▲ Professor Hao Wanshan, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Chief Physician, Doctoral Supervisor
No matter how many strange and ugly methods exist, there is one ugly condition that exists calmly, called “Phlegm-Damp Ugly”.
Having acne that can ooze pus is one such condition. Acne is actually the phlegm and turbid substances within the body, circulating with the blood, and since there is no outlet for detoxification on the face, it has to emerge through the skin, forming acne.
Abdominal obesity that cannot be controlled is another. A large belly is often a sign of a phlegm-damp constitution, where some people are not fat elsewhere, but their abdomen is surprisingly plump and soft, which is also mostly due to phlegm-damp.
Yellowish and dull complexion, loose flesh is another sign. People with phlegm-damp must have a deficiency of spleen yang; the spleen governs the muscles, and heavy phlegm-damp will first turn them into a yellow-faced woman, then into a black one. Such people will have loose flesh.
Dark circles and bags under the eyes are also a sign.
If you have always felt heavy with dampness but cannot get rid of it, it is time to wake up and learn some truths!
Long-term heavy dampness that cannot be eliminated must be due to insufficient yang
The yang energy of the human body is like the sun in the sky; if our yang energy is sufficient, even if dampness appears, it can be evaporated. If our internal yang energy is insufficient, dampness will spread like fog, unable to be transformed or excreted.
Over time, dampness will turn into phlegm-like sticky substances, accumulating in the five organs and six bowels or joints, blocking the meridians, becoming phlegm-damp. At this point, eating simple foods like “Red Bean and Job’s Tears Porridge” to eliminate dampness will no longer be effective; it is essential to warm and tonify the yang energy of the organs, particularly the spleen and kidneys.
Since the spleen is responsible for the transformation and transportation of water, dampness, and phlegm, it can be said that: friends with chronic heavy dampness must have a deficiency of spleen yang.
Six Self-Assessment Methods for Heavy Dampness
The body feels heavy—people feel drowsy, heavy, and lack energy.
The body feels cold—limbs feel cold, complexion is pale, bluish, or purplish.The body is decaying—recurrent oral ulcers, frequent skin diseases, rhinitis, pharyngitis, pelvic inflammatory disease, ulcers, etc.Unexplained diarrhea, constipation, or sticky stools that do not flush clean.
Prone to swelling, joint pain, back pain, and lower back pain.
Not very thirsty but forgets to drink water.
The Key is the Tongue Diagnosis
Thick and greasy tongue coating: A prolonged phlegm-damp state can lead to kidney qi deficiency, insufficient kidney yang, and kidney water cannot control fire, thus generating false heat, resulting in uncomfortable symptoms of heat.
What to Do About Heavy Dampness? Regularly Press These Points Where Dampness Easily Accumulates
▲ Fenglong Point
Pressing the Fenglong Point, located 8 cun above the outer ankle, 1.5 cun lateral to the anterior border of the tibia, between the tibia and fibula. Generally, press twice a day for 3 minutes each time. Long-term pressing can eliminate phlegm and turbid substances; people with obesity often have phlegm-damp, so Fenglong Point is also a weight loss point.
The name Fenglong originally refers to the thunder god in ancient mythology. The Fenglong Point, as the name suggests, uses the sound of thunder to expel the turbid dampness from the spleen and stomach like rain. Therefore, massaging this point frequently during the rainy season is very effective for strengthening the spleen and eliminating dampness.
▲ Zhongwan Point
Pressing the Zhongwan Point can strengthen the stomach and spleen, promoting the transformation and transportation of the spleen and stomach. When locating the point, lie on your back; the midpoint of the line connecting the lower end of the sternum and the navel is this point. You can rub the point with your fingertips or the palm for 2-5 minutes, or massage Zhongwan for 5-10 minutes with the palm or four fingers.
▲ Yinlingquan Point
Yinlingquan is the He-Sea point of the spleen meridian, where the qi of the spleen meridian starting from the toes penetrates deeply. It can strengthen the spleen and eliminate dampness. It is located below the knee, along the inner side of the tibia, and the depression where it turns inward is where Yinlingquan is located. Press and rub here for more than 10 minutes daily.
For those with heavy dampness, pressing the Yinlingquan point will be painful; for those with spleen deficiency, dampness can easily accumulate here, leading to a yellowish complexion over time. Scraping the Yinlingquan point can help internalize dampness, clear damp-heat, strengthen the spleen, and regulate qi.
Another Recommended Damp-Removing Soup Recipe
As mentioned earlier, friends with chronic heavy dampness must have a deficiency of spleen yang. Therefore, those with phlegm-damp must tonify the spleen while eliminating dampness.
When it comes to strengthening the spleen, everyone must think of eating yam; however, yam is not very helpful for eliminating dampness, as it is better for spleen yin deficiency. Instead, these foods can strengthen the spleen: such as Poria cocos, five-fingered peach, lotus seeds, fox nuts, Bai Zhu (White Atractylodes), and dried ginger.
Here is a soup recipe for damp removal: 30 grams each of five-fingered peach and Poria cocos, and a small handful of the others; there are no strict quantity requirements, but the white lentils must be roasted, as raw white lentils are slightly toxic, while roasted ones are more effective for strengthening the spleen and drying dampness.
Phlegm-Removing Tea Recipe: Lentil and Yam Tea
Method: 30 grams of yam, 30 grams of roasted white lentils, and 3 grams of dried tangerine peel. Boil these three ingredients in water to extract the juice, and sugar can be added for flavor. This tea recipe strengthens the spleen, benefits qi, transforms dampness, and stops leucorrhea. It can be consumed as tea regularly.
Due to spleen deficiency, yellow-brown spots, dark circles, and “love handles” can easily occur, along with various sagging issues. Friends who are troubled can regularly drink this tea to eliminate phlegm and turbid substances.
