Traditional Chinese Medicine Tricks to Aid Digestion中醫助消化妙方

Your digestive system is responsible for turning what you eat into energy and nutrients1 for your body. It’s important to maintain good digestive health to keep that process running smoothly. These Traditional Chinese Medicine （TCM） tips will help you take care of your gut and treat a variety of digestive issues.

人的消化系統負責將攝入的食物轉化為能量和營養，以供身體所需。維持良好的消化系統健康以確保消化過程順暢十分重要。以下這些中醫妙方將助您呵護腸胃并化解多種消化問題。

How digestion works according to TCM

中醫消化原理

When TCM doctors talk about disease， they speak of internal imbalances that cause one’s qi （vital energy） or blood to stagnate2. When it comes to digestion， the major areas to look for imbalances are the stomach， liver and spleen.

中醫在談論疾病時，會提到體內失衡導致氣（生命能量）滯或血瘀。在涉及消化問題時，可能出現失衡的主要臟腑是胃、肝和脾。

The word “spleen” here doesn’t correspond3 to the anatomical4 part called the spleen. Instead， it refers to a functional （rather than physical） entity associated with the stomach. Together with the stomach， it governs the absorption of food and the dispersal of food’s nutritive essence throughout the body， sending leftover fluids to the kidneys and bladder. If you’re experiencing diarrhea， bloating5 and headaches， you may have a malfunctioning6 spleen. Symptoms like vomiting and frequent belching are a sign of an imbalanced stomach.

這里所說的“脾”并不對應解剖學中的器官“脾臟”，而是指與胃相關的一個功能性（而非生理性）的實體。它和胃共同負責吸收食物，并將食物營養之精華輸送至全身各處，同時將多余水液輸至腎臟和膀胱。如果出現了腹瀉、腹脹和頭痛等癥，可能是脾功能失調。有嘔吐、頻繁呃逆等癥狀，則可能是胃功能失調的信號。

The liver also plays an important role in digestion， as it controls the flow of qi and blood in the body， aiding the spleen and stomach.

肝臟在消化過程中也起著重要作用，因為它調節體內氣血的運行，輔助脾胃消化。

Dietary suggestions

飲食建議

Figure out if you need more yin or more yang.

應先判斷您是需要補陰還是補陽。

Balance is a key principle of Taoist philosophy， which is the bedrock7 of TCM. Eating a balance of yin （cooling） and yang （heating） foods is essential maintaining the flow of qi in your body， which leads to good health.

平衡是道家哲學的核心原則，道家哲學則是中醫學的基石。均衡攝取陰性（寒）和陽性（熱）的食物對維持體內氣的運行至關重要，這有助于保持身體健康。

On top of that， you should adjust your intake of yin and yang foods according to your body’s individual needs. If you’re experiencing watery stools， nausea8 and diarrhea， that’s a sign of too much dampness （yin） in the stomach. To dispel the cold and warm up your body， try eating gently warming foods such as ginger， millet， oats， carrots and turnips. Avoid cold foods， dairy， sugar， ice cream， iced drinks and sushi， which can tax the spleen because of their extreme yin quality.

除此之外，應根據自身需要調整陰陽食物的攝入。例如，若有大便稀溏、惡心、腹瀉等癥狀，這表明胃內濕（陰）氣過重。此時，應多吃溫熱性食物，如姜、小米、燕麥、胡蘿卜和蕪菁，以祛寒暖身。避免食用冷食、乳制品、糖、冰淇淋、冰鎮飲料和壽司，這些食物因其特性過陰，會損傷脾。

On the other hand， constipation9 is a sign of excessive heat （yang）， and may be accompanied by symptoms such as heartburn and an insatiable appetite. Try to eat cooling foods such as citrus， tofu， lettuce， apples， and cucumber. Avoid spicy foods， alcohol and excessively salty foods， which can irritate your stomach and cause digestive fire.

與之相反，便秘是體內過熱（陽）的表現，可能伴有胃灼熱和食欲亢進等癥狀。不妨吃些涼性食物，如柑橘、豆腐、生菜、蘋果和黃瓜。避免辛辣食物、酒精及過咸食物，因為這些食物會刺激胃部并導致胃陽亢盛。

Key ingredients for digestion

助消化的關鍵食材

Rice： Steamed white rice is gentle and easy to digest， and gently warms the body by draining dampness.

