Hello everyone, I am Dr. Mi.
Recently, with the high temperatures and rainy weather of the plum rain season, how to eliminate dampness has become a topic of concern for many.
Every day, readers leave messages asking me: Dr. Mi, I have eaten a lot of foods to eliminate dampness, why do I still have a thick and greasy tongue coating, sticky stools, small blisters between my fingers, athlete’s foot, and various symptoms of dampness appearing?
Red beans and coix seeds are useless!
Unified response to everyone – two reasons:
1. External environmental factors
Look outside, it is now the fifth month of the lunar calendar, which is traditionally known as the toxic month of May, where various evils of wind, cold, heat, dampness, and heat are intertwined.
2. Internal factors of the human body:
In the fifth month of the lunar calendar, Yang energy is on the surface, while there is internal coldness.
Only eliminating dampness without tonifying Qi will lead to the return of dampness.
This principle is like a machine that has rusted and aged; it produces a lot of oil waste (dampness) during its daily operation.
Eliminating dampness is equivalent to cleaning the waste from this machine.
But why does this machine keep producing waste?
Essentially, it is because it is rusted, aged, and its operational capacity is weak;
Therefore, while eliminating dampness, it is essential to add oil to this machine, maintain it, and tonify Qi.
As long as this machine can operate smoothly, it will not produce waste every day.
So how can we eliminate dampness while tonifying Qi?
Today, I recommend a good item that can both eliminate dampness and tonify Qi: Wuzhi Maotao (Five-Finger Peach).
Although its name contains the word “peach,” Wuzhi Maotao is actually not related to peaches.
It is a plant from the Lingnan region, specifically the root of the Moraceae family plant, Ficus macrophylla. It is named Wuzhi Maotao because its leaves resemble a palm, and its fruit, when ripe, looks somewhat like a fuzzy peach.
Many people from the north may not have heard of Wuzhi Maotao, but people from Guangdong and Guangxi are very familiar with it; many Lingnan people have grown up drinking soup made with Wuzhi Maotao.
Why do people in Lingnan like to drink it?
Because the local environment nurtures the local people.
What are the climatic characteristics of the Lingnan region? High temperatures, heavy rainfall, and humidity.
How does this environment affect people?
In hot weather, people tend to sweat.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), there is a saying that “Qi is lost with sweat.”
This means that when a person sweats excessively, Qi will also be lost.
Just like after a fever, when a lot of sweat is lost, a person will feel fatigued, weak, and powerless.
If a person is in a sauna-like state for a long time, they will gradually become Qi deficient, feeling easily fatigued, prone to colds, frequently falling ill, and experiencing spontaneous sweating…
This is what TCM refers to as Qi deficiency (deficiency of righteous Qi), where the soldiers defending the body’s immunity are insufficient, which is what Western medicine describes as a decrease in immunity.
If a person is already Qi deficient and has decreased immunity, and then encounters a humid and rainy environment…
At this time, the evils of wind, cold, heat, and dampness can easily invade our joints, muscles, and meridians… ultimately leading to poor circulation of Qi and blood in the body, resulting in what TCM calls Bi syndrome, which is similar to what is now referred to as rheumatoid arthritis, manifesting as joint pain, numbness, swelling, etc.
Now, let’s look at Wuzhi Maotao.
Its properties can precisely address the above two points; it is pungent, sweet, and neutral, tonifying the spleen and Qi, transforming dampness, and relaxing the tendons.
It both tonifies Qi and alleviates deficiency while transforming dampness and expelling evils.
Why is it easy for enemies to invade?
Sometimes it is not because the enemy is too strong, but because the people inside the city have divided themselves, giving the enemy an opportunity.
The occurrence of disease is similar; first, there is insufficient righteous Qi, and then external environmental evils of wind, cold, heat, and dampness take advantage of the weakness, leading to a sudden onset of illness.
