[AlternativeMedicineForum] Diet Therapy for Spleen Qi Vacuity Dampness

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Diet Therapy for Spleen Qi Vacuity Dampness

by Juliette Aiyana, LAc

 

 

" This is basic dietary info for a Chinese medical pattern that almost

anyone can have some of the time. It looks like tiredness, loose

stool, and low appetite.

 

You can get it from worry, overwork, overthinking, lack of exercise,

and too much cold foods.

 

IF YOU WANT MORE ENERGY,

 

Thanks for Writing In!

 

In my last article I invited readers to send me the TCM Pattern

Discrimination their Practitioner had given them so that I could

write an article about how to treat specific imbalances with the

diet. Two readers wrote me about the Pattern Discrimination of

Spleen Qi Vacuity Dampness. Thanks for writing in because I

frequently see this condition in my practice, and it's very

important to address.

 

What Does the Spleen Do?

 

Before we discuss diet, it is important to understand the causes and

effects of Spleen Qi Vacuity Dampness (also known as Spleen Qi

Deficiency Dampness). One function of the Spleen is to assimilate

nutrients from food in the stomach to form the Qi, Blood and Body

Fluids. Therefore, the Spleen's main function is to govern the

transformation and transportation (T & T) of grain (food) and water

into essence, which is distributed to other organ systems as Qi and

Blood. Thus it is vital to keep the Spleen healthy because it is

the source for Qi and blood production for your entire body.

 

 

What is Dampness?

 

Dampness results from the body's failure to transform fluids. It

could be thought of as " fluids in the wrong place. " It includes

water weight, edema, and perhaps even arterial plaque.

 

The Spleen and Dampness

 

An important saying in Chinese medicine states, " The Spleen hates

cold and the Spleen hates dampness. " So we must do what we can to

keep the Spleen warm and free of dampness. Spleen vacuity occurs

when the process of transformation and transportation malfunctions,

thus causing dampness to gather and stagnate instead of transforming

which further weakens T & T.

 

Then a vicious cycle begins.

 

If the Spleen is Hindered, So Are Other Bodily Organs

Since other organ systems depend on receiving Qi and Blood from the

Spleen, they will become weaken when a patients suffers from chronic

or long term Spleen Qi Vacuity.

 

How Do You Get Spleen Qi Vacuity?

Spleen Qi may become vacuous (empty) due to one or a combination of

the following factors:

 

Overwork

Over-fatigue

Too much worrying

Over thinking and obsessive thought patterns

Unhealthy dietary habits

Lack of exercise

Here are some examples of how this works in real life:

 

Students and Worry: Students who work in addition to going to school

or college, need to find time to study and may, quite naturally,

worry about exams.

 

Fatiguing Illnesses: Some patients have fatiguing chronic illness

like cancer and fibromyalgia.

 

Weight Obsessions:

 

Dancers and actors worry or even obsess about their weight despite

the fact that many of them are underweight. Overweight patients

worry and obsess about their weight for health or aesthetic reasons

and feel a ridiculous amount societal and self-induced pressure to

lose weight.

 

Overthinking and Deprivation: And many of my patients (over weight or

not) are mentally obsessed with their weight and thus constantly over

thinking about counting calories and sticking to hard to follow diets

with point systems, blocks, deprivation diets or set meal plans of

foods they don't even enjoy eating.

 

Guilt and Worry: And no matter who the person is that is dieting,

skinny or overweight, many feel guilt instead of pleasure when

indulging in a food they like but which isn't in his meal plan. This

feeling of guilt fits into the worry category.

 

No Exercise: Patients who do not exercise do not invigorate the Yang

warming aspect of the body's Qi. Chinese medicine asserts that too

much sitting or lying down creates Qi vacuity.

 

Cold Foods: Many people damage the Spleen Qi by eating too many cold

foods. Cold foods are literally cold from refrigeration or frozen,

like ice, are foods that are cold in nature (see the list below) and

include cold beverages and salad and last nights left over cold

pizza (yeah, we've all been there). Other detriments include our

society's over eating of wheat as our main source of grain, and too

much beer drinking. Both are cool and dampness producing. Not to

mention our over consumption of dairy. Imagine all the Spleen Qi

vacuity amongst college students between all that studying, beer and

pizza!

