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What to eat to reduce dampness in the body

Jul 16, 2025 Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Sun Lianqing
Introduction
Red adzuki beans can promote diuresis, reduce edema, detoxify, and discharge pus. They help eliminate dampness from the body and may improve edema and urinary dysfunction caused by excessive dampness. They are suitable for boiling in water or cooking with coix seed to make porridge. Chinese yam (Dioscorea opposita) has functions of strengthening the spleen, nourishing the stomach, promoting the production of body fluids, and benefiting the lungs. It enhances the spleen and stomach's transformation and transportation functions, helps resolve dampness, and alleviates poor appetite and loose stools caused by excessive dampness. It can be consumed by steaming or making into soup.

Generally, individuals with excessive dampness can consume foods such as red adzuki beans, Chinese yam, hyacinth bean, lotus seeds, and water caltrop, as well as take medications such as Fuzi Lizhong Pills, Renshen Jianpi Pills, Simiao Pills, Pingwei Pills, and Xiangsha Liujun Pills. Detailed explanations are as follows:

I. Foods

1. Red Adzuki Beans: These beans help promote diuresis, reduce edema, detoxify, and expel pus, thus facilitating the elimination of dampness from the body. They can improve symptoms such as edema and oliguria caused by excessive dampness and are suitable for drinking as a decoction or cooking with coix seed into porridge.

2. Chinese Yam: It has the effects of strengthening the spleen, nourishing the stomach, promoting the production of body fluids, and benefiting the lungs. It enhances the spleen's transformation and transportation functions, aids in resolving dampness, and alleviates symptoms such as poor appetite and loose stools caused by excessive dampness. It can be steamed, stir-fried, or used in soups.

3. Hyacinth Bean: This bean strengthens the spleen and resolves dampness. It is suitable for discomforts caused by spleen and stomach weakness, such as poor appetite, loose stools, and excessive vaginal discharge due to excessive dampness. It can be cooked into porridge or stir-fried and is a commonly used ingredient for removing dampness.

4. Lotus Seeds: They benefit the spleen, nourish the kidneys, and calm the mind. By strengthening the spleen, they aid in eliminating dampness and can improve symptoms such as palpitations, insomnia, and poor appetite associated with excessive dampness. They can be used in porridge, soups, or desserts.

5. Water Caltrop: It nourishes the kidneys, consolidates essence, strengthens the spleen, stops diarrhea, removes dampness, and controls leukorrhea. It helps eliminate dampness from the body and alleviates symptoms such as persistent diarrhea and turbid urine or leukorrhea. It is suitable for making porridge or combining with other ingredients.

II. Medications

1. Fuzi Lizhong Pills: Composed of ingredients such as Aconite Root (Fuzi), Codonopsis (Dangshen), and Atractylodes (Baizhu), this pill warms the middle jiao and strengthens the spleen. It is used for cold abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, and cold extremities caused by deficiency and cold in the spleen and stomach and can alleviate symptoms of excessive dampness caused by cold-damp.

2. Renshen Jianpi Pills: Containing ginseng, Atractylodes, Poria, and other ingredients, this pill strengthens the spleen and benefits qi, harmonizes the stomach, and stops diarrhea. It is used for undigested food, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and loose stools caused by spleen and stomach weakness, aiding in the removal of dampness.

3. Simiao Pills: Made from ingredients such as Atractylodes, Achyranthes Root (Niuxi), and Phellodendron Bark (Huangbai), this pill clears heat and drains dampness. It is used for bi syndrome caused by damp-heat descending, presenting symptoms such as red and swollen knees, and pain in the tendons and bones, effectively clearing damp-heat from the body.

4. Pingwei Pills: Composed of Atractylodes, Magnolia Bark (Houpo), Tangerine Peel (Chenpi), and others, this pill dries dampness, strengthens the spleen, broadens the chest, and relieves distension. It is used for lack of appetite, abdominal fullness, nausea, vomiting, acid regurgitation, and belching caused by excessive dampness in the spleen and stomach, promoting the elimination of dampness.

5. Xiangsha Liujun Pills: Containing Costus Root (Muxiang), Cardamom (Sharen), Codonopsis (Dangshen), and other ingredients, this pill benefits qi, strengthens the spleen, and harmonizes the stomach. It is used for indigestion, belching, reduced appetite, abdominal distension, and loose stools caused by spleen deficiency and qi stagnation, aiding in removing dampness.

Individuals with excessive dampness should avoid excessive consumption of raw, cold, and greasy foods in daily life, engage in appropriate physical activity to promote blood circulation, and strengthen the function of the spleen and stomach to assist in eliminating dampness.

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