Foods that remove dampness.

[Guest guest]

What are some foods (not herbs) that one could eat to promote diuresis

and remove dampness?

 

Also what are some foods to stay away from if you have excess dampness?

[Guest guest]

Chinese Traditional Medicine , " strawberrykiwi143 "

<sweetgurl4eva15 wrote:

>

> What are some foods (not herbs) that one could eat to promote

diuresis

> and remove dampness?

>

> Also what are some foods to stay away from if you have excess

dampness?

 

Two of the most Damp-engendering foods are dairy and wheat.

 

The sweeter a food is, the more Damp-engendering it will tend to be.

Especially when sweet is combined with sour. " Therefore, Chinese

medicine identifies a number of especially dampening foods. These

include such sweet and sour foods as citrus fruits and juices and

tomatoes, such concentrated sweets as sugar, molasses, and honey,

and such higly nutritious foods as wheat, dairy products, nuts,

oils, and fats. " (The Tao of Healthy Eating by Bob Flaws, p.17.)

 

One of the worst foods from a TCM standpoint is ice cream. It's

dairy, it's sweet, it has fat, and it's cold in temperature.

Remember the basic TCM physiology that food in the Stomach has to be

heated to 100 degrees F before it can be properly digested. When

people consume chilled foods, it puts an extra burden on the Stomach

and body. It takes extra Qi to warm chilled foods up to 100 degrees.

If a person habitually eats and drinks chilled substances, this

sometimes can lead to the Stomach becoming overheated. A conditioned

reflex is set up, and the Stomach becomes too Hot. One of the

possible manifestations of pathoglogical Heat and Fire in the

Stomach is excessive appetite.

 

A good, basic diet from a TCM standpoint is a diet in which cooked

vegetables predominate. Raw foods should be limited as they put an

extra strain on the body and are harder to digest than cooked foods

are. " Cooking " in TCM cam be very light cooking. Some (not all)

people who are sick do benefit from including small amounts of

certain raw foods in their diets. But these should be small amounts.

People with strong Spleens can handle more raw food than people with

weakened Spleens. Healthy digestion is dependent on a healthy

Spleen, and many of the symptoms of Spleen Qi Deficiency are

digestive system symptoms. When a person is sick - especially when

the person has been sick for some time - the benefits of certain

enzymes in certain raw foods quickly can be cancelled out by the

extra burden raw food puts on the body.

 

Rice is considered the best grain because it does have diuretic

properties, and diuresis is one of the ways to get rid of Dampness.

 

I want to mention a caution about diuretic foods and herbs. If too

many are taken or ones that are too strong for the individual, they

can damage the body's Yin. The " treatment " will create problems that

didn't exist before. The term " Yin " (like the term " Yang " ) is both a

specific and a general term. Yin cools, calms, and moistens. (Yang

warms, activates, and dries.) There is " good " Yin, and there

is " bad " Yin. (Just like there is " good " and " bad " Qi.) Proper

moistening is " good " Yin. Dampness is " bad " Yin or what sometimes is

translated as pathological Yin or " Evil Yin " . Dampness is a Yin

pathogen or Yin Evil.

 

I want to caution readers who have to cut back severely on dairy

products or eliminate them entirely because of Dampness problems,

Spleen weakness, and/or various problems with dairy. In the US and

many Western countries, the primary way of getting enough calcium is

through dairy products. You will need to look into getting enough Ca

via pills or some other method. Otherwise cutting back too much or

entirely eliminating dairy eventually can trigger adult rickets

and/or some other problems. The good news is that after the Spleen

is strengthened and Dampness elminated, the person often can go back

to eating dairy in moderation.

 

I also want to caution readers about eliminating too many fats from

the diet. This is not a " if less is good, none is better "

situation. There are certain fatty acids which the body cannot

manufacture but needs. These are called Essential Fatty Acids

(EFAs). They are the omega-3 and omega-6 fats. The fats that are the

most damaging are the hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated,

artifically manufactured fats. The omega-3s and omega-6 are

necessary for health and life.

 

Diets in TCM are as individualized as herbal and acupuncture

treatments. These are general, guideline remarks.

 

From a TCM standpoint, a balanced meal is one that includes all 5

tastes (flavors) in the ratios that the individual needs. Spicy (aka

pungent, aka acrid), salty, sweet, bitter, and sour. Some modern TCM

healers differenciate between sour and astringent. They do have

different properties. The flavor of a food will tell something about

its properties. For example, herbs and foods with a bitter taste

tend to have a very cooling effect on the body and a drying effect.

Many of the herbs with a bitter taste do have antibiotic-like

actions. One needs to be careful with these herbs and foods if one

suffers from Yin-Deficiency or some other Dryness imbalance. Yin

cools, calms, and moistens. Yin Deficiency Heat also is called

Deficiency Heat because the person is too Hot because there's not

enough Yin to cool the body properly. Yes, the bitter tasting herbs

and foods will help the Heat problem, but it will aggravate the

dryness problem. Bitter herbs and foods often are mixed with spicy

and with sour herbs in order to balance out potential side effects

of the bitter herbs and foods.

 

Some foods and herbs have more than one flavor. For example, Wu Wei

Zi, aka schizandra, contains all 5 flavors though it's predominate

flavor is sour.

 

There is a 6th flavor: Bland. Bland tasting herbs and foods tend to

gently remove Dampness. They penetrate into areas of the body that

the actions of other herbs don't reach. Bland-tasting herbs (like Fu

Ling, aka poria) often are used to treat chronic Interior Dampness.

If one goes to an extreme with bland herbs and foods, the digestion

can become sluggish. TCM stresses balance.

 

It is possible to have both Dampness and Dryness problems at the

same time. Just like a person can have both Heat and Cold imbalances

at the same time.

[Guest guest]

Usually bitter food do it. use a little of pungent too to help qi flow. Try not

to eat raw foods.

