Phlegm and Dampness

(This is Part 2 of Garbage In-Garbage Out, first published on July 18.)

Many of us have trouble with conditions Chinese medicine calls “phlegm” and “dampness.” (These two conditions are related. Essentially, phlegm is a heavy, thick, mucous-y substance that collects in “empty” places like joints, sinuses, and other spaces in the body. Dampness is excess fluid that tends to settle in the lower reaches, such as puffy ankles, bloating, swellings, etc.) Symptoms of both of these conditions include but are not limited to: sinus trouble, headaches, swollen joints, overweight, cysts, arthritis and neuropathy. If you are having trouble with phlegm or dampness, you might want to reduce or eliminate foods that contribute to the problem. Foods most often linked with dampness and phlegm are dairy (yogurt, cottage cheese, milk, ice cream, butter, sour cream, cheese), wheat, and eggs. (Note: the percentage of fat in the dairy products is not the issue, but rather the “milk solids.”) Substituting soy or rice products is simple and often you may not notice the difference. If you must eat bread, consider toasting it rather than eating it un-toasted, or consider eating breads made from spelt, or other non-gluten starters. Another contributor to phlegm and dampness is concentrated foods (foods which are cooked down and made into sauces, jams, purees, etc., such as tomato sauces, apple sauce, pumpkin butter, etc.) It takes about 5 oranges to make a 4 oz glass of orange juice, and 4-5 tomatoes to make a ladle of tomato sauce. Think about eating the “whole food” rather than the concentrated forms.

Next Post will by Part 3 of Garbage In-Garbage Out