March is National Nutrition Month—a perfect time to reflect on how we nourish ourselves and support long-term health. While most of us focus on what we eat, East Asian medicine teaches us that digestion is how we take in, transform, and use energy—not just from food, but from everything around us.
Digestion: More Than Just Food
In East Asian medicine, digestion isn’t just about breaking down meals—it’s about how well our bodies absorb and transform nourishment into strength, clarity, and balance. We don’t just digest food—we digest experiences, emotions, and daily habits, all of which play a role in our overall health.
When digestion is strong, we feel energized, focused, and in sync with our bodies. But when it struggles, we may experience bloating, sluggishness, sugar cravings, or brain fog. Modern research confirms what East Asian medicine has understood for thousands of years: gut health influences everything—from immunity to emotions to overall well-being.
The Stomach & Spleen: The Powerhouses of Digestion
At the center of digestion are the Stomach and Spleen, the powerhouses of digestion in East Asian medicine. While the names of these organs may sound familiar, they function differently than their Western counterparts. In East Asian medicine, the Stomach and Spleen work as a team to digest food and turn it into energy in a process known as transformation and transportation.
The Stomach isn’t just where food is stored—it’s where the process of transformation begins, like a cooking pot breaking food down into something usable. The Spleen, on the other hand, isn’t just an immune organ—it’s the body’s master chef, skillfully extracting nutrients and delivering them where they’re needed to keep the body strong and balanced.
Keep The Fire Burning: The Secret to Happy Digestion
East Asian medicine often compares digestion to a fire—it needs warmth, steady fuel, and the right conditions to burn efficiently. If the fire is weak, digestion slows, leading to stagnation and sluggishness. Cold, raw food, stress, and overwork can dampen digestion’s flame, making it harder for the body to absorb nourishment. The Spleen, in particular, thrives on warmth and struggles with cold. That’s why warming foods, steady meal times, and mindful eating help keep digestion strong.
In East Asian medicine, the way we eat is just as important as what we eat. Strengthening digestion isn’t just about food—it’s about how we treat our bodies, how we move through our day, and how we nourish ourselves in every sense of the word.
5 Simple Ways to Strengthen Digestion:
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Start Your Day With a Warm Drink
In East Asian medicine, the digestive system is most active in the morning. Instead of shocking your system with cold drinks, gently wake it up with the warmth of hot water with lemon, ginger tea, or bone broth.
Try this: Swap your iced coffee for warm tea or hot water and see how your digestion feels!
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Eat Warm, Cooked Foods
Because the Spleen thrives on warmth, avoid cold, raw, or damp foods and focus on soups, stews, roasted veggies, and congee (a traditional East Asian breakfast porridge) to support absorption. If you love smoothies, balance them with warming spices like cinnamon or ginger.
Try this: Swap yogurt or smoothies for oatmeal, eggs, or congee. If you have something cold, follow it up with warm ginger tea!
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Eat at Regular Times
Your digestive system thrives on consistency and rhythm! Eating at irregular times can overwork digestion, leading to bloating and sluggishness.
Try this: Stick to set meal times and allow breaks between meals to support digestion.
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Eat Mindfully & Slow It Down
Eating in a calm, present state helps the body absorb nutrients more effectively. Instead of scrolling on your phone, eating in a rush, or multitasking, try sitting down, taking a few deep breaths, and fully experiencing your food.
Try this: Take three deep breaths before eating and put your fork down between bites to enjoy your food more mindfully.
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Don’t Dilute Your Digestive Fire
Too much liquid, especially cold drinks, while eating can dampen digestion and weaken the Spleen. While small sips are fine, drinking large amounts of iced water with meals can make it harder for the body to break down food.
Try this: Drink fluids between meals, and if needed, choose warm tea or room-temperature water with food.
Good digestion is at the center of health—it’s not just about breaking down food, but about how we nourish ourselves in every way. By keeping digestion warm, eating mindfully, and honoring our body’s natural rhythms, we build a strong foundation for lasting well-being. It’s not about perfection, it’s about supporting your body so it can do what it does best!
Stay curious, be kind, and keep your digestive fire burning!
Dr. Britt
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