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The Spleen

The Spleen is the mother of the organs; responsible for nourishing your whole body through the creation of healthy and abundant Qi (Energy) and Blood (Xue)!

The Mother

The Spleen Organ System is considered the center or mother nourishing your internal organs by holding them into place as compared with the sun's gravity affecting the surrounding planets. The Spleen is known as the water pump focusing in on the body's initial water metabolic state. It houses the intelligence, controls appetite and the digestive function of extracting micro-essence from food and water, regulates the immune system, builds blood, nourishes the muscles, controls the blood within the vessels, promotes fast wound and bruise healing conditions, is damaged by over-thinking/dwelling/pensiveness, is affected by the emotions of selfishness and selflessness and is damaged by dampness and cold. The Spleen assists in controlling over or under-weight patterns, has an upward, lifting energy, its season is late summer, is represented by the color of yellow and is associated with the flavor of sweetness. Since the Spleen is responsible for all of these functions, it is inadvertently responsible for nourishing all of your organs by supplying the Qi and Blood needed for them to fulfill their functions, much like a mother is responsible for nourishing their own household.

Digestion

When your Spleen is weak it can manifest in many different patterns leading to disharmonies such as slow or no muscle growth, lowered intelligence, a weak appetite or digestive ailments and usually water weight gain. An excellent formula to clear your Spleen of dampness and promote its regulating function would be the Golden Cabinet Digestion Formula.

Another great formula is Astragulas and Zizyphus Combination in Pill form also known traditionally as Gui Pi Wan. Gui Pi Wan's approach is to tonify the initial digestion weakness that enabled the congestion to accumulate. There are also important herbs in Gui Pi Wan to nourish the heart, which means this is a great formula to help insomnia and anxiety, or to just promote heart health!

Other areas in regards to a weak Spleen Organ System may be related to joint pain, physical sluggishness, chronically tired or muscle ache and pain. Another basic and powerful formula may be the Six Gentleman Pill tonifying your Spleen and Clearing Wetness from the body by enhancing the Qi and directing dampness downward. When your Spleen and Stomach Qi are properly maintained your body will be in good health.

Since the Spleen has a lifting energy, when deficient, it may be a source of physical organ prolapse or even emotional depression. A common pattern seen through the eyes of a Chinese Medicine, as related to the Spleen, is the Liver invading the Spleen in which the Liver will have an adverse affect on the Spleen. A very common formula used by Chinese herbal practitioners in helping resolve this dis-harmonization is the Liver and Spleen Harmonizer Formula. This formula is based on Xiao Yao San [Relax or Ease Powder] with added Spleen tonic herbs and is an excellent formula to take prior to a woman's menstrual cycle to help relieve the suffering from bloating, gas, constipation, jaw tension, breast tenderness or for any person under a great deal of stress. The list is endless.

As a side note, another very common formula related to Xiao Yao San is Jia Wei Xiao Yao San (Wan), also known as Free and Easy Wanderer Plus. Jia Wei Xiao Yao Wan, or "Jia Wei" for short is the same formula with 2 added herbs: Mu Dan Pi (Moutan Root Bark) and Zhi Zi (Gardenia Flower) for the added purpose of removing heat. Heat can manifest as acne, red facial features, burning (stomach, bowels...), inflammation, hot temper/emotions, anger, anxiety, insomnia and much, much more. This is also a great formula to take!

The Spleen's direct correlation with thought, worry, intelligence and digestive processes can be present with anyone especially involved in the area of education or any position requiring a great amount of brain power -- for example: research scientist, lawyers, teachers, computer programmers, paramedics and nurses. A prime example of depleted Spleen Qi would be found at any local university. Combine incorrect eating habits with fast food and intense studying and the Spleen has been set up for depletion. Some suggested formulas that may be used to help correct this depletion may be: Six Gentleman Pill, the Golden Cabinet Digestion Formula, the Blood and Qi Tonic Formula or a Kidney Yang Plus Tonic Formula.

Immune

As described in the last paragraph it is easy for hard working and thinking people to deplete their Spleen energy leading to decreased digestive capabilities and poor health. Since the Spleen is mother of the Lungs, which are in charge of Wei Qi or immune energy, its health has a direct relationship to your immune response. The Spleen is also the initial builder of Blood in breaking down the micro-essence of food and water so its optimum function is very important. Why is it that some people are sick all the time while others, in the same environmental situation, can avoid a pathogenic invasion? It may be in what they eat, and most importantly, how they digest and transform water and food. A formula that may be used to promote the immune system would be the Immune Enhancement Tonic.

The Spleen is also said to be in charge of the exocrine and endocrine glands such as the: thyroid, pineal gland, pancreas, hypothalamus and lymph system. An important and delicate humeral and hormonal balance, as seen through the eyes of the Chinese medicine, relies on the balance and harmonization of the Spleen.

