Vitamin D. Magnesium. Iron. Zinc. Omega 3. B vitamins. Probiotics.

Today, many people take food supplements as a matter of course. Because they have heard that they are important, that they can help with certain symptoms, or simply because they want to do something good for their body.

And the thought behind it is right: We want to support our body and take good care of ourselves.

But let’s take this one step further.

Because from the perspective of Chinese Medicine, it is not only important what we give our body, but also:

What can our body actually make from what we give it?

And this is where the Spleen comes in.

The Spleen Has to Make Something from Our Food

In Chinese Medicine, the Spleen represents an entire functional system. One of its most important tasks is to receive and transform what we eat and drink and use it to provide the foundation for Qi and Blood.

Today, we tend to focus a lot on individual nutrients:

Vitamin C. Magnesium. Iron. Zinc. B vitamins.

Chinese Medicine looks at food differently.

An apple is not simply vitamin C, potassium and fibre. A food has a taste, a thermal nature and an effect on specific functional systems.

Sweet. Sour. Bitter. Pungent. Salty.

When we eat a natural food, we take in a whole composition of different substances and effects.

With food supplements, we often do the opposite: we extract individual components, concentrate them and take them as capsules, drops or powders.

And our body has to absorb and process these too.

What If Your Spleen Is Already Weakened?

A feeling of fullness, loose stools, bloating, tiredness after eating, heaviness or brain fog can, from the perspective of Chinese Medicine, be signs that the Spleen is no longer transforming food optimally.

But it does not always show itself so obviously through digestion.

Perhaps you are eating nourishing foods and still develop signs of deficiency. You may regularly eat meat and other nourishing foods, for example, and yet your haemoglobin is low or you show signs of Blood Deficiency from a Chinese Medicine perspective.

Then the question is not only:

Am I getting enough?

But also:

Can my body actually absorb and utilise what I eat?

Sometimes, figuratively speaking, food simply passes through without the Middle being able to extract enough from it.

And if the Spleen is already struggling to transform our daily food, adding more and more powders, capsules and highly concentrated preparations can mean additional work.

A weakened Spleen does not necessarily need more. It needs support so that it can work better with what we give it.

Do We Really Need All These Supplements?

At this point, it is also worth taking a critical look at how normal food supplements have become.

Behind vitamins, powders, capsules and so-called superfoods is a huge industry that makes a great deal of money from us continually buying something new.

For almost every problem, there is another supplement.

And a much more fundamental question can easily get lost:

How can we nourish and support our body so that, in the long term, it can function as well as possible on its own?

Self-care does not necessarily mean buying more and giving our body more and more.

It means understanding what our body really needs, nourishing it accordingly and supporting its own functions.

Because this is what sustainable health is about.

Food Supplements Are Not Inherently Bad

Of course, food supplements can be useful.

A confirmed deficiency can be addressed specifically and for a limited period of time. Vitamin D, for example, can be useful particularly during months with little sunlight. Certain stages of life, illnesses or ways of eating may also make supplementation necessary.

So a supplement can absolutely be a useful short-term solution.

But the long-term question is:

Why is this substance lacking in the first place?

Because when we eat a varied and nourishing diet, our body already receives a wide range of vitamins, minerals and other components through food.

Provided that we can absorb and process them.

And provided that we are actually eating what our own body needs.

Because from the perspective of Chinese Medicine, “healthy” does not mean the same thing for everyone.

A person with a lot of Cold needs something different from someone with Heat. A body with Dampness needs something different from a dry body. And a weakened Spleen needs something different from a strong Middle.

This is why nutrition is not simply about consuming as many “healthy” foods or nutrients as possible.

It is about learning to understand your own body and its patterns.

Taking a Step Back

If you are already taking several food supplements and still feel that you are not really getting better, do not only ask yourself:

What else might I be lacking?

Also ask:

How is my digestion functioning?
How do I feel after eating?
What does my Middle need?
And can my body actually build enough from what I give it?

But also: What does my body need as a whole?

The Spleen has to transform what we eat and drink – but our diet should not be based on the Spleen alone.

If the Kidneys are weakened, the body needs a different kind of support. If the Liver is overwhelmed or Liver Qi is stagnating, something else may be important. The presence of Heat, Cold, Dryness or Dampness also changes what is nourishing and appropriate for that particular person.

This is exactly why there is no single healthy diet for everyone in Chinese Medicine.

It is about understanding the different patterns and imbalances within your own body and adapting your diet accordingly.

Because replenishing a missing substance is not the same as understanding why your body has become imbalanced and what it truly needs.

And the Spleen Digests Much More

In Chinese Medicine, the Spleen does not only “digest” our food.

It also has to take in, process and integrate what we encounter on a completely different level: thoughts, knowledge, what we learn and all the impressions that flow into us every day.

So here too, it is worth asking:

What are we actually asking our Spleen to deal with?

We expect it to help us think clearly, concentrate, constantly take in new information and process it – while the physical foundation may no longer be strong enough to support all of this.

And sometimes, in life, we also throw huge chunks at it that it somehow has to “digest”: too much information, too many thoughts, too much at once.

Here too, the Spleen does not always need more input. It needs a good foundation and the space to absorb and process what is already there.

In August in the DaoSense Membership: All About the Spleen

If you would like to understand your Spleen better and support it holistically, August in the DaoSense Membership is all about the Spleen – and this goes far beyond digestion.

You will find the Spleen Workbook, knowledge about nutrition and the wider connections, a Qi Gong exercise for the Spleen, recipe ideas and a Sound Healing.

In September, we will continue with the Earth Element: What role does it play in your life? How does it show itself physically and emotionally? And how can you work with it in a sustainable way?

Would you prefer to start by exploring the Spleen in more depth? You can also purchase the Spleen Workbook separately in the shop.