 

Dietary Therapy for Spleen Qi Vacuity

The treatment principle for Spleen Qi Vacuity Dampness is to fortify

the Spleen and disinhibit (percolate, filter, promote urination) the

dampness. We also want to avoid further detriment to the spleen.

Yang tonics will help to warm the Spleen and to motivate the energy

for the T & T cycle. They maintain and improve our ability to generate

warmth and stimulate our system.

 

Yang tonics include:

 

Basil

Chestnut

Chive Seed

Cinnamon Bark

Clove

Dill Seed

Fennel Seed

Fenugreek Seed

Garlic

Dried Ginger

Lamb

Lobster

Nutmeg

Pistachio

Raspberry

Rosemary

Sage

Savoy

Shrimp

Star Anise

Thyme

Walnut

 

Qi circulation is stimulated by the sweet and pungent flavors. The

Spleen likes the sweet taste and pungent flavors circulate the Qi.

Foods that particularly influence Qi circulation include:

 

Basil

Caraway

Cardamon

Carrot

Cayenne

Chive

Clove Coriander

Dill Seed

Garlic

Jasmine Tea

Marjoram

Mustard Leaf

Orange Peel

Peppermint Tea

Radish

Star Anise

Tangerine Peel

Turmeric

 

Cold conditions are improved by warming foods. In chronic cases warm

and sweet/pungent foods are used to warm us steadily. In acute cases

of pathogenic invasion warm or hot foods are combined with stronger

pungent flavors to drive out the Cold.

 

Warming foods include:

 

Anchovy

Basil

Bay leaf

Black Pepper

Coconut

Cayenne

Cherry

Chestnut

Chicken

Coriander

Dill Seed

Fennel Seed

Garlic

Ginger

Kohlrabi

Lamb

Lee

Mussel

Mustard Leaf

Mutton

Nutmeg

Oats

Onion

Peach

Quinoa

Rosemary

Scallion

Shrimp

Spelt

Squash

Sweet Potato

Sweet Rice

Trout

Turnip Vinegar

Walnut

Wine

 

Dampness results from the body's failure to transform fluids.

Dampness is treated by avoiding dampening foods, strengthening the

body, including bitter foods and foods that counteract Dampness.

 

Effective foods to eat include:

 

Aduki Bean

Alfalfa

Anchovy

Amaranth

Barley

Buckwheat

Celery

Corn

Cranberry

Daikon

Eel

Garlic

Green Tea

Horseradish

Jasmine Tea

Kidney Beans

Kohlrabi

Lemon

Mackerel

Marjoram

Mushroom (button)

Mustard Leaf

Onion

Parsley

Papaya

Pumpkin

Radish

Rice Bran

Rye

Scallion

Turnip

Umeboshi Plum

 

Some foods will worsen the tendency towards Dampness, so Damp people

should cut back on them. Avoid these foods:

 

Dairy Products (sheep and goat products are less dampening)

 

Pork

Roasted Peanuts

Concentrated Juices especially Orange

Wheat products

Bread

Yeast

Beer

Bananas

Sugar and sweeteners

Saturated fats

Greasy, fried and oily foods

Iced or cooled beverages

Uncooked raw vegetables and salads

Phlegm refers to a condition of dampness where moisture is retained

as Phlegm or Mucus. Phlegm-resolving foods include:

 

Almond

Apple Peel

Clam

Daikon

Garlic

Grapefruit

Lemon Peel

Licorice

Marjoram

Mushroom (button)

Mustard Leaf

Mustard Seed

Olive

Onion

Orange Peel

Pear

Radish

Seaweed

Shitake Mushroom

Shrimp

Tea

Thyme

Walnut

Watercress

 

I have so much more information about diet that it would take a whole

book to explain. Don't worry - I am working on that! In the meantime

I am available for live seminars. Take these recommendations to your

kitchen and cook some delicious meals for yourself be well and stay

healthy.

 

Conclusion

Chinese Dietary Therapy is an essential part of healing this Qi

disharmony. I urge my readers to continue to take the herbs and

acupuncture treatments your practitioner recommends, but do

incorporate this information about diet into your therapy and

lifestyle.

Salute!

Juliette Aiyana, L.Ac.

212-894-0767

www.acupunctureandherbs.net

 

 

 

My Web-site: http://community.webtv.net/Yahwist/THEGREATMYSTERY