The Role of the Spleen, Symptoms, & Treatments

In Chinese Medicine, the Spleen (along with the pancreas and stomach) is the organ that is responsible for fluid and fuel transformation. The Spleen's role is to help metabolize food. Food is what is used to nourish the blood. So if a person is tired, easily fatigued, anemic, or having problems with bleeding, or bruising, one should focus on nourishing and fortifying the spleen. 

According to Chinese Medicine, the spleen also controls the muscles & four limbs, so  if there are muscle problems or limb problems, attention should be placed on the spleen. 

Exercise and a healthy diet are the primary tools to benefit spleen related symptoms, but other tools, such as acupuncture, herbs, and tuina also can benefit and help the spleen, too. 

Spleen Qi (chi or chee) is supposed to move in an upward direction, so if a person is experiencing any organs that are not in their proper place, such as hemorrhoids, or a sagging uterus, or a hernia, or having stress incontinence, this means the Spleen Qi is weak and needs to be fortified.

Here are some spleen related symptoms:

• fatigued or lethargic
  
• dulled sense of taste 
  
• pale lips 
  
• prolapsed uterus, vagina, bladder, or incontinence
  
• hemorrhoids
  
• inability to concentrate
  
• worry 
  
• easy bruising or problems with bleeding

Here are some foods to help fortify the spleen (from Chinese Medicine Daily):

• Organic lightly cooked vegetables, corn, celery, watercress, turnip, pumpkin, alfalfa sprouts, button mushrooms, radish, caper
• Brown rice, barley, amaranth, rye, oats
• Legumes, kidney beans, adzuki beans, lentils
• Small amount of lean organic meat, poultry and fish, tuna
• Small amount of whole fruits, lemon
• Sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds
• Seaweed, kelp
• Green tea, jasmine tea, raspberry leaf tea, chai tea, peppermint tea, ginger tea
• Raspberry, peach, strawberry, cherry
• Walnut, chestnuts, pine nuts, pistachios
• Lamb, venison
• Lobster, mussels, prawns, shrimp, trout
• Black pepper, cinnamon bark, clove, dill, fennel, garlic, ginger, peppermint, rosemary, sage, turmeric, thyme, horseradish, cayenne, nutmeg

Here are some Qigong exercises for the spleen. The first video is from Barbara Branaman and the next video is from Mimi Kuo-Deemer.

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