The Spleen
A Vital Organ in the Human Body

After a bit of pondering, I chose to discuss the spleen for this month’s Foot Zone Focus. I did this for several reasons. First, I wonder how much the majority of us, including foot zone therapists, people in general, and even medical doctors, really ‘know’ about the spleen. By ‘know’ I mean understand both how important this small organ is to good health, and how much trouble it can cause if it should rupture.

A Ruptured Spleen is a Medical Emergency!

A forceful blow to the stomach—such as might occur with a sporting accident, a fistfight, or during a vehicle crash, for example—can rupture the spleen. If the spleen is enlarged, a far less forceful trauma might cause a rupture. Without quick emergency treatment, internal bleeding brought on by the ruptured spleen can quickly become a life-threatening situation!

Can a foot zone treatment, if done quickly and a bit brutally, rupture a spleen? I don’t think so, personally, although it was something I was warned about during my own training many years ago!

Some Important Functions of the Spleen

Blood Filtration and Recycling: One of the major functions of the spleen is to filter and recycle blood in order to remove old or damaged red blood cells and infectious or dangerous pathogens from the bloodstream.

White Blood Cell Production: Specific lymphocytes, white blood cells that play a key role in a healthy and quick immune response, are produced in the spleen. The spleen also acts as a storage reservoir for white blood cells, holding them in reserve and then releasing them into the bloodstream when they are needed. The ability of a healthy spleen to store these important white blood cells ensures a rapid response to injuries and infections.

Iron Recycling and Recovery: The spleen is responsible for breaking down old red blood cells. As it does this, the spleen recovers iron from the hemoglobin. By recycling iron from old hemoglobin, the spleen supports the production of new, oxygen-transporting hemoglobin, without which good health and life-sustaining energy could not be enjoyed!

Blood Reservoir and an Emergency Blood Supply: Just as the spleen stores valuable white blood cells, it also acts as a reservoir for blood that can be released in cases of severe blood loss. The influx of blood from the spleen’s reservoir helps maintain blood pressure and assures a supply of oxygen to vital organs—including the brain!

Commentary from the midwife still residing in me: I have seen, personally, this influx of drastically needed blood occur with both a mother (more than once) and with babies, as well! As a midwife and foot zone therapist, I found the slight enlargement of the spleen on the mother’s foot—not enough to be dangerous as a potential rupture—to be a reliable indicator of a mother nearing ‘term’ in her pregnancy.

I also saw, at one of my granddaughters’ births, that the cord became torn as the baby’s shoulders came through the bony structures of the mother’s pelvis. We responded to the extra blood we were seeing by speeding things along a bit and then clamped the cord immediately as the baby’s shoulder and the cord emerged together! Then, we watched with gratitude as the baby’s spleen did what it was designed to do! As soon as the cord was clamped, stopping the hemorrhage from the cord, the baby’s spleen dumped its reservoir of blood into her system and the sweet little girl pinked right up! All was well, very well, in fact!

Role in Fetal Development: The spleen has a unique, little-understood role in red blood cell production during fetal development! During fetal development—growth in the mother’s womb—the spleen plays crucial functions in the process of blood cell formation. After birth, the spleen’s role in production diminishes as this function is taken over by the bone marrow.

Helps maintain fluid levels: It does this both by acting as a filtration system for the blood and in its role as a vital part of the lymphatic system. The spleen sits atop the left kidney. According to the website maintained by the NIH, the National Library of Medicine, an enlarged spleen can cause displacement of the left kidney, limiting that kidney’s function in subtle but important ways.

Some Indicators of Spleen Issues

Reduced Appetite: feeling full quickly, nausea. These symptoms occur as the enlarged spleen presses on the stomach.

Hiccups: An enlarged spleen may irritate the diaphragm, which, in turn, irritates the stomach.

Upper Left Abdominal Pain (behind the ribs): This pain occurs as the spleen enlarges, displacing the diaphragm and even the left lung. There may also be pain in the left clavicle and shoulder.

Personal Commentary: Much of what I have learned over the years has been the somewhat appreciated helpfulness of my husband and children as they experienced various accidents and ailments! I thank them—at least I think I am grateful—for the multitude of experiences they have given me!

