Spleen Qi deficiency is a weakened Spleen function to transform food & fluids.

Dampness is accumulated sticky fluid that wasn’t transformed because of a weakened Spleen.

In reality, most people have Spleen Qi deficiency, which eventually ends up with Dampness. You can view the progression in the following way:

• Onset: Spleen Qi deficiency only (fatigue, mild digestion issues)

• Mid: Spleen Qi deficiency + dampness (bloating, heaviness, coating appears)

• Chronic: Dampness dominates (brain fog, weight gain, persistent symptoms)

Onset: Spleen Qi deficiency only

Possible duration: weeks to months

Initially, your spleen qi is just a little weak. Your energy and ability to transform food into meaningful nutrition is somewhat impaired. However, you don’t have fluid accumulation.

Your tongue is slightly pale. In terms of size it could be normal to a tad enlarged. Very mild scalloping. Your coating could be thin, white, or normal.

At this stage, you might have some mild fatigue, especially after eating. There might be some bloating.

Mid: Spleen Qi deficiency + dampness 

Possible duration: 1-3 years

At this point, your spleen can’t transform fluids and so it begins to accumulate. And dampness forms.

Your tongue will be noticeably swollen. Your tongue be pale or slightly dull. It’s clear your tongue has scalloped edges.

You’ll won’t feel as sharp. You’ll experience bloating on a regular basis. Stool will stick to the toilet bowel after you flush.

Chronic: Dampness dominates

Possible duration: many years

At this point, your spleen is weak. Dampness is pervasive and systemic. You’ll likely even have some phlegm stuck in your throat that might feel difficult to expectorate.

Your tongue is very swollen and thick. You’ll have deep scalloped edges. It could look wet and shiny.

You’ll feel extremely fatigue on a daily basis. You’ll have chronic brain fog and bloating. You’ll also have weight gain from dampness.

And dampness will eventually translate into running list of low level health problems that aren't debilitating, but it’s also not going to just go away. Your quality of life will be impacted. 

Here’s how it will impact you:

• Metabolism (malabsorption, chronic bloating, loose stools, fatigue after meals)

• Chronic Fatigue (low energy, brain fog, burnout, need naps)

• Edema & Fluid Disorder (chronic sinus congestion, puffy face & fingers, chronic phlegm)

• Nutritional Deficiencies (Iron-deficiency, hair thinning, brittle nails, dizziness, pale complexion)

• Immune function (frequent colds, chronic allergies, low-grade inflammation)

• Hormones (Irregular menstrual cycles, Perimenopausal fatigue)

• Emotional implications (Mild depression, rumination, worry, overthinking)

• Long-term dampness (candida, pre-diabetes, weight gain, warts, nail fungus)

If you only treat your health problems in isolation, such as only treating your nail fungus topically, but don’t transform dampness internally, you will have a recurrence of it. 

Later, when your Spleen Qi deficiency and dampness remain unaddressed, you’ll experience any of the deeper manifestations below:

• high cholesterol

• diabetes

• gout

• eczema

• sinus

Your scalloped tongue is not a flaw, it’s a signal. It’s communicating to you. Will you listen? 

Even though it’s incredibly important to hydrate, dampness is not a hydration issue nor is it a water retention issue. Your body is having trouble transforming and transporting/moving fluids. So you have to learn how to drain your dampness, while providing support for your Spleen.

Avoid:

• dairy

• raw foods

• spicy foods

• excess sugar

• cold smoothies

• iced drinks

• greasy & oily foods

• alcohol

There will also come a time when this recommendation is insufficient. You’ll have to do more. Learn more.

Your body has adapted to this way of being. A scalloped tongue is not only just a symptom, it reflects a deeper issue. Even when your energy levels begin to improve, the fluid accumulation in the tongue tissue must gradually resolve, which takes time. Learn more

My transformation was slow, steady, and quiet. I knew it would take time to heal my scalloped tongue because it developed over the course of my adult life. And I’ve tried remediating this for years.

I went to a TCM doctor consistently for years and it didn’t help my scalloped tongue even though the herbal treatments were effective in other ways. Every visit, I was advised, “Don’t have dairy and don’t eat spicy foods.”

So I followed the “avoid” food list loyally and I still had a scalloped tongue. 

I followed the “to eat” list and I still had a scalloped tongue. 

I drank more water and I still had a scalloped tongue. 

I swam every day as an adult and I still had a scalloped tongue. 

I slept more and I still had a scalloped tongue.

I thought I took care of my health, ate clean, and I still had a very swollen, scallop-y tongue. 

Subsequently, I started to make changes in my life because my scalloped tongue gave me a running list of problems that became too long to ignore: chronic fatigue, rashes, digestion issues, joint pain in my fingers, phlegm that was difficult to expectorate, and on and on.

First, I processed my emotions. I sat through difficult, complex events that activated me. Sure, I could analyze why I felt the way I felt, but ignored how I was with the feeling. That’s the most important part. This took time and it required enormous patience with myself and eventually transitioned into a new way of being with myself.

And I came up with the 8 treasures formula that aligned with the seasons and menstrual cycle, which I ate daily.

By the way, the 8 treasures work for men, too!

Eventually, I created an 8 treasures formula just for the scalloped tongue.

Then, I started my herbal protocol.

Here are the improvements I experienced following the same process I recommend:

• In the first month, my tongue was less swollen. Joint pain reduced.

• In my 2nd month, it was encouraging to see more vigor on my tongue. So I kept up with the 8 treasures and herbal protocol. Stools looked more normal.

• In my 3rd month: I lost over 10 lbs of dampness. The phlegm that felt difficult to expectorate subsided. My jawline was less puffy.

• In my 4th month: I didn’t feel debilitating fatigue after meals. I fortified my Kidney, the fire that helps with digestion.

And I continue to eat the 8 treasures daily and I even started soaking my feet in the evenings.

Of course results may differ from person to person. But if it’s possible for me, it’s possible for you.