Does Your Digestive System Need a Reset?
If we’re very lucky the holidays are filled with merriment, connection and indulgence. But some of us take indulgence from the sweet or savory treat here and there to maximum capacity the inability to say no, even though our bodies are in disagreement. In Chinese Medicine, overindulgence taxes the spleen, so in this post food coma haze, we can do ourselves all a favor by giving the spleen a little extra love. Here’s my list of things to do and things to avoid as we look to the new year with health on the mind.
DON’T
Judge yourself. Placing blame or criticism on yourself injures the Spleen Qi even more. Honor the choices you made, use those choices as informed decisions for the future and allow yourself to enjoy food.
Hyper-restrict your food intake. Depleting your system of nutrients especially during the winter season diminishes overall health as the body in deficit moves into survival mode. It’s also really hard to sustain restrictive diets long term.
Ignore your intuition. While food choices for your bestie might work great for her, they might not help you to feel satisfied or meet your needs. There’s something to be said for eating intuitively, by listening to your body’s desires, cravings and responses.
Do a super intense detox or cleanse. The winter calls for our bodies to be nourished and filled. The spring is a perfect time for an astringent cleanse, but for this season, make dietary changes instead.
DO
Drink half your body weight in ounces of water. The Spleen is known as the Official of Transportation and Distribution. Having adequate hydration helps the Spleen do its job within the kingdom of the body.
Eat foods that tonify the Spleen energy like apples, grapes, pears, cabbage, mushrooms, pumpkin, winter squash, white fish, oats and honey.
Keep your body moving and keep your abdomen warm. While the snow might be flying and the temperatures are bitter, warming our own bodies from the inside is key to keeping the digestive tract functioning appropriately. Warmth relaxes the muscles of the digestive tract helping things move through more easily and reducing bloating and discomfort. Choose physical activity that makes your body and your heart feel good! While you’re at it, keep your keep warm too!
Get regular acupuncture with Dr. Krystal. It’s always a pleasure to have you on my table and I have a bunch of tricks up my sleeves to support all of your digestive needs. It’s easy to schedule, just click the button below!
One 2020 study focused on the treatment of IBS with acupuncture showed that “Acupuncture may be more effective than PEG 4000 or pinaverium bromide for the treatment of IBS, with effects lasting up to 12 weeks.” https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/article/S0025-6196(20)30151-8/fulltext
Another 2020 study suggests that “acupuncture is an efficient and safe treatment for functional constipation. Acupuncture increased stool frequency, improved stool formation, alleviated constipation symptoms, and improved quality of life.” https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1155/2020/6137450
