Some people may have a normal weight, but they still look a bit chubby. This is often actually due to edema. So, how can you get rid of water retention and stop being the "puffy" version of yourself? Here's a guide to expelling dampness for you to learn!
Sun Li, a well-known wellness enthusiast, has updated her wellness guide again, this time focusing on expelling dampness, which is crucial for women. No one wants to look puffy and weigh several pounds more than they actually do! However, not everyone needs to expel dampness.
To expel dampness, first check if you are a "damp-heavy" person.
According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) experts, a weak spleen is a major cause of dampness. In TCM, the "spleen" refers to the entire transportation and transformation system, including organs like the spleen, stomach, liver, pancreas, small intestine, and large intestine. It involves multiple systems such as digestion, immunity, and circulation.
Sallow complexion, dark spots, dull skin; body bloating, obesity, fatigue, lethargy; lower back pain, muscle松弛; irritability... these are all signs of dampness. If you frequently experience these symptoms, you need to expel dampness.
Exercise is essential for expelling dampness!
The spleen plays a vital role in the body, governing Qi and blood in the intangible sense, and governing muscles in the physical sense. People who sit for long periods and don't sweat easily are more prone to developing a "damp-heavy" constitution due to a weak spleen. Health experts advise that no matter how busy you are, women should get moving. Regularly engage in moderate aerobic exercises like yoga, brisk walking, jogging, or cycling.
Nourish your spleen through diet, and dampness won't return!
Remember to eat fermented foods.
Fermented foods have unique flavors and aid digestion, making them the best for nourishing the spleen and stomach. Examples include leavened foods, fermented beans, fermented tofu, yellow wine, beer, wine, yogurt, cheese, and fermented rice. TCM considers all of these to be nourishing for the spleen and stomach. Western nutritionists have also proven that fermented foods are a beneficial supplement to a healthy diet, helping to improve intestinal metabolism.
Leavened Thousand-Layer Pancake
Only eat healthy sweets.
In TCM, the "sweet" flavor enters the spleen, and sweet-flavored foods are very beneficial for it. However, "sweet" and "bland-sweet" are very different from the "sweet-cold" we often encounter. Chinese pastries and candies can be considered "sweet," while fruits like apples and peaches, which have a neutral nature, are "bland-sweet." Both are good for the spleen and stomach, but Western desserts and dairy products are considered "sweet-cold" in TCM and are not suitable for frequent consumption.
Keep classic "spleen-tonifying" Chinese patent medicines on hand.
For example: classic patent medicines for tonifying the spleen, such as Dashan Zha Wan, Jianpi Xiao Shi Wan, Ping Wei San, Fuzi Lizhong Wan, and Renshen Jianpi Wan, can be used according to instructions. Alternatively, you can go to a professional TCM clinic to have a tailor-made pill or powder formulation prepared that suits your specific constitution.
"Damp-heavy" women can often take the "Bazhen Cake" as a dietary supplement.
As the saying goes, "food therapy is better than medicine therapy," a concept also shared in TCM with the idea that "medicine and food share the same origin." Dangshen, Caoguo, and Chenpi beef soup is an excellent and delicious therapeutic recipe that can be eaten regularly. Additionally, the traditional "Bazhen Cake" is also very nourishing for the spleen and stomach. Legend has it that the long-lived Emperor Qianlong's recipe for Bazhen Cake changed as he aged, and later, Empress Dowager Cixi created a version for women, leading to the later distinction between "Men's Bazhen" and "Women's Bazhen."
Wellness Bazhen Cake
Don't overindulge in fruit.
Many fruits are inherently cool or cold, such as watermelon, pears, and bananas. Women with dampness and a weak spleen should opt for fruits that are less harsh on the spleen, such as peaches, apples, citrus, apricots, and plums, and should not eat too much. Cooking fruits before eating them can also be beneficial.
Wang's Cooked Pear
Be mindful of your meat choices!
People with a weak spleen should be selective when eating meat. Beef, yellow croaker, oysters, cuttlefish, and abalone are the most nourishing for the spleen and stomach. Women with dampness should eat less raw fish slices, shrimp, crab, and other cooling foods.
Double Mushroom Beef Balls
Choose the right staple food.
TCM believes: "wheat is heating, while rice is cooling." People with poor spleen and stomach health should primarily eat wheat-based foods, especially leavened foods like steamed buns and bread, which are better choices than rice for nourishing the spleen and stomach.
Occasionally eat something sour to protect the liver, and in turn, the spleen.
In the TCM theory of the five elements and their interactions, the liver and spleen have a mutually supportive relationship. Therefore, nourishing the liver also nourishes the spleen. The "sour" flavor enters the liver meridian; only when the liver is healthy can the spleen and stomach be strong. You can occasionally eat sour foods like plums, lemons, and rice vinegar.
Recommended soup for tonifying the spleen and expelling dampness—Lotus Seed and Gordon Euryale Seed and Red Date Paste.
Lotus seeds and Gordon Euryale seeds are known as the "water treasures." Regular consumption can invigorate the spleen and nourish the stomach.
Ingredients: Fresh lotus seeds, Gordon Euryale seeds, dried red dates (for those with a weak spleen and stomach, it is recommended to peel them).
Method: Soak the red dates until soft, then place them in a pot with fresh lotus seeds and Gordon Euryale seeds. Add enough water to cover the ingredients. Simmer until the food is tender. If you prefer it sweet, add rock sugar. Finally, thicken with some lotus root starch to make a delicious dessert for expelling dampness. Dried tangerine peel has the effect of regulating Qi, invigorating the spleen, drying dampness, and resolving phlegm. Ginger can warm the stomach, open the senses, and promote the body's expulsion of dampness and toxins, making it a great combination for this purpose.
Red Date and Tremella Soup
Cooked Coix Seed and Red Bean Soup.
Coix seed, known as "Yi Yi Ren" in Chinese medicine, is listed as a superior herb in the "Shennong Ben Cao Jing." It can treat dampness impediment, benefit the intestines, reduce swelling, invigorate the spleen and stomach, and with long-term use, can make the body light and Qi strong.
Red bean, known as "Chi Xiao Dou" in Chinese medicine, also has significant effects of promoting urination, reducing swelling, and strengthening the spleen and stomach. Because it is red, and red corresponds to the heart in the five elements, it can also nourish the heart.
Ingredients: Coix seed, red beans.
Method: Add enough water to a pot, bring to a boil, then turn off the heat and let the coix seed and red beans steep in the hot water for half an hour. Reheat to a boil, then turn off the heat again and let it steep for another half hour. The red bean soup is ready. For people who overthink, strain their minds excessively, and have little exercise, they often have a pale complexion, lack of energy, and may even experience palpitations, drowsiness, a heavy head, and a feeling of emptiness in the chest. This is a sign of internal dampness combined with insufficient heart Qi. You can add some longans to the coix seed and red bean soup when cooking. Longans are sweet and warm, can stimulate the appetite, invigorate the spleen, calm the mind, and nourish the blood. They can also revitalize heart Yang and warm heart Qi, making a person feel energetic and full of vitality.
Cooked Coix Seed and Red Bean Soup