Written by Twincitiesherbs.
According to Ancient Chinese Medicine, the root cause of so many health problems is Dampness and many of us especially in the Western industrial countries have it.
So what is Dampness in the body?
Dampness is a condition of having excess fluid like substance in the body. Dampness is considered one of the evils in Traditional Chinese Medicine, capable of disrupting the internal balance of our body. It can negatively impact the energy (Qi) flow (3).
Imagine a house where water is flowing through the inner pipes. You have access to the water only in the bathroom and the kitchen. You should not have water floating around anywhere in the house and the faucets should not be leaking. There should be no water seeping into the house from the outside either.
This same scenario is present in our body. Fluids should be in areas where they are supposed be and should be able to move without impedance. Fluids are important for our body to function properly. It moistens the digestive tract and the mucosa. However, when it is not flowing in its proper place, it can create Dampness (3).
When trapped, Dampness can turn into Phlegm, a more serious condition and can cause stagnation in the body. It may also lead to other more complex problems like tumors and cancer (3).
In our body, our Spleen is mainly in charge of moving this fluid. So if our Spleen is not healthy, we can see Dampness (3).
What can cause it?
- Poor diet: Overeating, eating too much raw, cold, sweet, greasy, processed, poorly grown and sugary foods. Excess alcohol. Eating while distracted. Not chewing our food properly.
- Food intolerance.
- Stress, unresolved emotional problems.
- Inactivity.
- Constitutional weakness. Some people have genetic dispositions toward dampness.
- External damp environment. Humidity. Wet conditions.
- Internal: Poor functioning spleen (2,3).
What are possible symptoms?
- Feeling of heaviness of body and head
- Digestive problems (bloating, diarrhea, constipation)
- Poor appetite
- Copious body secretions, sticky discharges
- Feeling sluggish, tired
- Urinary problems
- Skin problems (thick and dirty fluids oozing out)
- Overgrowth of yeasts, viruses, putrefactive bacteria, parasites
- Joint problems
- Brain fog
- Weight problems (2).
So what can we do?
1. Strengthen digestion.
Use carminative herbs. Carminative herbs support our digestion. They are warming pungent and bitter plants that stimulate and excite secretion from the mouth on down the gastrointestinal canal (1). Cook with these plants on a regular basis. Carminative herbs are paprika, ginger, fennel, cumin, coriander, thyme, garlic, sage, mint, turmeric, rosemary, cinnamon, all spice, caraway seeds, anise seeds, fennel, cardamom, mustard seeds, oregano etc (2). In other words, these are the so called culinary spices. Ancient doctors have added them to our foods so we can have their benefits on a daily basis. Most of my recipes have one or more of these spices.
2. Eat nourishing foods.
According to Hippocrates, a physician who lived about 2000 years ago, “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food”. This is a very powerful statement that sums it all up, our food can either heal us or can be a source of illness. Our food and our body are intimately related.
Nourishing our organs especially the Spleen is crucial to prevent dampness. In addition, according to Chinese Medicine, Phlegm is made in the Spleen and stored in the Lungs. So the health of the Lungs and its twin organ the Large Intestine are important too. Also, the Water element organs, the Kidneys and the Bladder can contribute to the accumulated moisture if they are not transforming the fluids (2). For more information, please check out my blog on the Earth, Metal and Water elements.
3. Emotions
Our emotions can negatively effect our organs and cause Dampness. Use stress relieving methods like meditation or flower essences (4).
4. Exercise
Keep moving. Exercise is good for our digestion, Lungs and keeps fluids moving. It is so good for the whole body in general and can prevent dampness (2).
5. Anti-dampness plants
There are many plants that can help with Dampness. Chicory root, Chamomile or Fennel seeds are great bitter herbs that help dry Dampness (2). Also, there are many excellent foods that we can incorporate into our daily diet. Beneficial foods to prevent Dampness include turnips, burdock, aduki beans, celery, barley, mung beans (2).
6. Keep calm!
Staying calm is a big theme in Natural Medicine. A calm body and mind are essential for health. A stressed body can lead to so many problems including Dampness. It also involves eating without distractions in a pleasant environment and properly chewing our food (3).
The plants mentioned in this post can be drying so use them in moderation or use them with other moistening substances. These include water, oil, small amount of salt. Of course, when served with a meal, this should not be a problem. For the records moistening foods include chard, tomatoes, spinach, barley, millet, pears, seaweed, almonds, eggs, pork, mussels, pine nuts. In addition, moistening herbs include Plantain, Marshmallow, Slippery Elm (2).
Summary
Dampness is one of the most important health problems today effecting a lot of people. It mainly involves our digestive system. Poor dietary habits and life style choices contribute to it. In addition, poorly functioning Lungs and the Kidneys can add to the problem. They can often be prevented with awareness toward what and how we eat and how we live. Of course, avoiding all the things that caused the problem is essential. No wonder people for thousands of years have put a big emphasis on the importance of diet and life style (3).
Note: I capitalized some words in the post. In Chinese Medicine, words that are associated with additional Chinese medicine theories/functions are capitalized to differentiate them from their Western meanings.
The information provided is for educational purposes and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment. Consult your medical care provider before using herbal medicine, particularly if you have a known medical condition, are on any medication or if you are pregnant or nursing.
SOURCES
(1) Mathew Wood. The Practice of Traditional Western Herbalism.
(2) Paul Pitchfort. Healing with Whole Foods.
(3) Giovanni Maciocia. The Foundations of Chinese Medicine
(4) Pablo Noriega. Bach Flower Essences and Chinese Medicine
(5) artaobiherbs.substack.com/p/dampness-food-choice
Photo and text by Twincitiesherbs.
Twin Cities Herbs 