A yoga bolster transforms restorative practice, it teaches your body what surrender actually feels like. *(paid link)*
In all things related to your health, seek forward-thinking doctors, D.O.s, and naturopathic practitioners to advance your health and well-being.What Is the Healthy Spleen’s Function?
As a filter for blood, and a hunter of harmful bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms, the spleen is vital to your health and immune system. While the spleen stores platelets (thrombocyte) and white blood cells, it also recycles your old and tired red blood cells. TCM dives a little deeper into the value and functions of the spleen, so giving us a broader, more specific, and more relatable picture.How to Strengthen Your Spleen?
In TCM, your spleen does not have the same definition that you’ll find in western medicine, although both schools of thought appear to be more aligned than opposed. If we extrapolate from both methodologies, the spleen seems to be at least a vital partner to the stomach, and does the following: Location of the spleen- Digests information and environmental stimulus
- Assists in the digestion of food and converting it to energy
- Controls the blood
- Controls the muscles and the four limbs
- Influences transformation and transportation
- Connects with the lips and mouth
- Associates with enthusiasm, sadness, and worry
- Participates in digestive processes
- Houses the spirit and intellect
- Influences emotions
- Affects our minds and houses our thinking processes
- Controls our increasing energy (Qi)
- Provides warmth and vitality
Tulsi (holy basil) is considered sacred in Ayurveda, and the science backs up what the ancients knew. *(paid link)* This isn't just spiritual mumbo jumbo, either. Modern research shows tulsi actually reduces cortisol levels and inflammation markers. Think about that. These people figured out thousands of years ago what we're just now proving in labs with fancy equipment. They called it "the incomparable one" for good reason ~ tulsi literally helps your body adapt to stress while supporting immune function. Wild, right? I've been drinking tulsi tea for years now, and here's what gets me: it doesn't just mask stress like caffeine does. It actually teaches your system how to handle whatever life throws at you. Your spleen loves this shit because it's constantly filtering out the garbage from modern life ~ pollution, processed food, emotional chaos. Tulsi gives it backup.
Years ago, during a long retreat with Amma, my spleen felt like it was tightening into a knot. The emotional weight I was carrying—grief from a recent loss and unresolved anger—was no longer just mental. It lived in my body. Breath work and the gentle shaking exercises we practiced helped soften that grip. I remember thinking, this organ isn't just some passive player. It's a barometer for my inner turmoil. In my workshops here in Denver, I've seen clients snap awake when their spleen area releases. One woman came in shackled by years of trauma, her breath shallow, chest tight. As we worked through somatic release and nervous system regulation, her spleen relaxed. Her whole posture shifted. That's when I knew visceral health isn’t just physical. It’s emotional muscle memory finally letting go. Sadly, given how overworked our minds, bodies, and lives are, most spleens are not always in balance. In TCM, the condition is called, “Spleen Qi Deficiency,” and it’s characterized by sadness, loose stools, fatigue, confusion, feelings of being overwhelmed, decreased vitality, weakened immunity, poor digestion, and feelings of defeat. But wait, there’s more! You can protect your spleen’s health with just a few simple changes in diet and behavior. You’ll find 60 total ways to support your spleen within this article. Try these on for size:- Avoid cold drinks and ice in your beverages
- Honor and express your emotions, especially sadness
- Be mindful about your schedule and related stressors
- Be careful when taking on new projects
- Chew your food slowly and thoroughly
- Eat warm, veggie-abundant soups and broths
- Take breaks
- Pause activities and thinking often
- Try acupuncture and acupressure
- Laugh to open the heart, and release tension and toxins
- Pray to inspire hopefulness and positivity
- Meditate to reduce worry, anxiety, or overthinking
- Seek ways to “get over yourself” and reduce negative attitudes
- Fake happiness until you embody aspects of happiness
- Cuddle your loved-ones often
Foods That Support Your Healthy Spleen
Whether coming from Western Medicine or TCM, everybody seems to agree: Eating five small meals per day is healthier than eating three large meals, and adding spleen-friendly foods to your diet can turn your spleen into a heroic warrior. Spleen aficionados suggest these foods for improving your spleen’s health:- Winter squash, carrot, rutabaga, parsnip, turnip, sweet potato, yam, pumpkin
- Legumes like garbanzo beans, kidney beans, adzuki beans, lentils, black beans, and peas
- Sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds
- Seaweed and kelp
