Food it’s a necessity to maintaining good health and considered medicine by many including Hippocrates (460-377 B.C.)
“Let thy food be thy medicine and thy medicine be thy food.”
Not only is the food important in traditional Chinese medicine but so is good digestion. Even the most nutritious food will be wasted if digestion isn’t optimal. In traditional Chinese medicine digestion works a little differently, the spleen and stomach are the main organ systems. The stomach receives the food and is responsible for the breaking down of the food called “rotting and ripening” while the spleen’s job is to distribute the clear qi (energy) to appropriate organ systems and send dirty qi (waste) to be removed. If the spleen and stomach are not functioning at their best there can be a variety of conditions that result such as diarrhea, constipation, stomachaches, gas and colic to name a few. Long term there can be the build up of dampness such as phlegm and congestion which may cause earaches, sinus congestion or infections, cough or chest infections. It is said in TCM that all paediatric conditions are a result of poor digestion.
Good digestion starts with nutritious, whole foods that are cooked with minimal raw, cold, processed and sweet food. This includes raw vegetables, fruit and fruit juice, cheese and sweets. Sweet, cold and raw foods are taxing to the spleen system and make it difficult to perform it’s job properly while processed food just lacks nutritional value. It is also important to limit fried, greasy, overly rich foods as they will also lead to dampness.
Another important aspect of diet and digestion is the scheduling of meals. It is important to have regular scheduled meals without distraction rather than snacking throughout the day. This gives the body adequate time to digest and absorb the nutrients before it receives more food.
Specific foods for this time of year are congee made with rice and maybe a little ginger or green onion. The simpler the flavour the easier to digest. Pumpkin or squash soups are also nutritious, easy to prepare and good for the spleen. For fruits try stewed plums or baked apples and pears with a little cinnamon or nutmeg.
The second point is good rest. As a parent I know it can be challenging to get a child to sleep but encouraging a regular sleep pattern will ensure strong energy and a happy mood. It is important to have a balance between rest and activity so when children are awake it is necessary for them to get some physical exercise especially outside. Physical activity benefits the spleen, stomach, heart and lungs thereby simultaneously consuming qi and blood and stimulating production. When the qi and blood of the body is strong through proper diet and balanced exercise and rest it prevents pathogens from entering the body in the same way the immune system protects one from illness.
Hygiene of course is important for all, which is why frequent hand washing is encouraged and is the easiest way to help stop the spread of germs. It is important for parents to instill this habit. Other things parents can do at home to help with kids overall health are paediatric massage, called xiao er tui na. One technique to strengthen the body and regulate the nervous system is the spinal pinch and pull. With the infant or toddler lying face down you pinch the skin at the base of the spine and roll it between the thumb and index finger as you move up to the neck. It takes a bit of practice and would probably be best to have a practitioner demonstrate the technique. Another technique is abdominal massage, which is good for regulating digestion and aiding elimination. The most common is to use your fingertips to make little circles starting at the lower right abdomen working up, across and then down ending on the lower left side. The pressure should be firm but gentle with continuous contact with the skin.
Kids do get sick and it is best to treat them as soon as possible, examining children’s stools is a good way to see what is happening internally. If stools suddenly become loose check the diet and make appropriate changes. Another early sign of health starting to dip is an increase in nasal congestion. Again adjust the diet first by keeping foods easy to digest and bland in flavour. If a cough, cold or infection does develop Chinese herbal medicine can be beneficial and is usually quite easy to administer. Acupuncture is usually reserved for children heading into their teen years, however there is a style of Japanese acupuncture called shonishin which does not use the average acupuncture needle. It is always important to consult with your family doctor or health care practitioner before attempting any home health care or if illness does develop.
