Clinically, many patients consult about weight loss, puzzled that they do not eat much and often experience diarrhea, yet their weight does not decrease; they envy others who seem to gain weight just by drinking cold water! Although they are overweight, these individuals are not healthy and often experience fatigue, sweating, and even symptoms like abdominal distension, a sallow complexion, and excessive phlegm.
This is actually determined by individual constitution. In daily life, many diseases reveal information related to constitution. We can see such individuals on our daily commutes, in subways, shopping malls, and schools. Their overweight and distended abdomen, along with a sallow complexion, may likely be due to a phlegm-damp constitution (tan shi ti zhi).
What is a Phlegm-Damp Constitution?
A phlegm-damp constitution arises from dysfunction of the internal organs, leading to impaired movement of qi, blood, and body fluids, resulting in the accumulation of dampness and phlegm. Do you experience any of the following symptoms? Feeling particularly tired upon waking, dizziness, and fatigue; noticing puffy eyes and a swollen eyelid when looking in the mirror; a thick coating on the tongue; a lack of obvious hunger, feeling bloated despite not eating much; oily hair, frequent acne, feeling as if you are wearing wet clothes, and an overall lack of freshness; unformed or sticky stools, and for women, excessive clear vaginal discharge… These are all signs of excessive dampness in the body. If you meet one or two of these criteria, it indicates that you are already affected by dampness. To resolve internal phlegm-dampness, one must focus on transforming phlegm and eliminating dampness, rather than mistakenly believing that a white, greasy tongue coating and sticky stools indicate heat in the body, and relying on a box of Niuhuang Jiedu Wan (Bovine Gallstone Detox Pills) to cure all ailments, which will only lead to further cooling of the body.
So, how is dampness formed?
There are two main organs in the body that manage water and dampness: the kidneys and the spleen. The yang energy of the kidneys is the root of the body’s yang, which can vaporize body fluids upwards and distribute them throughout the body. The spleen is responsible for the transformation and transportation of water and dampness, which includes two aspects: first, the water and fluids ingested must be transformed and transported by the spleen, vaporized into body fluids, and then reach all organs and tissues through the heart and lungs to nourish and moisten them; second, the water and certain waste products after metabolism must also be transported by the spleen to the lungs and kidneys, where they are vaporized into sweat and urine for excretion, maintaining the coordinated balance of body fluid metabolism. Therefore, any factors that damage the spleen and kidneys can lead to excessive dampness, especially since the spleen plays a crucial role in the metabolism of body fluids. The spleen prefers dryness and dislikes dampness; a diet rich in fatty and sweet foods, excessive consumption of raw and cold foods, and overly cool air conditioning can all harm the spleen. When the spleen and kidneys are damaged and cannot effectively transform and transport water and dampness, a large amount of dampness accumulates in the body, causing the tongue to swell and become enlarged, with the edges of the tongue being pressed by the teeth, eventually leading to a scalloped tongue. This dampness mixes with fat, usually accumulating in the abdomen and legs, making one appear overweight. Due to spleen and kidney yang deficiency, the fire of the mingmen (Gate of Life) weakens, preventing dampness from evaporating and causing it to accumulate in the gastrointestinal tract, leading to slow intestinal peristalsis and unformed stools, which is a hallmark of spleen deficiency.
So, how can we eliminate dampness?
1. First, increase physical activity; exercise can generate yang energy, which can warm and transform dampness.
2. Regular abdominal massage can strengthen the spleen. Place your hands over your navel and massage in a clockwise and counterclockwise direction for 60-100 times each; “Regularly tapping Zusanli (足三里) is better than taking health supplements,” as massaging the Zusanli point can also regulate the spleen and stomach.
3. Maintain a regular diet, with meals at set times and portions, avoiding overeating and excessive consumption of raw and cold foods. Incorporate foods that strengthen the spleen and nourish the stomach, such as japonica rice, yam, coix seed (yi yi ren), fox nut (qian shi), lotus seed, and white lentils.
4. Adjust your constitution through TCM herbs to strengthen the spleen, transform phlegm, and eliminate dampness.
Editor: Let’s discuss the term constitution.
In more professional terms, constitution refers to the inherent and relatively stable individual characteristics formed in aspects of morphology, functional activity, material metabolism, and psychological factors. Generally speaking, there are currently no clear laboratory diagnostic standards for evaluating constitution. People mainly assess constitution based on differences in dietary habits, bowel habits, emotional states, and family genetics. For example, the most common types of constitution include balanced constitution, yang-heat constitution, yang-deficiency constitution, qi-deficiency constitution, yin-deficiency constitution, phlegm-damp constitution, blood-stasis constitution, and damp-heat constitution. Of course, in real life, the constitution of different individuals varies widely; only by understanding your own constitution can you engage in targeted health maintenance.
Written by: Chen Yujing, Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University
Original statement: The above is an original work of the “Health Report”. Reproduction requires authorization from this newspaper. Click the link below “Read the original” for self-service authorization for reproduction.