Quill Acupuncture

~SPLEEN~

The Granary Official

The SPLEEN’s main function in Chinese medicine is to assist the stomach with digestion by transporting and transforming food essences. .

What does that even mean? .

Well, it is thought that the SPLEEN in Chinese medicine also includes the Pancreas. From a Western perspective this makes more sense. We know the Pancreas as a digestive organ that both helps regulate blood sugar, and assist in digestion by secreting pancreatic juices which are full of digestive enzymes that work to breakdown the foods we eat. The Stomach is a big grinder— breaking the foods we eat down to smaller particles so the pancreatic juices and enzymes can break it down further into useable substances that body can use as building blocks to keep us running. It is easier to swallow the SPLEEN’s function of transporting and transforming food essences if you include the western Pancreas. .

It is said that because of the SPLEEN’s role in digestion and assimilation of nutrients, that is the source of Qi and Blood in the body. And that makes sense. We all know we need be able to eat and digest foods to survive and thrive. If we are not able to breakdown and use the foods we are eating, then we are not providing the body with the tools it needs to keep us functioning optimally. If we are not providing the body and all of the organs with the nutrients they need, they can’t play their part, and you may : . - feel exhausted and sluggish
- crave sweet things
- feel tired after eating and possibly bloated
- see changes in bowel movements, etc. .

It is easy to see why the SPLEEN is so important! Without it’s proper functioning, we slow down and out health suffers. When treating patient’s I always look to the patient’s digestion first, and often start there. After all, it is the earth organ, and from the earth all things grow and thrive.