Food Stagnation

In plain words

They ate more than they could digest and the food has stalled: bloating that will not ease, burps that taste of the meal, and no wish to eat again.

A meal that is too large, too late or eaten in a rush goes beyond what the system can transform at once. What does not go down stays put and ferments. In this framework the contents of the Stomach are meant to descend; when they jam, they push upward instead, which is where the belching, the nausea and that sense of the food sitting high in the chest come from.

Characteristic symptoms

• Sensation of fullness, distension and epigastric heaviness
• Belching with smell of rotten or fermented food
• Nausea and vomiting that temporarily relieves
• Foul-smelling stools or diarrhea that relieves pressure
• Abdominal pain that improves with bowel movement
• Loss of appetite after overeating
• Sour or bitter taste in the mouth
• Insomnia or restless sleep due to digestive heaviness

Key clues to recognize it

• It started after one identifiable meal, not gradually.
• The burps and regurgitation taste or smell of what was eaten.
• The very thought of food is repellent, and there is clear relief after vomiting or a bowel movement.

Tongue and pulse

Tongue

Tongue with thick, white or yellow coating, greasy or dirty

Pulse

Slippery (huá) and full, or tense pulse

Treatment principle

Move Stomach Qi, disperse food stagnation and promote digestion

Common points

Reference formula

Bao He Wan (Preserve Harmony Pill)

What not to confuse it with

What aggravates it

• Eating late and lying down soon after.
• Eating in a rush, standing up, or in front of a screen.
• Fried food, alcohol and heavy mixtures in a single meal.
• Eating while upset or arguing at the table.

Lifestyle advice

Fast for 12-16 hours or eat very lightly until symptoms pass. Walk gently for 15-20 minutes after eating. Chew slowly and eat without distractions. Avoid eating when stressed or rushed. Drink ginger tea or salted plum tea to activate digestion.

When to see a doctor