How to Protect the Physical & Metaphysical Powers of Your Digestive Fire
WHAT IS THE DIGESTIVE FIRE?
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the rhythms of the seasons have always been regarded as a way to understand the inner workings of the body. Before microscopes, blood samples, and x-rays, states of wellness vs. disease were compared to the forces of nature. Someone might have “too much Fire” or an “accumulation of Dampness.”
In the Fall, it’s more common to see symptoms of Dryness or a Wind-Cold Invasion from seasonal allergies to a common cold. These phenomena garnered their weather-related names because as our external environment changes, in TCM we believe that our internal systems do too.
When it comes to the topic of this blog, as the temperature cools down, so does the middle burner (the area that governs our digestive organs), and specifically, the energy of the Spleen.
In Chinese Medicine, a strong Spleen is the cornerstone to healthy digestion. Its Western roles include storing the blood and fighting infection. In TCM the Spleen also shares similar functions to the pancreas, which releases insulin so the body’s cells can store glucose and convert it to energy. In our terms, we say the Spleen “cooks” our food: it warms and transforms food into Qi (energy) & blood to promote everyday metabolic activities. For this reason, we call the Spleen the “Digestive Fire.” In TCM, we say the Spleen prefers a warm and dry environment to function properly.
As a Yin organ, the Spleen is the first organ to receive food & drink when ingested. It acts as a sifting container, assimilating what we take in, separating the “pure qi” from the “impure qi,” ie. what the body can use to make energy & blood vs. any excess that is then passed along to the stomach/intestines to be digested further before being eliminated.
The same sifting function goes for what we take in energetically from our environment: the Spleen is one of the body’s first lines of defenses in maintaining our energetic boundaries. Aside from the Heart, it’s the Middle Burner’s guard at the gate - a second “brain” and source of our intuition.
Its assimilating role can be metaphysically seen in deciding what’s ours vs. what belongs to others such as their energy, projections, wounding, opinions, etc. When the Spleen is overburdened, it’s not uncommon that the person with the deficiency also feels burdened by what they pick up from others - consciously or subconsciously carrying what doesn’t belong to them.
More on that below…
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WHAT WEAKENS THE SPLEEN? ⠀⠀⠀
The Spleen—from its digestive to energetic boundary-keeping capacities—are taxed by:
chronic stress
worry (the emotion of the Spleen)
over-eating but also not eating enough
eating irregularly (hello blood sugar mayhem)
excess physical + mental work without rest
frequent consumption of processed foods
frequent consumption of raw & cold foods
This last tidbit, the negative impact cold + raw foods have on digestion, is one of the most surprising facts for clients to hear since, here in the West, salads, smoothies, and smoothie bowls are seen as the “go-to” for a quick healthy-meal fix.
However, those are not the only culprits behind a Spleen Qi Deficiency. When consumed often enough, sushi, yogurt, cream cheese, ice cream, and most dairy (from cow’s milk) can be “dampening” to the digestive fire - depleting the Spleen’s energy and therefore it’s ability to transform food into Qi & Blood.
Here is an analogy…
Think about the Spleen like a pot on the stove - or for the sake of all things spooky for Fall - a cauldron over a fire. Let’s say the flame under the vessel of choice is burning as it should, and the contents you place in the pot (your food/drink) are warm or even room temperature. Naturally, they will break-down and cook more efficiently. Imagine if you placed cold or frozen food instead. It is going to take a lot more time and energy for it to do the same. In that sense, your Spleen is being taxed because it has to work harder to do the same job—and when you’re already are running on low energy, dipping into reserves makes a deficiency harder to recover from.
This is not to say you should eliminate these foods from your diet, live your life, but moderate them if you feel called to.
If raw, cold, and processed foods are consistent staples without other “Spleen-friendly” foods (ie. whole foods that are warm/cooked) AND you experience many of the symptoms I am about to share below, then (if we were working together) I would encourage talking about ways to strengthen the Spleen going forward.
SYMPTOMS TO WATCH FOR: ⠀
Photo via Pinterest
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When the Spleen has to work extra hard (aka use more Qi than it produces) to transform food, it becomes tired leading to sluggish digestion which means poor circulation, nutrient absorption, and energy/blood production. This often lead to:
chronic fatigue
brain fog
chronic bloating
loose stools
poor appetite
indigestion, like food “just sits” there
muscle weakness + soreness
nutrient deficiencies
a pale tongue with teeth marks on the edges
When weakened for long enough, the Spleen cannot produce the Qi and Blood needed to fuel the body. This malnourishment can lead to a Blood Deficiency (anemia), the accumulation of Dampness (inflammation), while also negatively affecting the mind & spirit too.
A DEFICIENT SPLEEN CAN MEAN A DISTURBED SPIRIT
As you read, Worry is the emotion connected to a Spleen Deficiency, However, this imbalance not only affects the physical functioning (physiology) of the Spleen, but in the animation of the Spleen’s Spirit as well. What do I mean by Spirit?
In TCM, the Spirit of an organ is most ethereal (non-tangible) expression of energy. You can think of it like a personality: each organ’s Spirit has a unique role and characteristics that come out when that organ is balanced or not. If imbalanced, we say the Spirit is vexed or disturbed.
