Description

The Spleen and Raw Food: Challenging TCM Assumptions

Episode Description

For decades, TCM practitioners have warned against raw food, claiming it damages Spleen Qi and causes digestive problems. But what if this foundational teaching is wrong?

In this episode, we examine groundbreaking research that challenges one of Traditional Chinese Medicine's most widely accepted beliefs. When researchers tested the "raw food damages the Spleen" theory on 41 participants, the results were shocking.

• Classical Chinese texts contain no warnings about raw food
• The surprising study results: raw food eaters had 35% Spleen deficiency vs 52% in the control group
• How people eating 91-100% raw food for 5+ years showed only 11% Spleen deficiency

• Why individual constitution matters more than rigid dietary rules

Traditional TCM symptoms of Spleen Qi deficiency include fatigue, poor appetite, loose stools, weak limbs, and a swollen tongue with tooth marks. While these symptoms are real, the automatic assumption that raw food causes them may be oversimplified.

The research suggests we need more nuanced, individualized approaches rather than blanket dietary restrictions.