If the spleen and stomach are weak, a person's complexion will not be good. Do you want to know what dietary taboos people with a weak spleen have? Do you want to know what people with a weak spleen can eat to alleviate the symptoms of spleen deficiency? Follow me to find out right away!
The spleen mainly functions in transporting nutrients from food, distributing fluids, and controlling blood. When the spleen is deficient, its transportation function is impaired, which can lead to nutritional disorders. Consequently, qi and blood naturally become deficient, manifesting as "deficiency." A weak spleen also disrupts the body's water metabolism, causing dampness and turbidity to accumulate and be excreted, leading to rashes. When dampness and turbidity accumulate on the tongue, it makes the tongue appear "swollen," resulting in tooth marks on the sides. People with spleen deficiency should pay attention to dietary conditioning and avoid certain foods.
I. Foods that people with spleen deficiency should not eat
1. River Snails
Nature: Cold. Flavor: Sweet and salty. Because of its strong cooling nature, "Sui Xi Ju Yin Shi Pu" explicitly warns: "Excessive consumption harms the middle jiao (spleen and stomach); those with spleen deficiency should avoid it."
Clam meat is cold in nature and sweet and salty in flavor. It can nourish yin and clear heat, but it is not suitable for people with spleen deficiency to eat in large amounts, as it can easily damage the spleen and stomach's yang energy. Therefore, the Qing Dynasty dietary physician Wang Mengying warned in "Sui Xi Ju Yin Shi Pu": "Clams are sweet, salty, and cold. Excessive consumption harms the middle jiao; those with spleen deficiency and loose stools should avoid it."
2. Goji Berries
Nature: Neutral. Flavor: Sweet. However, ancient physicians also considered goji berries to be cold in nature. For example, "Bie Lu" describes them as "slightly cold." "Shi Liao Ben Cao" states they are "cold and non-toxic." "Ben Cao Qiu Zhen" also says: "Goji berries are sweet, cold, and moistening." For this reason, those who are generally weak in the spleen and stomach, or have a chronic deficiency-cold pattern with loose stools, should avoid them, as warned in "Ben Jing Shu": "Those with a weak spleen and stomach who have frequent diarrhea should not consume them."
3. Hawthorn
Also known as tangzhu or shanhong. It can stimulate the appetite and aid digestion, but it has the drawback of damaging the spleen and stomach. For instance, "Ben Cao Mu Mu" says: "For those with a weak spleen who cannot digest food and experience a sour刺, distension, and fullness in the chest and abdomen, chewing two or three pieces after each meal is excellent, but it should not be eaten in excess, lest it反而 harm the spleen's function." "Ben Jing Shu" also points out: "For those with spleen deficiency and food stagnation, it should be used with tonifying herbs and should not be overused." Yuan Dynasty's Zhu Danxi also believed: "If there is no food stagnation in the stomach and the spleen is too weak to transport food, leading to loss of appetite, taking large amounts of hawthorn will反而 harm the spleen and stomach's generating and transforming energy." Therefore, people with spleen deficiency should not eat it, and especially should avoid eating it frequently or in large quantities.
4. Pears
Raw pears are cool in nature, and should be strictly avoided by those with spleen deficiency. As stated in "Yin Shi Xu Zhi": "Eating too many makes the middle jiao cold, damages the spleen, and eating them raw often leads to cold dysentery." "Ben Jing Shu" also states: "For spleen deficiency with diarrhea, it is contraindicated by principle." Qing Dynasty's Wang Mengying also pointed out: "Those with middle jiao deficiency-cold and diarrhea should avoid it." Therefore, anyone with spleen deficiency, especially those with spleen-cold diarrhea and loose stools, must not eat them.
5. Duck Meat
A cooling food. "Yin Shi Xu Zhi" says: "Duck meat is sweet in flavor and cold in nature, and it can cause stagnation of qi and generate cold." Qing Dynasty's Wang Mengying also said: "Excessive consumption can stagnate qi and affect the middle jiao. Those with yang deficiency and a weak spleen... should all avoid it." Therefore, people with spleen deficiency, especially those with insufficient spleen yang, should avoid duck meat.
