In traditional Chinese medicine, the between seasons period of Earth is the season of balance, nourishment, nurturing and grounding. It corresponds to the stomach and spleen digestive function and energy. The spleen harvests nutrients from foods.
There are four 18-day periods in the year that occur between energetic seasons according to traditional Chinese medicine. The time period between October 21 and November 7 is the last of the year. The element of the five elements of traditional Chinese medicine associated with this season is Earth.
The spleen is the yin organ of the pair of organs associated with the Earth element and the Earth energetic season. The yang organ of Earth is the stomach.
What is the spleen and what is spleen digestive function?
“Among human solid organs, the spleen seems to be an orphan. With most other organs, such as the brain, heart, and kidney, much has been written on their history, anatomy, function and surgical treatment… Why has the spleen lagged behind other organs in published works? In the popular mind, many people are unaware that they even have a spleen. Still others do not know where in the body it is located. Almost no one knows what it does.”
The spleen contributes to the homeostasis of the body. It helps keep harmful microorganisms and unhealthy abnormal worn out and misshapen red blood cells out of the bloodstream. The spleen also makes lymphocytes(1) and stores blood cells. It’s the principle organ defining the shape of the red blood cells circulating in the bloodstream.
Good spleen digestive function is key to the body’s immune system.
Traditional Chinese medicine tells us the spleen is source of chi (vital energy) and blood. The spleen is responsible for the intake, processing, sorting and distribution of nutrients from food. Nutrients are then transported upwards by the spleen to the lungs. There both heart and lungs take over generating chi and infusing the body’s blood with these nutrients.
The spleen transforms food into nutrients and then transports these nutrients through the pushing/ascending action of the organ’s chi. This is how it relays nutrients to the heart and lungs, into the circulatory system and finally throughout the body.
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The spleen ascends its chi. The ascending action helps maintain the position of the organs in the body. Stomach chi descends to facilitate digestion and eliminate undigested food from the body.
The ascending action of the spleen and the descending action of the stomach complement each other in the act of digestion.
In spleen digestive function, sometimes the ascending function of the spleen gets out-of-balance. Its chi energy flows downwards rather than upwards. Symptoms of fatigue, flatulence, loss of appetite, diarrhea and giddiness are the result. When stomach chi is out-of-balance and does not descend vomiting is the result.
The normal adult spleen lies immediately under the diaphragm in the left upper quadrant of the abdomen. It ranges in length from 2-1/3 to 5 inches approximately and in weight from 2-2/3 to 4-1/4 ounces.
Spleen digestive function and the elimination of toxins is very much associated with the Earth element. For this reason, PHYTO5 formulates the Earth line of skincare with ingredients that support spleen digestive function and the circulation of lymph(2). We do this according to principles of traditional Chinese medicine.
As the largest secondary lymphoid organ in the body, the spleen is responsible for a wide range of immunological functions.
Spleen digestive function plays several very important roles in the human body.
the human lymphatic system
In moms-to-be, the spleen begins producing the embryo’s blood cells gradually leaving the job to the mother’s bone marrow.
Spleen captures malfunctioning, abnormal or old red blood cells and expels them from the body.
Spleen recycles iron in red blood cells to create new healthy red blood cells. (If spleen chi is weak, bruising, blood in stools and urine, and purple-colored spots may be found under the skin, among other conditions involving bleeding.)
The spleen assimilates your food’s nutrients (also known as food essence or jingwei in traditional Chinese medicine) which are then conveyed throughout the body via lung, heart and blood vessels.
In the act of spleen digestive function, spleen absorbs water and then transports it through the body via lung, heart and urinary bladder to maintain normal water metabolism.
Good spleen digestive function helps protect the body from infections by producing white blood cells [macrophages and lymphocytes(1)]which travel to the infected parts of the body.
The spleen produces antibodies which help fight infections.
Lymph fluid(1) passes through the spleen where germs and other foreign bodies are captured by white blood cells.
Spleen digestive function contributes to good mental function when in balance. It affects intention which can be weakened by mental strain. Mental turmoil, poor memory, and irritability may be a result of impaired spleen energy.
Balanced spleen digestive function helps keep us free from abnormal fatigue, digestive issues and poor complexion. A deficiency in spleen chi often contributes to fatigue. It can cause symptoms like appetite loss, a sense of abdominal fullness especially after meals, loose stools, breathlessness and a pale yellow complexion. Feeling sluggish and tired may occur when a deficiency in spleen chi prevents inadequate nourishment for the organs.
When spleen digestive function is normal, it promotes the energy required by muscles and limbs producing a vitality filled body.
Spleen participates with the other energies of the body which it irrigates and moistens.
Dampness and the Spleen
Traditional Chinese medicine tells us a damp spleen occurs when the spleen can’t transport and transform body fluids properly. This leads to an accumulation of moisture within the body.
Dampness is turbid, heavy and difficult to reverse. Often originating in the legs it will move upward to the abdomen. Symptoms include a thick greasy tongue coating, loose stools, bloating, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and a heavy feeling in the body or limbs.
High and frequent intake of raw, cold and spicy foods can damage the spleen and cause dampness. Dairy products, processed foods, alcohol, sugar and sweeteners will exacerbate already existing dampness in the body.
If you’re concerned about your spleen digestive function, here are some simple actions to take:
Assist your digestive process by chewing your food well. Chewing food thoroughly reduces the workload on your digestive system and food is absorbed more easily. By chewing your food very well, mealtime will be naturally longer and this will help you attain a feeling of fullness and prevent overeating.
Refrain from drinking fluids while having a meal.
Try not to drink cold beverages but if you must, have some warm tea first. Too much cold beverage can damage the spleen and drinking cold beverages at mealtime will force the body to take time to warm up the food before it can even be digested.
Eat lots of whole foods. Nourish the spleen with sweet whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Consume red dates, Chinese yam and lotus seeds often, if not, daily. This will help nourish your spleen digestive function.
Avoid overeating and feasting. This makes the spleen work overtime to sort through too many nutrients at once. Overeating also results in food stagnation. The spleen doesn’t have enough time to empty your stomach before your next meal. This causes bloating and fatigue.
Exercise most especially the abdominals and thighs because the spleen meridian runs up the legs.
Take time for relaxation. Traditional Chinese medicine finds mealtimes extremely important times of the day. They should not be mixed with working, reading or watching television. Doing so may inhibit the passage of food through the body and negatively affect your spleen digestive function.
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Endnotes:
(1) Lymphocyte: a form of small leukocyte (white blood cell) with a single round nucleus, occurring especially in the lymphatic system
(2) Lymph: a colorless fluid containing white blood cells that bathes the tissues and drains through the lymphatic system into the bloodstream
Sources:
Liu, Yanchi, Kathleen Vian, and Peter Eckman. The Essential Book of Traditional Chinese Medicine. New York: Columbia UP, 1988. Print.
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