BALANCE POINT ACUPUNCTURE AND INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE
  • Home
  • TEAM
    • Travis McIndoe - TCMP, Acupuncturist
    • Yin-Wei (Vivi) McIndoe - Registered Acupuncturist
    • May Shin - Registered Acupuncturist
    • Travis Irmen - Registered Massage Therapist
    • Kyle Compart - Registered Massage Therapist
    • Evelyn Wins - Registered Massage Therapist
    • Hailey McCloskey - Registered Massage Therapist
    • Mandy Wright - Manual Osteopath, Kinesiologist
    • Foivos Karatzos - Manual Osteopath
    • Dr. Kyla Stewart - Naturopathic Doctor
  • Services
    • Acupuncture
    • Micro Acupuncture
    • Herbal Medicine
    • Massage Therapy
    • Osteopathy
    • Kinesiology
    • Naturopathy
  • Resources
    • Chinese Medicine Diets >
      • Yin Deficiency Diet
      • Spleen Qi Deficiency Diet
      • Liver Qi Stagnation Diet
      • Blood Stasis Diet
      • Damp-Phlegm Diet
      • Kidney Yin Deficiency Diet
      • Heart Blood Deficiency Diet
      • Cold Invasion Diet
      • Phlegm-Heat Retention Diet
  • Blog
  • Contact

Spleen Qi Deficiency: Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture Diet Therapy

In Traditional Chinese Medicine and acupuncture theory the Spleen does not represent exactly the physical spleen as is thought of in western medicine, but a set of functions in the body that include the digestive system, immune system, energy and metabolism, fluid metabolism, and certain aspects of the blood and circulatory system and muscular system.  Spleen Qi deficiency is one of the most common syndromes encountered by an acupuncturist and herbs, acupuncture, and dietary recommendations are typically employed to resolve the pattern.  Symptoms of a Spleen Qi deficiency could potentially include low energy, slow or weak digestion, loose bowel movements, prolapse, excess weight gain for no reason, holding water, low motivation, spotting periods.  An acupuncturist typically uses acupuncture, herbal medicine  therapy to strengthen and promote the spleen's function.

In acupuncture theory, the Spleen system, largely represented by the stomach and digestive system, prefers a warm and dry environment.  The metaphor for the digestive system is a pot sitting on a stove which “cooks” the food that people eat.  An acupuncturist will typically recommend eating warm, slightly cooked whole foods and avoiding too much raw, cold, overly rich and greasy or overly sweet foods.  Pungent foods such as cinnamon, basil, garlic, nutmeg, onions, spring onions, etc are also helpful in stimulating digestion and assisting the spleen function.  Regular acupuncture and herbs such as ginseng, atractylodis, licorice root, poria, and astragalus are commonly employed with dietary modifications to tonfiy the deficiency.

Some of the phrases commonly referencing the heart in TCM and acupuncture theory include:
"the Spleen pertains to Earth"
“the Spleen governs movement and transformation"
"the Spleen governs muscles and flesh"
​"the emotion of the Spleen is contemplation"
"the colour Yellow pertains to the Spleen”
Recommendations
Macronutrients should be composed of 40-60% while grains and starchy root vegetables, 30-40% cooked vegetables, and 10-20%.  This is meant to be a tonifying diet and should be hearty though not overly rich and greasy.  We generally advise people to eat as they would if they had been doing hard, physical labour outside  in cold weather for 12 hours a day.  
​
Specific foods for Spleen Qi deficiency 
rice, spelt, oats, millet, barley, wheat germ, tef, quinoa, amaranth, 
carrots , sweet potato, yams, squash, turnips, peas
aduki beans, black beans,  chick peas, fave beans
beans, mung beans, kidney beans, fave beans, black sesame seeds, goji berries
lean cuts of pork, beef, chicken, lamb, grass fed when possible
fish
chilies, cinnamon, garlic, ginger, onions, shallots, leeks, basil, cloves, wasabi
virtually all vegetables especially the starchy and/or green ones 
virtually all fruit but not in excess

Foods to restrict or avoid 
salads and raw vegetables, cold foods, overly rich, greasy, or sweet foods, iced drinks including iced water especially with meals, dairy, nut butters, smoothies, ice cream

For those interested in learning more about Chinese Diet therapy, you can pick up a great book called "Healing With Whole Foods", by Paul Pitchford usually available at Chapters.  
© Travis McIndoe 2016

Printable version of the Spleen Qi Deficiency Diet

Conditions Treated at Balance Point Acupuncture and Integrative Medicine in Kelowna

NEUROLOGICAL 
Headaches/Migraine
Neuralgia
Peripheral Neuropathy
Post-operation pain
Stroke Recovery
Parkinson’s disease
Facial pain (Trigeminal-Neuralgia, etc)

MUSCULO-SKELETAL
Pain and weakness in: Neck, shoulder, arms,
hands, fingers, knees, legs, and feet
Sciatica and Back Pain
Muscle cramps
Traumatic injuries
Sprains, strains
Sports injuries
Arthritis
Disc problems
DIGESTIVE
Abdominal pain
Ulcer, G.E.R.D., Acidity
Chronic diarrhea 
Indigestion
Constipation

EYE, EAR, NOSE, DENTAL
Eye Diseases
Micro Acupuncture
Macular Degeneration
Tinnitus

Toothache
Deafness
Post extraction pain
Gum problems


INFECTIONS
Lyme Disease
Hepatitis
Viruses/Bacterial
Candida
RESPIRATORY
Sinusitis/

Allergies
Common cold and Flu
Tonsillitis
Bronchitis
Chronic Cough
Asthma

GYNECOLOGICAL AND SEXUAL HEALTH
Impotence
PMS, Cramps
Fertility
Obstetrics

EMOTIONAL
Traumas
Insomnia
Depression and Anxiety
Nervousness
Neurosis
OTHER BENEFITS
Hypertension

Increases vitality and energy
Stress reduction
Deep relaxation
Facial Rejuvenation Acupuncture
Weight Loss
Quitting Smoking 
alcohol, drug & other addictions
Anti-aging
Pain control
Regulates heart rate, blood pressure & chemistry

"INCURABLE" DISEASES
Chronic Diseases
Multiple Sclerosis
​
Autoimmune Disease
and many others...

At Balance Point we provide Acupuncture, Chinese Medicine, Osteopathy, and Massage Therapy services in Kelowna.
  • Home
  • TEAM
    • Travis McIndoe - TCMP, Acupuncturist
    • Yin-Wei (Vivi) McIndoe - Registered Acupuncturist
    • May Shin - Registered Acupuncturist
    • Travis Irmen - Registered Massage Therapist
    • Kyle Compart - Registered Massage Therapist
    • Evelyn Wins - Registered Massage Therapist
    • Hailey McCloskey - Registered Massage Therapist
    • Mandy Wright - Manual Osteopath, Kinesiologist
    • Foivos Karatzos - Manual Osteopath
    • Dr. Kyla Stewart - Naturopathic Doctor
  • Services
    • Acupuncture
    • Micro Acupuncture
    • Herbal Medicine
    • Massage Therapy
    • Osteopathy
    • Kinesiology
    • Naturopathy
  • Resources
    • Chinese Medicine Diets >
      • Yin Deficiency Diet
      • Spleen Qi Deficiency Diet
      • Liver Qi Stagnation Diet
      • Blood Stasis Diet
      • Damp-Phlegm Diet
      • Kidney Yin Deficiency Diet
      • Heart Blood Deficiency Diet
      • Cold Invasion Diet
      • Phlegm-Heat Retention Diet
  • Blog
  • Contact