A few days ago, I watched a very interesting video of a little girl eating while sleeping. My first reaction was that the girl has a severe case of spleen deficiency. In clinical practice, many people experience drowsiness after meals, but they don't realize this is a typical symptom of spleen deficiency. Some patients have even said, "I thought everyone was drowsy after eating, it turns out it's a sign of spleen deficiency!"
Why do people with spleen deficiency get drowsy after meals?
This has to do with the spleen's role in the digestion, absorption, and transportation of nutrients. The *Huangdi Neijing* (Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon), in the "Chapter on the Differentiation of Meridians," states: "When fluid enters the stomach, it is processed and its essences are extracted. These essences are then transported upward to the spleen. The spleen's Qi scatters these essences, which ascend to the lungs. The lungs, in turn, regulate the waterways and send fluids downward to the bladder. Thus, the essential fluids are distributed throughout the body, flowing through the five meridians in harmony with the four seasons, the five organs, and Yin and Yang. This is the constant law." This shows that one of the spleen's main functions is to govern transportation and digestion.
When food enters the stomach, it undergoes initial digestion and is then sent to the spleen for further digestion and absorption. The spleen's Qi then helps transport these essences to the lungs, which circulate them throughout the body to nourish the organs and tissues. Therefore, when the spleen's Qi is functioning healthily, a person's digestive system is good, and the body is full of energy. If the spleen's Qi is deficient and its function is impaired, the spleen lacks the strength to perform this task on its own, and the body must mobilize more Qi and blood to complete the work.
After a meal, the spleen's workload suddenly increases, requiring more Qi and blood to help with the digestion, absorption, and transportation of nutrients. This inevitably reduces the blood supply to other organs. When the brain's blood supply is diminished, symptoms of drowsiness appear. In mild cases of spleen deficiency, people feel drowsy after meals but can still resist the urge to sleep. In severe cases, they must sleep after a meal or are unable to continue functioning. In even more severe cases, they become drowsy uncontrollably as soon as they start eating. Patients with such conditions often find that their post-meal drowsiness gradually subsides and eventually disappears after receiving acupuncture treatment.
What should one do about spleen deficiency?
Maintain a happy mood in daily life. Avoid an irregular lifestyle, alcohol, smoking, indiscriminate use of tonics, and the abuse of chemical drugs.
Every 3 to 6 months, undergo regular esophageal pH monitoring, manometry, exfoliative cytology, biopsy, endoscopy, and ultrasound examinations, with specialized treatment if necessary. Maintain a balanced diet with a focus on staple foods. Eat plenty of vegetables and fruits rich in Vitamin C. Your diet should generally be light; you can drink fresh fruit juice, eat oatmeal, and drink millet porridge in moderation.
What fruits are good for spleen deficiency?
1. Apple
Apples are sweet and sour in taste, and neutral in nature. They have the effect of strengthening the spleen and stomach, and promoting the production of body fluids to quench thirst. They are used for insufficient middle Qi, diarrhea, and constipation.
2. Pomegranate
Pomegranates are sweet, slightly sour, and astringent in taste, and warm in nature. They can promote the production of body fluids to quench thirst and have astringent effects to stop diarrhea. Sweet pomegranates are used for stomach Yin deficiency, thirst, a sore throat, and malnutrition in children. Sour pomegranates can be used to treat chronic diarrhea and dysentery, bloody stools, and prolapse of the rectum. Pomegranate peel can kill and expel parasites, and is used to treat abdominal pain caused by parasitic infestation.
3. Lychee
Lychees are sweet and slightly sour in taste, and warm in nature. They have the effect of tonifying the spleen and liver, nourishing the blood, and calming the mind. They are used for chronic diarrhea due to spleen deficiency, stomach pain, and hiccups.