Chinese dairy (was Bob Flaw Spleen)

[Guest guest]

> staple of one's diet would probably only be a good idea if you

lived

> in a dry climate.

>

> One speculation of mine (quite unfounded at the moment, of course)

is

> that the reason for dampness problems related with traditional

> Western diets may stem from moving a suitable diet to an unsuitable

> climate. Some parts of Europe can be quite dry at times.

 

After years of having to avoid dairy, I'm finding that a little bit

helps me now. I spent over 15 years in a desert. I'm in a wetter area

now, but I still have some Dryness problems. When it dries out too

much here, I start to have problems again. As soon as it rains or

snows, I feel better. " Drying out " here means a humidity down to

30%. I lived in an area where the humidity rarely got above the

teens and sometimes got to the single digits. Sometimes one can be

in the middle of a rainstorm and not get a drop on you. The rain

evaporates before it reaches the ground because the area is so dry.

 

I'm having trouble finding info on Dry problems. Most books barely

mention Dryness problems.

 

I have started eating more of the Damp foods when it's dry and less

of them when the humidity rises.

 

But when a person has Spleen problems, any Dampness-engendering foods

may be too much, even in a desert. One also has to worry about Dry

Phlegm.

 

For those new to TCM, Phlegm is Dampness that has stayed around too

long and congeled into Phlegm. The Dampness stays around becaues the

Spleen is too weak to transport and transform Fluids. There are

different types of Phlegm depending on other factors that are

present. If Dryness has helped to congel Dampness, this is Dry

Phlegm. If Cold played a role in the formation, this is Cold

Phlegm. If Heat played a role, this Hot Phlegm. Etc. The treatments

will vary according to what type of Phlegm it is (what helped to

cause it).

 

The Stomach likes Dampness and is injured by too much Dryness. But

the Spleen likes Dryness and is injured by too much Dampness. The

Spleen also is vulnerable to injury by Cold. The Kidneys are the

most vulnerable to Cold. The Lungs are the most vulnerable to

Dryness, the Heart to Heat, and the Liver to Wind. (The concept of

Wind includes not only wind but changes in barometric pressure).

Dryness, Cold, Heat, Wind, and Dampness are called Perncious Evils.

Fire also is a Pernicious Evil, and any other Pernicious Evil can

turn into Fire under the wrong circumstances. For example, the Wind

Cold of the common cold can become the Fire of pneumonia if the Wind

Cold becomes trapped.

 

People can encounter Pernicious Evils in the environment. We're

talking weather sensitivity here. The Pernicious Evils that don't

bother most people can invade the body if the Protective Qi is weak.

 

Pernicious Evils also can arise in the Interior of the body. Like

when a person eats too many foods that are Damp-engendering or too

many that are too Cold or too Hot. There are other things as well

that can generate Interior Pernicious Evils. For example, if a

person is Blood Deficient, and this remains untreated, in time the

Blood Deficiency imbalance can trigger Interior Wind. Symptoms like

muscle spasms, tics, etc. can appear. (These are some of the

symptoms of Wind.)

 

Victoria

 

 

Victoria