a direct relationship to ‘wei qi’ or ‘defensive qi’ (essentially, the Lung plays a crucial role in the strength of our immune system). The Spleen is also seen as the source of phlegm production. When we don’t digest effi ciently, phlegm is produced and this phlegm is “stored” in the Lungs. In sum, when the qi of the Spleen and Lung are weakened due to diet, the body is weakened in qi (including protective qi, or im- munity) and is more susceptible to bacteria and viruses. Therefore, a child with weak digestion will be more susceptible to getting sick.
So What Do I Feed My Kid?
When it’s time for a child to start eating solid foods, keep in mind that everything she eats must be transformed into a 100 degree mushy soup before digestion can take place in the stomach. Because the food needs to be ‘transformed’ by the spleen yang qi (which is inherently warm), it’s a good idea to limit cold and frozen foods. Think about it. When you’ve been saddled with weakened digestion (after a fl u, perhaps) - would you prefer warm chicken broth or a cold Caesar salad? So, I began simplifying my daughter’s meals. I began steam- ing, baking, sautéing, or boiling (most of) her food. Instead of the frozen mango she so loved to gnaw on, I gave her a baked pear for a snack; instead of a PB&J for lunch, a bowl of quinoa pasta with steamed carrots. Boiled sweet potato and warm rice porridge became her favorite breakfast. Roasted turkey cut up into bits was also a favorite, as was a small amount of almond butter on a piece of toasted, sprouted wheat bread. And though I never thought she’d eat it – steamed broccoli with butter went down the hatch with pleasure!
I did make it a point to keep her diet varied – she still had fresh fruit (she loves cherries, fi gs, and apples), and she still always sampled whatever the Big People were having for dinner. But I did take the “immature digestion” seriously, and fed her the kinds of things I knew would be easy on her digestion. And guess what? It worked like a charm! Within a month, she became the healthiest resident of the household.
Xiao Shu-qin sums up these dietary suggestions in his book
“Pediatric Bronchitis: Its TCM Cause, Diagnosis, Treatment & Pre- vention:”
1. Food and drink should be clear, light, and tasty. 2. It should not be raw, cold, or greasy.
3. It should be easy to absorb and assimilate, disperse and transform.
4. Eat few tough, solid, diffi cult-to-digest foods. 5. Be careful of sour, astringent, fi shy-smelling, and dry things. 6. Do not eat more than the proper amount, stuffi ng oneself too full.
Her dad and I eventually came around and realized that our diet needed to be cleaned up, too. We were still trying to fi gure out our lives as new parents and with the sudden decrease in free time, our diet was the fi rst thing to suffer. In other words, our daughter was eating like a queen, but we were eating on the hurry, which often meant we were eating like crap. When we started cleaning up our diet, we fi nally put the tissue box away. A healthy Spleen is important for adults too! But that’s a whole other conversation…
*please note that when I refer to an organ system (Spleen, Lung), I am referring to the Traditional Chinese Medicine conceptualization of that organ, not the biomedical defi nition of that organ
Lauren Breau,
L.Ac. is a Maine native and a Bowdoin alum. She is an acupuncturist at Wildwood Community Acupuncture, where ev- eryone is treated, regardless of income. For details, please see www.
wildwoodmedicine.com. See ad this page.
Wildwood Community Acupuncture
wildwoodmedicine.com
Open Monday - Friday $20 - 40 Sliding Scale
83 India Street Portland ME 04101
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www.EssentialLivingMaine.com
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