The spleen may become weak due to overfatigue, excessive worry or overeating sweet, chilled, uncooked food and drink. Its function in Chinese medical terms is to move and transform the products of digestion. However, if it is injured in the way described above, dampness manifests in the body. The spleen is too weak to distil and evaporate food and move and transform dampness away from the spleen and it fails to recuperate its strength or qi. Over consumptions of fats, oils, dairy and wheat (which is damp cool and cold) impairs the spleen. The Middle Burner is crucial to our well being and can cause innumerable diseases.
If you have been diagnosed with a weak spleen, avoid white sugar, sweets and chilled food from the refrigerator. Cold natured foods should be avoided/reduced like salad, watermelon, cucumbers, celery, mung beans, seaweed, tomatoes, mango etc. Instead, people with a weak spleen should eat cooked vegetables, cooked rice and protein/and cooked fruit. Use warming spices like ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg to promote digestion. They should eat soups and stews and take digestive enzymes and pre/probiotics.
