Body Wisdom: The Stomach – Digesting Life

In Western medicine, the stomach is seen as a muscular sac that churns and breaks down food. It produces acid and enzymes, then passes everything on to the small intestine for absorption. Treatments focus mostly on ulcers, acid reflux, or motility issues. Beyond that, the stomach is rarely given a bigger role.

In Chinese medicine, the Stomach is much more than a bag of acid. It is the Sea of Food and Water — the place where nourishment begins. Paired with the Spleen in the Earth element, it forms the root of later heaven: the foundation of all postnatal energy. Together, Stomach and Spleen are central to how we take in, transform, and distribute vitality.

The Stomach’s role

The Stomach’s job is to “ripen and rot” what we eat — softening and preparing it so the Spleen can extract the pure essence. When the Stomach is balanced, digestion feels smooth, appetite is steady, and energy is stable. When weak, symptoms like loss of appetite, bloating, nausea, or acid reflux may appear.

The Stomach also nourishes fluids and tissues. If it’s not functioning well, dryness, malnutrition, or difficulty building blood can follow. It is naturally prone to heat: excess heat can cause ulcers, bleeding gums, or bad breath; yin deficiency can leave us thirsty or hungry without true desire to eat.

Emotionally, the Stomach relates to how we “digest life.” Just as it breaks down food, it helps us process experiences. Worry, overthinking, or emotional strain can weaken the Stomach, creating a loop of tension and poor digestion.

The Stomach meridian begins under the eye, travels down the face and torso, and along the front of the leg to the second toe. Its broad pathway reflects its central role in nourishment and stability.

Qigong and the Stomach

In Qigong, Earth-element practices stabilise the core and strengthen digestion. In Qigong, movements that spiral through the torso, massage the abdomen, and ground through the legs stimulate both Stomach and Spleen meridians.

'The Provider' - The Integrated Qigong Front Meridian from the book Move Life Better by Deniz Paradot. All rights reserved. ©

Practising with awareness of these channels helps smooth digestion, calm overthinking, and restore balance. Students often report feeling lighter, steadier, and more centred after Earth-based practice — as if both the body and mind have digested and settled.

Seasonal care in late summer

The Stomach resonates with late summer, the season of harvest and abundance. This is the best time to strengthen digestion and build stable energy for the seasons ahead.

Ways to support the Stomach in late summer:

• Eat warm, cooked meals – Soups, grains, and steamed vegetables are easiest to digest.

• Keep mealtimes regular – Avoid skipping meals or eating too late at night.

• Eat mindfully – Chew slowly, sit down, and reduce distractions.

• Limit greasy or sugary foods – Too much “dampness” burdens the Stomach.

• Stay calm while eating – A few deep breaths before meals help the Stomach receive and process well.

The Stomach in balance

When the Stomach is strong, energy feels grounded, digestion steady, and emotions easier to process. It reminds us that nourishment is not just what we eat, but how we take it in — and how we transform both food and life into resilience and vitality.

This post is part of my “Body Wisdom: Living in Balance” series — exploring each organ through both Western and Chinese views, and showing how Qigong helps us embody these insights in practice.

Heart | Pericardium | Small Intestine | Lungs | Large Intestine | Liver | Gallbladder | Spleen | Stomach | Kidneys | Bladder | Triple Warmer | Qigong as Movement Medicine