The Spleen is the primary organ of digestion which transforms the food and drink we eat and makes Qi (with the help of the Lungs) and Blood (with the help of the Heart) for our body to use. It works closely with the Stomach, its accompanying Yang organ, to govern digestion. This pair is considered the Middle Burner of the body. With its normal function, you have proper digestion, a good appetite and regular bowel movements. When the Spleen is weakened or not functioning efficiently, you will notice poor appetite and digestion, abdominal distension or bloating and loose stools. This can occur with eating excessively damp foods (dairy products, fried foods etc) which the Spleen happens to loathe.

The TCM Spleen also controls the muscles, specifically the motor muscles of the 4 limbs. When there is a lack of Qi physical energy is depleted and weak muscles and tiredness are common complaints.

While I was in naturopathic medical school, many students clearly had weakened Spleens, myself included! Students are often Spleen Qi Deficient when they are continuously studying and getting ready for big exams. Since the Spleen houses the Intellect and helps with applied thinking, studying, memorizing, focus and concentration, excess studying and mental work for sustained periods of time tend to weaken the Spleen. Mental fog is often present along with feeling bored, uninterested and worrying more than usual. But not to worry, strengthening and toning the Spleen can be achieved with a good healthy diet, proper digestion and a lot of great restorative sleep post-exams!

On a lighter note, the Spleens brilliance is manifested in the lips! Red, moist and healthy lips are a sign of a strong Spleen. Kiss kiss!

Are you someone who suffers from sinus problems, colds with congestion, allergies or chronic post-nasal drip? The Neti Pot might just be your new best friend!

Cleansing your nasal passages can result in multiple benefits. It helps remove excess mucus from the nasal passages for those with sinus problems and colds with congestion.  If you’ve ever had the congested “brain fog” headache feeling during a cold, your sinuses are likely building up mucus that gets trapped and causes pressure. The frontal sinuses (forehead) and maxillary sinuses (right next to the nose) tend to be most problematic (see picture for reference). Regular nasal cleansing allows the excess mucus to escape the sinuses and relieves the congestion and pressure.

Also, nasal passage cleansing helps clear out dust, pollen and environmental irritants that tend to cause allergies and chronic post-nasal drip. Finally, now that the colder weather is setting in and we are exposed to dry indoor weather, soothing dry nasal passages can provide simple and easy relief.

It is best to use ¼ tsp non-iodized salt per 8oz of lukewarm water (distilled, sterile or previously boiled and cooled water over tap water is advised with Neti Pot use).  Start with one nostril and repeat on the second for best results. Here is a short video demonstration for more instructions. I will admit that the stretches do look pretty silly in the video, but they really do help! I would give them a try.