According to Huang Yuanyu’s theory, the spleen and stomach are the most important among the five organs. Regardless of the illness being treated, it is essential to regulate the spleen and stomach. When diagnosing a condition, the patient’s eating habits are a very important indicator.
As long as the appetite is good, this person does not have any major illness. Conversely, if the appetite is affected, caution must be exercised, as it may develop into a serious illness.
We often emphasize the importance of the spleen and stomach, but this does not mean that the other organs can be neglected; they also play very important roles in our body. Once the functions of all five organs are understood, it becomes easier to regulate them.
Let us discuss the functions of the five organs and their common diseases.
Firstly, the spleen and stomach are the source of Yuan Qi (Original Qi). The effective components in our daily meals are the essence of the grains. When food is ingested into the stomach, the spleen and stomach extract these essences and distribute them throughout the body.
It is important to note that the five organs in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) are not entirely the same as the five organ systems that everyone is familiar with; there are some differences.
In modern medicine, the spleen is considered a degenerated organ with little function. In certain surgical procedures, such as for liver cirrhosis, surgeons may remove the spleen as well. However, in TCM, the spleen cannot be removed because it is viewed as a system, not just an organ.
The spleen governs transportation and transformation; all functions related to these processes in our body are associated with the spleen. Many of these functions are not visible to the naked eye.
In TCM, the five organs represent specific functions. The function of the spleen is digestion and absorption, as well as the transportation of nutrients and energy.
This function in TCM is referred to as Bu Shu Yuan Qi (distributing Original Qi).
From an anatomical perspective, the intestines absorb some nutrients, which also falls under the function of the spleen. Additionally, the transportation of blood and blood vessels is included in the scope of the spleen, as well as the absorption and utilization of nutrients by every cell in the body; all of these belong to the realm of the spleen in TCM.