Spleen deficiency

　　Spleen deficiency is caused by improper diet and the injury of the spleen and stomach. The spleen and stomach work together to digest and absorb food, but they have their own characteristics in performance. The stomach is responsible for receiving food, while the spleen is responsible for transforming it; stomach Qi is responsible for descending, allowing food and waste to descend, while spleen Qi is responsible for ascending, so that the essence of food can nourish the whole body; the stomach likes moisture and dislikes dryness, while the spleen likes dryness and dislikes dampness. This reception and transformation, rising and descending, moisture and dryness, complement each other and are in a state of unity and opposition. Disharmony between the spleen and stomach is the imbalance of this unity and opposition, leading to symptoms such as spleen deficiency.

　　Due to the decrease in the number of hemoglobin, spleen deficiency is prone to infection, which may be accompanied by fever, swelling and pain in the infected area, such as with stomatitis and glossitis. In severe anemia, due to tissue ischemia, the heart rate may increase and the myocardial contractility may increase, leading to anemia heart disease.

　　The main symptoms of spleen deficiency are yellowish complexion, abdominal distension as if filled with drums, exposed blue veins on the abdominal skin, vomiting, loss of appetite, fondness for eating soil, thirst with a desire for drinking, indigestion, acid and smelly stools, coughing and shortness of breath, chest and diaphragm stuffiness, dry mouth and nose, white film on the eyes, preference for darkness and aversion to light, red lips and dry hair, and weakness of the limbs, etc. These symptoms are similar to those of zinc and iron deficiencies, and can be seen in iron deficiency anemia and zinc deficiency, etc.

　　Spleen anemia is caused by irregular milk and food intake, congenital deficiency, or acquired diseases leading to spleen and stomach injury, resulting in metabolic disorder. The preventive measures for this disease are as follows:

　　1. Good feeding guidance: Promote breastfeeding, add complementary foods rich in iron and high in iron absorption rate in a timely manner, such as liver, lean meat, fish, etc., and pay attention to the reasonable matching of dietary intake. Appropriate iron supplementation should be given to pregnant and lactating women.

　　2. Add iron supplements in appropriate amounts to infant food for fortification.

　　3. Early iron supplementation should be given to premature infants and low birth weight infants.

　　4. Timely根治all chronic gastrointestinal bleeding diseases.

　　Irregular milk and food intake, congenital deficiency or acquired diseases leading to spleen and stomach injury have caused spleen anemia, which generally requires diagnosis through blood tests, bone marrow tests, serum iron determination, serum ferritin determination, erythrocyte protoporphyrin (FEP) determination, erythrocyte ferritin determination, microcytic hypochromic anemia, and other examinations.

　　Patients with spleen anemia should maintain regular and reasonable diet, mainly high-protein and high-vitamin foods. Choose high-nutritional value plant or animal proteins, such as milk, eggs, fish, lean meat, various bean products, etc. Various fresh vegetables and fruits are rich in vitamins and have high nutritional value, which can be eaten more often.

　　Spleen anemia belongs to the category of traditional Chinese medicine. The treatment methods for this disease are as follows:

　　1. Spleen and stomach injured, metabolism disorder

　　Symptoms: Thin body, yellowish hair, debilitated spirit, irregular diet.

　　Treatment Principle: Regulation of the spleen and stomach.

　　Master Formula: Baohe Pill with modifications.

　　Herbal Medicines: Hawthorn, Raphanus sativus seed, Pinellia ternata, Poria, Citrus reticulata peel, etc.

　　2. Advanced Anemia

　　Symptoms: Long-standing illness, daily emaciation, yellowish complexion, stuffy chest and diaphragm, enlargement of the liver and abdomen, insufficient milk and food intake, frequent diarrhea, acid and smelly feces, fatigue, lack of energy, apathy, and little movement.

　　Treatment Principle: Treatment focuses on resolving malnutrition and strengthening the spleen.

　　Master Formula: Fei'er Wan, Shenling Baizhu Powder with modifications.

　　Herbal Medicines: Ginseng, Atractylodes macrocephala, Poria, Coptis, Shengdiao, Maltoferment, Hawthorn, etc.