In the busy city life, Kobayashi has been busy with work, often socializing late into the night, eating irregularly, and sleeping far from enough.
Recently he began to feel exhausted, often had stomach pain, loss of appetite, went to the hospital for a check-up, the doctor looked at his tongue and found some problems.
It turns out that a weak spleen and stomach is not just a minor problem, but a root cause of a variety of physical problems. The doctor told Kobayashi that the health of the spleen and stomach can be seen from the changes in the tongue, and everyone should be aware of these signals.
1. The important role of the spleen and stomach in the human body
The spleen and stomach are known as the "acquired roots" and occupy an extremely important position in traditional medicine. The spleen is responsible for converting the ingested food into qi, blood and subtlety, supplying the whole body, nourishing the five internal organs, and supporting the mobility of muscles and limbs.
When the spleen and stomach function normally, the human body will be energetic and ruddy; Conversely, dysfunction of the spleen and stomach can lead to a lack of qi and blood production, which in turn affects overall health and can trigger a variety of diseases.
Under the fast-paced pressure of modern life, irregular diet and lifestyle habits directly affect the health of the spleen and stomach. For example, the common staying up late, eating modestly, excessive intake of cold food, etc., will damage the spleen and stomach, resulting in the decline of its function.
A weak spleen and stomach will not only cause a weakening of digestion and absorption, but also may lead to a decrease in the body's immunity, which will make people more susceptible to colds and weakness.
2. The first type of tongue image: a warning of insufficient qi and blood
As one of the important bases for judging the health of the spleen and stomach, the changes of the tongue can be said to be an intuitive reflection of the internal conditions of the body. The first type of tongue appears as a pale pale tongue with slight cracks and depressions on the tongue surface.
This tongue sign usually indicates a weak spleen and insufficient biochemical function of qi and blood, which is the primary stage of spleen and stomach deficiency.
It is often said that "one white covers three ugliness", but in traditional Chinese medicine, the white tongue means that the qi and blood of the spleen and stomach are not vigorous. Patients may experience symptoms such as loss of appetite, indigestion, physical exhaustion, and depression. In this case, TCM suggests that some herbs that strengthen the spleen and invigorate qi, such as the Spleen Strengthening Pill and the Four Gentlemen Pills, can be used to improve the conditioning.
For patients with more severe symptoms, such as lower abdomen pain, anal pain, etc., Buzhong Yiqi pills can be used for further conditioning.
When the tongue appears pale white, and the tongue surface is cracked and depressed, it is usually related to the lack of qi and blood in traditional Chinese medicine. Qi and blood are the basic substances that maintain life activities, and the spleen is the foundation of the day after tomorrow.
Lack of qi and blood means that the function of the spleen and stomach is impaired, and it is unable to effectively convert food into qi and blood that nourishes the body, resulting in a decline in body function.
3. The second type of tongue image: a sign of spleen and yang deficiency
Spleen-Yang deficiency is a condition described in traditional Chinese medicine as a weakening of the function of the spleen and stomach, which is mainly manifested by a decrease in digestion and absorption capacity and a weakening of the body's ability to produce heat.
On the tongue, people with spleen and yang deficiency often show that the tongue is pale in color, the tongue is fat, there are tooth marks on both sides, and cracks may appear in the middle.
This tongue image reflects the lack of warmth function of the spleen and stomach, which cannot effectively convert food into qi and blood, resulting in body deficiency and poor water metabolism.
People with spleen and yang deficiency often feel that their limbs are not warm, they like hot drinks and hot food, and they are prone to diarrhea, especially when the weather is cold.
This is because the spleen and stomach are regarded as the "acquired roots", that is, the source of the body's energy. If the spleen and yang are weakened, the overall energy level of the body will be weakened, which will further affect the body's ability to resist and recover from diseases.
For the regulation of spleen and yang deficiency, Chinese medicine usually recommends the method of warming and replenishing spleen yang. Commonly used Chinese medicines include dried ginger, poria cocos, atractylodes, etc., which can help enhance the function of the spleen and stomach and improve the body's ability to warm up.
