The spleen, an inconspicuous organ in the eyes of Western medicine, has a great origin in traditional Chinese medicine, known as the "acquired foundation", which is related to various functions of the body. Don't underestimate this obscure guy, once it strikes, your body may have all kinds of "mood" symptoms.
This is not alarmist, but a true portrayal of many people. How important is this neglected spleen, and how to take good care of it through the wisdom of modern medicine and Chinese medicine.
1. The modern medical function of the spleen
In modern medicine, the role of the spleen is not as glamorous as that of the heart or brain, but its job is not at all easy.
First of all, the spleen is the storehouse of blood, where old red blood cells and platelets are discarded, and fresh blood cells are ready for use.
Not to mention, the spleen is also a good friend of the immune system, and its lymphocytes and macrophages are important members of the body's defense team, which is responsible for identifying and removing foreign bodies and pathogens from the blood.
The spleen also has an important task, which is to regulate the amount of blood. When you have a heavy hemorrhage, the spleen can quickly release the stored blood into the blood circulation, helping you to stabilize your position.
Normally, it is also silently monitoring the components of the blood to make sure that everything is at normal levels. This inconspicuous little character is actually a behind-the-scenes hero, and once it is not fully functional, your body may have a series of problems such as anemia and decreased resistance. So, don't wait for your body to send out SOS to think about it, daily care is very important.
2. The intersection of traditional Chinese medicine theory and modern medicine for spleen deficiency
In the view of traditional Chinese medicine, the spleen is a living person, a factory of qi and blood biochemistry, responsible for digestion and absorption, and converting the essence of water valley into nutrients for the whole body. It's not enough, it also has to be transported so that the blood doesn't spill out and the muscles and limbs are nourished.
You see, there is a lot of work to do, and once the spleen is deficient, all kinds of physical discomforts will follow, such as indigestion, muscle weakness, and yellowish complexion.
These symptoms also correspond in modern medicine, such as indigestion may be related to gastrointestinal dysfunction, and muscle weakness may be related to nutrient malabsorption or metabolic problems.
The theory of spleen deficiency in traditional Chinese medicine and the description of symptoms in modern medicine can be connected to a certain extent. Although the two differ in philosophy and approach, they both emphasize the importance of the spleen in physical health.
Traditional Chinese medicine uses a variety of tests such as blood tests and imaging tests to assess the state of the spleen.
The combination of the two allows us to understand the importance of the spleen more comprehensively, and also to care for this unknown hero more precisely.
3. Six warning signs of the body: possible manifestations of spleen deficiency
When the spleen is not functioning, the body sends out several distinct signals. First and foremost are abnormalities in the digestive system, such as loss of appetite, bloating, and loose stools.
These symptoms may be due to the spleen losing control over the conversion and transport of nutrients, resulting in food not being efficiently converted into the energy needed by the body.
In addition, people with spleen deficiency may find themselves prone to bruising or slow healing of small wounds, as the spleen plays an important role in blood circulation, and once its function decreases, stasis in the blood increases.
Let's look at the muscles and limbs. If you notice that your muscles are loose and your limbs are weak, it could also be a sign of a weak spleen. Because the spleen is the main muscle, the spleen is insufficient, and the muscles do not get enough nutrients, so there will naturally be weakness.
In addition, people with spleen deficiency often have poor complexion and may experience yellowish complexion, which is due to the decline of the spleen's ability to convert and transport nutrients, resulting in insufficient blood quality and nutrient supply to the facial skin.
Spleen deficiency can also lead to imbalance in water metabolism, so you will find that people with spleen deficiency are prone to fluid accumulation in their abdomen and their bodies are swollen. It's not just a matter of appearance, it's the body telling you that the internal water metabolism needs to be adjusted.
Finally, people with spleen deficiency may also have memory loss, because TCM believes that the spleen opens the mouth and involves the functions of thinking and memory.
4. What habits in life may lead to spleen deficiency
Bad habits in life are often the culprits that lead to a weak spleen. Irregular diet, especially excessive greasy, sweet, and cold drinks, can increase the burden on the spleen and lead to a weakening of its function.
In the long run, the spleen will become fatigued, and then the symptoms of spleen deficiency will appear. Moreover, modern people live a fast-paced life, and often neglect regular diet and rest due to busy work, which is chronic and far-reaching damage to the spleen.
Lack of exercise is also an important factor in spleen deficiency. Exercise can promote the circulation of qi and blood in the body and enhance the transportation function of the spleen. If you are sedentary for a long time, not only will the gastrointestinal peristalsis slow down, but the spleen's motor function will also be weakened.
In addition, excessive thinking and mood swings can also affect the function of the spleen. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that worrying hurts the spleen, excessive thinking will consume the spleen, and emotional ups and downs will also affect the normal functioning of the spleen.
In addition, the dampness in life should not be ignored. Heavy dampness is an external factor that leads to spleen deficiency, long-term living in a humid environment, or excessive intake of raw and cold food, will make the body produce dampness, dampness trapped the spleen, so that the spleen function is impaired.
Therefore, adjusting dietary habits, maintaining emotional stability, exercising moderately, and avoiding the invasion of dampness are all effective ways to prevent and improve spleen deficiency.
5. Spleen care in the changing seasons
The change of seasons has a self-evident impact on the human body, especially the spleen, an important organ that regulates the body's digestion and absorption, and is extremely sensitive to changes in the outside world.
At the turn of spring and summer, everything recovers, the body's metabolism also accelerates, and the burden on the spleen naturally increases. At this time, if it is not recuperated, it is easy to develop symptoms of spleen deficiency, such as loss of appetite or indigestion.
In the long summer, the dampness is heavy, and the spleen is more easily damaged, because the dampness evil likes to "soak" the spleen the most, which weakens the spleen's transportation function, resulting in symptoms such as edema or feeling heavy in the body.
Therefore, it is very important to maintain the health of the spleen by adjusting the dietary structure with seasonal changes, increasing foods such as red beans and barley, and reducing the intake of raw, cold, and greasy foods.
summary
Spleen deficiency signals are a warning from our body that we need to adjust our lifestyle habits so that we don't cause bigger health problems.
Therefore, we should pay more attention to the health of the spleen, and maintain the function of the spleen through reasonable diet, moderate exercise, stable mood and timely TCM conditioning. When we begin to pay attention to and care for this obscure organ, we will find that many of the problems of the body will gradually lessen, and our quality of life will be improved as a result.