As summer arrives, the weather begins to heat up. After the Xiaoman solar term, rainfall increases, and the “dragon boat water” frequently arrives, leading to higher humidity in the air, which can easily cause excessive dampness in the body. Therefore, it is necessary to prevent the invasion of “damp-heat” that can harm the body.
In summer, the word we hear the most is “dampness.” Patients often start their consultation with, “Doctor, I have a lot of dampness.”
In fact, many daily behaviors can easily lead to “dampness”, which can be categorized into 15 types. If we do not reduce these behaviors, the effectiveness of the damp-dispelling formulas we consume will be greatly diminished. At this point, it is easy to blame the damp-dispelling formulas and think they are exaggerated scams.
1. Spending long periods in a humid environment.
The air in humid environments contains high levels of moisture. When people are exposed to such environments, their skin and respiratory tract absorb more moisture.
Especially in places like bathrooms and laundry rooms, where water vapor and moisture content are high, spending too much time in these areas can lead to excessive absorption of moisture by the body, and when moisture cannot circulate within the body, it forms dampness.
2. Wearing tight or non-breathable clothing, especially in hot and humid weather.
When people wear tight or non-breathable clothing, the clothes cling to the skin, obstructing the evaporation of sweat, causing sweat to accumulate on the skin’s surface. The skin cannot breathe or sweat normally, leading to the production of dampness. Especially in hot and humid weather, people tend to sweat a lot, and wearing non-breathable clothing can cause sweat to remain on the skin, further increasing dampness.
Therefore, in hot and humid weather, we should wear loose and breathable clothing to allow sweat to evaporate and the skin to breathe. At the same time, we should maintain personal hygiene, bathe frequently, and change clothes to reduce the time sweat accumulates on the skin, avoiding the production of dampness. Additionally, we should pay attention to our diet and emotions, maintain good lifestyle habits and mindset, which will benefit our health and reduce the production of dampness.
3. Excessive energy consumption leading to body overheating, such as vigorous exercise or prolonged exposure to high-temperature environments.
In high-temperature environments or during vigorous exercise, the body needs to expend more energy to maintain normal body temperature. To lower body temperature, the body sweats profusely, and sweat contains a large amount of water and electrolytes, such as sodium, potassium, and chloride. When sweat evaporates, it takes away heat from the surface of the body, thus lowering body temperature.
However, when the body excessively consumes energy, is exposed to high-temperature environments for long periods, or engages in vigorous exercise, the amount of sweat excreted increases. At this time, the body loses excessive water and electrolytes, and the body’s dampness will also increase. If the body’s dampness is not expelled in a timely manner, it will remain in the body, forming dampness.
Therefore, in high-temperature environments or during vigorous exercise, we should promptly replenish water and electrolytes to ensure the balance of moisture and electrolytes in the body, reducing the production of dampness. At the same time, we should appropriately control the duration and intensity of exercise to avoid excessive energy consumption and minimize overheating. Additionally, we should pay attention to our diet and emotions, maintain good lifestyle habits and mindset, which will benefit our health and reduce the production of dampness.
4. Overeating or consuming overly greasy, sweet, or spicy foods can easily lead to digestive disorders, resulting in dampness.
When people overeat or consume overly greasy, sweet, or spicy foods, these foods can irritate the gastrointestinal tract, leading to poor gastrointestinal motility and decreased digestive function, resulting in digestive disorders. Digestive disorders can cause food to remain in the gastrointestinal tract for too long, leading to an increase in dampness in the body. Additionally, overeating can also lead to excessive burden on the body, consuming internal moisture and energy, further exacerbating the accumulation of dampness.
Therefore, in terms of diet, we should pay attention to controlling our food intake, avoid overeating, and reduce the consumption of overly greasy, sweet, or spicy foods to avoid irritating the gastrointestinal tract and causing digestive disorders. At the same time, we should focus on a diverse and balanced diet, appropriately consuming vegetables, fruits, and whole grains to ensure body health and reduce the production of dampness. Additionally, we should pay attention to our diet and emotions, maintain good lifestyle habits and mindset, which will benefit our health and reduce the production of dampness.
