In Chinese medicine, there is the concept of wei qi. This is the protective energy on which immunity depends. In a pandemic, taking care of him is more important than ever. Therefore, now is the time to talk in more detail about which organs are responsible for the formation of wei qi and how to take care of them.
It is no secret that the main thing in the fight against viruses is a strong immune system. And in order to support it, to help maintain health in a pandemic, to resist the coronavirus, it is necessary, according to Chinese doctors, to strengthen Wei Qi. What organs are responsible for the formation of protective energy?
Wei qi producing organ
We get energy from food. It enters the stomach, splits, then goes to the intestines. In Chinese medicine, there is an idea not only of the physical processes of digestion, but also of energy. The organ responsible for the energetic «digestion» of food is the spleen.
It divides the incoming «inedible», indigestible energy for us into two types of «edible»:
- yin energy is a subtle energy that nourishes the internal organs;
- wei qi energy is protective energy.
In some translations from Chinese, it is called «dirty», but this is not entirely true. Wei qi is not dirty, but dense energy — especially compared to the yin that nourishes the organs. And wei qi circulates under the skin and in the muscles.
In order for the spleen to be able to break down energy and “make” a shield, two factors are important:
- the spleen must be strong, perform its functions well;
- we must give it the right kind of food, one from which two types of energy can be distinguished.
Let’s talk in more detail about how to strengthen the spleen and how to «feed» it.
The power of the spleen
In order for the spleen to remain healthy, it must be well supplied with blood, as well as rest and renew itself. What does it mean?
Many mistakenly believe that fasting helps the digestive system to rest. In fact, she rests best in her sleep. Therefore, now, at a time when immunity is especially important for us, it is necessary to get enough sleep.
In addition, exercises aimed at relaxing the solar plexus zone and its projection on the spine — the 12th thoracic vertebra — will help strengthen the spleen.
You can find a simple but effective exercise called “Cloud Sweeping” in the Sing Shen Juang qigong complex.
- Stand up straight, feet together, crown tends upward.
- Feel for a point opposite the solar plexus — the twelfth thoracic vertebra. Lower your arms along the body.
- Concentrate on the area of the twelfth thoracic vertebra, then begin a slow rotation: the upper body very slowly rotates 45 degrees to the left and right of the center. For 10 accounts in one direction and for 10 in the other.
- Ask yourself, “How can I make this movement even more relaxed?”
During the exercise, there may be a feeling of twitching — as if the movement becomes jerky. This means that you have found a zone of tension and gradually relax.
This exercise will relax the solar plexus area, making more room for the spleen. It is important to remember that a single exercise will not work a miracle. To maintain immunity during the quarantine period, relaxation exercises must be done every day. And you will see the result in a month or two. Unfortunately, we do not know when the pandemic will end, so start practicing now.
Nutrition for the spleen
In order for the spleen to receive useful protective energy from food, the diet must be healthy and balanced, containing proteins, fats and carbohydrates.
Include red meat, fish and seafood, vegetables and fruits, cereals and seeds in the menu. Refrain from using:
1. Cold, unprocessed food. For example, raw vegetables and fruits are bad for the spleen. Why? Chinese medicine insists that healthy, strong organs can handle unprocessed food, while weakened ones cannot.
Thermally processed food is better for strengthening the spleen. It is easier to digest, and the spleen will not waste energy processing it. Dishes should be baked, boiled or cooked in a double boiler.
“But what about vitamins?” — you ask. Prepare fruit compotes, steam vegetables, add chia seeds, sunflower seeds and other plants as a seasoning — and vitamins will be enough.
2. Sweets. Excess sweets negatively affect the spleen. In particular, white sugar blocks its work. Therefore, I recommend giving up sugar-containing products for the quarantine period.
If you ate a healthy dish — meat, vegetables, cereals — but ended the dinner with dessert, in this way you deprived the spleen of the opportunity to process all the useful things that entered the body.
Start doing relaxation exercises now, give up sugar, and after quarantine your health will become even stronger than before.