The Most Cost-Effective Way to Remove Dampness: Outdoor Exercise
People with heavy dampness are often the laziest. They prefer to sit rather than stand, lie down instead of sitting, and sleep whenever they can. This laziness can be cured by eliminating dampness.
If you truly want to remove dampness, exercise is essential. Moreover, outdoor exercise is crucial; when fresh air and energy come in, the yang energy rises, allowing the accumulated turbid qi to be expelled. This is the most direct and cost-effective method.
However, those with long-term heavy dampness often have qi deficiency, so they should not start with overly exhausting exercises; jogging or brisk walking is sufficient.■
【Further Reading】
Hao Wanshan: After the Autumn Equinox, Pay Attention to Preventing “Autumn Sadness” and Appropriate Health Care!
After the Autumn Equinox, autumn officially begins. At this time: ① The sun reaches 180 degrees of longitude, with day and night evenly divided into 12 hours each;② The days are getting shorter and the nights longer in the Northern Hemisphere, with increasing temperature differences between day and night;③ After the Autumn Equinox, gradually adjust to an early sleep and early rise;④ After a rain in autumn, it gets cold; remember to add clothes appropriately, and it is best to air out autumn clothes before wearing them;
This season, the sky is high and the air is fresh, making it suitable for outings and mountain climbing. Have you felt it officially entering autumn?
Ancient people believed that thunder occurs due to the abundance of yang energy, and after the Autumn Equinox, yin energy begins to flourish, so there is no more thunder. Some insects that emerged during the Spring Equinox will return to the soil to prepare for winter after the Autumn Equinox. The moisture gradually dries up, and the air becomes drier. During the Autumn Equinox, most regions of our country have entered the cool autumn season, where the cold air moving south meets the gradually diminishing warm and humid air, resulting in repeated rainfall and decreasing temperatures. After the Autumn Equinox, the phenomenon of shorter days and longer nights becomes more pronounced, with increasing temperature differences between day and night. This season, the busy activities of autumn harvest, autumn plowing, and autumn planting become particularly intense. At this time, the North China region has begun sowing winter wheat, while the Yangtze River basin and southern regions are busy harvesting late rice, seizing sunny days to plow the land and prepare for rapeseed sowing.
The Autumn Equinox is one of the more important solar terms of the year, marking the true beginning of autumn in the Northern Hemisphere. At this time, the damp heat has dissipated, and the climate is dominated by “dry evil,” leading to a killing atmosphere. It is easy to experience dryness in the mouth and nose, sore throat, dry stools, dry skin, etc. In the golden autumn season, the sky is high and the air is fresh, making it a good time for various sports and exercises, such as mountain climbing, jogging, walking, playing ball, swimming, and taking cold baths; or practicing the Five Animal Frolics, Tai Chi, doing Ba Duan Jin, or fitness exercises. Before the Autumn Equinox, there is still residual heat, so it is often seen as warm dryness; after the Autumn Equinox, the autumn wind blows in, causing temperatures to gradually drop and coldness to increase, leading to cool dryness. To prevent cool dryness, one must persist in exercising to enhance physical fitness and improve disease resistance. After the Autumn Equinox, the climate gradually cools, making it a season prone to the onset and recurrence of stomach diseases. The gastrointestinal tract is very sensitive to cold stimuli, so those with chronic gastritis should pay special attention to keeping the stomach warm. When it comes to tea, it is best to drink warm teas, such as ripe Pu-erh, black tea, or 7-year-old aged white tea. In terms of dietary adjustments, try to eat less pungent foods like scallions and ginger, and consume more sour and sweet fruits and vegetables. At the same time, autumn dryness can easily damage body fluids, leading to dryness in the throat, nose, lips, and causing dry cough, hoarseness, dry skin, and constipation. It is advisable to choose more sweet and cold nourishing foods, such as lily, tremella, yam, autumn pears, lotus root, persimmons, sesame, and duck meat, to nourish the lungs, generate fluids, and clear dryness. Drink more water and eat clear and moist foods to nourish yin, moisten the lungs, and generate fluids. In terms of mental health, one should be aware that the autumn climate is gradually turning dry, with reduced sunlight and decreasing temperatures, which may lead to feelings of melancholy, hence the saying, “Autumn winds and autumn rains make people sad.” Therefore, at this time, people should maintain a calm mind, mitigate the impact of autumn’s killing atmosphere on the body, and gather their spirits to adapt to the peaceful energy of autumn. At the same time, one should maintain a positive mental attitude.
What Should Be Noted for Health Care After the Autumn Equinox?Early to Bed and Early to Rise After the Autumn Equinox, the sleep schedule should be adjusted to an early sleep and early rise state, meaning going to bed around 9 or 10 PM and waking up around 6 or 7 AM.
Five Dietary Tips to Prevent Colds 1. Eat some radish; 2. Boil hibiscus with brown sugar, ginger, and black tea to make a soup; 3. Drink honey water; 4. Consume scallions, ginger, and garlic daily; 5. Eat more apples and pears.
Add Autumn Clothing After the Autumn Equinox, when engaging in outdoor activities, be sure to add clothing appropriately, and cover yourself well at night to prevent catching a cold. It is best to air out clothes before wearing them. Elderly individuals should add some thicker clothing as needed, and those with chronic gastritis should pay special attention to keeping the stomach warm.
Mountain Climbing for Exercise The golden autumn season, with its high sky and refreshing air, is a great time for various sports and exercises, such as mountain climbing, jogging, walking, playing ball, etc. Especially mountain climbing can improve the human circulatory system, increase lung capacity, and invigorate energy.■
【Source: Hao Wanshan Talks About Health】
