Structure of the spleen: the spleen is slightly oval in shape. The cellular material consists of lymphocytes and macrophages, which is called the splenic pulp.
Red pulp includes some blood, that is why is read and the white pulp consists of the lymphatic tissue where the lymphocytes and macrophages. Macrophages filter the lymph nodes from debris of dead viruses or bacteria and or dead cell. The macrophages are the defender and cleaner of the blood and lymphatic tissues.
Position of the spleen:
The spleen is surrounded or in contact with the following organs: diaphragm, fundus of the stomach, pancreas and the left kidney. It gets debris from all over the body, including the liver.
Functions:
Erythrocytes (blood cells) are destroyed in the spleen and the breakdown products, bilirubin and iron, are passed to the liver via the splenic and portal veins.
The spleen makes white blood cells, which are the defender of the body. Leukocytes, platelets and microbes, are phagocytosed (eaten and cleared) in the spleen. Unlike lymph nodes, the spleen has no afferent lymphatics entering it, so it is not exposed to diseases spread by lymph. Which is great, as this gives the possibility of clearing the blood and supporting the immune system.
The spleen stores up to 350ml of blood and in response to sympathetic stimulation can rapidly return a large part of this volume to the circulation. This happens in case of emergency such as haemorrhage or also during pregnancy where the body needs more blood circulating around for the baby.
Why is important for the immune response?
The spleen contains the immune response called the T and B lymphocytes, which are activated by the presence of antigens, during an infection. Lymphocyte proliferation (it means making a lot of) during serious infection can cause enlargement of the spleen (splenomegaly).
Erythropoiesis
The spleen and liver are important sites of fetal blood cell production and the spleen can also fulfil this function in adults in times of great need, as mentioned above.
What happens if you do not have a spleen for any reasons?
Well you can easily live without a spleen, the only thing is that has it cleanses the blood and it creates more blood as well as supporting the immune system with its soldiers in some way, you need to either take more regularly antibiotics to help the body get rid of strong bacteria and take probiotics to repopulate your intestinal tract with friendly bacteria so less bacteria gets in through there.
What helps the spleen to stay healthy?
Diaphragmatic breathing, would massage the spleen and get everything circulating well. Same as the liver and other organs that are near the diaphragm.
Foods that would support the spleen would be:
Anything that supports the immune system, such as:
Vitamin C: oranges, mandarins, lemons. Bioflavonoids, (e.g. colourful fruits blue, black, red etc.);
Colourful vegetables and green leafy vegetables;
Ginger and turmeric: powerful antioxidants, anti-inflammatory, support T killer cells.
Rosemary and oregano, basil (fresh herbs): antivirals
Zinc: found in pumpkin seed or meat, or fish; antioxidant, antiviral and more.
Brazil nuts for selenium (1 or 2 a day): antioxidant.
Cooked carrots, squash, pumpkin for beta carotene: antioxidant for the fat cells and the eyes
Avocadoes (if ok with them), olive oil and wheat germ (if ok with wheat) for vitamin E: fat soluble antioxidant.
Vitamin D: as I mentioned previously is not made during the winter time, so taking up to 2000 iu a day from November till April in England is essential for everyone. Vitamin D is an essential part of the immune system and has been shown to have anti-cancer properties. Click here to read more.
Supplements after a splenectomy that is suggested, is spleen extract taken almost every day for life. These are extract of specific spleen protein that would cleanse the blood and support the immune system.
Other factors affecting the immune system:
A positive attitude towards life and a healthy lifestyle can help the entire immune system to be at its optimum level, including reducing stress, which cause the adrenals and the liver to overwork, as well as a lot of oxidation and inflammation, which in turns more work for the spleen to clear.
Eating healthy for your own body system, with plenty of green leafy vegetables, water, fish and meat with ok, or vegetarian meals as long as they contain enough of proteins, if you are vegan make sure that you have enough vegetarian protein in your diet as well as B12 food or take extra supplement with that.
Each of us are different and while some people thrive with a vegan and vegetarian diet, others would do very badly and gets sick. So, you need to know what is the best diet for you and your body. Some foods are not great for everyone, the main ones, as everyone knows by now, are dairy, eggs in some people, soy in others, wheat and or gluten in others, and many other foods that could be causing a low-grade inflammation for a particular individual, even though they do not. Hence my using NAET for testing, which after almost 9 years, has worked for the majority of the people I worked with, apart for the once that have something else, such as intolerances (not breaking down big molecules or specific molecules) or parasites, dysbiosis of the gut (the bacteria in the gut are all over the place), or some pathway in the liver do not work well genetically, or the person has got constant constipation that cannot be changed by diet alone and many more.
Craniosacral therapy (CST) and the spleen
Craniosacral treatments would help the spleen by supporting the clearing and any blockages in the entire system, either blockages in the spine, or liver or even the lower abdomen and the elimination part. Too much tension in the entire body would cause the lower colon to get tight and not be stimulated enough to go. Too much stress would switch the parasympathetic nerves in the lower sacral area and lower abdomen off. As the parasympathetic nervous system is important for digestion and elimination of your food and food toxins, making sure that the two are switched again when not under a rush or work is essential for the entire body system to work well, including the immune system. Craniosacral therapy would let the entire body and mind reconnect again and give the message to the brain that the body is not under extreme danger and that the sympathetic response of danger that it is in, can now be switched off. Click here to read more about stress and its effect on the body.
And on the final note, Christmas is near and drinking water between drinks or eating healthy meals as much as possible, will make you stay healthy in body and mind. Reduce or avoid MSG if you think is affecting you and most of all Enjoy Life without damaging yourself!
© Maria Esposito BSc (Hons) Nutritional Therapist – NAET – R-Craniosacral Therapist
Craniosacral Healing /Nutrition NAET/Mindfulness living/ NlP health coach /mind body and soul 