Some examples to remove damp.

azuki beans, alfaffa, garlic, green tea, pumpkin,radish, turnip.

Roberta

-

strawberrykiwi143

Chinese Traditional Medicine

Tuesday, August 22, 2006 12:42 AM

[Chinese Traditional Medicine] Foods that remove dampness.

 

 

What are some foods (not herbs) that one could eat to promote diuresis

and remove dampness?

 

Also what are some foods to stay away from if you have excess dampness?

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Chinese Traditional Medicine , " strawberrykiwi143 "

<sweetgurl4eva15 wrote:

>

> What are some foods (not herbs) that one could eat to promote diuresis

> and remove dampness?

>

> Also what are some foods to stay away from if you have excess dampness?

>

 

In general - the major sources of excess dampness in foods are acids,

salt, sweets, and fat. The foods that remove and or balance these

substances are alkalines - spice (pungent)- and bitter. Fried foods -

meats - eggs - acid fruits - acid vegetables - sugars - white flours-

bakedfoods - eating too much - poor digestion (many possible causes)

certain drugs or herbs (like aspirin or Rehmannia), etc. can cause

excess acids and the body naturally holds water to help dilute and

eleminate these acid forming substances. Salt is of course a major

player in dampness(in many more ways than are usually understood).

 

Adrenal health is essential for proper water metabolism since

aldosterone is the hormone responsible for balancing the water

regulating minerals potassium and sodium.

 

So traditionaly people remove dampness by cutting back on acid forming

foods and salt - increasing foods that balance and or remove the

excess water, acids, and salt. Since ancient times people thought that

increasing non-acid fruits and vegetables and cutting back on meat,

sweets, and salt will quickly remove pathological water. In modern

terms we are reducing excess acids and salt and rebalancing the blood

with alakaline substances. Traditionally small amounts of pungent and

bitter substances were added to facilatate the diuretic processes.

Diuretics are not the correct way to approach this problem since it

will only be a compensation maneuver - the best way to solve the

problem is to stop eating foods and taking substances that make us

hold water and instead eat foods and take substances which keep our

Yin flowing in natural healthy ways.

 

If one wants to use food as medicine -with specific medical effects on

the blood or the organs - then there are excellant books that describe

the medicinal effects of common foods in the body. Dr.Henry Lu - Bob

Flaws - Paul Pitchford (sp?) have widely read books on this subject.

My father has always followed a system that uses only food as medicine

and only a few herbs and spices. Most Ayurvedic texts will give the

effects of foods on the doshas - dampness is Kapha dosha so foods that

remove or pacify Kapha will remove and or balance water.

[Guest guest]

All of this is very informative, I also read Bob Flaws Tao of Healthy

Eating that provides in my opinion an excellent explanation of the

Digestive mechanism according to TCM. I know from various sources that I

have Damp Heat conditions, (leave in lower Alabama, hard to beat the

heat and the dampness, maybe New Orleans...) so my spleen is tired, and

my stomach is also weak and I need to remove dampness and excessive heat.

My question to you is : How do we cook this stuff ? Are they any cook

Book or recipes available ?

Thanks Frederic

 

Roberta Blanco wrote:

>

> Usually bitter food do it. use a little of pungent too to help qi

> flow. Try not to eat raw foods.

> Some examples to remove damp.

> azuki beans, alfaffa, garlic, green tea, pumpkin,radish, turnip.

> Roberta

> -

> strawberrykiwi143

> Chinese Traditional Medicine

> <Chinese Traditional Medicine%40>

> Tuesday, August 22, 2006 12:42 AM

> [Chinese Traditional Medicine] Foods that remove dampness.

>

> What are some foods (not herbs) that one could eat to promote diuresis

> and remove dampness?

>

> Also what are some foods to stay away from if you have excess dampness?

>

>

[Guest guest]

What exactly is a " pungent " food (sorry, I am not a native english speaker)

is Ginger pungent ? is wasabi (Japanese Horseradish eaten with Sushi)

pungent ?

Also, what kind of food are bitter ? Would dark chocolate (85%) cocoa

qualify as Bitter ?

 

Are they any tinctures that can be prepaired by maceration of herbs or

fruits or vegetables in wine or alcohol that could help damp heat ?

 

Thanks

Frederic

 

Vinod Kumar wrote:

>

> Chinese Traditional Medicine

> <Chinese Traditional Medicine%40>, " strawberrykiwi143 "

> <sweetgurl4eva15 wrote:

> >

> > What are some foods (not herbs) that one could eat to promote diuresis

> > and remove dampness?

> >

> > Also what are some foods to stay away from if you have excess dampness?

> >

>

> In general - the major sources of excess dampness in foods are acids,

> salt, sweets, and fat. The foods that remove and or balance these

> substances are alkalines - spice (pungent)- and bitter. Fried foods -

> meats - eggs - acid fruits - acid vegetables - sugars - white flours-

> bakedfoods - eating too much - poor digestion (many possible causes)

> certain drugs or herbs (like aspirin or Rehmannia), etc. can cause

> excess acids and the body naturally holds water to help dilute and

> eleminate these acid forming substances. Salt is of course a major

> player in dampness(in many more ways than are usually understood).

>

> Adrenal health is essential for proper water metabolism since

> aldosterone is the hormone responsible for balancing the water

> regulating minerals potassium and sodium.

>

> So traditionaly people remove dampness by cutting back on acid forming

> foods and salt - increasing foods that balance and or remove the

> excess water, acids, and salt. Since ancient times people thought that

> increasing non-acid fruits and vegetables and cutting back on meat,

> sweets, and salt will quickly remove pathological water. In modern

> terms we are reducing excess acids and salt and rebalancing the blood

> with alakaline substances. Traditionally small amounts of pungent and

> bitter substances were added to facilatate the diuretic processes.

> Diuretics are not the correct way to approach this problem since it

> will only be a compensation maneuver - the best way to solve the

> problem is to stop eating foods and taking substances that make us

> hold water and instead eat foods and take substances which keep our

> Yin flowing in natural healthy ways.

