I’m a very energetically Damp person. What do I mean by this? Fundamentally, my body contains a sticky waste substance which is a byproduct of not digesting my food well (or eating too much Damp-producing food). The implications for having too much Damp are broad and varied. It can make a person feel heavy, exhausted, sluggish, lethargic, achy and have difficulty coalescing thoughts. This is because Damp impairs Spleen functioning which is responsible for bringing clarity (clear Qi) to the head. In fact, it damages all the Spleen’s functions including holding Blood (so you may bruise easily or suffer varicosities). Dampness is an insidious thing- it’s turbid and can penetrate everywhere. Personally, it lodges in my joints causing osteo-arthritic pain, know as Wind-Damp Bi syndrome. This means that I feel sore on waking up in the morning, the Damp has had overnight to settle and I require some movement to “get me going”.
When there is excess Heat added into the mix, then Damp transforms to Phlegm leading to other problems like coughing up catarrh, pus-filled acne or forming cyst like nodules under the skin.
Damp people tend to look a bit like me too. Barrel-shaped with puffy skin and a swollen tongue. This waste interferes with the production of Blood so my skin and hair can look dry and pale.
That’s not even the worst thing about Damp. This blog entry is about it’s ability to de-motivate us. It can give us a sense of hopelessness, making us think “what’s the point?”. Then we comfort eat more Damp-producing foods like chocolate or crisps which makes the endless cycle start all over again!
How can we rid ourselves of Damp? It’s really difficult to treat it in such a wet and cold country. A Spleen-friendly diet is essential in order to prevent the production of any additional Damp. Cutting out dairy, refined wheat, sugar, alcohol and limiting raw foods also helps. Not eating late at night or worrying excessively should be a focus too.
However, the most important way of eliminating Damp is EXERCISE. Anything that moves Qi to the point of sweating. Because we are moving into the Yin season of winter, I will start to reduce my clinic in order to care for myself. I will be going to the sauna and doing lots of spin classes to keep my Qi moving, Damp in check and produce more Blood so I can feel well and be of better service to you, my dear patients.