We often say that excessive dampness in the body significantly affects our health, so what exactly is dampness? If we promptly assess whether there is dampness in our bodies and regulate it in a timely manner, we can avoid the heavy dampness that poses a serious threat to our health.
Dampness is a term in traditional Chinese medicine; it is believed that there is more dampness in hot and rainy weather around the transition from summer to autumn. If there is an excess of dampness in the body, it can lead to various physical discomforts such as sore limbs, dizziness, nausea, loss of appetite, insomnia, and other symptoms. With the multitude of harm dampness can cause to the body, how can we determine if there is dampness in our body?
1. Check for swelling by pressing the shinbone firmly.
Press the shinbone on the inner side of the leg for three to four seconds. Since there is no flesh on the surface of this bone, there should be no indentation when pressed; however, if there is an indentation formed, it indicates swelling. Normally, individuals with this issue would have very noticeable imprints from socks when taken off.
2. Check the roots of the fingers for visible veins.
If you see some visible dark veins on the finger roots, it is also a sign of excessive dampness in the body, which is more commonly seen in people from southern regions.
3. Examine the tongue coating, stickiness indicates phlegm-damp.
If the tongue coating is not white or has thickened, it indicates a problem. If you feel sticky inside your mouth, as if there were threads, it suggests that your body already has about 80% phlegm-damp. Also, if your morning stool is always difficult to clean with water, stubbornly sticking to the toilet bowl, it clearly indicates that phlegm-damp has invaded your body.
Impact of dampness on us:
1. Affects appetite, craving for sweet and snack foods.
2. Easily fatigued, lethargic, difficulties waking up.
3. Swollen hands and feet, difficulty walking, some women walk with their legs apart due to lower limb swelling.
4. Poor sleep quality, frequent insomnia or vivid dreams.
5. Pale complexion, feels cold, excessive clear phlegm, urine is as clear as water.
What are some dietary therapies that can help us eliminate internal dampness?
1. White Hyacinth Bean and Angelica Tea from the medical book “Tai Ping Holy Prescription” for removing dampness.
Ingredients: White hyacinth beans, Angelica sinensis each 5g, Poria cocos, Coix seed, Achyranthes each 3g.
Preparation: Put all ingredients in a pot with 1 liter of water, boil over high heat, then simmer over low heat for 50 minutes until reduced to about 300ml.
Usage: Strain the herbal soup, divide the 300ml liquid into 2 portions, drink it warm on an empty stomach half an hour before meals twice a day. Long-term consumption can help eliminate internal dampness and invigorate the spleen and stomach; here, warm ingestion is essential.
2. Kapok and Poria Tea.
Crush kapok flowers, Poria cocos, eggplant flowers, chrysanthemum, locust flowers, Coix seed, Puerariae lobatae radix, licorice, and other ingredients, simmer in water for 1 hour and then drink. It has anti-inflammatory, diuretic, wind-dispelling, and damp-removing effects.
3. Mung Bean and Codonopsis Pilosula Congee.
Method: Wash 50g of mung beans, 50g of lotus seeds, 100g of Coix seed, 10 red dates, 3g Codonopsis pilosula, and an appropriate amount of rice. Soak all ingredients, except the lotus seeds, for two hours, keeping the core of the lotus seeds. Cook all ingredients together to make congee.
Effect: This congee benefits the spleen and stomach, nourishes the heart, calms the liver, and effectively treats palpitations, insomnia, and heatstroke.
4. Green Bean and Peppermint Congee.
Method: Take 50g of Coix seed, 20g of green beans, 5g of peppermint, 5g of ginseng, and an appropriate amount of white sugar. Lightly simmer the peppermint, then cook the Coix seed and green beans. Once the congee is ready, add the peppermint juice and cook briefly, then add white sugar and consume.
Effect: Clears heat, dampness, regulates the liver and gallbladder.