>

> If one wants to use food as medicine -with specific medical effects on

> the blood or the organs - then there are excellant books that describe

> the medicinal effects of common foods in the body. Dr.Henry Lu - Bob

> Flaws - Paul Pitchford (sp?) have widely read books on this subject.

> My father has always followed a system that uses only food as medicine

> and only a few herbs and spices. Most Ayurvedic texts will give the

> effects of foods on the doshas - dampness is Kapha dosha so foods that

> remove or pacify Kapha will remove and or balance water.

>

>

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Re: Foods that remove dampness.

Posted by: " victoria_dragon " wrote:

 

I want to caution readers who have to cut back

severely on dairy

products or eliminate them entirely because of

Dampness problems,

Spleen weakness, and/or various problems with dairy.

In the US and

many Western countries, the primary way of getting

enough calcium is

through dairy products. You will need to look into

getting enough Ca

via pills or some other method. Otherwise cutting back

too much or

entirely eliminating dairy eventually can trigger

adult rickets

and/or some other problems. The good news is that

after the Spleen

is strengthened and Dampness elminated, the person

often can go back

to eating dairy in moderation.

 

- - -

 

With the utmost Respect, Prof.Dragon,

we have all been misled

into thinking dairy is a source of calcium.

 

 

The following is from

http://www.notmilk.com/

 

cheers,

dar

 

CALCIUM AND BONE DISEASE

 

...Common knowledge of osteoporosis is based upon

false assumptions. American women have been drinking

an average of two pounds of milk or eating the

equivalent milk in dairy products per day for their

entire lives. Doctors recommend calcium intake for

increasing and maintaining bone strength and bone

density which they call bone mass.

 

According to this regimen recommended by doctors and

milk industry executives, women's bone mass would

approach that of pre-historic dinosaurs. This line of

reasoning should be equally extinct.

Twenty-five million American women have osteoporosis.

Drinking milk does not prevent osteoporosis.

Milk contains calcium. Bones contain calcium too.

When we are advised to add calcium to our diets we

tend to drink milk or eat dairy foods.

 

In order to absorb calcium, the body needs

comparable amounts of another mineral element,

magnesium.

Milk and dairy products contain only small amounts of

magnesium. Without the presence of magnesium, the body

only absorbs 25 percent of the available dairy calcium

content.

The remainder of the calcium spells trouble.

 

Without magnesium, excess calcium is utilized by the

body in injurious ways. The body uses calcium to build

the mortar on arterial walls which becomes

atherosclerotic plaques.

Excess calcium is converted by the kidneys into

painful stones which grow in size like pearls in

oysters, blocking our urinary tracts.

Excess calcium contributes to arthritis; painful

calcium buildup often is manifested as gout. The USDA

has formulated a chart of recommended daily intakes of

vitamins and minerals.

The term that FDA uses is Recommended Daily Allowance

(RDA). The RDA for calcium is 1500 mg. The RDA for

magnesium is 750 mg.

 

Society stresses the importance of calcium, but

rarely magnesium. Yet, magnesium is vital to enzymatic

activity. In addition to insuring proper absorption of

calcium, magnesium is critical to proper neural and

muscular function and to maintaining proper pH balance

in the body.

Magnesium, along with vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), helps

to dissolve calcium phosphate stones which often

accumulate from excesses of dairy intake. Good sources

of magnesium include beans, green leafy vegetables

like kale and collards, whole grains and orange juice.

Non-dairy sources of calcium include green leafy

vegetables, almonds, asparagus, broccoli, cabbage,

oats, beans, parsley, sesame seeds and tofu.

 

Osteoporosis is NOT a problem that should be

associated with lack of calcium intake.

 

Osteoporosis results from calcium loss.

 

The massive amounts of protein in milk result in a 50

percent loss of calcium in the urine.

 

In other words, by doubling your protein intake there

will be a loss of 1-1.5 percent in skeletal mass per

year in postmenopausal women.

The calcium contained in leafy green vegetables is

more easily absorbed than the calcium in milk, and

plant proteins do not result in calcium loss the same

way as do animal proteins.

If a postmenopausal woman loses 1-1.5 percent bone

mass per year, what will be the effect after 20 years?

When osteoporosis occurs levels of calcium (being

excreted from the bones)in the blood are high.

 

Milk only adds to these high levels of calcium which

is excreted or used by the body to add to damaging

atherosclerosis, gout, kidney stones, etc.

 

Bone mass does not increase after age 35. This

is a biological fact that is not in dispute by

scientists. However, this fact is ignored by marketing

geniuses in the milk industry who make certain that

women this age and older are targeted consumers for

milk and dairy products.

At least one in four women will suffer from

osteoporosis with fractures of the ribs, hip or

forearm.

 

In 1994, University of Texas researchers published

results of an experiment indicating that supplemental

calcium is ineffective in preventing bone loss.

Within 5 years of the initial onset of menopause,

there is an accelerated rate of loss of bone,

particularly from the spine. During this period of

time, estrogen replacement is most effective in

preventing rapid bone density loss.

 

Bone Mass is Genetically Determined

 

In December of 1994 a study, published in the

American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, revealed that

skeletal size and bone mass are genetically

programmed. Optimal skeletal size is achieved through

adequate calcium intake in an individual's youth.

 

However, excess calcium has an effect upon bone mass.

Once enough calcium is introduced, the excess is

either excreted in the urine or absorbed by the

kidneys, arteries and liver. This excess calcium can

cause great damage. The decrease in skeletal mass

associated with osteoporosis in women is primarily

caused by the age-dependent decrease in hormonal

steroid secretion by the ovaries. While optimal

calcium intake in childhood and adolescence is

important for achieving proper bone density, calcium

intake in adulthood has little significance.

