According to Chinese medicine, the vitality of the human body strongly connects with the wellness of the spleen and stomach. If the spleen and stomach function well, the body is well nourished with blood, energy, and physical fitness; If not, it may cause frequent health problems, even affecting health and longevity.
Many people may feel uncomfortable with their stomach but are not sure it is a stomach disease. Here are a few ways concluded by SaintNoon researchers to self-test to see if their stomach has problems.
1. Self-testing stomach problems
The most common symptoms of stomach problems including:
- Pain is one of the most common symptoms of stomach problems, and the causes include cold, qi stagnation, blood stasis, etc.
- Stomach distension casused by insufficient power of the spleen and stomach. Cold and other factors can cause distension in the stomach.
- Food distension. Insufficient gastric power cannot digest food normally, or the peristalsis of the intestines and stomach is too slow, leading to food distension.
- Pale and vulgar tongue. According to TCM theory, a trapped spleen or other causes of spleen deficiency can cause the patient's mouth to be tasteless and unappetizing.
2. Initial and long-term symptoms of stomach problems
- Bitterness in the mouth is a typical symptom of heat in the liver and gallbladder. It manifests the upward flow of bile qi. Western medicine classifies it as bile reflux gastritis.
- Facial color. Patients with a long history of gastric disease tend to have a yellowish, dull complexion.
- tongue color, the initial stage of gastric disease, yellow tongue coating, mouth odor, this is the actual evidence. After a long time, the tongue coating turns white, and the tongue of constipated people is thick. The language of painful people has petechiae.
- Nausea and vomiting. Stomach disease is caused by eating disorders, cold and temperature discomfort, usually elementary to regurgitate, and vomiting.
As the saying goes, stomach disease is "three parts treatment, seven parts nourishment" for stomach health. Taking medicine can only temporarily relieve pain and mainly depends on daily maintenance.
The following foods & herbs help to nourish the stomach!
1. Shiitake mushrooms: taste sweet and flat
Effects: Benefit the stomach and pox rash. Suitable for weak spleen and stomach, loss of appetite, tiredness, and weakness. People with measles, skin diseases, and allergic diseases should avoid eating.
2. Sweet potato: taste lovely and flat to the spleen and stomach meridian
Effects: Nourish the spleen and stomach, benefit the strength, wide intestines and stomach. Suitable for the weakness of the spleen and stomach, thin and weak, less diarrhea. Eating more sweet potatoes makes you prone to acid reflux, heartburn, and gastrointestinal distension.
3. Chestnuts: sweet, warm to the spleen, stomach, and kidney meridian
Effects: Tonifies the spleen and strengthens the stomach, tonifies the kidney and strengthens the tendons, activates the blood, and stops bleeding. Suitable for spleen deficiency food, regurgitation, and diarrhea. Avoid eating for those with gas stagnation and abdominal distension.
4. Yam: sweet, flat, to the spleen, lung, and kidney meridian
Effects: Tonifies the qi and strengthens the spleen, nourishes the yin and benefits the lung, tonifies the kidney, and consolidates the essence. Suitable for weak spleen, loose food, and chronic diarrhea. Dampness and fullness of Qi stagnation are contraindicated.
5. Lentils: sweet, slightly warm, to the spleen, stomach meridian
Effects: Strengthening the spleen and dampness, clearing the summer and the middle. Suitable for spleen deficiency and water, less food, diarrhea, and summer dampness. Gas stagnation and abdominal distension are contraindicated.
6. Red dates: taste sweet and warm to the spleen and stomach meridian
Effects: Benefit the spleen and stomach, nourish blood and calm the mind. Suitable for spleen and stomach weakness, little food and stool, fatigue, and weakness. It is contraindicated for people with Qi stagnation, damp heat, and constipation.
7. Honey: sweet, flat, to the spleen, lung, and large intestine
Effects: Replenish the spleen and slow down, moisten the lungs to stop cough. It is suitable for weak spleen and stomach pain, fluid deficiency, and intestinal dry constipation. It has recently been used for peptic ulcers. People with damp evidence, damp-heat evidence, bloating, vomiting, and stool should not eat. Also, do not eat it with green onions or lettuce.
8. Cowpea: sweet, flat, to the spleen, kidney meridian
Effects: Strengthening the spleen and tonifying the kidney. Suitable for weak spleen and stomach, diarrhea, and vomiting. Avoid eating for those with Qi stagnation and constipation.