Download From Winter 2006 newsletter - Dr. Kimberly Hindman NDLAc.

Dr. Kimberly Hindman, ND, LAc.
1820 SW Vermont, Suite C
Portland, OR 97219
(503) 784-1027
Spleen and Stomach in Chinese Medicine (From Late Summer 2006 newsletter)
The Spleen and Stomach have one of the closest organ system relationships in the body and are
often thought of as two sides of the same organ. The Stomach is responsible for breaking down
food so the Spleen can extract the essence and Qi from the food to be later absorbed in the small
intestine. The Spleen and Stomach then govern the transportation of those food essences to all the
tissues. If these organs are strong, a person will have good digestion, feel energized (especially after
meals), and have strong muscles. The Spleen is primary in this role of nourishing the tissues and
determining the amount of physical energy a person has. The Spleen also has great influence over
the sense of taste and appetite.
The Spleen is said to control the blood. By “controlling” the blood, the Spleen ensures that the
blood travels within the blood vessels, and a weak Spleen may result in easy bruising or heavy
bleeding. The Spleen is also the source of blood in the body because it is generated from the Qi
extracted from food.
Another function of the Spleen is to house “thought”, which means that the Spleen affects our ability
to think, concentrate, focus, memorize, and study. Unfortunately for students, one of the things that
damages the Spleen is long periods of sitting!
A unique feature of the Stomach is that it is the origin of fluids in the body, so the health of the
Stomach greatly impacts all the other organs, especially those that are more susceptible to yin or fluid
deficiencies.
Factors that can damage the health of the Spleen and Stomach include excess worry, studying, and
overthinking, excess physical work or exercise, irregular eating patterns, poor nutrition, or overeating,
especially of sweets, greasy or fried food, or very hot or very cold foods. Being the “middle” organs,
the Spleen and Stomach like moderation in all things.
© Kimberly Hindman, 2006