 

An overview based upon recent findings regarding

the pathogenesis of osteoporosis was published in

Germany in 1994 and translated into English where the

abstract appeared on MEDLINE, a computer service

containing scientific abstracts of research. The

premise of this study is that osteoporosis is an

unavoidable consequence of aging for which no

prevention was previously possible.

However, recent hormonal therapies have slowed down

the process of rapid bone loss. The lack of estrogen

and progesterone play an important role in the

development of osteoporosis.

 

Human breast milk contains 33 milligrams of

calcium per 100-gram portion and potato chips contain

40 milligrams!

 

GOTMILK? GOT BONE DISEASE!

 

Find your favorite snacks on the following list and

substitute them for pus-filled, antibiotic laden,

allergenic and hormonal MILK.

 

Calcium content of foods (per 100-gram portion)

(100 grams equals around 3.5 ounces)

 

 

Human Breast Milk

 

 

Almonds

 

Amaranth

 

Apricots (dried)

 

Artichokes

 

 

Beans (can: pinto, black)

 

Beet greens (cooked)

 

Blackeye peas

 

Bran

 

Broccoli (raw)

 

 

Brussel Sprouts

 

Buckwheat

 

Cabbage (raw)

 

Carrot (raw)

 

Cashew nuts

 

 

Cauliflower (cooked)

 

Swiss Chard (raw)

 

Chickpeas (garbanzos)

 

Collards (raw leaves)

 

Cress (raw)

 

 

Dandelion greens

 

Endive

 

Escarole

 

Figs (dried)

 

Filberts (Hazelnuts)

 

 

Kale (raw leaves)

 

Kale (cooked leaves)

 

Leeks

 

Lettuce (lt. green)

 

Lettuce (dark green)

 

 

Molasses (dark-213 cal.)

 

Mustard Green (raw)

 

Mustard Green (cooked)

 

Okra (raw or cooked)

 

Olives

 

 

Orange (Florida)

 

Parsley

 

Peanuts (roasted & salted)

 

Peas (boiled)

 

Pistachio nuts

 

 

Potato Chips

 

Raisins

 

Rhubarb (cooked)

 

Sauerkraut

 

Sesame Seeds

 

 

Squash (Butternut

 

Soybeans

 

Sugar (Brown)

 

Tofu

 

Spinach (raw)

 

 

Sunflower seeds

 

Sweet Potatoes (baked)

 

Turnips (cooked)

 

Turnip Greens (raw)

 

Turnip Greens (boiled)

 

Water Cress

 

 

Related commentary:

Harvard Nurse Study 78,000 nurses!

Bad Bones Who gets bone disease?

Boneheads Crippling boneheads

 

For much more on the subject of calcium visit

http://www.notmilk.com/calcium

 

 

Robert Cohen

Executive Director

Dairy Education Board

http://www.notmilk.com

[Guest guest]

Chinese Traditional Medicine , Frederic Lecut <fredlecut

wrote:

>

> What exactly is a " pungent " food (sorry, I am not a native english

speaker)

> is Ginger pungent ? is wasabi (Japanese Horseradish eaten with Sushi)

> pungent ?

 

Pungent comes from a Latin root and means it stings - hot or spicy -

like chili - pepper - ginger - wasabi. Each of these foods is pungent

but each has it's own qualities.

 

> Also, what kind of food are bitter ? Would dark chocolate (85%) cocoa

> qualify as Bitter ?

 

Dark chocolate is bitter but it can not be used to remove water

because of the fat and other elements. Commonly eaten bitter foods are

greens and such vegetables that are not sweet. One should learn to

detect if the foods they eat are sweet-pungent-salty-bitter-astringent

by taste.

 

>

> Are they any tinctures that can be prepaired by maceration of herbs or

> fruits or vegetables in wine or alcohol that could help damp heat ?

 

All systems have many herbs that remove water - these herbs are best

taken as decoctions rather than as alcoholic extracts. If one wants

conveinience then use water pills.I mentioned before that the best way

to remove water is simple eat more non-acid fruits and vegetables and

cut back on salt - sweets - fats - and meats. Good water metabolism

requires a balance between Yin/Yang (hot/cold - acid/alkaline -

potassium/sodium).

[Guest guest]

A physician whom I respect has said that studies are starting to

confirm that getting adequate vitamin D is more of a factor in poor

bone health than getting adequate calcium. Most people in

industrialized societies do not get enough vitamin D since they spend

most of their time indoors.

 

Something else to consider.

 

Lew

[Guest guest]

Chinese Traditional Medicine , dar <dobbie606 wrote:

 

> In order to absorb calcium, the body needs

> comparable amounts of another mineral element,

> magnesium.

 

Thanks. This is something I have been emphasizing for some time on

here. The body needs magnesium in order to absorb calcium. After

that point is reached, the two are in competition with each other

for space in the body. There are a host of health problems that have

been linked to Mg deficiency. Unfortunately, the general public

rarely hears about the need for Mg. Or that modern agriculture

practices play a role in foods having less Mg than they otherwise

would have or food processing stripping foods of a lot of the Mg

they do have.

 

> CALCIUM AND BONE DISEASE

>

> ...Common knowledge of osteoporosis is based upon

> false assumptions.

 

Please note that I didn't say osteoporosis but " adult rickets

and/or some other problems. " Adult rickets is osteomalacia.

Osteoporosis and osteomalacia are both classified as metabolic bone

disease, but they're different conditions.

 

Also please note that I said cut back severely or eliminate dairy

entirely. Not just milk but all dairy. People are consuming a lot of

dairy without realizing they are. For example, many bread products

are made with milk. Sometimes packages will list milk or one of the

components of milk as an ingredient, but sometimes not. There can be

hidden milk in products. For example, some margarines are made with

milk but some are not. The package may list " margarine " , but it

doesn't tell the shopper what the margarine was made with.

