What is dampness?/Problem foods

[Guest guest]

Actually, there are times when what the food is providing needs to

be taken into account. One term for the taking of problem drugs (or

alcohol or food) is " self-medication " , but I don't like that term in

regards to food because sometimes what the person is getting is very

necessary. They just don't know a better way of getting it.

 

I had to cut out all milk for a long time. For me it wasn't just a

matter of Dampness (I didn't know anything about TCM at the time)

but Irritable Bowel Syndrome. The least little bit of milk in any

form - milk sugar, milk fat, milk protein, whey, casienate (sp) gave

me very severe cramps. The cramps were so severe I ended up in the

emergency rooms with them a few times. I was highly motivated to cut

out all dairy, and was successful because of it.

 

At the time, I was very naive, and I believed it when I was told I

could get enough calcium from other diet sources. As time went by, I

began to crave green leafy vegetables. Spinach, collard greens,

kale, Swiss chard, turnip greens, and mustard greens. I literally

could not get enough of them. No matter how many servings I had per

day, I still hungered for more.

 

Eventually I also developed the symptoms of adult rickets. When I

finally figured everything out and started on calcium-magnesium

pills, the extreme cravings for greens stopped. I still like greens

and eat them a lot, but the extreme craving is gone.

 

As far as I know, greens have never been a problem food for me. I

craved them for the calcium and magnesium. I just couldn't get

enough from greens, and hence, the extreme craving.

 

The situation becomes a lot more complicated when the food (or

substance) is something that in addition to providing something the

person needs also is a problem for the person.

 

What the person needs can vary. It can be something of a TCM nature

such as a particular food is supplying Yang, Yin, Qi, etc. or moving

Blood or whatever. It can be certain minerals like in my case.

Certain amino acids. Vitamins. Essential Fatty Acids. The food may

affect serotonim levels in the brain. The person may be craving

sugar because of the brain's need for glucose, or a person can be

craving sugar like in the case of diabetes because the body can't

make use of the sugar it gets.

 

There also can be a psychological component. Like when a certain

food reminds the person of happier times.

 

Sometimes a food may supply more than one thing. For example,

chocolate is Yang-tonic plus affects serotonim levels plus can

remind the person of a happy time.

 

In the psychological category one can also include the society's or

family's or the individual's attitudes toward the particular food

and the beliefs (often erroneous) caused by advertising. Cow's milk

is sold as being good (and necessary) for people. But it's not for

a vast majority of the world's adult population. It's an ok food (in

moderation) for many of northern European ancestory, but even some

of these people can't handle milk.