Boosting Digestive Health for Office Workers

Office workers' stomachs are becoming more sensitive—how can we easily take care of our digestive health?

The number of people with gastric issues worldwide is increasing at a rate of 17.43% per year, meaning that 1 in every 6 people suffers from stomach problems. According to statistics from the National Health Insurance Administration, many people in Taiwan experience gastrointestinal issues, with an average of over 100 stomach medications used per person each year.

Modern life is filled with tension, busyness, and stress, along with late nights, insufficient sleep, and irregular eating habits. Many individuals experience digestive discomfort and a host of stomach-related ailments, which can also lead to skin issues like spots, acne, and pimples—often related to a deficiency in the spleen and stomach. 

Qi management expert Master Bai Yin says: "Life relies on each breath; we must first cultivate ample qi, ensuring it flows freely." This is especially true for the proper functioning of the five internal organs, with the key being the effective transformation and transportation of the spleen and stomach.

If you often find yourself lacking appetite, experiencing excessive stomach acid, bloating, or noticeable swelling in your body—especially in the face and lower body in the morning and evening—this could be a sign of digestive issues. Additionally, if you notice a strong craving for specific flavours, such as an intense love for sweet, sour, or heavily salted foods, it may indicate functional abnormalities in your spleen and stomach. Even if your gastroscopy or ultrasound results appear normal, it doesn’t necessarily mean your digestive system is healthy; these symptoms could signal the beginning of a decline in your body's functionality.

Deficiency of the spleen and cold in the stomach lead to insufficient yang energy, resulting in various gastrointestinal issues.

The primary digestive function of the stomach, referred to in traditional Chinese medicine "fermentation and ripening of food”, signifies that digestion requires heat. Sufficient fire energy in the stomach is essential for breaking down food, and this heat and energy represent the need for adequate yang energy in the stomach. Master Bai Yin emphasizes that "qi" is the body's energy, and its generation and circulation require warmth. Consuming too many cold or raw foods can lower the temperature of the organs, slow down gastrointestinal motility, and hinder the generation and movement of qi.

Many people treat fruit as a main meal, but consuming too much can lead to a chilled stomach, discomfort, and even abdominal pain or diarrhoea. This indicates that the body cannot handle an excess of cold and raw foods, which the spleen and stomach struggle to process.

Overeating cold foods prevents proper digestion, leading to excess dampness in the stomach. This can result in a feeling of fullness and loss of appetite. Additionally, this dampness can obstruct the flow of stomach qi, causing stagnation. When food remains in the stomach for too long, it can ferment and rot, leading to symptoms like bloating, belching, indigestion, and acid reflux.
To reduce energy consumption and protect stomach qi, it's essential to minimize the intake of cold and raw foods. Additionally, individuals with gastric issues often have excess cold and dampness in the middle burner (the spleen and stomach). This cold dampness can hinder the spleen and stomach's function, so it's important to find ways to eliminate this cold and damp energy, allowing the spleen and stomach to return to normal operation.

Activate the spleen and stomach qi and blood; good digestion helps keep you youthful

Master Bai Yin emphasizes that "with righteous qi within, evil cannot invade." The presence of external harmful energies affecting the body is closely related to our own deficiency of righteous qi. Taking gastric issues as an example, when a person is weak and lacking in vital energy, they are more susceptible to dampness, and because of a weak spleen and stomach, they struggle to eliminate this dampness, leading to cold in the stomach and spleen deficiency.

To nourish the spleen and stomach and enhance their digestive capabilities, boosting qi is an effective approach. Teacher Bai Yan suggests that practicing qigong can help open the meridians and regulate qi. For instance, practicing the "Spleen Qi Method" 30 minutes after meals is beneficial. This involves stretching the limbs to promote the flow of spleen and stomach qi, strengthening the spleen's ability to transform dampness, and facilitating smooth circulation of qi and blood. This, in turn, enhances the digestive functions of the spleen and stomach, providing the best nourishment for them.

During the practice, you may notice increased burping or the urge to have a bowel movement. Spending a little time each day on self-care to maintain sufficient and smooth stomach qi allows for unobstructed bodily functions, improving metabolic capacity and naturally alleviating pain, thereby addressing many gastric issues.

Spleen Qi Technique: Expel dampness, replenish yang, and regulate the spleen and stomach