Tips for strengthening the spleen

Strengthening the spleen is one of the key points of health preservation. If the spleen fails to transport and transform, phlegm and blood stasis will accumulate in the uterus. If the spleen is out of harmony, it will affect human health. Not only will it make the body fat, but it may also cause infertility. Therefore, we must pay attention to taking care of our bodies in our daily lives. There are many ways to strengthen the spleen, such as laughing, diet therapy, etc. So what are some feasible methods in real life? Let’s take a brief look at it together.

1. The best way to strengthen the spleen is to regulate emotions

Laughter is the best gift for the spleen and stomach. When a person is angry, resentful or anxious, the stomach becomes congested and red like the face; when a person is sad, depressed or melancholy, the stomach becomes pale, gastric juice secretion is insufficient, and activity is reduced. Traditional Chinese medicine also believes that negative emotions will affect the liver's regulatory function, which in turn will affect the spleen and stomach. It can be seen that learning to laugh is the best gift for the spleen and stomach.

2. The best way to strengthen the spleen: Traditional Chinese medicine conditioning

2.1. 30g each of Poria cocos, Coix seeds, Euryale ferox, and Chinese yam, and 10g of dried tangerine peel. Decoction in water, one dose per day. Or dry the above medicines, grind them into fine powder, take 15g each time, twice a day, mix with warm rice porridge.

2.2. Use 15 grams of Astragalus, 10 grams of Atractylodes, 15 grams of Codonopsis, 6 grams of Angelica, 6 grams of Tangerine Peel, 5 grams of Bupleurum, 5 grams of Cimicifuga, and 5 grams of Roasted Licorice, decoct in water and take it, which can invigorate Qi, raise Yang, and regulate the spleen and stomach.

2.3. Moxibustion: Anyone with spleen deficiency can use moxibustion on Taibai, the original point of the spleen meridian. The spleen meridian is in full swing from 9:00 to 11:00 in the morning, so moxibustion will be more effective during this time. The spleen's nature is to raise lucidity while the stomach's nature is to lower turbidity; the two are the pivotal factors in the rise and fall of Qi. Therefore, to nourish the spleen's rise, one must also nourish the stomach's lowering. This can be combined with acupuncture at the Stomach Meridian's He point, Zusanli. The spleen corresponds to the summer season, and moxibustion is most needed during the Lesser Heat and Greater Heat seasons to strengthen the spleen and eliminate dampness.

3. The best way to strengthen the spleen is exercise

Exercise is the healthiest way to strengthen your spleen! Do 20 to 40 sit-ups every day when you wake up and before you go to bed. This little exercise has a powerful effect on mobilizing your temper!

From the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine, people with strong spleen and stomach functions generally have a firm grip on the ground with their toes when standing. Therefore, if your spleen and stomach functions are not good, you might as well exercise your toes. Stand or sit with your feet flat and firmly pressed against the ground. Practice gripping and relaxing the ground with your toes, alternating between each other. This can have a good tightening and loosening stimulating effect on the spleen meridian in the calf.

4. The best way to strengthen the spleen is massage

Massaging your calves is also a good way to nourish your spleen. The calf is home to many acupoints of the spleen and stomach meridians, such as Zusanli and Yinlingquan. Massage your calves from top to bottom, with the intensity you can bear, as long as you feel comfortable after the massage. Do not massage when you are too full or too hungry, and try to massage three times a day before going to bed!

What foods are good for strengthening the spleen?

1. Spinach

It tastes sweet and cool in nature, can moisten dryness and nourish the liver, benefit the intestines and stomach, and relieve constipation. "Compendium of Materia Medica for Food Therapy" states: "It benefits the five internal organs, clears the stomach and intestines, and detoxifies alcohol." Spinach can promote stomach and pancreatic secretions, increase appetite, and aid digestion; the rich fiber can also help intestinal peristalsis and facilitate defecation. However, spinach has a high oxalic acid content, which hinders calcium absorption. It should be avoided from being eaten with high-calcium foods such as tofu and seaweed, or it should be blanched before cooking to remove the oxalic acid.

2. Sweet potatoes

It is mild in nature, sweet in taste, and nourishes the spleen and replenishes Qi. "Compendium of Materia Medica" records: "It nourishes the middle, warms the stomach, and nourishes the five internal organs." Eating it in cold weather can nourish the stomach with positive energy, digest food and remove accumulation, and can also cleanse the intestines and lose weight. Many people think that they fart a lot after eating sweet potatoes, but it is actually caused by gastrointestinal motility. Suitable for diabetics.

3. Carrots

It is sweet and mild in nature. Chinese medicine believes that it can "relieve qi and replenish the middle, benefit the spleen and diaphragm, moisten the intestines and stomach, calm the five internal organs, and has the effect of strengthening appetite." The rich carotene can be converted into vitamin A, which can improve eyesight, nourish the mind, enhance immunity, and prevent and treat respiratory diseases. Carotene is fat-soluble, so it is best stewed with meat, and it tastes better.

Tip: Chinese medicine for strengthening the spleen and nourishing the stomach can include ginseng for strengthening the spleen, ginseng, Poria, Atractylodes, Four Gentlemen, and Xiangsha for nourishing the stomach.

What are the symptoms of spleen deficiency?

1. Changes in tongue coating

The surface of a healthy tongue should be red and look moist. There is a layer of tongue coating on the tongue, which is thin and very clean. If there are obvious teeth marks on the edge of the tongue, it means that there is a problem with the body's function.

2. Decreased appetite

Most people will experience decreased appetite and digestive function in the hot and humid environment of summer. However, there are also some people whose appetite is not affected and they have a strong sense of hunger, but they feel full after eating. This is also a sign of a strong stomach and a weak spleen.

3. Discomfort when getting up early

When you wake up in the morning, if you feel chest tightness, shortness of breath, dizziness, and headache, it means that your spleen and stomach functions are relatively weak.

4. Heavy moisture

People with heavy moisture may also gain significant weight in a short period of time, and in severe cases may experience problems such as lower limb edema.

5. Abnormal stool retention when going to the toilet

If the stool is soft, rotten and sticky, it is a symptom of spleen dampness, indicating that the digestive function is abnormal.