Are you taking care of your Spleen?

In Chinese Medicine, Spleen is Earth Energy, our giving Qi. If you stick out your tongue and look at it in the mirror, do you see anything like teethmarks on the edges by the tip? If you see those, your Spleen is run down and needs some TLC.

Characteristically, most people in the caring professions have teethmarks on their tongue - unless they are remarkably balanced individuals. Also, people who worry a lot and don't sleep enough. Or people who never sit down to have a meal. Hmm, parenting probably qualifies for all three. Early parenting anyway. Later parenting probably involves trying to get everyone to actually sit down with you for a meal.

Other indications of Spleen disharmony: bad digestion - too slow or too fast; easily bruised; varicose veins; stiff muscles, fuzzy head. oh and yeah - Chocolate cravings.

Spleen usually needs a lot of nourishing. You probably do too. I probably do as well.

Daverick Legett knows a lot about how to eat for your spleen. Nice warming foods. No salads. Porridge with honey, that kind of thing - orange food - butternut squash, pumpkin with ginger...and sit down and chew.

Spend some time with your feet on the ground or digging in the garden. Spending time just in your head drains the Spleen.

Essential oils for your spleen: Cardamom, yum! geranium, cedarwood, cypress - blend with citruses to be nice to Liver and Stomach so they all play nice. Just off the top of my head...

Point to press if not pregnant: Spleen 6- place 4 finger widths over the anklebone on big toe side - press hard on the point which feels like someone is sticking you with a letter opener. Ouch! You found it. Maybe some regular attention to it may alleviate Spleen tiredness - or actually sleeping, or eating without rushing out the door, or worrying about stuff...