote the flow of qi and blood, and enhance the digestion and absorption function of the spleen and stomach. The duration and intensity of exercise should be moderate, and do not overexert it, so as not to damage qi and blood.
5- Emotions tonify the spleen: Emotions are an important factor in tonifying the spleen. It is necessary to maintain a good emotional state and avoid negative emotions such as excessive worry, worry, and anxiety, so as not to damage the spleen and stomach. To learn to regulate your emotions and maintain an optimistic and cheerful attitude, you can relax yourself by listening, reading, traveling, etc.
4. Precautions for tonifying the spleen.
Finally, I would like to remind everyone that tonifying the spleen is not something that happens overnight, and it needs to be persisted for a long time. At the same time, it is also necessary to choose the appropriate method and medicine according to your own constitution and symptoms. If you have severe symptoms of spleen deficiency, it is recommended to seek medical attention in time and take spleen tonic under the guidance of a doctor**. In addition, it is also necessary to pay attention to avoiding some bad habits Xi of life, such as staying up late, smoking, drinking, etc., so as not to damage the spleen and stomach.
In short, spleen deficiency is an important factor affecting physical health, and tonifying the spleen is more important than tonifying the kidney. We should pay attention to the problem of spleen deficiency and take effective methods to replenish the spleen in time to make our body healthier and more energetic. I hope my sharing can be helpful to everyone.