Digestion & The Art of Chewing
To start, one needs to understand the difference between Western organs functions and TCM organ functions. In Western Medicine, the organ is located in a specific part of the body where specific physical tasks are performed, as well as hundreds of different organs and structures that work together to make the body run. In TCM, there are 12 main organs that do the majority of the body functions and these functions are done at an energetic, physiological, mental, emotional, and spiritual level. Some of the functions associated with each organ align with Western Medicine model, others do not. The difference can be difficult to process at first since the organ functions in TCM can be fundamentally different, but hopefully, I can help cultivate an understanding.
Digestion in TCM
The digestive process in TCM is mainly the job of the Spleen.
The physiological function of the Spleen is to “transform and transport”, meaning that it transforms food and drink into Gu Qi and transports the Gu Qi throughout the body to where it is needed. Gu Qi is the building block needed to support the body via the processes of making Qi, blood and healthy fluids. The stronger our Spleen functions, the better we extract nourishment and support the health of our body.
The Spleen’s physical function is our thinking process. The Spleen governs our ability to study, concentrate, and process information. Therefore, the Spleen is needed to digest and process both food and information into something the body can use. You can see this connection in the “food coma” when we have a meal or overeat and then we get tired and mentally sluggish. You can also see it when you have too much worry (considered overthinking in TCM) and your digestive system gets “knotted up” and we get nausea, stomachaches or even lose our appetite.
The Spleen’s emotional level is also tied to the digestive system. At this level, the Spleen is our ability to meet our needs emotionally to give emotional nourishment and support. We feel comfortable, secure, nourished and supported when all our needs are met.
Ways to Keep the Spleen Functioning Properly
Eating with joy and a positive attitude. Eating food when we are in a happy and content place literally allows our bodies to accept food more effectively. When we start labeling food bad and good, we are cultivating guilt and resentment, which can impair the Spleen’s function.
Be present and relaxed. The Spleen works best when we are focused on enjoying the meal and are not distracted by other influences. Try not to do anything other than eat during meals; no TV, reading, conducting business, etc.
Chew well. Chewing food lessens the work that the Spleen and Stomach need to do to transform food into nourishment.
Try to stop before you are full. When we overeat we create stagnation and as a result, our body ends up using more resources to digest the excess food. Chronic overeating will tax the Spleen and impair its ability to Transform and Transport, which then can create a domino effect on the other organs abilities to perform their functions as well.
Do not drink too much during meals. Drinking too many fluids during meals can dilute the digestive action of the Spleen and leads to weak digestion. The Stomach needs warmth to “cook” and help the Spleen process food, and too much liquid will cool down things too much. Drinking some warm liquids during meals is best.
Too much raw and cold foods also injure the Spleen. Prolonged or excessive use of chilled or raw foods can impair the Spleen’s functions. As stated earlier, the Spleen and Stomach need warmth to process food.
Do not eat late at night. At night our bodies are in the yin phase, slowing down and preparing for sleep and repair. Eating late at night can inhibit this process and lead to stagnation of food in the digestive tract, create heat, induce insomnia, induce dream-disturbed sleep, and other complications. It is best to eat before 7:00 p.m. for optimal digestion.
Listen to your body. Cravings are not always a bad thing, sometimes the body craves certain foods because it is in need of that particular food’s nutritional or energetic quality. If you see a pattern to your cravings, take note, your body may be trying to tell you something.
The Art of Chewing
Eating is an expression of who you are. Enjoying food and eating, in general, can create feelings of joy and fulfillment. It is too easy today to just grab some food and eat on the go. We rarely take the time to eat slowly and actually enjoy our food. It is very important in TCM to chew your food slowly and thoroughly. It is said that “the stomach has no teeth”, and thus chewing is a necessary component to proper digestion.
Eating and digestion begins with chewing. Food begins getting digested in the mouth via the enzymes amylase and lipase in saliva. These enzymes help start the break down the food prior to its entry into the stomach. Chewing grains and other complex carbohydrates turn them into sugars and allows the body to absorb oils, proteins, and minerals better. Vegetables and grains when chewed until liquid will help release their full nutritional value. Incomplete chewing can leave you feeling heavy and dull and even create gas. When digestion is efficient the body feels light and balanced.
Get into a new habit of properly chewing your food. Begin by keeping count how many times you chew per bite. This brings your attention to chewing and helps you start focusing on chewing. Then, start chewing 30-50 times per bite, especially at the beginning of a meal. Eventually, you will get into the habit and not need to count anymore. It really helps you concentrate on chewing if you set down your eating utensil between bites.
Balancing Appetite and Satiety
Habitual overeating is a large issue in society today. This trend has many causes, from large size portions to eating on the run. In TCM, you should never eat yourself until full, you should eat until you feel two-thirds full. Following this rule will help combat that “roll me out the door” fullness, epigastric pain or pressure, gas, nausea, and indigestion. Health and feeling your best comes from eating an appropriately sized meal that contains a variety of different types foods, a balance of all 5 flavors, and an eating a mixture of both solid meals and liquids meal, such as soup.
The hardest part of not overeating is combating cravings. When we crave certain foods and indulge in that craving, we tend to overeat due to the physical and emotional relief it brings. Specifically the appetite control center of the hypothalamus which recognizes each flavor and has to have a specific amount of food to be eaten to feel satisfied. To achieve a balanced diet, one should try to overcome these cravings and eat simple meals.
Meals should be balanced between all five flavors, no matter the craving. A balanced meal should have sweet (earth), sour (wood), pungent (lung), salty (kidney), and bitter (heart) flavors represented. It should also be simple, which allows for easier digestion. An example of a simple balanced meal would be a protein of choice and rice cooked with garlic, scallions, leeks, and a bit of added salt (mineralized salt such as Himalayan or black salt work best).
With all this said, do not be too rigid about your diet. This can result in a negative relationship with the food and can create more issues with food than help. It is healthier to eat what you want versus overstuffing yourself with another food trying to combat the craving.
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