We have all been there. One minute you are enjoying a meal and the next you are experiencing aches and pains of the stomach or a fullness sensation – and you haven’t even made it through the entire meal yet! So what is exactly happening and causing you to feel this way? Your digestive system is not happy.
THE SYMPTOMS
With my years in practice, I have seen a wide range of patients who have presented to me with digestive issues but all with varying signs, symptoms and causative factors. Signs and symptoms include:
WHY IS THIS HAPPENING?
In Traditional Chinese Medicine theory, the symptoms above can be explained as a disconnection with the Spleen and Stomach, the main organs that are responsible for your digestive system. The Stomach has the responsibility of receiving the foods that you eat, breaks it down and draws out the nutrients. The Spleen then has the role of taking the nutrients from the Stomach and transporting it to the cells and organs.
The disconnection between the two organs are caused by a number reasons below:
Here are some examples of cases that have been presented to me. See if you can identify what is causing their issue.
“JAN”
*Jan first presented to my clinic with the main concern of constant diarrhoea. She would be going at a rate of up to 8 times per day and could not pinpoint when the sensation would come about, it simply just occurred at any time. She was not allergic to any foods and no particular food caused it to happen. She has a busy life, working either day or night shift and would often not eat on a regular basis nor were her dietary habits healthy.
“LEON”
*Leon presented to my clinic with constant bloating and indigestion. His belly looked quite swollen and upon palpation, he felt discomfort and the belly was quite solid. In addition to the main presentations, he also complained of constipation, difficulty losing weight, low energy levels and constant gassiness. He works long hours, often skips breakfast and finds that sometimes he has trouble falling asleep or even wakes up feeling tired.
* Names have been changed due to confidentiality purposes
THE DIAGNOSIS
Both Jan and Leon presented with disconnection and dysfunction within the digestive system. Jan’s main concern was the stomach not being able to extract the proper nutrients from the food and the spleen was unable to transport it to the rest of the body hence a lack of nutrition and losing the nutrients through the recurring episodes of diarrhoea.
Leon also had a similar cause, however he was retaining all the nutrients and they were not being properly absorbed and consequently his spleen was more affected. The constant bloating, poor energy levels and difficulty in losing weight are predominantly signs that his spleen was crying for help.
Both cases were also caused by similar factors. The stressful lifestyle and poor dietary choices are also a big contributor to their digestive issues.
TREATMENT STRATEGY
Jan was given a weekly course of Acupuncture treatment combined with Moxibustion to warm her digestive system and to encourage the return of the connection of the spleen and stomach in order to retain the nutrients and to reduce the frequency of diarrhoea. She was also prescribed with a weekly dose of a custom made herbal formula that she was to take during the week and also advised to add vegetables to her diet, reduce the junk food she was currently consuming and to engage in some form of exercise.
Leon was given a weekly course of Acupuncture treatment combined with Electro currents. This technique aimed to ‘kick-start’ and stimulate his digestive system function and aim to restore order and strengthen the spleen and stomach. He was also prescribed with a weekly dose of herbs, a formula that was customised specifically for his case. He was advised to eat breakfast, reduce the any junk food he ate, to start committing to exercise and to drink enough water per day.
THE RESULTS
After one week, both patients returned with positive results.
Jan reported that her frequency of diarrhoea episodes had reduced dramatically to only twice per day, she had made some healthier choices and additions to her diet and as a result felt more energy, had better sleep quality and able to handle her stress levels more effectively.
Leon found that after only one week, his initial main complaints had improved. His bloating had reduced and constipation had improved, enabling him to remove the waste from inside his body on a more regular basis. He had added breakfast to his morning routine on 3 days per week and found he had an increase in energy and his noticed a difference in his sleep quality. With the noticeable improvements, he had set his sights on losing weight as his next step.
Jan and Leon are continually maintaining their symptoms and aiming to accomplish their health goals with the help of Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine.
FINAL NOTE
In present day as we live a fast paced and often stressful lifestyle, we often neglect our diets and tend to reach for the fast convenient foods and as a result our body and health suffers. A healthy digestive system is very important for a healthy body and to allow you to get on with your daily activities.
If you have been suffering with digestive issues for a long time, it’s best to get it sorted.
Good health begins with small positive changes. What will you do for it TODAY?