 

I once had to eliminate dairy entirely. I was reacting to every

component of dairy and ending up in severe pain in the emergency

room every time I consumed anything with dairy in any form in it. I

also had a lot of muccus and breathing problems. Lactose, milk

protein, milk fat, whey, etc. That was the least little bit of dairy

in any form. Not only could I not drink milk or eat cheese or yogurt

or butter, I couldn't consume anything with the least little amount

of dairy in any form in it. That included pills or capsules that

use lactose as a filler-binder. That included any prepared or

packaged foods even if dairy was far down on the list of ingredients.

 

Even people who don't drink milk frequently consume cheese and

yogurt. And they also consume milk as an ingredient in other

products. It's not easy to eliminate milk entirely from one's diet.

For one thing, it's added to so many products. No matter how careful

I was to check package labels, every once in a while I would slip up

and consume something with milk in it. My body always let me know.

When I retrived the package out of the trash, I would find milk in

some form listed far down in the list of ingridients.

 

My point is that even people who don't drink milk are still getting

at least some of their Ca from cheese or yogurt or from milk as an

ingredient in other foods. I wasn't consuming any dairy, and I

eventually developed the symptoms of adult rickets. I also developed

a voracious craving for all kinds of greens - mustard greens,

collard greens, Swiss chard, spinach, turnip greens, etc. No matter

how much I ate, I still strongly craved these greens. At the time I

didn't realize what these cravings meant.

 

When I finally started on a Ca-Mg supplement, the abnormally strong

cravings stopped. So did the symptoms of adult rickets. Greens are

still one of my favorite foods, and I consume a lot. I still crave

them from time to time, but now the craving can be satisfied with a

helping or two or three of greens.

 

If a person has to eliminate dairy severely or entirely, one will

need to find another concentrated source of Ca. Like pills. The

chances are that the person will not be able to absorb enough from

greens and other foods on the list. Please keep in mind that if a

person is sick enough to have to eliminte all dairy in any form from

the diet or even to have to forego cheese and yogurt in addition to

milk, the person has digestion and absorption problems. Eating a

lot of greens may be enough to satisfy the Ca (and Mg) needs of a

healthy person but not necessarily those of a person who is sick.

 

I don't know what if anything this means, but greens are most

satisfying to me when they're cooked with just a little bit of pork.

It doesn't have to be much pork. Something about that combination

will satisfy the craving for greens more quickly and completely than

preparing or serving them any other way.

 

BTW, today I no longer have to check labels. I can eat out without

fear of consuming something with dairy in it. I can even eat cheese

and yogurt in very moderate amounts.

[Guest guest]

Chinese Traditional Medicine , " sethwai " <sethwai wrote:

>

> A physician whom I respect has said that studies are starting to

> confirm that getting adequate vitamin D is more of a factor in poor

> bone health than getting adequate calcium. Most people in

> industrialized societies do not get enough vitamin D since they spend

> most of their time indoors.

 

Have there been any studies on sun block interfering with the body's

ability to make vitamin D when exposed to sunlight?

[Guest guest]

Chinese Traditional Medicine , Frederic Lecut

<fredlecut wrote:

>

> What exactly is a " pungent " food (sorry, I am not a native english

speaker)

 

Pungent is another word for spicy or acrid. Depending on which

Materia Medica you use, you'll see one of these 3 words used.

 

> is Ginger pungent ? is wasabi (Japanese Horseradish eaten with

Sushi)

> pungent ?

 

Very pungent.

 

> Also, what kind of food are bitter ? Would dark chocolate (85%)

cocoa

> qualify as Bitter ?

 

Chocolate is bitter. Some other examples of foods which contain the

bitter taste are beetroot, celery, asparagus, hops, kohlrabi,

lettuce leaf, pork liver and sheep liver (but not chicken liver),

pumpkin, and radish leaf. (Information taken from Appendix E in

Chinese Natural Cures by Henry C. Lu.)

 

> Are they any tinctures that can be prepaired by maceration of

herbs or

> fruits or vegetables in wine or alcohol that could help damp heat ?

 

Alcohol is Damp Heat engenering so you'd want to be very careful in

using this method. There is a chapter in Bob Flaws's book Chinese

Medicinal Wines & Elixirs: " Heat-clearing, Dampness-disinhibiting

Wines " .

 

Flaws writes, " However, this method of treatment is mostly

appropriate for the elderly who have a combination of dampness and

heat with underlying vacuity and insufficiency. I do not recommend

this method of administration in young or middle-aged patients. As

the reader will see, there are only a few formulas in this section

as compared to other sections in this book. This underscores the

fact that alcohol is typically contraindicated in damp heat

conditions. " (p. 153.)

 

One of the formulas is Hu Hua Jiu (Chrysanthemum Wine). That one

gets used for things like red, swollen eyes and dizziness and

vertigo. (p. 153.)

 

Jin Hua Jiu (Golden Flower Wine) is used for oral sores and bleeding

gums. (p. 154.)

 

Niu Bang Song Jie Jiu (Burdock Root and Pine Node Wine) is used when

the entire body feels heavy, there is a lack of strength, the lower

legs and feet swell, and there is " Heart spirit vexation and

oppression " . (p. 155.)

 

He lists some others.

 

BTW, I sometimes a chew a small amount of asparagus root and a small

amount of licorice root. (It's Yin tonic (asparagus) and Qi tonic

(licorice).) Asparagus root is both sweet and bitter. When I first

start chewing, the sweet taste is what I notice. But as I continue

to chew, the bitter taste becomes more and more obvious.

[Guest guest]

Chinese Traditional Medicine , " Vinod Kumar " <vinod3x3

wrote:

>

> In general - the major sources of excess dampness in foods are acids,

> salt, sweets, and fat. The foods that remove and or balance these

> substances are alkalines - spice (pungent)- and bitter.

 

I want to emphasize this for the students on the list. Study this,

and it will give you much insight into treating Dampness problems.

