The holidays are approaching and it is time to enjoy family and friends and stuff our faces with feasts and sweets. But how does this affect us? Be better prepared to digest this holiday season with these useful tips from M & R Acupuncture.
According to traditional Chinese medicine, the most active parts of digestion occur in the spleen and stomach. The stomach stores food and drink, while the spleen processes it all. Changing the food from a delicious treat to nourishment & energy that the whole body can use. However, when the spleen or stomach are not strong, digestion can get out of whack.
After over indulging in a thanksgiving feast, the stomach has trouble fully digesting. This leads to fullness and bloating in the belly with heart burn (acid regurgitation), belching, and discomfort. In many cases, the symptoms can be as bad as to include insomnia, loose stools, or constipation. The simplest way to prevent all this would be to not overeat. But hey, it’s thanksgiving! So, that’s easier said than done. The next best way to prevent food stagnation is to boost the spleen before the holidays.
A healthy spleen, in Chinese medicine, will transform food into usable energy and transport this energy throughout the body to where it is needed most. However, an underfunctioning spleen can make it hard to enjoy a holiday meal. A weak spleen, or Spleen Qi deficiency, presents itself with symptoms like weakness, fatigue, abdominal distension (bloating), and loose stools. An easy way to boost Spleen Qi is by modifying your diet.
Prior to the holidays, try eating more cooked warm foods and soups. These are easier for the spleen to digest and over time lead to more energy. Incorporate root veggies such as sweet potatoes, turnips, carrots, & beets into the diet and cook with cinnamon. Also, it is better to avoid raw vegetables during this time of the year. They take more effort for the spleen to digest because they need to be warmed up in the stomach first. Lastly, light exercise and deep breathing are great ways to strengthen spleen & stomach Qi without having to do much at all. A simple walk around the neighborhood every day with a 5-10 minute meditation can make a huge difference in your life.
If the holidays have already come and gone and you feel the digestive toll of the holidays, come in for acupuncture and Chinese herbs. These are two very effective ways to get your body back in balance.
We at M & R Acupuncture hope that you have found this information helpful. Please use this article only for informational purposes. It is advised that you speak with a trained herbalist before taking traditional Chinese herbal medicine.
If you would like to speak to someone about how acupuncture and Chinese herbs can help you, please give us a call at (631) 338-2924 to book a free 15 minutes consultation
Originally published November 17, 2015.