TCM for Digestion: Patterns, Herbs and Home Care

Searches like this one usually end at generic listicles, so here is the version a practitioner would actually walk you through, minus the guesswork.

First, which pattern is it?

• Spleen qi deficiency with food that just sits
• Food stagnation after heavy meals
• Cold in the middle burner with hands that want a hot cup

Those three look similar from outside but respond to different herbs. Tongue color, energy level and what makes it better or worse are the usual tells.

The standard TCM approach

• Ginger (Sheng Jiang): settles nausea and a rebellious stomach
• Hawthorn (Shan Zha): dissolves meat and grease stagnation after heavy meals
• Bitter orange (Zhi Shi / Zhi Ke): breaks up stagnant qi in fullness and bloating after meals
• Jujube (Da Zao): shields the stomach from harsh herbs alongside ginger

Acupressure to go with it: zusanli, zhongwan, liangmen. A minute of firm circles on each, twice a day, is the standard home version.

Food rules that do the heavy lifting

Cooked over raw, congee at breakfast, hawthorn tea after rich dinners

None of this replaces a practitioner who can look at your tongue, feel your pulse and ask awkward questions. Use this as background, not as a prescription.