[Guest guest]

Chinese Traditional Medicine , " Roberta Blanco "

<robertablanco wrote:

>

> Usually bitter food do it. use a little of pungent too to help qi

flow. Try not to eat raw foods.

> Some examples to remove damp.

> azuki beans, alfaffa, garlic, green tea, pumpkin,radish, turnip.

 

Thanks for the list. There are still a lot of people who don't have

access to a TCM healer, and lists of foods and seasonings that are

readily available are a great healp.

 

I will caution in the case of green tea to mix it with ginger or

something else that is heating if one has Cold problems. I recently

communicated with a woman who said that there was only one brand of

Green Tea she could drink that didn't upset her digestion. It was a

brand sold as " Green Tea and Ginger " . (She didn't know anything

about TCM and was asking me if TCM had an explanation why this one

brand didn't cause her any problems but the others did.)

 

If consuming garlic, one needs to be aware that it has a warming

effect on the body.

 

I've listed the thermal energy properties of the two items on the

list that are most likely to be consumed regularly.

[Guest guest]

Obsessive use of sunscreens probably doesn't help either. People are

becoming brainwashed into thinking that they must wear sunscreens every

single time they step into the sun even though we need a certain amount

of sunlight for health.

 

Nancy S+13

 

sethwai wrote:

>

> A physician whom I respect has said that studies are starting to

> confirm that getting adequate vitamin D is more of a factor in poor

> bone health than getting adequate calcium. Most people in

> industrialized societies do not get enough vitamin D since they spend

> most of their time indoors.

>

> Something else to consider.

>

> Lew

>

> _

 

>

>

[Guest guest]

Thank you Victoria

where do you get asparagus and liquorice root ?

I made a search on Internet, and it is overwhelming. Most of them are

extracts, and I suppose you use the real roots. Can you grow these ?

Frederic

 

 

victoria_dragon wrote:

>

> Chinese Traditional Medicine

> <Chinese Traditional Medicine%40>, Frederic Lecut

> <fredlecut wrote:

> >

> > What exactly is a " pungent " food (sorry, I am not a native english

> speaker)

>

> Pungent is another word for spicy or acrid. Depending on which

> Materia Medica you use, you'll see one of these 3 words used.

>

> > is Ginger pungent ? is wasabi (Japanese Horseradish eaten with

> Sushi)

> > pungent ?

>

> Very pungent.

>

> > Also, what kind of food are bitter ? Would dark chocolate (85%)

> cocoa

> > qualify as Bitter ?

>

> Chocolate is bitter. Some other examples of foods which contain the

> bitter taste are beetroot, celery, asparagus, hops, kohlrabi,

> lettuce leaf, pork liver and sheep liver (but not chicken liver),

> pumpkin, and radish leaf. (Information taken from Appendix E in

> Chinese Natural Cures by Henry C. Lu.)

>

> > Are they any tinctures that can be prepaired by maceration of

> herbs or

> > fruits or vegetables in wine or alcohol that could help damp heat ?

>

> Alcohol is Damp Heat engenering so you'd want to be very careful in

> using this method. There is a chapter in Bob Flaws's book Chinese

> Medicinal Wines & Elixirs: " Heat-clearing, Dampness-disinhibiting

> Wines " .

>

> Flaws writes, " However, this method of treatment is mostly

> appropriate for the elderly who have a combination of dampness and

> heat with underlying vacuity and insufficiency. I do not recommend

> this method of administration in young or middle-aged patients. As

> the reader will see, there are only a few formulas in this section

> as compared to other sections in this book. This underscores the

> fact that alcohol is typically contraindicated in damp heat

> conditions. " (p. 153.)

>

> One of the formulas is Hu Hua Jiu (Chrysanthemum Wine). That one

> gets used for things like red, swollen eyes and dizziness and

> vertigo. (p. 153.)

>

> Jin Hua Jiu (Golden Flower Wine) is used for oral sores and bleeding

> gums. (p. 154.)

>

> Niu Bang Song Jie Jiu (Burdock Root and Pine Node Wine) is used when

> the entire body feels heavy, there is a lack of strength, the lower

> legs and feet swell, and there is " Heart spirit vexation and

> oppression " . (p. 155.)

>

> He lists some others.

>

> BTW, I sometimes a chew a small amount of asparagus root and a small

> amount of licorice root. (It's Yin tonic (asparagus) and Qi tonic

> (licorice).) Asparagus root is both sweet and bitter. When I first

> start chewing, the sweet taste is what I notice. But as I continue

> to chew, the bitter taste becomes more and more obvious.

>

>

[Guest guest]

Garlic and Gingko get me through the winter. I need steak at times, though I am

damp. I get out of body without it and other cold feelings and weirdness on the

left side. And strange visuals. Hate it. I haven't been a real meat person

until I had the episodes that were cured by steak. This was during caretaking

my husband who was dying with cancer.

I am told that barley drains damp, but I read otherwise. What do you think?

Michelle

-

victoria_dragon

Chinese Traditional Medicine

Wednesday, August 23, 2006 8:12 AM

[Chinese Traditional Medicine] Re: Foods that remove dampness.

 

 

Chinese Traditional Medicine , " Roberta Blanco "

<robertablanco wrote:

>

> Usually bitter food do it. use a little of pungent too to help qi

flow. Try not to eat raw foods.

> Some examples to remove damp.

> azuki beans, alfaffa, garlic, green tea, pumpkin,radish, turnip.

 

Thanks for the list. There are still a lot of people who don't have

access to a TCM healer, and lists of foods and seasonings that are

readily available are a great healp.

 

I will caution in the case of green tea to mix it with ginger or

something else that is heating if one has Cold problems. I recently

communicated with a woman who said that there was only one brand of

Green Tea she could drink that didn't upset her digestion. It was a

brand sold as " Green Tea and Ginger " . (She didn't know anything

about TCM and was asking me if TCM had an explanation why this one

brand didn't cause her any problems but the others did.)