6. Soft-Shelled Turtle
It has the effect of cooling blood and nourishing yin, belonging to a category of light-nourishing foods that are rich and greasy. Eating it in large amounts or for a long time can hinder the spleen's transportation function, causing indigestion and loss of appetite. Especially for those who are naturally weak in the spleen and stomach, it should be avoided, as warned in "Ben Cong Xin": "It is strictly forbidden for those with spleen deficiency."
7. Oyster Meat
Nature: Slightly cold. Flavor: Sweet and salty. Although it has the effect of nourishing yin and blood, eating it in large amounts or for a long time can lead to spleen-cold and worsen the condition of chronic digestive system diseases. Those with chronic gastritis, chronic enteritis, indigestion, or chronic diarrhea caused by spleen deficiency should all avoid eating it in large amounts. Qing Dynasty's Huang Gongxiu also said: "Those with spleen deficiency and seminal emission should avoid it."
8. River Snails
Nature: Cold. Flavor: Sweet. Although it has a heat-clearing effect, it is not suitable for those with spleen-cold. As pointed out in "Ben Hui Yan": "This food has a very cold nature and is good at resolving all kinds of heat toxins. If there is cold drink in the stomach or chronic, non-solid diarrhea in the abdomen, it should not be eaten." Yao Kecheng's "Shi Wu Ben Cao" also says: "Eating too much can cause abdominal pain and indigestion." Therefore, anyone with spleen deficiency should, by principle, avoid it.
In summary, people with spleen deficiency should avoid or eat less of the following: donkey-hide gelatin, mare's milk, cow's milk, sea cucumber, soft-shelled turtle, crab, clam, clam meat, clam meat, abalone, sesame, buckwheat, persimmon, dried persimmon, water chestnut, mandarin orange, tangerine, banana, mulberry, fig, kiwi, watermelon, muskmelon, pine nut, platy seed, raw radish, water celery, Malabar spinach, chrysanthemum greens, crown daisy, spinach, water shield hair, Houttuynia cordata, sweet potato, loofah, raw loofah, raw cucumber, seaweed, earth ear, golden needle mushroom, straw mushroom, chrysanthemum, honeysuckle, Rehmannia root, cassia seed, American ginseng, Malva nut, and mint.
II. Six foods for addressing spleen deficiency
1. Sweet Potato
Sweet potatoes, also known as "red potatoes," are a food with a neutral nature and sweet flavor. Regular consumption can strengthen the spleen and benefit the stomach, and treat and improve symptoms such as malnutrition and emaciation, abdominal distension, and diarrhea.
2. Job's Tears
Flavor: Sweet and light. Nature: Slightly cold. It has the effects of promoting urination to drain dampness and stopping diarrhea. It is suitable for symptoms of spleen deficiency such as diarrhea and decreased appetite.
3. Japonica Rice
Also known as "rice." Nature: Neutral. Flavor: Sweet. It is beneficial for the health of the spleen, stomach, and muscles. It can be used to treat and improve symptoms caused by spleen deficiency, such as body emaciation, vexation, diarrhea, and dysentery.
4. Wheat
Wheat is a grain with a cool nature and sweet flavor. It has the effects of strengthening the heart, protecting the kidneys, clearing heat, and quenching thirst. It is suitable for symptoms of spleen deficiency such as dry mouth and tongue, vexation and restlessness, and loss of appetite.
5. Sesame Oil
Sesame oil is cool in nature and sweet in flavor. It can lubricate the intestines, prevent constipation, help the body detoxify, and treat conditions such as food stagnation with abdominal pain and ulcers.
6. Glutinous Rice
Glutinous rice, also known as "river rice," is mild in nature and sweet in flavor. It is suitable for people with spleen and stomach cold. It has the effects of warming the spleen and stomach, relieving dryness of the mouth and tongue, improving spontaneous sweating, and treating loose stools and diarrhea.
In conclusion: The 8 foods mentioned above, people with spleen deficiency must not eat them! Do not indulge your momentary craving for food and compromise your own health, that would be a得不偿失! People with spleen deficiency should eat more japonica rice and glutinous rice in their daily diet, which is beneficial for spleen deficiency!