Discover the Best Foods to Combat Body Dampness: Tips and Tricks for a Healthier You
Sharing a Tip from My Acupuncturist: I hope it helps you, too!
Dampness represents a condition existing within the body that is a reflection of dampness as it occurs in nature. Dampness arises from the body being affected in several ways. It can be due to either a problem arising from the inability of the digestive system to transport fluids or from the body being overwhelmed by external dampness from the environment (damp weather, damp living conditions, damp-producing foods). It can also arise as a response to an illness or from the overuse of medication that promotes dampness, such as certain antibiotics. Phlegm is seen as a condensed form of dampness. Foods to resolve dampness include:Dampness represents a condition existing within the body that is a reflection of dampness as it occurs in nature. Dampness arises from the body being affected in several ways. It can be due to either a problem arising from the inability of the digestive system to transport fluids or from the body being overwhelmed by external dampness from the environment (damp weather, damp living conditions, damp-producing foods). It can also arise as a response to an illness or from the overuse of medication that promotes dampness, such as certain antibiotics. Phlegm is seen as a condensed form of dampness. Foods to resolve dampness include:
Grains: Corn, barley, basmati riceGrains: Corn, barley, basmati rice
Vegetables: Alfalfa sprout, button mushroom, caper, corn, pumpkin, radish, turnipVegetables: Alfalfa sprout, button mushroom, caper, corn, pumpkin, radish, turnip
Fruit: Papaya, lemon, umeboshi plumFruit: Papaya, lemon, umeboshi plum
Beans: Azuki, lentilsBeans: Azuki, lentils
Fish: Eel, tunaFish: Eel, tuna
Herbs: spices Aniseed, garlic, horseradish, marjoram, nettle, parsley, white pepperHerbs: spices Aniseed, garlic, horseradish, marjoram, nettle, parsley, white pepper
Beverages: Green tea, raspberry leaf tea, jasmine teaBeverages: Green tea, raspberry leaf tea, jasmine tea
Foods that are useful to resole damp combining with heat.Foods that are useful to resole damp combining with heat.
Vegetables: Asparagus, celery, Chinese cabbageVegetables: Asparagus, celery, Chinese cabbage
Fruit: Blueberry, cranberryFruit: Blueberry, cranberry
Beans: KidneyBeans: Kidney
Herbs, spices: TamarindHerbs, spices: Tamarind
Foods that are useful to resolve phlegm.Foods that are useful to resolve phlegm.
Vegetables: Button mushroom, olive, radish, shiitake mushroom, watercressVegetables: Button mushroom, olive, radish, shiitake mushroom, watercress
Nuts, seeds: Almonds, walnuts
Fish: Lobster
Herbs, spices: Caraway, cardamon, garlic, horseradish, marjoram, mustard seed, thyme, white pepper
Beverages: black tea, soya milk
Common supplements: horseradish and garlic
Foods that are useful to resolve phlegm with heat.。
Vegetables: seaweed, radish, water chestnut
Fruit: Apple peel, grapefruit, lemon peel, pear, persimmon, tangerine peel
Herbs and spices: Liquor rice
Beverages: Elderflower tea, grapefruit juice, peppermint tea
Foods to avoid in cases of dampness
It is essential hat those prone to dampness avoid excessive amounts of food that will contribute to promoting dampness in the body these include:
- Dairy products: this includes milk, cheese, ice cream and all foods that contain high amounts of dairy products such as dairy milk chocolate. It is important to read food labels as some food (such as muesli) may contain high levels of milk powder. Yoghurt is perhaps the exception to the dairy food rule, as I have observed that women do not appear to respond to this as they do other dairy foods. Sheep and goat products are regarded as less prone to causing dampness.
- Pork and rich fatty meats
- Roasted peanuts, including peanut butter
- Concentrated fruit juices, especially orange and tomato juice
- Excess refined wheat products
- Bananas
- Sugar and sweeteners
- Saturated fats, especially deep-fried foods
In dampness and phlegm, t is important to nourish the Spleen, which means that the consumption of raw, cold and processed sugary or fatty foods need to be limited to aid the spleen’s essential digestive function.
Compiled by Debra Betts author of “The essential guide to Acupuncture in Pregnancy and Childbirth” ©2006
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