According to Daoist theories which explain the concordances of our bodies, emotions, mind and spirit with weather, extreme weather changes may damage our digestive function i.e. Spleen and Stomach. This leads to bloating, abdominal discomfort, poor appetite, heavy legs and dull persistent headaches, flatulence, bland or no taste sensation, nausea and diarrhea or alternating constipation and loose stools. This pattern may also be worsened by overthinking (pensiveness) and incorrect diet or overeating. When the weather is hot we naturally eat more cold raw food and icy drinks. If our digestion is weak, this may unbalance our gut flora, and the cold drinks may congeal fats that are eaten at the same time (e.g. beer and pizza), resulting in the above symptoms as well as an increase in food intolerance’s.
This condition may be improved by avoiding foods that increase “Damp” (seen as thick fur on your tongue) and put a strain on the digestion. The foods to avoid are sweets, molasses, wheat, tomatoes, dairy products, nuts, citrus, juices, oils, deep fried foods, ice-cream, pizza, pork, smoothies, pumpkin and icy drinks. The habit of daily cold smoothies, or icy drinks can actually overload the digestion and lead to bloating and irregular bowels or diarrhea. Stress is also factor alongside GMO and fast foods with additives.
Foods That Clear Damp
These foods are used in diet therapy to alleviate some of the symptoms of damp. They are: adzuki beans, rice, alfalfa, mung and kidney beans, well cooked cabbage, sauerkraut, pickles, capers, cardamom, nutmeg, ginger, chicken, clams, dandelion tea, kohlrabi, congee, mandarin peel, lettuce, rye, spelt, sweet potatoes, spring onion, tuna, vinegar, water chestnuts and grilled or baked (not poached) fish.
Siting quietly at a table and eating simple warm foods at the same time each day, then going for a 20 minute gentle walk may really help your digestion. A treatment plan can be done alongside these lifestyle changes to speed up recovery.