On Digestion

[Guest guest]

I thought I would share some of what I am learning about digestion.

Hopefully, my understanding is correct.

 

Chinese digestion theory centers primarily around the interaction

between the stomach and spleen. The stomach is one of the six hollow

organs, and is considered relatively yang. The spleen is one of the

five solid organs and is considered relatively yin.

 

The way the idea was explained to me was as though the stomach and

spleen were a pot on the fire. Another more specific anology was that

of a distillery. The stomach being the pot, it's job is to recieve

food and liquids and " rotten and ripen " (cook/digest) them, while the

spleen's job is to " heat " the pot (stomach) and also to " distill " the

ripened food into its denser and lighter parts.

 

The spleen pushes the lighter, purer ( " clear " was the term used, qing

in Chinese) parts of the food upwards into the upper burner, and

pushes the denser, less pure ( " turbid " was the term used, zhuo in

Chinese) parts downwards towards the lower burner.

 

The food sent upwards is further separated, with the " clear of the

clear " going to the lungs, to help form qi, and the " turbid of the

clear " going to the heart, to help form blood.

 

The food sent downwards is also further separated, but I do not

recall exactly how at the moment. I will have to review.

 

My apologies if I am explaining this confusingly.

 

Mbanu