米飯：蒸熟的白米飯性溫、易消化，且能祛濕暖身。

Cinnamon bark： or rou gui， is another key ingredient for warming the stomach. Add a stick of cinnamon to a warming mutton soup， or mix cinnamon powder with lukewarm water and drink it. Adding a touch of honey to the drink will also aid digestion by strengthening the spleen.

桂皮：又名“肉桂”，是暖胃的另一種關鍵食材。可在煲羊肉湯時加入少量肉桂，或以肉桂粉加溫水沖服。喝的時候要是再加少許蜂蜜，還能健脾助消化。

Hawthorn berry tea： bolsters the spleen， promotes blood flow and even helps with weight loss. Research suggests that hawthorn berry extract can lower cholesterol10， widen blood vessels and strengthen cardiovascular11 activity. To make the tea， simmer a tablespoon of dried hawthorn berries in two cups of water for 15 minutes.

山楂果茶：山楂有健脾活血之功效，甚至有助于減肥。研究表明，山楂提取物可降低膽固醇、擴張血管并增強心血管功能。要泡這種茶，可取干山楂果一湯匙，加兩杯水，小火煮15分鐘即可。

Orange or tangerine peel12： it’s not only a good source of vitamin C， it also drains dampness， making it ideal for anyone suffering from vomiting or loose stools. This aromatic and versatile ingredient can be added to coffee， soups， porridges and meat dishes.

橘皮或陳皮：橘皮不僅富含維生素C，還能祛濕，非常適合有嘔吐或腹瀉癥狀的人食用。這種食材氣味芳香且用途多樣，可添加到咖啡、湯、粥和肉類菜肴中。

Tips for improving digestion

改善消化的妙方

Don’t multitask during meals： Avoid reading， watching TV or looking at your phone while you’re eating. These activities divert blood away from the stomach to your brain， preventing you from digesting food properly.

切莫在用餐時做其他事情：應避免邊吃飯邊閱讀、看電視或玩手機。這些活動會使血液從胃部分流向大腦，影響食物正常消化。

Use seasonal ingredients： TCM is all about aligning yourself with the natural environment， and one way to do that is to eat fresh， seasonal food to maintain harmony with your surroundings.

使用時令食材：中醫講究天人合一，而踐行此道的方式之一就是食用應季新鮮食物來與周圍環境保持和諧。

Eat a hearty breakfast and a light dinner： Qi moves through the body cyclically， so different organs are more energized at different points of the day. The stomach and spleen function optimally in the morning， between 7am and 11am. You should avoid eating too much outside of this window. In particular， indulging in late-night snacks stresses your digestive system， leading to indigestion and weight gain.

早餐要豐盛，晚餐要清淡：因為氣在體內是循環運行的，所以，一天之中各器官在不同時辰活躍程度各有不同。早晨7至11點是脾胃功能最佳的時段，應該避免在此時段之外進食過多。尤其是經常吃夜宵會加重消化系統的負擔，導致消化不良和體重增加。

Avoid cold and raw foods. According to TCM， the body transforms food by heating it with “digestive fire.” That’s why cooked food is easy to digest， whereas cold and raw foods （like salads and sushi） take up extra energy， causing the digestive process to work less well. To avoid taxing the stomach， eat food that’s been properly cooked.

避免食用生冷食物：中醫認為，人體以“胃陽”加熱并轉化食物，這就是為什么熟食更易消化，而生冷食物（如沙拉和壽司）會消耗額外能量，導致消化過程不甚順利。為減輕胃的負擔，應食用妥善烹制的食物。

1 nutrient養分，營養。" 2 stagnate停滯，不發展。" 3 correspond符合，相一致，對應。" 4 anatomical解剖的。

5 bloat膨脹，腫脹。" 6 malfunction（機器或人體器官的）故障，失靈，失常。" 7 bed-rock基本事實，基本原則，基石，基礎。" 8 nausea反胃，惡心。

9 constipation便秘。

10 cholesterol膽固醇。" 11 cardiovascular心血管的。" 12 tangerine peel陳皮。