 

If consuming garlic, one needs to be aware that it has a warming

effect on the body.

 

I've listed the thermal energy properties of the two items on the

list that are most likely to be consumed regularly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Version: 7.1.405 / Virus Database: 268.11.5/425 - Release 8/22/2006

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

>> I mentioned before that the best way to remove water is simple eat

more non-acid fruits and vegetables

 

if you dont mind, what are non-acidic fruits/veggies?

for example, lemon and orange is alkaline but i always thought its acidic.

 

marilyn

[Guest guest]

Just a note regarding licorice root. It raises blood pressure. I

can't use it due to high blood pressure (I am a non type A high blood

pressure person. Forget the reason my Chinese doc said. Something

about loss of either yin or yang chi.)

Michelle

 

Chinese Traditional Medicine , " victoria_dragon "

<victoria_dragon wrote:

>

> Chinese Traditional Medicine , Frederic Lecut

> <fredlecut@> wrote:

> >

> > What exactly is a " pungent " food (sorry, I am not a native

english

> speaker)

>

> Pungent is another word for spicy or acrid. Depending on which

> Materia Medica you use, you'll see one of these 3 words used.

>

> > is Ginger pungent ? is wasabi (Japanese Horseradish eaten with

> Sushi)

> > pungent ?

>

> Very pungent.

>

> > Also, what kind of food are bitter ? Would dark chocolate (85%)

> cocoa

> > qualify as Bitter ?

>

> Chocolate is bitter. Some other examples of foods which contain the

> bitter taste are beetroot, celery, asparagus, hops, kohlrabi,

> lettuce leaf, pork liver and sheep liver (but not chicken liver),

> pumpkin, and radish leaf. (Information taken from Appendix E in

> Chinese Natural Cures by Henry C. Lu.)

>

> > Are they any tinctures that can be prepaired by maceration of

> herbs or

> > fruits or vegetables in wine or alcohol that could help damp

heat ?

>

> Alcohol is Damp Heat engenering so you'd want to be very careful in

> using this method. There is a chapter in Bob Flaws's book Chinese

> Medicinal Wines & Elixirs: " Heat-clearing, Dampness-disinhibiting

> Wines " .

>

> Flaws writes, " However, this method of treatment is mostly

> appropriate for the elderly who have a combination of dampness and

> heat with underlying vacuity and insufficiency. I do not recommend

> this method of administration in young or middle-aged patients. As

> the reader will see, there are only a few formulas in this section

> as compared to other sections in this book. This underscores the

> fact that alcohol is typically contraindicated in damp heat

> conditions. " (p. 153.)

>

> One of the formulas is Hu Hua Jiu (Chrysanthemum Wine). That one

> gets used for things like red, swollen eyes and dizziness and

> vertigo. (p. 153.)

>

> Jin Hua Jiu (Golden Flower Wine) is used for oral sores and

bleeding

> gums. (p. 154.)

>

> Niu Bang Song Jie Jiu (Burdock Root and Pine Node Wine) is used

when

> the entire body feels heavy, there is a lack of strength, the lower

> legs and feet swell, and there is " Heart spirit vexation and

> oppression " . (p. 155.)

>

> He lists some others.

>

> BTW, I sometimes a chew a small amount of asparagus root and a

small

> amount of licorice root. (It's Yin tonic (asparagus) and Qi tonic

> (licorice).) Asparagus root is both sweet and bitter. When I first

> start chewing, the sweet taste is what I notice. But as I continue

> to chew, the bitter taste becomes more and more obvious.

>

[Guest guest]

These are some general remarks on ordering herbs.

 

Many sellers of bulk herbs will not sell in lots less than 1 pound.

I emailed you the names of two distributors who do sell ounces with

a minimum being 4 ounces.

 

Some distributors will mix up bags of formulas to decoct (make into

tea) for you. I only recommend this if you're only going to use one

or two weeks of the formula. For example, I used to order the

formula Minor Blue Green Dragon this way. Since I was only going to

use one bag per month for one or two months, it was cheaper having

them mix up one or two bags for me than for me to buy 4 ounces of

each of the ingredients.

 

I buy the aspargus root and licorice separate since this is an on-

going treatment for me.

 

I'll be going into detail on what I use asparagus and licorice for

in another post.

[Guest guest]

Aspasgus root, aka Tuber Asparagi Cochinchinensis, aka Tian Men Dong:

 

Taste: sweet, bitter.

 

Thermal energy: very Cold. (This is something it's important to keep

in mind.)

 

Channels entered: Kidney, Lung. (p. 359.)

 

The primary classification of asparagus root is it's a Yin tonic

herb. " For yin deficiency with heat signs in the upper burner. " (Dan

Bensky & Andrew Gamble, Chinese Herbal Medicine Materia Medica,

refised ed., p. 359.) In addition to increasing Kidney Yin, it also

clears Heat from the Lungs. It's also " used for dry Lung patterns

with such signs as dry mouth and thicck or blood-streaked sputum

that is difficult to expectorate. " (p. 359.)

 

" Contraindicated in cases of cold from deficiency of the Spleen and

Stomach with loss of appetite and diarrhea. Also contraindicated

for wind-cold cough.

 

Bensky and Gamble list the dosage as 6-15 grams, but I don't take

near that amount. I chew a piece no larger than the surface area of

my smallest finger from the last knuckle to the tip of the finger.

And I have small fingers. It's not something I take every day though

I may take it for several days in a row when symptoms call for it.

(One dose per day.)

 

Ordinarilly, this would be a contraindicated herb for me simply

because of the very Cold thermal energy. I have a lot of problems

with Cold. BUT I sometimes have the signs and symptoms of Heat in

the Upper Burner (Lungs and Heart, especially the Lungs in my case.)

Aspargus root targets the Lungs and Kidneys.

