Patients usually ask what I mean by “Your spleen has been too weak for a long time, so dampness has built into your body” when I give them their diagnosis.
Dampness is a moisturizing climatic energy that, due to a failure in metabolism, can become a pathogenic factor that obstructs the correct function of bodily processes. Basically this means that your metabolism starts to fail on the weakest organ of your body. It is characterized by being heavy, sticky and having a tendency to accumulate and descend. These factors make Dampness difficult to eliminate and cause disorders that tend to become chronic.
Pretty sure you see yourself reflected by saying UTI, or hard to lose weight or easily gaining weight, chronic diarrhea, sinusitis, bloating after each meal, fatigue no matter how many hours you sleep, depression, insomnia. Some way or the other, Dampness is involved.
It is more common than usual here in Ireland; likely accentuated when the weather is humid or it is about to rain.
However I believe diet is heavily involved. That’s why I would always suggest to reduce to a minimum the consumption of dairy products (especially cow’s milk), flours, sugars and fried foods because they eventually turn into Dampness. Cold or excess raw foods also require a greater use of your Spleen/Stomach for their digestion which make them weaker.
Fortunately this pathogen is treatable and patients feel better week after week as ever. Even their low moods get better.
Photo by Sorin Gheorghita
