Over the last few days lots of patients have been telling me they have more phlegm, coughs, runny nose and uncomfortable stomachs, heavy head, fuzzy head, less appetite, sore and tight joints, tiredness and low mood. All of these symptoms are indicative of dampness in the body.
What is dampness?
Dampness comes from our external environment or internally in the body. It may be due to Qi (Energy) deficiency preventing us from moving fluid from the inside to the outside of the body, or the external dampness from the weather or living conditions. Or eating and drinking excessively. It can stay in our body to make us unwell.
Apart from the symptoms listed above, how do we know more if we have dampness in the body?
1. Difficult to wake up in the morning and or puffy eyes and face
2. The tongue is bigger and has teeth marks. The coating on the tongue is thick and creamy.
3. Coughing with phlegm, heaviness in the head, sleepiness, poor memory, feeling depressed or anxiety and sometimes a heavy feeling on the chest.
What can we do?
Lifestyle:
- Exercise daily.
- Make yourself sweat lightly by having a warm soup or hot tea.
- Eat light food, with less salt.
- Have a nap if you can.
- Do not sleep or sit in a damp place. Keep your clothing and linen dry.
- Make sure clean the mould in the house and have indoor ventilation.
Food tips
Food tips:
- Have pumpkin soup with ginger.
- Barley with mung bean soup – add 1 handful each of barley and mung beans, simmer in 1 litre of water or more for half an hour.
- Drink ginger tea, use more ginger in cooking, eat a bit more onion and garlic.
- Make sure to go to toilet every day.
- Drink less cold icy drinks, eat less sweet, fat and creamy foods, and drink less alcohol.
Qi Gong tips:
- Reverse breathing – breathe in and expand your stomach out, breathe out hold your stomach in. Do this a few times in a row, and a few times each day.
- Massage your stomach and ribs in a circular motion.
Being healthier makes you happier and being happier makes you healthier.
Traditional Qi’s two concepts are prevention and wisdom.
Written by Angela Tian Zhu,
Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner
Qi Gong & Tai Chi instructor.
Copyright 2022
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