At one point, several years ago, my husband was experiencing severe nausea, even when eating very carefully and healthfully and consuming only small amounts at a time. He also kept mentioning extreme pain in his clavicle, radiating into his left shoulder. I knew, from his previous footzone session with me, that the spleen was enlarged. However, having been told to be ‘careful’ with a ‘hot’ spleen during a footzone, I wasn’t entirely sure what to do to ‘fix’ it.

I asked an employee who had worked quite extensively as a CranioSacral therapist before joining us at Butterfly Express for advice. She placed her hands on the left side of his back, just a few inches away from his body, and, as she explained it, drew heat and inflammation away. Amazingly, the pain went away, as well. My daughter and I continued this ‘treatment’ over the next few days. I mentioned to a local doctor who explained to me the seriousness of an enlarged spleen. Perhaps he was exaggerating, but he indicated that we lived too far from town—all of a 15-minute drive—to guarantee a safe transfer to have the enlarged spleen removed as he suggested.

Fatigue and Weakness: Because of the spleen’s role in filtering blood and recycling iron, dysfunction in the spleen naturally results in the fatigue that comes as the body struggles to achieve and maintain adequate blood cell and iron levels.

Frequent and/or Recurrent Infections: The spleen is, of course, a critically important player in the various functions of the immune system. When the spleen is not working efficiently, the human body becomes more susceptible to infections such as frequent colds, flu, and just about everything else due to a compromised immune response.

Low-grade or severe Anemia and, quite possibly, a host of other blood disorders: This is a natural result of failure of the spleen to accomplish either the production of new red blood cells or the removal and rebuilding of old red blood cells.

Weight Loss: Compromised spleen function may result in metabolic changes that lead to weight loss as the body fails to process nutrients efficiently and effectively.

Easy Bleeding: A low-functioning spleen may result in low platelet counts, which, in turn, may create issues with the blood clotting properly.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Emotional Connections

The spleen, in TCM thought and in many other ‘energy’ circles, is primarily associated with the emotion of worry or overthinking! As these emotions weaken the spleen, mental acuity (quick thinking and memory) suffers. A study done nearly 10 years ago concluded that “immune cells in the spleen can contribute to chronic anxiety following psychological stress.” He continues by stressing that “Our findings emphasize the possibility that the immune system represents a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of mental health conditions.”

The Foot Zone and the Spleen

Please note the ‘Spleen’ signal in the upper left-hand corner of the colon as the various organs are impacted during the FootZone balance technique!

See the full list of topics.

In This Issue

Essential Oils 
Herbal Remedies
Blessed Waters

^LeRevitalize

This blend has been a staple in my husband’s health care regimen from the day I blended the single oils of which this blend is comprised together for the very first time. It is almost always the oil I reach for to energetically ‘balance’ his system at the close of a foot zone session. Why? Several reasons:

1) ^LeRevitalize is a wonderful blend for replenishing stores of inner strength and increasing physical stamina.

2) As a younger man my husband suffered from some debilitating, should have been chronic for a life-time, health issues. He is, and has always been, a man with things to do and feeling a great need to run faster than he had strength. This is a perfect description of a person who would benefit from this particular blend.

3) Running hard when feeling depleted and so very tired can lead to despair and impatience with oneself and others. This perfectly describes the emotional recovery pattern of ^LeRevitalize.

4) On a physical level, ^LeRevitalize gently revitalizes the liver while improving energy levels and overall vitality and stamina.

5) I have, many times, found it useful during foot zone sessions when I did not like what I was feeling in any digestive-related area and in the spleen.

^LeSanctuary

^LeSanctuary is my own personal favorite blend! I chose this name many years ago because, once the blend came together and I diffused it in my home, I literally felt that I had moved into a place of peace and calm where I could enjoy my life and its challenges. I felt contented and full of faith and the sweet assurance that I had sufficient strength for the day and the day after that and the day after that! I felt more capable and more trusting of my ability to make decisions and teach my children well.

