"Dampness" - the Root Cause of Arthritis, Poor Digestion, and Fatigue

In Chinese Medicine, dampness is one of the 6 types of “Evil Qi.“

Damp is usually a side-effect of a Deficiency of Qi or Yang, plus exposure to damp elements. 

Signs of dampness can include

• mucous (runny nose, phlegm, vaginal discharge)
• a swollen tongue
• weight gain
• fatigue
• water retention
• lack of appetite
• bloating
• mental fog 
• joint pain
• symptoms get worse with rainy or damp/humid weather

CAUSES OF DAMPNESS

If you live in a humid environment, you're more susceptible to damp energy.

If you work out or swim, make sure to change out of sweaty clothes as soon as possible!  Never sit around in a wet swimsuit or damp clothes — especially undergarments. 

After you wash your hair, blow-dry it before you lie down to sleep at night. If you know you're going to be in a cool environment, dry your hair first so it doesn't sit there wet on the back of your neck for potentially hours at a time. 

The back of your neck is where the "Evil Damp Qi" sneaks in.  Keep this area warm & dry. 

Certain foods bring on the damp as well:  

Anything that’s sweet — juices, sugary candy, soda, and even refined grain products like crackers, pretzels, and bread will amplify dampness. 

Dairy, especially ultra-pasteurized milk, cheese, and yogurt is very damp. 

The Impact of Stress

Too much worrying ("student syndrome"), makes you more prone to damp. Over-thinking effects your Spleen in Traditional Chinese Medicine.  In TCM, your Spleen affects your blood cells, digestion, and the transformation of fluids in your body.  

Reducing Dampness 

Some foods help to reduce damp:  

Try eating more bitter foods like leafy green vegetables (kale, mustard greens, dandelion greens, parsley), and celery. 

Also, citrus peels are bitter, so oranges eaten with the white inner peel, or lemon/orange peel zest added to meat dishes can help reduce dampness.  

Turnips, radish, kohlrabi, asparagus, and broccoli are great as well. 

Foods that are high in fiber help eliminate damp.  Include whole grains like quinoa, brown or wild rice, and pearl barley (also called Job’s tears) in your diet.  I would stay away from wheat products, which tend to promote dampness, even the whole wheat varieties.

Also, just to clarify, drinking water does NOT make you damp.  Drinking enough pure water for your body’s needs will help you be in balance, so please keep doing that.   

In fact, one of the best solutions for bloating and indigestion is a warm cup of water. 

Warm water, hold the ice.  Ice causes more contraction and restriction in the digestive tract. 

Warm water promotes movement. 

Kind of like a river - a frozen river doesn't move as much, right?  A cup of warm water (herbal tea is optional) with a squeeze of lemon is the best treatment for post-dinner bloating. 

Herbs that can help: 

Peppermint (especially if you're more hot-natured), ginger (especially if you're more cold-natured), and orange or tangerine peels (for anybody).  

I really like this herbal formula for bloating and indigestion as well.  It contains ginger and tangerine.  Take 2 after big meals or whenever you want to improve your digestion.  

Exercise also helps your body remove dampness.  

A post-dinner walk is one of the best things you can do for your digestion and longevity.  

What About De-Humidifiers? 

I just bought one and was surprised at just how damp my home was. The water container filled up twice in less than 24 hours.

I think whether or not this works for your home depends on where you live and how humid the air is there. 

Ideal in-home humidity is between 30-50%. You can check a resource like the weather channel and see what your area is like. Austin is very humid. 

Reducing the humidity in your house helps you feel less sticky, especially when it's hot out; reduces internal damp signs (frequent illness; indigestion; fatigue; etc.); and keeps your home as close to mold-free as you can.