Mental Balance

The knowledge that there is a connection between stomach and brain is now catching up with Western medicine. For thousands of years, Chinese medicine knew that. In reality, Western thought can complement Chinese medicine and vice versa. Vitamins, especially B vitamins, might be treated for patients with high anxiety and concern. If the Earth’s stomach and spleen element organs are slight, we want more sugar. Sugar will exacerbate this problem and cause more weaknesses and a build-up of humidity. The absorption of certain vitamins – particularly vitamins B that are vital for cognitive function and mental health, may be interfered with by sugar.

Yi, or thought, is the spirit of the spleen. This is why overthinking can weaken the spleen and a weakened spleen can lead to overthinking. As an acupuncturist and meditation teacher, I hear patients telling me every day, “I can’t meditate because I can’t switch my mind off or I’ve got too many thoughts.” No amount of trying to control your thinking is going to work. Strengthening the Spleen will help and there are some ways you can:

• Eat your biggest meal between 7 am and 11 am.
• avoid damp, sugary, cold, raw, and greasy foods.
• eat more warming foods, herbs like ginger, plenty of warming soups, cooked vegetables – particularly orange vegetables are really, really, really nourishing for the spleen. And barley, rice, and ginger tea, etc.
• Acupuncture
• Tai Chi

Overthinking is the mental aspect and worry is the emotional aspect of a weakened spleen. Worry actually knots the chi of the stomach and spleen. So, if you’re suffering right now from overthinking and worry, it’s a reflection of the state of your body, the way the chi is moving in your body, in your digestive system, and the way your digestive system is transforming energy for other systems. If the emotions are not being heard then that can cause a lot of issues, physically and mentally as well.  90% of what I see coming into the treatment room is emotional in nature, compounded stuck emotion, and then all the overthinking and the stories on top that have come from trying to work out why you are feeling that way. Having acupuncture and giving yourself space and time to process your emotions in a healthy way is the best treatment for this. The earth element also thrives on a good routine, eating at regular times, going to bed, getting up at regular times is important. Ideally, you want to be going to bed as early as possible, waking up as early as possible, and eating your main meal as early as possible for energy, for immunity, for lifelong strong earth element, and clarity of mind.

If you are wanting to help create a balance between your gut and your mind, contact us today to schedule an acupuncture treatment.