The Spleen’s Spirit is called The Yi (“yee”).
The Yi governs our thought, intellect, and comprehension; it influence on our intention to pursue our goals as well as our creativity. Having a strong and clear intention (Yi) helps us to think clearly, process information, and create smart, structured plans, which makes our daily to-dos (and dreams) more attainable.
By this point, you know how a weak Spleen leads to poor digestion. Well on a spirit level, a weak Spleen disturbs the Yi, causing poor digestion of thoughts.
In other words. the Yi relies on physical nourishment derived from the Spleen to carry out its metaphysical functions. This is why a Spleen Deficiency can also manifest as mental & emotional disharmonies such as…
anxiety & panic attacks
a “dampened” spirit: feeling lethargic, unmotivated, bored
obsessive/ruminating thoughts
creative blocks/lacking clear intention to move forward on a project
poor memory or concentration
insomnia (especially trouble falling asleep due to a racing mind)
feeling overwhelmed, vulnerable, and/or drained energetically
taking on too much - trouble compartmentalizing or delegating (think of a burdened Spleen or a damp Swamp - it soaks up everything with no outlet for flow, leading to festering frustration and worrying)
HOW TO STRENGTHEN YOUR SPLEEN QI:⠀⠀⠀
As the temperature drops here are a few ways to keep your digestive fire stoked:⠀⠀
★ Skip the Ice - whether it’s water or morning coffee, skip the ice - enjoy room temp or hot!
If you love your smoothies, try not adding ice and using only fresh (not frozen) items.
★ Balance Your Temps: Strive to have mostly warm + cooked foods while limiting raw + cold ones during the day.
If you love your salads, at least pair them with a cooked grain or protein to off-set the cold temp of the greens
★ But is it real? There are so many foods with additives, dyes, preservatives, and other man-made compunds that the body simply does not know how to break them down, especially the Spleen. The more whole (aka perishable) foods, the better.
★ Warm It Up: Warm up leftovers - avoid eating foods right from the refrigerator
★ Ginger Tea: Make a hot tea of lemon with slices of fresh ginger + enjoy between meals daily if you can.
What You'll Need: 1 Pear, 1 Lemon, 3-4 pieces of Ginger Root (sliced into 1" pieces), Honey to taste, (the more local, the better)
What You'll Do: Combine the sliced lemon, ginger root, and pear into a small pot. Add 4 cups of water (6 cups for a more diluted flavor). Bring to a boil and then simmer for 5 minutes. Serve and add honey to taste. Allow it to cool as needed & enjoy.
Note: This tea is meant to have a strong flavor, but if you want something more mild, reduce the ginger. If you have signs of internal "heat" aka prone to anger/irritability, yellow phlegm, fever, excess sweating, or hot flashes - ditch the ginger.
★ Eat Orange: As the Earth Element, the Spleen is associated with the color Orange in TCM. This is why seasonal root veggies such as sweet potato, butternut squash, and pumpkin, are not just perfect for Fall, but also for easy digestion. Prepare roasted on a sheet pan with some olive oil and seasoning of choice.
★ Avoid Blood Sugar Mayhem: Eat at regular intervals to avoid blood sugar crashes which can lead to poor appetite, anxiety, and hormone dysregulation.
★ Promote Peristalsis: Eat slowly & without distraction to enter “rest and digest” mode. This is when your GI tract can contract properly (called peristalsis) to move food along - leaving you less bloated without food stagnation.
★ Get Acupuncture to regulate and improve digestion. When collaborating, you will also receive personalized and holistic guidance to treat the root cause behind why your Spleen’s Qi might be lagging in the first place.
WHAT CLIENTS ARE SAYING…
“I was recommended by a friend of mine to try acupuncture as I had been struggling with various complex stomach issues. I was not expecting such drastic and lasting results as I had been struggling with these issues for years.
Lauren took the time to talk through my medical history not just from a scientific and medical approach, but how stress and emotional instability could be contributing to my overall issues. Her feedback, insight, and overall tone made me feel like she was assessing my issues from a comprehensive and connected approach rather than treating individual symptoms.
The sessions to follow were not only physically helping my body, they were mentally therapeutic. I found myself so relaxed that I often fell asleep during the session. The results were (and are) lasting. I did 5-sessions and it was worth every penny. I will continue to go back every month or so for maintenance, but I know I have found my lifetime acupuncturist!”
Behind The Blog
HI, I’M LAUREN FAVREAU.
I am the Co-Founder and Doctor of Acupuncture (DAC) here at Rune in New Gloucester, Maine. I specialize in providing care for Chronic Pain Relief as well as Mental/Emotional Health.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, these are areas that not only directly reflect one another, but are close to my heart from when I was a patient of this medicine before I was a practitioner. I am passionate about guiding others to live a more embodied and vibrant life by becoming their own healer and their body’s best advocate.
If you would like to learn more about Acupuncture, my care, and other topics like this one, feel free to explore our The Journal as well as our Instagram (@runeacupuncture) for more insights.