Despite being firmly rooted in conifer-based essential oils, ^LeSanctuary is a very high-frequency oil. I use it in place of the much more expensive flower oils such as rose, jasmine, and neroli. I have never been a really deep fan of flower oils, but I love the aroma of ^LeSanctuary!

Conifer essential oils always give us feelings of strength—sufficient strength to physically withstand the hard times, both mentally and physically—just as conifer trees maintain their leaves during the winter months.

^LeVision

The ‘base note’ of this blend is Angelica, the ‘oil of angels’ as it is often referred to. With the addition of two chamomiles, a wood-based oil, another flower or two, and the fruity and high-note lemon, this becomes a blend meant to aid us in seeing ourselves more clearly. We can see ourselves more clearly, discover our own misperceptions, and then become more willing to grow from our mistakes and misjudgments.

If we tend to rely too much on other people’s opinions and advice, ^LeVision can also help us see our own path and our own worth more clearly. This blend clears the mind, reduces anxiety and stress levels, restores inner strength, and improves decisiveness—without our needing to be overbearing or impatient. If you tend to be irritable, this may be a good blend for you. Naturally, from the description above, this blend should be, and is, helpful with insomnia brought on by worry and racing thoughts.

Goldenseal and Oregon Grape Root

Goldenseal is, of course, a very renowned herb the world over. It is considered to be primarily a Chinese herb. However, it is used widely all over the world.

Michael T. Murray, N.D. has conducted vigorous laboratory trials on the constituents of various herbs. He claims that Oregon Grape has nearly the same constituents as Goldenseal. Goldenseal is sometimes contraindicated for people with pancreatic problems (diabetics and those suffering from hypo or hyperglycemia). However, Oregon Grape is missing the molecular compound that is responsible for this contraindication.

I have found, during the years that I have used herbs, that a plant that grows in one’s own area (as opposed to one grown in, say, China) is usually more effective for people living in that region. For that reason, and because Oregon Grape is much cheaper or can be wildcrafted in my area if you don’t mind the hard work of digging it up, I tend to use Oregon Grape rather than Goldenseal in many of my formulas. I have been doing this for years, and I have gotten the same excellent results that I was accustomed to obtaining when using Goldenseal in those same formulas.

Oregon Grape and Goldenseal both exhibit a broad spectrum of antibiotic activity because of their berberine content. These plants are effective against bacteria, protozoa, and fungi, including Staphylococcus and Streptomyces varities. The action of these herbs is actually stronger than many of the pharmaceutical antibiotics, but does not create the overgrowth of Candida albicans that so often accompanies prescription antibiotic use. In addition, berberine increases the blood supply to the spleen, greatly enhancing immune system function.

Plants containing berberine also have excellent diuretic and diaphoretic (sweating as a means to reduce fever) properties. Either one of these herbs, by itself or in a formula, is an excellent response to most types of acute illnesses.

Ginger

Ginger acts as a carrier to the abdominal area, much as Cayenne is to the bloodstream. As such, it acts on the stomach, spleen, liver, bladder, and kidneys. Ginger also stimulates the blood, but in a gentler manner.

Ginger acts to lower cholesterol levels by converting cholesterol to bile acids and excreting them from the body. Ginger, while stimulating circulation to an area of the body, also reduces pain sensations. Ginger also prevents ulcer formation in the stomach.

Ginger’s antiseptic qualities make it useful for gastrointestinal infections and was considered in previous times to be an antidote for some types of food poisoning.

Ginger is high in potassium and contains manganese, silicon, vitamins A, C, and B complex, magnesium, phosphorus, sodium, iron, and zinc.

Liquid Chlorophyll

Chlorophyll is considered to be the ‘blood’ of healthy plants and to have benefits to human blood when taken as a supplement. I, personally, love my liquid chlorophyll and take some daily! I count on it to support my spleen in the critical functions of red blood cell production and recycling, as discussed above. It has been claimed that I “have the energy of 10 women.” I attribute a great deal of my energy levels to the Liquid Chlorophyll supplement carried by Butterfly Express, LLC.

