Herbs That Relieve Food Stagnation herbs traditional chinese medicine Gu Ya Rice Sprout Ji Nei Jin Chicken Gizzard's Stomach Lining Lai Fu Zi Radish/Turnip Seeds Mai Ya Barley Sprout, Malt Shan Zha Hawthorn Fruit Shen Qu Medicated Leaven

Herbs That Relieve Food Stagnation

Function Overview

  • Food stagnation often arises from emotional disturbances which cause the qi and/or blood to stagnate, improper dietary habits, phlegm, heat, and/or cold disorders.
  • Hot/Cold Types:
    • Hot: Bad breath, distention, preference for cold food/drinks, forceful and slippery pulse.
    • Cold: Nausea, spitting up of clear fluids, distention, preference for hot food, white, greasy tongue coat, weak and thin pulse.

Summary & Key Herbs

  • Mai Ya, Gu Ya - food stagnation.
    • Mai Ya - facilitates digestion and has spleen-strengthening actions; cold food stagnation.
    • Gu Ya - less digestive actions, does not injure stomach qi; for hot food stagnation with spleen deficiency.
  • Shan Za - stagnation due to overindulgence in meat.
  • Shen Qu - indulgence in alcohol and starchy food.

6 herbs in this functional category.

GJLMS