Some basic Spleen disharmonies may be:


  • Weak digestion
  • Low appetite
  • Low energy[chronic fatigue]
  • Loose stools/constipation
  • Excessive dwelling
  • Weak or low muscle tone
  • Low immune
  • Joint and muscle pain
  • Fatigue
  • Weak constitution
  • Shortness of breath or perspiration upon excretion
  • Post surgery, chemo/radiation or childbirth
  • Easily bruised skin
  • Slow healing process
  • Facial or body edema

Patterns of Illness and Related Treatments

As viewed through the eyes of Chinese medicine when the Liver Organ System becomes excessive in its energy it has a propensity to decrease the Spleen's abilities to function correctly with appetite and especially digestive disharmonies. This can be obviously seen and connected with digestive disorders during the pre-menstrual cycle. By relieving the Liver Stagnation and tonifying the Spleen Organ System harmony can be re-established between the two systems. Many common disharmonies can be found under this pattern.

The Lung Yin is responsible for moistening the Lungs, skin and upper body internal cavities. The Stomach Yin is closely related to the Lung Yin, but it is responsible for nourishing the stomach and ensuring proper digestion takes place. When the Yin of the Stomach and Lungs is deficient, problems of internal dryness result, thereby creating other problems of internal heat and stagnation. The Lung Yin and Stomach Yin can become deficient from poor diet (with rich foods), smoking, and excess grief (whether present or historically).

Wei Qi is what is known as your Protective Qi. If you catch colds easily, have low energy and require a long time recuperating from an illness your Wei Qi may be deficient. The Spleen and Lung Organ Systems are related to this pattern. The Spleen is responsible for regulating water and food intake, Qi strength and Blood manufacturing which are all directly related to your immune system or Wei Qi level. The Lungs receives the protective energy and has the responsibility of dispersing it throughout your body.

The Spleen in Chinese Medicine is responsible for much of the digestive process. The Spleen works with the Stomach to extract life giving and supporting nutrients from the food that you eat. From there it will then sends what what fluids and essences it has refined to the Lungs for further process and nurturing. The Spleen is responsible for the creation of the Qi that is required to sustain ones daily energy, along with blood and holding your internal organs in place. When the Spleen is weakened by improper food, excess intellectual stress, excessive worry or other factors, all of these processes will become inefficient and create disharmony. The ability of the Spleen to process food and water grows weaker along with the weakening of the creation of Blood in this pattern. See the following for usual manifestations of this deficiency.

The Spleen Organ System is responsible for the muscle and connective tissue of your body. Any depletion or weakness of this system can lead to a falling or prolapse of the internal organs including the uterus and rectum. This pattern includes the associated signs to Spleen Qi Deficiency and Cold (due to Spleen Yang Deficiency). Other disharmonies may include depression and low motivation.

This pattern includes issues of Spleen Qi and Yang Deficiency along with a sub-pattern of wetness and phlegm congesting the digestive system or other places like the sinuses. If the pattern has incubated over a long period of time the dampness may overflow into the joints.

This pattern includes the associated signs to Spleen Qi Deficiency but also includes other issues involving the deficiency of the middle fire.

The Spleen in Chinese Medicine is responsible for much of the digestive process. The Spleen works with the Stomach to extract life giving and supporting nutrients from the food that you eat. From there it then sends what what fluids and essences it has refined to the Lungs for further process and nurturing. The Spleen is responsible for the creation of the Qi that is required to sustain ones daily energy, along with blood and holding your internal organs in place. When the Spleen is weakened by improper food, excess intellectual stress, excessive worry or other factors, all of these processes will become inefficient and create disharmony. See the following for usual manifestations of this deficiency.


Chinese Herbal Medicine Success Stories
Like most of you, I have been in and out of doctors offices for years with a re-occurring ailment. For me, it is digestion problems; Western Medicine calls it Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) with Ulcerative Colitis and I am only 37 years old. I have been tested and prodded, given medication and told to drink fiber; all these things worked but only for a short time and the digestive problems would only come back. I am sure you can understand or imagine how frustrating this was for me. Well, I got lucky, and if you are reading this then you are lucky as well because you have found David and Teah of Heaven and Earth CMHC. I have only been drinking Davids custom herbal formula for less than 2 weeks and already I am receiving the benefits!! My digestion is returning to a normal routine, that is a huge deal because I have been suffering from the worst case of IBS for over 5 months now. Not only that, but I have more energy, I have a feeling of peace and of all things, my skin is clearing up. I am slowly starting to feel like myself again. What ever your ailment is, I can honestly recommend the work that David and Teah are doing at Heaven and Earth CMHC.

...you can use our Product Search to research products along with articles, current events, organs, disharmonies and so much more! Try it out and see for yourself how much Chinese Medicine can help you!

 
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