5. Frequently staying up late, excessive fatigue, and emotional repression can easily lead to an imbalance of yin and yang in the body, resulting in dampness.
The balance of yin and yang in the body is an important guarantee for health. An imbalance of yin and yang can affect the body’s metabolism and immune function, leading to various diseases, including dampness. Frequently staying up late, excessive fatigue, and emotional repression can cause an imbalance of yin and yang in the body, specifically manifested as:
a. Staying up late can disrupt the body’s biological clock, affecting metabolic function and thus impacting the balance of yin and yang.
b. Excessive fatigue can lower the body’s immune function, preventing the timely expulsion of dampness from the body, leading to dampness.
c. Emotional repression can hinder the circulation of qi and blood in the body, leading to an imbalance of yin and yang, increasing the production of dampness.
Therefore, in daily life, we should pay attention to maintaining good lifestyle habits and mindset, avoiding the influences of frequently staying up late, excessive fatigue, and emotional repression to ensure the balance of yin and yang in the body. Additionally, we should engage in appropriate exercise, pay attention to diet, and maintain the health and immune function of the body to reduce the production of dampness.
6. Frequently consuming cold drinks, ice cream, and other cold foods can increase dampness in the body.
The dampness in the body mainly refers to metabolic waste and toxins that, if not expelled in a timely manner, will remain in the body, forming dampness. Cold drinks, ice cream, and other cold foods can cause the capillaries on the skin’s surface to constrict, reducing the body’s ability to dissipate heat, thus preventing metabolic waste and toxins from being effectively expelled, leading to the accumulation of dampness.
Additionally, cold drinks, ice cream, and other cold foods can irritate the gastrointestinal tract, leading to digestive disorders, which further affects the body’s metabolic function and increases the production of dampness. Moreover, these foods themselves contain large amounts of sugar and fat, and excessive intake can burden the body, also leading to the production of dampness.
Therefore, in daily life, we should pay attention to controlling the intake of cold drinks, ice cream, and other cold foods, avoiding excessive consumption. At the same time, we should drink more warm water and appropriately consume foods that help expel dampness, such as Shan Yao (Chinese Yam) and Yi Yi Ren (Job’s Tears), to ensure body health and reduce the production of dampness.
7. Frequently eating raw and cold foods, such as sashimi and oysters, can easily lead to spleen and stomach weakness, resulting in dampness.
The main reason is that these foods can affect the body’s digestive and absorption functions, leading to spleen and stomach dysfunction, which can trigger dampness.
The spleen and stomach are important organs for digestion and nutrient absorption in the body. If the spleen and stomach function is impaired, food cannot be fully digested and absorbed, leading to dampness. Raw and cold foods have a cool nature, which can easily cause coldness in the spleen and stomach, reducing their digestive and absorption functions, thus affecting the body’s ability to digest and absorb food, resulting in dampness.
Additionally, raw and cold foods may contain bacteria and parasites. If not adequately cooked, they can cause infections, further exacerbating spleen and stomach weakness and increasing dampness.
8. Frequently consuming high-sugar foods, such as candies and chocolates, can easily lead to increased dampness in the body.
The main reason is that these foods contain large amounts of sugar, and excessive sugar intake can increase metabolic byproducts in the body, leading to dampness.
The sugar consumed by the body is broken down into glucose during digestion, which is then metabolized to produce energy. However, if sugar intake is excessive, it can lead to an overproduction of glucose metabolism, resulting in a large amount of metabolic byproducts, such as lactic acid and heat, which can increase dampness in the body, leading to dampness.
Additionally, high-sugar foods can cause rapid spikes in blood sugar levels, leading to excessive insulin secretion. If this continues for a long time, it can lead to insulin resistance, affecting the body’s metabolism of sugar and increasing dampness.
9. Sitting or standing still for long periods can cause qi and blood stagnation, leading to dampness.
The main reason is that such prolonged sitting or standing can lead to poor circulation of qi and blood in the body, resulting in dampness.
