Pattern Discrimination of Spleen Qi Vacuity Dampness | Aiyana Acupuncture & Chinese Herbs

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Pattern Discrimination of Spleen Qi Vacuity Dampness

In my last article I invited Pulse readers to send me their TCM Pattern Discrimination according to their Practitioner so that I can write an article about how to treat specific imbalances through diet. Two Pulse readers wrote in with 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.

Before we discuss diet, it is important to understand the causes and effects of Spleen qi vacuity dampness. One function of the Spleen is the assimilation of nutrients from food in the stomach to form qi, blood and body fluids. Therefore the Spleen main function is its governance of transformation and transportation (referred to as T&T throughout this article) of grain and water into essence which is distributed to other organ systems in the form of 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. 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.

Since other organ systems depend on receiving qi and blood from the Spleen, they will become weakened when a patient suffers from chronic or long term Spleen qi Vacuity.

Spleen qi may become vacuous due to one or a combination of the following factors:

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

For example, students who work in addition to going to school or college, need to find time to study and may, quite naturally, worry about exams. In other cases, some patients have fatiguing chronic illness like cancer and fibromyalgia. Dancers and actors worry or even obsess about their weight despite the fact that many of them are underweight. Over weight 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. Many of my patients (over weight or not) are mentally obsessed with their weight and thus are 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.

And no matter who the person is that is dieting, whether skinny or overweight, many feel guilt instead of pleasure when indulging in a food they like but which isn't in the meal plan. This feeling of guilt fits into the worry category.

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.

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
The treatment principle for Spleen Qi vacuity dampness is to fortify the Spleen and disinhibit 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	Fenugreek Seed	Rosemary
Chestnut Chive	Garlic	Sage
Seed Cinnamon	Dried Ginger	Savoy
Bark	Lamb	Shrimp
Clove	Lobster	Star Anise Thyme
Dill Seed	Nutmeg	Walnut
Fennel Seed	Pistachio Raspberry

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

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

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	Garlic	Quinoa
Basil	Ginger	Rosemary
Bay leaf	Kohlrabi	Scallion
Black Pepper	Lamb	Shrimp
Coconut	Lee	Spelt
Cayenne	Mussel	Squash
Cherry	Mustard Leaf	Sweet Potato
Chestnut	Mutton	Sweet Rice
Chicken	Nutmeg	Trout
Coriander	Oats	Turnip Vinegar
Dill Seed	Onion	Walnut
Fennel Seed	Peach	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 which counteract Dampness. Effective foods to eat include:

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

Some foods will exacerbate the tendency towards Dampness and need to be reduced by people with damp conditions. 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	Marjoram	Radish
Apple Peel	Mushroom (button)	Seaweed
Clam	Mustard Leaf	Shitake Mushroom
Daikon	Mustard Seed	Shrimp
Garlic	Olive	Tea
Grapefruit	Onion	Thyme
Lemon Peel	Orange Peel	Walnut
Licorice	Pear	Watercress

I have so much more information about diet, but 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 to be well and stay healthy.

Chinese Dietary Therapy is a necessary component to healing this qi disharmony. I urge my readers to continue to take the herbs and acupuncture treatments your practitioner recommends and incorporate the above information about diet into your therapy.

Salute!

Written by:
Juliette Aiyana, L.Ac.
Aiyana Acupuncture & Chinese Herbs
41 Union Square West, Suite 519
New York, NY 10003
(212) 894.0767

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