Therefore, when Master Lu Zhizheng treats rheumatoid arthritis, how does he do it? Based on the principles of dispelling wind, eliminating dampness, scattering cold, and nourishing blood, he uses a large amount of Wuzhi Maotao to tonify the spleen and Qi, transform dampness, and relax the tendons.
Master Deng Tietao also loves to use Wuzhi Maotao; when treating Qi sinking, he combines Wuzhi Maotao with Huang Qi (Astragalus), Dang Shen (Codonopsis), and Sheng Ma (Cimicifuga); for treating lung deficiency cough, he combines it with Zi Wan (Aster), Bai Bu (Stemona), and Ku Xing Ren (Bitter Apricot Seed); and for treating spleen deficiency with water retention, he combines it with Fu Ling (Poria), Bai Zhu (White Atractylodes), and Yi Yi Ren (Job’s Tears).
Especially in treating myasthenia gravis, he treats it from the perspective of the spleen, supporting the righteous Qi, and the dosage of Wuzhi Maotao is even larger, often reaching 30-90 grams.
He believes that Wuzhi Maotao, like Huang Qi, has the effect of tonifying Qi and alleviating deficiency, but unlike Huang Qi, which has a drying nature and can easily generate heat when tonifying Qi, Wuzhi Maotao tonifies Qi more gently, especially suitable for patients who cannot tolerate tonification.
Therefore, in the Lingnan region, Wuzhi Maotao is often referred to as “Nan Qi” (Southern Qi), as it is more easily absorbed than Huang Qi.
So how should it be consumed?
I recommend a Wuzhi Maotao dampness-eliminating soup.
Ingredients: 15g Wuzhi Maotao, 3g Peilan (Eupatorium), 30g Qian Shi (Euryale), 15g Chao Yi Yi Ren (Fried Job’s Tears), 2g Chen Pi (Dried Tangerine Peel), 30g Duck Meat (replace with Matsutake for vegetarian version).
Method: Add the above ingredients to 2000ml of water, simmer on low heat until reduced to 300ml, and consume in portions, about 30ml each time.
Why not just use Wuzhi Maotao alone?
Becausewhile tonifying Qi, we must also consider eliminating dampness, promoting urination, and regulating Qi, so that the tonification feels comfortable.
Just like when leading troops into battle, how do we make this team strong and elite?
First, we need to reorganize the troops, clearing out the “bad elements” and “old hands” within the ranks.
Similarly, when tonifying Qi, we must first clear out the turbid Qi and dampness from the body before tonifying.
Chen Pi can regulate Qi and reduce stomach Qi, allowing turbid Qi to exit;
Peilan is fragrant, can aromatically transform dampness, and can also promote lung function, like opening a window for the body; “the lung is the upper source of water” and promoting lung function can also promote urination and eliminate dampness;
Qian Shi and Chao Yi Yi Ren further eliminate dampness and promote urination, allowing dampness to exit through urination;
After clearing these out, adding Wuzhi Maotao to tonify Qi and transform dampness is perfect.
At this point, everyone must be waiting for the Wuzhi Maotao advertisement?
Not at all, I am serious about discussing TCM…
Finally, I want to say: People with heavy dampness are mostly due to Qi deficiency, especially spleen Qi deficiency, which prevents the spleen from transforming and transporting water and dampness, causing water and dampness to accumulate in the body, leading to heaviness, oily skin, sticky stools, eczema, athlete’s foot, and so on.
Next, the minor heat will soon arrive, and the weather will become increasingly hot, leading to more sweating, and as Qi is lost with sweat, we will become more prone to spontaneous sweating, fatigue, and symptoms of Qi deficiency…
Why do we live?
It all relies on a breath of Qi.
During the major and minor heat, remember to nourish Qi and eliminate dampness whenever you can.
If you want to learn how to make soup for your children with me, please leave a message!
Before I find high-quality Wuzhi Maotao,
use the “dehumidifying and calming” “dehumidifier” first,
Wen Dan Tang (Warm Gallbladder Decoction)
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