Suggested foods for strengthening and regulating the spleen always include the importance of “eating our greens.”  While I, personally, love green salads and almost all vegetables, I still find that consistency in remembering to take my chlorophyll is helpful to me in many ways.

Chakras and Meridians are a very basic part of Traditional Chinese Medicine and of ‘Energy Medicine’ modalities worldwide. The first time I heard these terms in a class I had paid more money than I could rationally afford, I called my husband during the next break in the schedule. I told him what I was hearing and that I thought maybe I would walk away from the remaining three days of class. His response? “Why don’t you stay until you have learned at least one thing. This class was expensive, and getting you there was more than just inconvenient.” I stayed! And the things I learned became a valuable part of everything I learned and became in the following years.

The ‘Spleen Chakra’ and ‘Spleen Meridian Balancer’ formulas

Blessed Water remedies are meant to draw our attention to physical, mental, and emotional imbalances in ourselves. With our attention and intention focused there, we can better uptake and utilize anything that comes our way that will help us in those areas! I love Blessed Water and Homeopathic remedies.

I am often heard to say that if I could only have one family of remedies, it would be Homeopathics. Heaven forbid, however, that such a day would ever occur! I love essential oils, appreciate the nutrition of herbal remedies, and could not imagine my life without the things I have learned over the years.  These two Blessed Water formulas will enhance anything else you do to improve the health of your spleen.

Traditional Chinese Meridian Points and the Spleen

POSITIVE ATTRIBUTES AND NEGATIVE TRAITS OF THE SPLEEN MERIDIAN—AS PART OF THE EARTH SEASON: Happy anticipation of the future, or anxiety about the future, accompanied by a lack of faith and hope. Persons balanced in this meridian display the strength to stay stable while nurturing the changes that are happening around them or within them. Justice and fairness are important to Earth people, but they can be supportive and compassionate when others are struggling.

Those who are balanced in this meridian are able to bring a fresh perspective to the most mundane of situations and almost always give people a feeling of safety. However, it should be noted that both their balanced and imbalanced states include putting the needs of others before their own, and being involved, or too involved, in other people’s lives. However, they are the most loyal of friends and always accessible to friends and relatives at any time.

NEGATIVE ATTRIBUTES AND NEGATIVE TRAITS OF THE SPLEEN MERIDIAN: Out of balance in this meridian, a person can become overprotective or controlling, feeling that they know best what others should be doing or should have done. Often, such people are so busy with other people’s problems that they fail to see or grow from their own mistakes. Staying with a bad situation too long or becoming codependent out of too much sympathy are often problems. In addition, negative aspects of this meridian tend to make people susceptible and accepting of other people’s assessments of them. They may find themselves relying too much on the skill and judgment of others. Obsessive worry and lack of concentration also plague them when stressed.

BALANCE RESTORED BY: Reconnecting with the Earth by walking barefoot on the earth or lying on the earth. They benefit by spending time alone or meditating. They must learn to value themselves and set boundaries. With maturity, exaggerated compassion ripens into a wise and balanced compassion along with a healthy sense of one’s own worth.

Anemia,

Angelica,

Antibiotic Activity,

Anxiety,

Berberine,

Blessed Water,

Blood Filtration,

Blood Reservoir,

Bone Marrow,

Candida albicans,

Chakras,

Chlorophyll,

Circulation,

Clavicle Pain,

CranioSacral Therapy,

Diaphoretic,

Diuretic,

Digestive Health,

Energy Medicine,

Essential Oils,

Fatigue,

Fetal Development,

Foot Zone,

Fungal Infections,

Ginger,

Goldenseal,

Hemoglobin,

Herbal Remedies,

Homeopathic Remedies,

Immune System,

Infections,

Iron Recycling,

Liver Health,

Lymphatic System,

Meridians,

Nausea,

Oregon Grape Root,

Pain Relief,

Platelets,

Potassium,

Red Blood Cells,

Revilatize,

Sanctuary,

Spleen,

Spleen Chakra,

Spleen Meridian,

Spleen Meridian Balancer,

Stress,

Traditional Chinese Medicine,

Vision,

White Blood Cells,

Weight Loss,