Definition of a Spleen Imbalance

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) followers believe that a healthy body leads to a healthy mind and balance within nature. To say that someone suffers from a spleen imbalance may be a reference to mental fatigue or a tendency to worry more than is healthy.

Spleen

• The spleen extracts energy from food and transports it through the blood to different regions of the body. If the spleen is out of balance, then the energy is not pulled from food or does not flow throughout the body. This can lead to health problems and feelings of exhaustion.

Yin Yang

• The spleen and the stomach are the yin and yang of TCM. While the stomach is the container, the spleen is the manufacturer, using food as raw material to produce the nutrients the body needs. In TCM the spleen is considered the more vital of the two functions.

Odor

• A sign of a spleen imbalance is a sickly-sweet odor on the breath.

Antibiotics

• The spleen also plays an important role in the production of antibiotics that prevent illness.

Taste

• Coincidentally, an imbalance may lead to an inability to experience taste or to experiencing a tainted taste. It can also lead to a craving for sweets.