The qi and blood in the body flow through meridians and blood vessels. If one sits or stands still for long periods, the circulation of qi and blood slows down, affecting the body’s normal metabolic functions, leading to dampness.
Additionally, prolonged sitting or standing can slow down the body’s metabolism, preventing waste and toxins from being expelled in a timely manner, further increasing dampness.
10. Living in a humid environment, such as rooms without ventilation or poor lighting, can promote dampness.
The main reason is that such environments lack air circulation, preventing moisture from being expelled in a timely manner, which can easily lead to the growth of dampness and mold, triggering dampness.
11. Frequently consuming sticky foods, such as rice cakes, noodles, and dumplings, can easily lead to increased dampness in the body.
Starchy foods are broken down into glucose during digestion, which is then metabolized to produce energy. However, excessive intake can lead to an overproduction of glucose metabolism, resulting in a large amount of metabolic byproducts, such as lactic acid and heat, which can increase dampness in the body, leading to dampness.
Additionally, sticky foods can slow down the operation of the digestive system, preventing waste and toxins from being expelled in a timely manner, further increasing dampness.
12. Frequently using air conditioning can lead to dry air, which can cause dampness in the body.
The main reason is that the cooling process of air conditioning reduces indoor moisture, leading to dry air, which affects the body’s dampness balance, resulting in dampness.
13. Frequently smoking and drinking can lead to the accumulation of toxins in the body, resulting in dampness.
The main reason is that these behaviors can lead to the accumulation of metabolic byproducts and waste in the body, affecting the body’s dampness balance, leading to dampness.
Both tobacco and alcohol contain a large number of harmful substances, such as nicotine and alcohol, which can damage the body’s internal organs and tissues, affecting metabolism and waste expulsion functions. These harmful substances can accumulate in the body, affecting the dampness balance, leading to increased dampness.
Additionally, smoking and drinking can reduce the body’s metabolic function, preventing normal metabolism, leading to the accumulation of waste and toxins in the body, increasing dampness.
14. Frequently wearing damp socks or shoes can easily breed bacteria, leading to foot dampness.
The main reason is that humid environments are ideal for the reproduction of bacteria and fungi, and the feet are one of the parts of the body that sweat the most. If one wears damp socks or shoes, it can lead to foot dampness.
15. Frequently using cosmetics or using expired cosmetics can lead to skin allergies, resulting in dampness.
The main reason is that the chemicals in cosmetics can irritate and damage the skin, affecting the normal metabolism and excretion functions of the skin, leading to an imbalance in the body’s dampness, resulting in dampness.
Additionally, if expired cosmetics are used, the chemical components may decompose over time, producing harmful substances that can irritate and damage the skin, leading to an imbalance in the body’s dampness, resulting in dampness.
For those who frequently engage in these behaviors, we can make use of our Si Shen Tang (Four Gods Soup) for soup preparation.
Si Shen Tang (Four Gods Soup)
The Four Gods refer to Fu Ling (Poria), Qian Shi (Fox Nut), Lian Zi (Lotus Seed), and Huaishan (Chinese Yam). When combined in a ratio of 1:1:1:1, we have what we call Four Gods Soup.
In the work of dealing with dampness, these four partners each play their role and cooperate with each other, forming an “anti-damp factory”:
Fu Ling acts as the main garbage truck, patiently collecting the excess “dampness garbage” from our bodies and transporting it away bit by bit.
Qian Shi serves as a wastewater treatment plant, using its energy to convert some of the “dampness garbage” into useful fluids, while the parts it cannot handle are transformed into urine, expelled from our bodies.
Lian Zi acts as a lubricant, soothing these partners as they work hard against dampness, allowing them to focus on their tasks without breaking down.
Meanwhile, Huaishan serves as an engine, providing energy to its partners when they lack motivation in their fight against dampness.
Thus, when they join forces, the dampness garbage in our bodies will surrender in fear.
Organic dietary therapy takes timeOrganic ingredients + correct food pairing + persistence will yield the desired results
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I am Wu Bin
An organic health food practitioner
Glad to be friends with you
Private WeChat: haibinwu1985
