Diet Therapy for Spleen Qi Vacuity Dampness by Juliette Aiyana, LAc

Thanks for Writing In!

In my last article I invited Pulse readers to send me the TCM Pattern Discrimination their Practitioner had given them so that I could write an article about how to treat specific imbalances with the diet. Two Pulse readers wrote me about the Pattern Discrimination of Spleen Qi Vacuity Dampness. Thanks for writing in because I frequently see this condition in my practice, and it's very important to address.

What Does the Spleen Do?

Before we discuss diet, it is important to understand the causes and effects of Spleen Qi Vacuity Dampness (also known as Spleen Qi Deficiency Dampness). One function of the Spleen is to assimilate nutrients from food in the stomach to form the Qi, Blood and Body Fluids. Therefore, the Spleen's main function is to govern the transformation and transportation (T&T) of grain (food) and water into essence, which is distributed to other organ systems as Qi and Blood. Thus it is vital to keep the Spleen healthy because it is the source for Qi and blood production for your entire body.

[Editor's note: Also see our article, "What is Qi?"]

What is Dampness?

Dampness results from the body's failure to transform fluids. It could be thought of as "fluids in the wrong place." It includes water weight, edema, and perhaps even arterial plaque.

The Spleen and Dampness

An important saying in Chinese medicine states, "The Spleen hates cold and the Spleen hates dampness." So we must do what we can to keep the Spleen warm and free of dampness. Spleen vacuity occurs when the process of transformation and transportation malfunctions, thus causing dampness to gather and stagnate instead of transforming which further weakens T&T. Then a vicious cycle begins.

If the Spleen is Hindered, So Are Other Bodily Organs

Since other organ systems depend on receiving Qi and Blood from the Spleen, they will become weaken when a patients suffers from chronic or long term Spleen Qi Vacuity.

How Do You Get Spleen Qi Vacuity?

Spleen Qi may become vacuous (empty) due to one or a combination of the following factors:

• Overwork
• Over-fatigue
• Too much worrying
  
• Over thinking and obsessive thought patterns
  
• Unhealthy dietary habits
  
• Lack of exercise

Here are some examples of how this works in real life:

• Students and Worry: Students who work in addition to going to school or college, need to find time to study and may, quite naturally, worry about exams.
• Fatiguing Illnesses: Some patients have fatiguing chronic illness like cancer and fibromyalgia.
• Weight Obsessions:
  • Dancers and actors worry or even obsess about their weight despite the fact that many of them are underweight.
  • Overweight patients worry and obsess about their weight for health or aesthetic reasons and feel a ridiculous amount societal and self-induced pressure to lose weight.
• Overthinking and Deprivation: And many of my patients (over weight or not) are mentally obsessed with their weight and thus constantly over thinking about counting calories and sticking to hard to follow diets with point systems, blocks, deprivation diets or set meal plans of foods they don't even enjoy eating.
• Guilt and Worry: And no matter who the person is that is dieting, skinny or overweight, many feel guilt instead of pleasure when indulging in a food they like but which isn't in his meal plan. This feeling of guilt fits into the worry category.
• No Exercise: Patients who do not exercise do not invigorate the Yang warming aspect of the body's Qi. Chinese medicine asserts that too much sitting or lying down creates Qi vacuity.
• Cold Foods: Many people damage the Spleen Qi by eating too many cold foods. Cold foods are literally cold from refrigeration or frozen, like ice, are foods that are cold in nature (see the list below) and include cold beverages and salad and last nights left over cold pizza (yeah, we've all been there). Other detriments include our society's over eating of wheat as our main source of grain, and too much beer drinking. Both are cool and dampness producing. Not to mention our over consumption of dairy. Imagine all the Spleen Qi vacuity amongst college students between all that studying, beer and pizza!

Dietary Therapy for Spleen Qi Vacuity

The treatment principle for Spleen Qi Vacuity Dampness is to fortify the Spleen and disinhibit (percolate, filter, promote urination) the dampness. We also want to avoid further detriment to the spleen.