 

Beside from my sometimes having Heat in the Lungs and asparagus root

targeting the Lungs, why would this be a good herb for me? This herb

also gets used for Dry Lungs symptoms like dry mouth and thick

sputum. I started using this combination when I lived in a desert

area and dryness became a problem for me. A big problem. Even

though I've moved from a desert area, there are still times when I

need this combination. Like when winter heating or summer AC makes

things too dry. Since living in the desert for so long I've become

very sensitive to dryness.

 

I also want to point out that I never use this formula without being

on other formulas that are taking care of some opposite problems I

have. I may be troubled from time to time with Heat in the Lungs,

but I have a tendency toward Kidney Yang Deficiency and both

Deficiency and Excess Cold problems. That very Cold thermal energy

of asparagus root could really harm my Kidneys as well as well as

what Yang I now have if I wasn't also on something for those

problems. As much as posible TCM treats all problems at the same

time.

 

All of the herbs a person needs don't have to be in one formula.

There are more treatment options in TCM herbalism than to just keep

adding herbs to a main formula. Sometimes the person will be on more

than one formula at a time. This is especially likely if the person

has " knotty " (complex) problems that have been going on for some

time. It's also perfectly OK sometimes to use much lower dosages

than usual. (This is something that tends to arise from time to time

especially with CFIDS clients.) Sometimes (not often) the time of

day of herbalism treatment (like in acupuncture) will make a

difference.

 

Licorice, aka Radix Glycyrrhizae Uralensis, aka Gan Cao.

 

Taste: sweet.

 

Thermal energy: neutral (raw); warm (dry-fried).

 

Enters all 12 channels. (p. 323.)

 

The primary classification of licorice root is Qi tonic herb. It

also strengthens the Spleen.

 

Licorice also moistens the Lungs, and " clears heat and relieves fire

toxicity. "

 

Because the thermal energy of raw licorice is neutral, it can be

used with Hot or Cold Lung patterns.

 

" Contraindicated in cases of excess dampness, nausea, or vomiting. "

There's also a list of several herbs it shouldn't be mixed with. (p.

324.)

 

There are some other contraindications and cautions I want to

mention: High Blood Pressure and edema. It can aggravate existing

cases and even trigger these problems if taken for so long. This is

not an herb to be on indefinitely in TCM treatment.

 

BUT, the very things that can cause problems for some people are the

very things that other people need. In the days before the discovery

of various adrenal gland hormones, Addison's disease (deficient

adrenal glands) often was a death sentence. The only treatment - and

it only worked in the less severe cases - was licorice root. Even

today some MDs and DOs who practice alternative medicine will use

some licorice root in order to decrease the amount of drugs various

patients (not just those with Addison's disease) need. In some

cases - like in some cases of Neurally Mediated Hypotension -

patients who cannot tolerate the drugs very well do better on

licorice root. Needless to say, the MDs and DOs are monitoring their

patients on licorice just like they monitor the ones on the drugs.

 

Glycyrrhiza uralensis - the variety used in does not have

quite as bad of a blood pressure raising effect as other varieties

of licorice root has.

 

Licorice candy sold in the US does not have liorice in it.

 

A nickname for licorice root is " wood candy " . If you've ever chewed

a piece, you know why. The literal English translation of Gan Cao

is " sweet herb " . (p. 323.) The literal translation of Tian Men Dong

is " lush winter aerial plant " .

[Guest guest]

Chinese Traditional Medicine , Frederic Lecut

<fredlecut wrote:

>

> where do you get asparagus and liquorice root ?

> I made a search on Internet, and it is overwhelming. Most of them

are

> extracts, and I suppose you use the real roots. Can you grow

these ?

 

When I tried to grow licorice in pots I only got a couple of pots.

This is an herb that may need to be grown in the ground.

 

Glyccyrrhiza uralensis is the main variety of licorice used in TCM.

Glycyrrhiza inflata and glycyrrhiza glabra also are used.

Personally I prefer the uralensis because it doesn't have quite the

blood pressure raising properties of many of the other varieties.

 

The herb is a " calciphite " . That means it likes soils with a lot of

calcium.

 

" It thrives in sunny, cool, dry regions, wuch as grassy plains and

on the sandy banks of rivers, and tolerates somewhat salty, alkaline

soils. However, heavy saline (salty) alkaline soils will not

produce a good crop. The soil should be relatively rich, sandy,

deep, and with good drainage. It will not tolerate soggy soils. "

(Herbal Emissaries Binging Chinese Herbs to the West, Steven Foster

and Yue ChongXi, p. 118.)

 

I also planted some codonopsis pilosula (aka Dang Shen). That's the

Qi tonic herb that some experts recommend be substituted for ginseng

in formulas for people with CFIDS. I have dozens of pots of it. I

even gave some to neighbors. I don't know how good the quality will

be (it's too soon to harvest it), but it sure is thriving as a plant.

 

I'm growing codonopsis pilsula. Codonopsis tangshen grows at 2,700

to 6,400 feet above sea level.

 

Codonopsis pilosula likes soil rich in organic matter. It likes

partial shade. In nature it's found on the edge of forests and in

thickets. I have large pots of it under the edge of some very tall

trees. The seedlings do best in shade. Foster and Yue Chongxi

recommend sowing the small seeds indoors " in a fine soil " in a

container that can be watered from the bottom. Or watered by

misting the soil. The seeds are small and can be washed away. I

used those little expandable peat pots that expand when you wet them

and sit in a container that you can place water in without

disturbing the seeds. I started them on a covered porch and then

planted the peat pots in large pots once the seedlings looked big

enough to survive.

 

" Soil should be well aerated, somewhat sandy, well drained, slightly

acid, rich, high in organic matter, and deeply dug, at least to one

foot. " (p. 62.)

 

Even though the book says a " relatively cool climate " , my plants are

doing fine in an area of the country that is hot and humid. But

again, I don't yet know what the quality of the roots are going to

be.

 

The authors add that in northern climates the plants sometimes need

to be mulched over the winter. (p. 63.)