- Digestion in traditional Chinese medicine
- Understanding how the digestive system works in Chinese medicine
- Digestion and festivities: what does Chinese dietetics say?
- 3 TCM tips for good digestion
- 1) Plants, allies of your digestive system
- 2) Choosing your food wisely
- 3) Good hydration for good digestion
3 Chinese medicine tips for enjoying the festive season without discomfort
As every year, our body is put to the test during the festive season. Indeed, the end-of-year festivities often go hand in hand with excess. The result: our digestive system takes a battering!
Do you want to enjoy the festivities while looking after your digestive system?
We explain how the digestive system works in Chinese energetics and share Chinese medicine's essential tips for taking care of it.
Digestion in traditional Chinese medicine
Understanding how the digestive system works in Chinese medicine
In Western medicine, the digestive system is seen as a mechanism that helps digest food: extracting the energy and nutrients the body needs from food, and eliminating the surplus. The digestive tract includes many organs, such as the liver, pancreas, intestines, colon and stomach.
In traditional Chinese medicine, the health of the digestive system depends essentially on two organs, the Spleen and the Stomach, but the Lung and the Liver are also involved in the digestive process.
First of all, the Stomach receives food and drink. Then the Spleen helps to control the transformation of food and the separation of the so-called "pure" Fluids (nutrients) from the so-called "turbid" Fluids (useless elements or waste, which descend through the digestive tract and are eliminated in the stools). The pure Fluids thus pass through the Liver, rise up to the Lung and are finally transformed into vital energy (Qi).
Digestion and festivities: what does Chinese dietetics say?
Among the causes of disease in Chinese medicine, we find poor eating habits (an unsuitable diet that is too rich or, on the contrary, too poor). Indeed, poor food choices can have a heavy impact on our health.
Overeating is therefore a cause of discomfort, since it threatens to cause all kinds of digestive troubles.
In her book Discovering Chinese Dietetics (in French), Josette Chapellet points out that meals should be classified into three categories: everyday meals, which make up our daily diet; healing meals, whose aim is to prevent or cure illness; and finally festive meals, which are kept for days of celebration. 1
Festive meals are made to be enjoyed without guilt! However, discomfort follows excess, and there is no other solution than to get stuck into preparing meals that aim to heal. To avoid digestive problems during the festive season, discover TCM's valuable advice.
3 TCM tips for good digestion
1) Plants, allies of your digestive system
To help the body digest well, choose plants and herbal teas with digestive properties. Indeed, some plants are particularly well known for aiding digestion and supporting the body in case of digestive problems. The Chinese pharmacopoeia recommends:
- Bai dou kou – Cardamom seeds: Known to contribute to good digestion and keep the digestive tract healthy, cardamom seeds activate the movement of Qi, drive out dampness and strengthen the Stomach. They are therefore perfect allies for preparing your Stomach for the festivities.
- Contributes to a good digestion
- Bo he – Peppermint: Used for thousands of years, Bo he is known to ease digestion. Chinese medicine recommends it for its ability to move Liver Qi. Steep 5 g of peppermint leaves in a cup of boiling water for 10 minutes. Strain and drink a cup after the meal to soothe your digestive system.
- Induces a peaceful sleep
- Contributes to a good digestion
- Contributes to the normal functioning of the intestinal tract
- Zhi qiao – Bitter orange (trifoliate orange): Reputed to promote the movement of Qi, Zhi qiao is especially indicated for intestinal discomfort. It helps to regulate transit and contributes to the proper functioning of the intestines.
- Promotes intestinal comfort
So turn to medicinal plants to relieve your digestive system: a herbal tea after the meal is the best way to avoid discomfort!
2) Choosing your food wisely
It's important to enjoy festive meals without feeling guilty, but controlling the quantity and quality of food is essential to avoid trouble (such as indigestion!).
As for choosing your food, Chinese dietetics advises setting aside raw foods and those that are cold in nature and sour in flavour, since they tire the Spleen and weaken the digestive system.
Put foods that tonify the Spleen in the spotlight instead. So choose cooked foods that are relatively easy to digest.
3) Good hydration for good digestion
To digest large, overly fatty meals well, Chinese medicine also recommends good hydration. Careful: we're not talking about champagne or mulled wine!
Indeed, drinking water has a purifying action and helps to soothe the effects of alcohol. So drink plenty of water to encourage elimination and keep your body well hydrated!
It should be noted, however, that TCM advises against drinking water at the beginning and in the middle of the meal, during the digestive phases.
The end-of-year festivities are a chance to get together and enjoy time with the people we love. So this year, no worries: let's look after our well-being and simply let the magic of the festive season work.