Yang tonics will help to warm the Spleen and to motivate the energy for the T&T cycle. They maintain and improve our ability to generate warmth and stimulate our system.

Yang tonics include:

Basil
Chestnut
Chive Seed
Cinnamon Bark
Clove
Dill Seed
Fennel Seed
Fenugreek Seed
Garlic
Dried Ginger
Lamb
Lobster
Nutmeg
Pistachio
Raspberry
Rosemary
Sage
Savoy
Shrimp
Star Anise
Thyme
Walnut

Qi circulation is stimulated by the sweet and pungent flavors. The Spleen likes the sweet taste and pungent flavors circulate the Qi. Foods that particularly influence Qi circulation include:

Basil
Caraway
Cardamon
Carrot
Cayenne
Chive
Clove Coriander
Dill Seed
Garlic
Jasmine Tea
Marjoram
Mustard Leaf
Orange Peel
Peppermint Tea
Radish
Star Anise
Tangerine Peel
Turmeric

Cold conditions are improved by warming foods. In chronic cases warm and sweet/pungent foods are used to warm us steadily. In acute cases of pathogenic invasion warm or hot foods are
combined with stronger pungent flavors to drive out the Cold.

Warming foods include:

Anchovy
Basil
Bay leaf
Black Pepper
Coconut
Cayenne
Cherry
Chestnut
Chicken
Coriander
Dill Seed
Fennel Seed
Garlic
Ginger
Kohlrabi
Lamb
Lee
Mussel
Mustard Leaf
Mutton
Nutmeg
Oats
Onion
Peach
Quinoa
Rosemary
Scallion
Shrimp
Spelt
Squash
Sweet Potato
Sweet Rice
Trout
Turnip Vinegar
Walnut
Wine

Dampness results from the body's failure to transform fluids. Dampness is treated by avoiding dampening foods, strengthening the body, including bitter foods and foods that counteract Dampness.

Effective foods to eat include:

Aduki Bean
Alfalfa
Anchovy
Amaranth
Barley
Buckwheat
Celery
Corn
Cranberry
Daikon
Eel
Garlic
Green Tea
Horseradish
Jasmine Tea
Kidney Beans
Kohlrabi
Lemon
Mackerel
Marjoram
Mushroom (button)
Mustard Leaf
Onion
Parsley
Papaya
Pumpkin
Radish
Rice Bran
Rye
Scallion
Turnip
Umeboshi Plum

Some foods will worsen the tendency towards Dampness, so Damp people should cut back on them. Avoid these foods:

Dairy Products (sheep and goat products are less dampening)
Pork
Roasted Peanuts
Concentrated Juices especially Orange
Wheat products
Bread
Yeast
Beer
Bananas
Sugar and sweeteners
Saturated fats
Greasy, fried and oily foods
Iced or cooled beverages
Uncooked raw vegetables and salads

Phlegm refers to a condition of dampness where moisture is retained as Phlegm or Mucus. Phlegm-resolving foods include:

Almond
Apple Peel
Clam
Daikon
Garlic
Grapefruit
Lemon Peel
Licorice
Marjoram
Mushroom (button)
Mustard Leaf
Mustard Seed
Olive
Onion
Orange Peel
Pear
Radish
Seaweed
Shitake Mushroom
Shrimp
Tea
Thyme
Walnut
Watercress

I have so much more information about diet that it would take a whole book to explain. Don't worry - I am working on that! In the meantime I am available for live seminars. Take these recommendations to your kitchen and cook some delicious meals for yourself be well and stay healthy.

Conclusion

Chinese Dietary Therapy is an essential part of healing this Qi disharmony. I urge my readers to continue to take the herbs and acupuncture treatments your practitioner recommends, but do incorporate this information about diet into your therapy and lifestyle.

Salute!
Juliette Aiyana, L.Ac.
212-894-0767
www.acupunctureandherbs.net