The importance if the Spleen and Stomach in good health  

Dr. Li Dong Yuan of Jin Dynasty propagated the principles of the tonify Spleen and Stomach school of Chinese Medicine. Li's theories expounded that chronic diseases are largely a part from improper diet and malnutrition. His solution was to treat the Spleen and Stomach organs through herbals and acupuncture for chronic diseases. I regularly use Li's herbal prescriptions and principles in my acupuncture, as I practice the Tung style of Acupuncture, and heavily treat the Spleen and Stomach channels to prevent disease, as well as treat chronic diseases like asthma, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, and cancer. In Chinese Medicine, Earth is representative of the Spleen and Stomach and is believed to be in the center. As such, it is believed that by treating the Spleen and Stomach, one can treat everything.

As of late, I have been paying attention to my diet and nutrition and have been regularly exercising when I have time. Often, with my schedule, I do some exercise between my patients and clients. Eating late at night is a taboo and I try to stay away from it. I also avoid excessive consumption of cold beverages and sweetened soft drinks like soda or bottled ice teas, preferring to take unsweetened ice tea (without ice) and room temperature bottled water. This is because the Spleen does not like the cold in Chinese Medicine, and cold inhibits the Spleen's function of transformation of food into energy and transportation of energy in the body. As such, a diet of cold foods can surely affect your energy with weight gain, edema, lethargy, abdominal bloating, indigestion, constipation or diarrhea. It is better to avoid them, or at least, balance when you eat something cold like a salad or sandwich, accompany your meal with a warm beverage or hot soup.

Of course, foods prepared with ginger or cinnamon can also help warm the body and help with tonifying the Spleen and Stomach functions. This is why Chinese food is almost always cooked with ginger. Ginger also acts as a detoxicant and is particularly helpful to cook with foods like seafood and vegetables.

When eating, never eat to the maximum of being full - always aim for two thirds full. It is important to chew your food well before swallowing. Eating should be done at a leisurely pace, and not rushed. In the Chinese tradition, not too much talking should be done at the dinner table, as it can upset the Spleen's digestive function, particularly if strong emotions such as anger, fear, fright, and grief are the result of too much talking. Also too much thinking or pensiveness is bad for the digestive function, so it is best to not do work, watch television, or video games when one is eating. The idea of television and dinner is a poor one. Sex and eating also are not good companions for the very same reason.

Of course, on rare occasions, it is okay to go to a salad bar or buffet, but even then, restraint is necessary. Eat warm foods first, perhaps a soup to start with, then eat salads, your entrees and then a small dessert. I believe it is a strategy for certain restaurants to bring ice water to your table and offer cold salad first, as you tend to get full faster on these items. As for dessert, only a bit of fresh fruit is better than ice cream, pies, cakes, cookies or other sweetened items. A small piece of watermelon can help move the bowels, relieve thirst and provide the Spleen with the craving of the sweet it desires. It is said in Chinese Medicine that the Spleen craves sweetness, and that the sweet flavor tonifies the Spleen. Overeating and abnormal consumption of sweets can inhibit the Spleen's normal function.

After eating, rubbing the abdomen in a clockwise manner thirty six times can help settle the meal and stimulate the body's natural energy for digestion. It was said that if one takes 100 steps after you eat, you can live to be 100. Of course, taking a short walk after eating a meal can help digestion, help move the bowels, promote circulation and burn off some the energy from the calories you ingested.

Followed properly, these little pearls of wisdom can certainly help you live to a ripe old age.