All About Nutrition
Let’s talk about nutrition! In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) theory, the stomach and the spleen are two main gateways to your internal health and immunity. While the stomach digests food, enables blood production in the body, and aids in building up our immunity, the spleen transforms and transports vital nutrients from digested food to nourish our blood, moisturize our skin, and help regulate our energy levels. When the spleen and stomach are underactive, you may feel sluggish or stagnant.
Other than the food that we eat, another way to measure the health of the spleen and the stomach is by the amount and quality of mucus present in the digestive tract and throughout the body. The spleen is the organ that transforms the food we eat, and then transports the nutrients from that food, to the rest of our body, according to TCM theory. If we eat too much sugar, dairy, or red meat, we will begin to see the effects they have on the spleen. Too much of that type of food will cause the spleen to become “deficient” or sluggish, thus prone to producing phlegm and mucus. While a healthy amount of mucus helps move materials throughout the digestive tract (as well as keeping our sinuses healthy), it can also be the cause of common problems in the spleen, stomach, heart, and lungs as well.
TCM practitioners can typically tell how your digestion is doing based on the quality of the film on top of your tongue. The thicker, greasier, and whiter, or even the yellow-er that it is, is an indication that the spleen and the stomach’s dynamic isn’t working properly and that we must boost its natural functions. Your acupuncturist will know specific points to needle in order to balance its functionality, especially if it is either overactive or underactive.
The spleen has another function in TCM, which is based on the interaction of the mind, body, and spirit. Each of the twelve organs and channels has what TCM calls emotions. For example, the spleen is related to the intellect and can often become underactive based on overthinking or worrying. A global pandemic, such as COVID-19, is sure to make us all overthink, and worry!
According to TCM, important features of food and herbal nutrition are their taste, flavor, nature, and temperature. There are five general tastes linked to therapeutic effects: sour, bitter, sweet, spicy, or pungent. Additional tastes were later added in the medical canon, such as salty, bland, and fragrant. Let’s talk about citrus peels. They’re packed with Vitamin C and can cause a pungent, bitter flavor with warming properties. Its interaction with the spleen, stomach, and lung meridians has three primary functions in TCM:
It circulates the qi in the spleen and stomach, as well as strengthening the spleen.
It lessens the severity of nausea and vomiting.
It can be used with other herbs like Pinella and Poria to help phlegm congeal, reduce coughing, and ease discomfort in the chest and diaphragm.
In Western nutrition, citrus is believed to possess several beneficial properties. At various times, it can be used as an expectorant, tonic, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory food. Vitamin C is a powerful agent that works with other antioxidants (like blueberries) and is most commonly known for giving our immune system a big boost!
Dr. Sebi, born Alfredo Bowman, who was an Afro-Honduran pathologist, herbalist, and naturalist, often associated with natural eating and nutritional diets. Dr. Sebi’s research focused on the manifestation of diseases, their origins, and how a compromised mucus membrane might affect said diseases. In particular, his research notes that if there is excess mucus in the bronchial tubes of the lungs, the disease is bronchitis; if it is in the lungs themselves, it is pneumonia. Aligning with TCM, his research supports that citruses, while sour, pungent, and astringent, are known to help stop abnormal fluids and other substances from building up in the body.
Eating your citrus is different from drinking over the counter juice in the grocery store, as many of them are reprocessed and contain extra processed sugars. It is best to eat the citrus, or, if you have access to a juicer, make your own natural juice at home.
Some other food sources for Vitamin C include: red chili peppers, green peppers, grapefruit, cantaloupe, papaya, kiwi, brussel sprouts, tomatoes, kale, sweet potato, mustard greens, blueberries, and even mung beans!
Herbal sources that are wonderful for boosting the immune system, and beneficial for your lungs include: calendula, echinacea, dandelion root, peppermint, elderberry.
If you have any questions, please consult your TCM practitioner, as we have been well versed in the elements and how best to prevent and care for diseases.
So, please take your time to digest this information. There is a lot of overwhelm, but the key is preventative measures. You’ve got this! Start with small steps to begin manifesting into real lifestyle changes. Washing hands, eating nourishing foods, and getting the required amount of rest and exercise is where we can begin, not just in a health crisis, but in our daily lives. We’re all worth the time and care!
We’re all in this together.