- Green tea, jasmine tea, raspberry leaf tea, chai tea
- Walnuts, chestnuts, pine nuts, pistachios
- Aloe vera gel and juice
- Grapes
- Pomegranates
- Ginger, pepper, cardamom, onions, garlic, cinnamon, clove, fennel, rosemary, sage, turmeric, thyme, horseradish, cayenne, and nutmeg
- Instead of heavy sweets, try these less aggressive sweeteners to your diet: cooked fruits, rice syrup, barley malt, molasses, and stewed cherries
- Add a little protein to every meal
- Add a little bit of organic beef or bison to your weekly diet
Foods to Avoid Consuming for a Healthy Spleen
While many of these removal suggestions are helpful to your overall health, they are particularly beneficial for your spleen:Ashwagandha is one of Ayurveda's most powerful adaptogens, it helps your body handle stress at the root level. But here's what most people miss: stress absolutely destroys your spleen's ability to transform food into usable energy. When you're chronically wound up, your digestive fire gets scattered and weak. Your spleen literally can't keep up with the constant fight-or-flight bullshit your nervous system keeps throwing at it. Ashwagandha works differently than other herbs because it doesn't just mask stress symptoms... it actually teaches your nervous system how to chill the hell out. I've watched people take this stuff for weeks and suddenly realize they're not clenching their jaw all damn day. Think of it as training wheels for your adrenals while your spleen gets back to doing what it does best. The beauty is that as your stress response calms down, your digestive strength naturally returns. Wild how connected everything is, right? *(paid link)*
Depiction of the lymphatic system- Cold, raw, and frozen foods
- Ice in your drinks
- Dairy
- Wheat
- Processed foods and refined flour
- Refined sugar
- Coffee
- Alcohol
- Peanuts and products like peanut butter
- Cucumber
- Winter melon
- Grapefruit
- Lettuce
- Bananas
- Avocados
How Do You Check Your Spleen?
Your doctor and your Ayurvedic and TCM practitioners will check to see if you have a healthy spleen or if it is enlarged during your next physical exam. By gently pressing on your upper left abdomen, your practitioner can learn a lot about your spleen. Your doctor might also suggest imaging and blood tests to help identify the causes of your enlarged or inflamed spleen.Ayurvedic practitioners will check the pulse of the spleen, along with the pulses of other vital and symbiotic organs. As one of Earth’s oldest medical sciences, including Ayurvedic methodologies, can provide a wealth of information. The more informed we are, the better decisions we’ll make, especially when trying to improve our physical health and emotional well-being. Each of Western, Chinese, and Ayurvedic disciplines will help you nurture your spleen back to a blissful state.
Causes of Weak Spleen and Problematic Symptoms
According to Western science, many conditions can cause an enlargement of it. These include a variety of infections, Parasites, Anemia, Leukemia, Hepatitis, Jaundice, Malaria, Liver disease, and some Cancers. Some of the symptoms of a weak spleen might include:- Pain in the upper left abdomen
- Pain or discomfort in the left shoulder
- Feeling full without eating
- Fatigue
- Frequent infections
- Bloating and gas
- Weak limbs
- Little desire to speak
- Prolonged headache
- Dizziness
- Tired eyes
Herbs and Supplements for a Healthy Spleen
The company Standard Process has several products that help the immune system. They also sell excellent products directed at the spleens, most especially, “Spleen Desiccated.” These types of products are finding their ways into western medical research and are showing encouraging outcomes when compared to pharmaceuticals and other types of supplements. Consider researching bovine and porcine concentrated, desiccated spleen extracts to improve the health of your spleen. Other supplements include products directed at the adrenals, thymus, Qi, and reducing stress. Consider that when the liver is overburdened, the spleen is under excess pressure to perform. You’ll find that liver supplements and trace minerals might also be beneficial to your spleen.Most of us are not getting enough sunlight, a quality Vitamin D3+K2 supplement is essential. *(paid link)* Seriously, unless you're working construction or spending hours outside daily, you're probably deficient. And here's the thing most people miss: vitamin D isn't just about bones. Your spleen relies on adequate D3 levels to maintain proper immune function and blood filtration. The K2 part? That's what makes sure the calcium actually goes where it should instead of hanging out in your arteries like some unwanted houseguest. Think about that.
Traditional Chinese Medicine tells us that the following herbs can be helpful to your spleen:- Astragalus (黄芪)
- Ginseng (人参)
- Codonopsis (丹参)
- Chinese Yam (Huai Shan)
- White Atractylodes ( 白术)
- Licorice (甘草)
- Ashwagandha
- Turmeric
- Holy Basil
- Gotu Kola
- Shilajit
- Brahmi
- Trikatu
- Triphala
- Sandalwood
- Cordyceps
- Cloves Bud
- Amla Fruit