Root to Rise: Digestive Grounding

In August, I’m offering a five-week blog series called Root to Rise, a gentle journey aligned with the Earth element in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Each week is a chance to explore how the Stomach and Spleen systems support our nourishment, rhythm, and regulation.

Last week, we began at the source with hydration - the reawakening of the inner waters. This week, we follow that flow inward to the center of the body, where water meets food and transformation begins: digestion.

Week 2: The Alchemy of Nourishment

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the Spleen and Stomach are the paired Earth element organs, holding the responsibility for transforming food and drink into qi and blood, the energy and substance that sustain life. Without this transformation, even the most nutrient-rich food cannot truly nourish.

Just as roots draw water into the tree, our digestive system draws nourishment into our body’s inner soil. This process fuels everything above, from the clarity of the mind to the stability of the gums and teeth.

Digestion as the Center of Late Summer

Late Summer is the season of the Earth element, a time to come back to center and stabilize before the shifting energies of autumn. In this season, digestion thrives on warmth, moisture, and simplicity.

The Spleen dislikes excess cold, dryness, or heaviness. Too many raw foods can dampen its function, while overly greasy or processed meals can overwhelm it. Warm, gently cooked foods, eaten in a calm environment, allow the digestive fire to burn steadily and completely.

This fire is more than heat; it is transformative energy. When strong, it breaks down food efficiently, distributes nutrients smoothly, and prevents stagnation. When weak, we may notice bloating, heaviness, fatigue after meals, cravings for quick sugar, or even changes in oral health such as gum recession or loose teeth.

The Digestion–Oral Health Connection

It is easy to forget that the strength of the teeth and gums is rooted in the quality of digestion. Minerals must be absorbed, not just consumed. If the Stomach and Spleen are not functioning well, the flow of nutrients to the mouth is disrupted, making it harder to remineralize enamel, maintain gum integrity, and keep the oral microbiome in balance.

A well-functioning digestive system is like rich soil, it nourishes everything that grows from it. Weak digestion leaves the terrain dry, depleted, and less able to repair or protect itself.

Earth Element Foods for Digestive Harmony

In both TCM and traditional food wisdom, Late Summer calls for grounding, easy-to-digest meals that provide both nourishment and fluid balance.

Some examples include:

• Congee with ginger, dates, or squash

• Bone or vegetable broth with root vegetables

• Millet, amaranth, or sticky rice

• Lightly sautéed leafy greens and seasonal vegetables

• Stewed peaches, pears, or plums for gentle sweetness

• Herbal teas such as chamomile, fennel, licorice root, or oatstraw

These foods warm and moisten the center, support qi production, and prevent the kind of dampness or dryness that disrupts balance.

Rooted to Rise: Nourishing the Center

Digestion is more than a mechanical breakdown of food; it is the bridge between receiving nourishment and becoming nourished. By tending to the Spleen and Stomach, we create the stable inner ground from which we can rise.

The Earth element teaches us to slow down, savor, and receive. When the center is supported, energy rises cleanly, mood steadies, and the body becomes more capable of self-repair, including in the mouth.

My Root to Rise Challenge is being shared weekly inside the Holistic American Health Academy classroom. If you’d like to follow along with the full 5-week flow, including weekly posts, product support, and seasonal insights, you can explore the HAHA community here:
Join or learn more

Next Sunday, we move into Oral Terrain Awareness, exploring how your mouth mirrors the health of your inner ecosystem.

Until then, nourish your center.
You are already doing enough.

With care,
Shannon
🌿