Why do we recommend warm, cooked foods?

Digestion as a cauldron

You may have heard us talk about the “Spleen and Stomach” and advising “warm foods” during your acupuncture treatment or herbal consult.  But what are we really on about?

Sounds a bit different to the raw food and healthy salad stuff we all hear about it, doesn’t it?

What we mean by “Spleen and Stomach”

When we refer to the “Spleen and Stomach” in Chinese Medicine, we are actually talking about more than just those two physical organs.  We are in fact referring to a whole set of physiological functions related to the entire digestive system.  To explain this concept I often talk about the 'DIGESTION AS CAULDRON’ idea.

Imagine a pot or cauldron on a stove, stewing and boiling away, steaming up the kitchen, filling the house with delicious, nourishing smells, whetting everyone’s appetite.  Yum!

We like to think of the “Spleen and Stomach” (think the area from your epigastrium down to below your belly button) as the Cauldron and your “Kidney or metabolic fire” (think lower abdomen and lower back) as the gas burner or stove, causing the ingredients in the pot to boil and bubble away, breaking the food down and enabling nutrients to be absorbed and utilised by the body.

Think of your digestion like a cauldron on a stove. It works best when there’s enough warmth to cook everything properly.

Now if the pot is on the right burner and the gas is turned up and the ingredients have been prepared properly, everything will cook away as planned and the food will taste delicious.

However, imagine what would happen if you took the ingredients straight from the freezer and chose the smallest burner on the stove?  Hmm.  Probably not very much. I guess we have reached the point of my story.

In Chinese Medicine, the “Spleen and Stomach” love warmth and work better when we eat warm and cooked foods.  This supports the breakdown of food and fluids and helps to keep our “Kidney or metabolic  fire” burning strong.  If we are consuming too many cold or raw foods, we may experience digestive discomforts such as bloating, constipation or diarrhoea, gas, abdominal pain and fatigue.

Signs your digestion is craving more warmth

One thing you can do to see if this applies to you is to have a feel of your upper and lower belly, hips and glutes.  Does they feel cold to touch?  Do you love a hot water bottle on your belly on your lower back?  Do you love the heat lamp on your abdomen during your acupuncture treatment? If so, then eating warm and cooked foods could make a real difference.

You don’t need to give up your all fresh, leafy greens though, try adding a ginger dressing or roast veggies and quinoa to your salads to warm them up.  There is plenty to still enjoy in the souped, stewed, baked, steamed and stir-fried deliciousness world.