Article | Luo Dalun Illustration | Eight Years Editor | Yun Shao
Many friends often think they are physically weak, and when they meet me, they ask: “Dr. Luo, we have some supplements at home, including ginseng, sea cucumber, cordyceps, and bird’s nest. Which one should I take for supplementation?”
Now that autumn has arrived, many people are starting to prepare for winter supplementation, which is a custom in the south and is important for protecting the body.
However, this matter really depends on one’s constitution; first, one must avoid inappropriate supplementation! For example, ginseng is a great health tonic. Sir Run Run Shaw, a billionaire from Hong Kong, lived over a hundred years, and during his lifetime, he took wild ginseng for a long time, consuming a root worth twenty thousand Hong Kong dollars daily. Later, he learned qigong and gradually reduced his intake. However, he became increasingly healthy and lived to a hundred. On the other hand, some people may experience nosebleeds after taking it. Why is that? Because ginseng tonifies Qi; for those with Qi deficiency, taking it will improve their health. However, if one has Yin deficiency or excess heat, taking it will only increase the heat, leading to nosebleeds as a natural consequence!
Therefore, supplementation must consider one’s constitution; do not get the direction wrong.
Additionally, some constitutions should not be supplemented at all but rather need to be cleared, such as the phlegm-damp constitution we are discussing today.
First, let’s look at what “dampness” is.
Dampness refers to the moisture we intake, which the body cannot fully transform and excrete due to certain reasons, resulting in retention that obstructs the circulation of Qi and blood, known as endogenous dampness.
External dampness refers to the dampness from the weather. When both combine, the situation becomes more severe.
So, what is the “phlegm” in phlegm-damp?
In TCM, phlegm is categorized into “visible phlegm” and “invisible phlegm.” Visible phlegm refers to the phlegm we cough up. Invisible phlegm refers to pathological fluids that are thick and sticky within the body, such as phlegm formed from the accumulation of dampness or phlegm resulting from excessive consumption of rich and fatty foods leading to metabolic waste retention.
When dampness increases, phlegm also increases, and the presence of phlegm further exacerbates dampness. The combination of phlegm and dampness is like adding fuel to the fire.
What does the tongue of a phlegm-damp constitution look like?
Let’s take a look at this tongue photo!
What symptoms do people with a phlegm-damp constitution exhibit?
Let’s list them one by one!
1. Tongue appearance: The tongue is enlarged, with a slippery and greasy coating, thick, and the color of the coating is white or yellow, often with teeth marks on the sides.
2. Body shape and complexion: The body is overweight, especially with a soft and full abdomen, limbs easily swollen, facial skin oily, complexion pale yellow and dull, eyelids slightly puffy, prone to drowsiness, and snoring loudly during sleep.
3. Oral and bodily sensations: The mouth feels sticky, lips are pale, rarely feeling thirsty, and not wanting to drink water. Sweating easily, sweat is sticky, and after sweating, the skin feels cool, with a heavy sensation in the head and body, often feeling dizzy, joint pain, numbness of the skin, and prone to tinnitus.
4. Sensations and sleep: The body feels sore and weak, lethargic, and easily drowsy. Chest tightness, excessive phlegm, prone to gastrointestinal discomfort, and a preference for rich and fatty foods.
5. Bowel and bladder: Frequent, unformed stools that stick to the toilet, and cloudy urine.
6. Pulse: The pulse is slippery and soft.
7. In Western medical examinations, individuals with a phlegm-damp constitution have significantly higher cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein, and blood sugar levels compared to those without this constitution.
I estimate that many friends are starting to feel they have a tendency towards this phlegm-damp constitution, and will thus ask: “What should I do?”
It is important to remind everyone that people with this constitution should not easily supplement; if they do, it is like adding fuel to the fire, making things worse. I once saw a phlegm-damp constitution entrepreneur who was prescribed a tonic by a master, and that prescription contained almost all the tonifying herbs I had ever seen, tonifying Qi, blood, Yin, and Yang all at once, probably following a textbook formula. Ultimately, this entrepreneur became dizzy and fainted in public.
So, how should people with a phlegm-damp constitution regulate themselves?
It’s very simple: clear phlegm through diet and strengthen exercise.
For this constitution, I suggest eating more radishes and cabbage, and less rich and fatty foods. If one can resist and change their taste, there is hope to change their constitution.
Additionally, exercise is crucial; if individuals with this constitution can persist in exercising, it will greatly benefit their recovery.
I remember a friend I met while teaching at the Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business, named Zhu Guofan. He founded a company called Liangzi Fitness, headquartered in Beijing, and at that time, he was studying at the Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business. He invited me to visit their company and shared his story, which amazed me.
This Mr. Zhu is from Henan, and he is very confident about his health, having never undergone a health check. Later, by chance, he went to Shanghai for a business trip and was persuaded by a friend to get a check-up. The results shocked him; his indicators were particularly poor, with issues like “three highs” and fatty liver. He then asked the doctor what medicine to take. The doctor said no medicine was needed, just exercise. He asked, “What kind of exercise?” The doctor replied: walk!
Upon hearing this, Mr. Zhu thought, isn’t that just walking? Great! I’ll walk and see if it works!
So, he left the hospital, returned to the hotel, packed his bag, and started walking from Shanghai to Beijing!
He walked for about two months, prioritizing his health over work, focusing solely on walking.
Then, upon arriving in Beijing, he didn’t go home but went directly to the hospital for a check-up.
What were the results? I bet everyone can guess; his health was completely normal! All indicators were normal!
This example shows us that exercise can solve many problems; this phlegm-damp constitution, characterized by excessive nutrition, is very suitable for exercise.
Now I see Mr. Zhu Guofan’s Weibo, and he is doing nothing else but leading everyone to walk, organizing an activity called “Extraordinary Footprints,” walking everywhere. Previously in California, then in Australia, and recently in the Gobi Desert, it seems he is now in Shanghai, leading a large group of people to walk around the world, which is quite joyful.
So, if one wants to use herbal formulas to resolve phlegm and dampness, what should be done?
I suggest using Wen Dan Tang (Warm Gallbladder Decoction) to soak your feet.
The formula is as follows:
30 grams of Fu Ling (Poria), 6 grams of Ban Xia (Pinellia), 9 grams of Chen Pi (Aged Tangerine Peel), 6 grams of Zhi Gan Cao (Honey-Fried Licorice), 6 grams of Zhu Ru (Bamboo Shavings), and 6 grams of Zhi Shi (Bitter Orange).
If there is cold phlegm, and the body always feels cold with a snow-white tongue coating, add 5 slices of fresh ginger. If it is phlegm-heat, such as a red tongue with a sticky coating that is slightly yellow, then do not add ginger.
You can boil this formula, then mix the decoction with warm water to soak your feet, twice a day for twenty minutes each time. Pregnant women should avoid using this. Generally, using about five doses will yield results.
After achieving results, if the tongue coating becomes thinner and no longer thick and greasy, you can take one or two boxes of Xiang Sha Liu Jun Zi Wan (Aromatic Sand Six Gentlemen Pills) for follow-up care.
However, everyone must remember that this constitution is closely related to lifestyle habits, so physical exercise and a light diet are the true remedies for improvement!
I believe that if you see your tongue indicating a phlegm-damp constitution, you should live like a rabbit, munching on radishes and cabbage every day, and bouncing around. You see, not only will you be healthy, but you will also become more adorable!
Related articles link:
“Cupping | Cupping Therapy for Phlegm-Damp Constitution”
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