At the same time, it is recommended to add some warm foods to the daily diet, such as ginger, green onions, cinnamon, etc., to help the spleen and yang rise and restore the function of the spleen and stomach.
Fourth, the third type of tongue sign: the omen of dampness
In TCM theory, dampness refers to a condition in which excessive dampness in the body leads to dysfunction of the body. On the tongue, the manifestation of dampness is pale tongue color, fat tongue, slippery and wet tongue surface, and tooth marks on both sides, which reflects the heavy dampness in the body and the obstruction of the spleen and stomach transport function.
Excessive dampness not only affects the absorption of the spleen and stomach, but also causes symptoms such as fatigue, lightheadedness, and loss of appetite. Especially in humid environments, these symptoms can be more pronounced.
The development of eczema is related to a variety of factors, including long-term living in a humid environment, improper diet (such as excessive intake of cold, greasy food), etc. All these factors will lead to an increase in the burden on the spleen and stomach, and the function of transportation will be weakened, resulting in dampness.
For the conditioning of dampness, traditional Chinese medicine emphasizes the need to dispel dampness and strengthen the spleen. Commonly used herbs include Atractylodes atractylodes, Poria cocos, Huoxiang, etc., which have a strong dampness-dispelling effect and can help restore the normal function of the spleen and stomach.
In terms of dietary conditioning, it is recommended to reduce the intake of raw, cold, and greasy foods, and increase some foods that promote dampness and spleen, such as red adzuki beans, barley, etc., to promote the discharge of dampness from the body.
5. The Fourth Tongue Sign: A Signal of Heat Attack
When the tongue is red, especially the tip of the tongue and the edge of the tongue are abnormally red and bright, and the surface of the tongue is yellow or dry, it is often a sign that heat evil has invaded the spleen and stomach.
In this case, the patient may be accompanied by symptoms such as dry mouth and bitter mouth, dry stool, yellow urine, etc., reflecting the retention of heat in the body, the spleen and stomach are affected, and the digestive function is disordered.
The effects of heat on the spleen and stomach are multifaceted, not only depleting body fluids, but also interfering with the normal process of digestion and absorption. Long-term heat invasion may lead to the loss of yin fluid in the spleen and stomach, which in turn affects the moisturizing function of the spleen and stomach, and makes the spleen and stomach abnormal.
The strategy to combat heat evil involves clearing away heat and detoxifying, nourishing yin and moisturizing dryness. In the treatment of traditional Chinese medicine, commonly used drugs such as Coptis chinensis, skullcap, gardenia, etc., have a good heat-clearing effect.
At the same time, it is recommended that patients consume more light and water-rich foods in their diet, such as mung bean soup and watermelon, to help clear away heat and detoxify, moisturize and rejuvenate the body.
6. Suggestions for protecting the health of the spleen and stomach
Spleen and stomach health are essential for maintaining overall health. If you want to keep your spleen and stomach in good condition, every detail in your life should not be overlooked.
First of all, establish regular eating habits and avoid overeating, overeating, and cold, greasy, and spicy foods, which are all undesirable factors that cause a burden on the spleen and stomach.
Secondly, maintaining adequate sleep and proper exercise can help promote blood circulation and qi operation in the spleen and stomach.
In the daily diet, you can appropriately add some ingredients that strengthen the spleen and stomach, such as yams, lentils, poria cocos, etc., which are mild and have a tonic effect.
At the same time, it is also a good choice to drink some spleen-strengthening teas in moderation, such as soaking water with Codonopsis, Atractylodes, and Poria cocos.
epilogue
The spleen and stomach are the "energy factories" of the human body, and its health status is directly related to the quality of an individual's daily life. By observing the tongue, we can get a preliminary idea of the health of the spleen and stomach, but this is by no means a basis for self-diagnosis or a substitute for professional medical opinion.
If the tongue is found to be abnormal, you should consult a professional physician in time and take scientific methods for conditioning.
At the same time, we should adopt an active lifestyle and eating habits in our daily lives to protect and promote spleen and stomach health, so as to maintain overall physical health.