Expert of this issue: Yang Ting, attending physician of Sub-Health Department, Oriental Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine
As the scorching summer arrives, many friends have started their weight loss plan, thinking about wearing beautiful shorts and skirts. However, if you have a phlegm-damp constitution, are you facing setbacks in the weight loss journey again this time? How can individuals with a phlegm-damp constitution effectively lose weight during this crucial summer time? Here are a few suggestions.
I. Pay attention to diet.
People with a phlegm-damp constitution must note: Avoid excessive dieting!
Our bodies are very intelligent; when we are starving, our bodies think that we might be going through a famine. To help us conserve energy and maintain basic bodily functions, the body’s metabolism automatically slows down.
Keep in mind that the metabolism of those with a phlegm-damp constitution is already slow. Therefore, trying to lose weight through dieting will only further slow down the metabolism, making weight loss more difficult. This is why many people become even heavier through dieting, and quickly hit a plateau. What’s worse is that solely relying on dieting for weight loss will inevitably lead to rebounding, with the phlegm-damp constitution experiencing more severe rebound effects.
So, what should the diet of individuals with a phlegm-damp constitution focus on?
1. Avoid raw, cold, greasy, and sweet foods, especially in summer. Raw, cold, greasy, and sweet foods all increase the burden on the spleen and stomach, leading to abnormal digestion and absorption, exacerbating phlegm-dampness. Summer is the weakest period for the spleen and stomach – if you drink cold beverages and eat ice cream every day, harming your spleen and stomach, it will significantly impact the weight loss effect and harm your health.
2. When cooking, individuals with a phlegm-damp constitution can add some pungent spices such as cardamom, basil leaves, cinnamon, bai zhi, cloves, and grass fruit. Most pungent spices have the effect of warming the middle and resolving dampness, which is beneficial for regulating a phlegm-damp constitution.
3. Strictly limit staple foods and ensure sufficient protein intake. Control the intake of refined grains like rice and white flour and replace them with coarse grains. At the same time, ensure an adequate intake of lean meat, eggs, and dairy products. This is essential for maintaining the body’s metabolism. Avoid cooking methods like deep-frying and braising, and focus more on steaming and boiling. Especially for breakfast, consuming sufficient protein not only ensures energy supply throughout the day but also prolongs the feeling of fullness, helping control overall daily food intake.
II. Don’t be lazy; get moving.
Did you know that when you rely solely on dieting to lose weight, you lose more muscle than fat? This explains why many people feel a loss of strength, decreased physical endurance, and increased fatigue after losing weight. Moreover, stopping dieting will inevitably lead to rebounding, and the regained weight will mostly be fat. Hence, those who repeatedly diet will find that after several cycles, their bodies become soft and flabby, and each subsequent weight loss becomes slower.
Therefore, a scientifically balanced diet combined with appropriate exercise is essential. This is the key to avoid rebounding, and once it becomes a habit, you can persist in maintaining a good figure and health in the long term.
Individuals with a phlegm-damp constitution should note that in summer, do not choose swimming as a form of exercise, and avoid exercising in poorly ventilated basements, as this can aggravate dampness. It’s advisable to avoid the hottest midday and afternoon hours, to prevent heatstroke. It’s best to exercise in the early morning, outdoors with fresh air, which is conducive to the ascending of spleen and stomach yang qi, beneficial for dispelling dampness.
III. Use moxibustion for dampness expulsion in summer
Due to the heavy summer humidity in the external environment and the relatively weak spleen and stomach internally, individuals with a phlegm-damp constitution tend to worsen in summer. In addition to the above dietary and exercise methods, moxibustion can be used to invigorate the spleen and dispel dampness, and improve metabolism. Moxibustion’s warm and dispersing nature has a good effect on dispelling phlegm-dampness. Common acupuncture points include Zusanli, Fenglong, Chengshan, Yinlingquan, Zhongwan, and Guanyuan. Select 2-3 acupuncture points daily, and moxibustion each point for 5-10 minutes every morning. Persisting throughout the summer will have a good effect on improving the phlegm-damp constitution.
We hope that with the correct methods, everyone can get healthier and slimmer this summer.
