What to Eat for Dampness Accumulation (Dampness Excess) in Traditional Chinese Medicine
Aug 26, 2025
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Sun Lianqing
Introduction
Under normal circumstances, individuals with excessive dampness in the body can generally improve their condition by consuming foods such as coix seed, red beans, wax gourd (winter melon), Chinese yam (Dioscorea opposita), and water caltrop (Euryale ferox). Additionally, medications such as Shen Ling Bai Zhu San, Huo Xiang Zheng Qi Shui, Fu Zi Li Zhong Wan, Xiang Sha Liu Jun Wan, and Ping Wei San may be taken under a physician's guidance. If concerns persist, it is recommended to seek medical advice in advance. To better manage excessive dampness, one should maintain a light and清淡 diet in daily life.
Generally, individuals with excessive dampness in the body can consume foods such as coix seed, red beans, winter melon, Chinese yam, and gorgon fruit to regulate their physical condition. Additionally, medications such as Shen Ling Bai Zhu San, Huo Xiang Zheng Qi Shui, Fu Zi Li Zhong Wan, Xiang Sha Liu Jun Wan, and Ping Wei San can be taken under a physician's guidance. If concerns persist, it is recommended to seek medical advice in advance. Detailed analysis is as follows:
1. Foods
1. Coix Seed: Rich in B vitamins, dietary fiber, and various minerals, coix seed helps strengthen the spleen, remove dampness, clear heat, and discharge pus. It promotes intestinal motility, accelerates the elimination of dampness from the body, and helps alleviate symptoms such as physical heaviness and sticky stools caused by excessive dampness.
2. Red Beans: High in protein, dietary fiber, and trace elements like iron and potassium, red beans strengthen the spleen and kidneys, promote diuresis, and reduce swelling. They enhance the body's metabolic capacity, facilitate the removal of excess fluid, and alleviate discomfort such as abdominal distension and edema caused by dampness.
3. Winter Melon: With high water content and low calories, winter melon contains nutrients such as vitamin C and potassium. It clears heat, promotes urination, reduces swelling, and detoxifies. It increases urine output, aids in eliminating dampness from the body, and simultaneously replenishes hydration and nutrients.
4. Chinese Yam: Contains mucilaginous protein, vitamins, and various amino acids. It strengthens the spleen and stomach, nourishes qi, and fortifies the kidneys. It enhances the digestive functions of the spleen and stomach, reduces dampness accumulation, and improves symptoms such as indigestion and poor appetite caused by excessive dampness.
5. Gorgon Fruit: Rich in starch, protein, and minerals such as calcium and phosphorus, gorgon fruit benefits the kidneys, consolidates essence, strengthens the spleen to stop diarrhea, removes dampness, and stops leukorrhea. It helps regulate the spleen and stomach, promotes the transformation and transportation of dampness, and alleviates symptoms such as loose stools and heavy limbs caused by excessive dampness.
2. Medications
1. Shen Ling Bai Zhu San: A traditional Chinese medicine that strengthens the spleen and replenishes qi. It contains ingredients such as ginseng, white atractylodes, and poria. It benefits the spleen and stomach, boosts lung function, and removes dampness. It is suitable for symptoms such as reduced appetite, loose stools, shortness of breath, and cough caused by spleen and stomach weakness and excessive dampness. It should be used according to the prescribed course under a physician's guidance.
2. Huo Xiang Zheng Qi Shui: Contains agastache, perilla leaf, angelica root, and other ingredients. It resolves exterior syndromes, transforms dampness, regulates qi, and harmonizes the middle jiao. It is suitable for dampness-related symptoms such as heavy-headed headaches, abdominal distension and pain, vomiting, and diarrhea caused by external contraction of cold and internal damage from dampness stagnation. Strict adherence to medical instructions is required during use.
3. Fu Zi Li Zhong Wan: Composed of processed aconite root, codonopsis, white atractylodes, and other ingredients. It warms the middle jiao and strengthens the spleen. It alleviates symptoms such as cold abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, and cold hands and feet caused by spleen and stomach deficiency cold and internal dampness obstruction. Dosage should be adjusted based on specific conditions.
4. Xiang Sha Liu Jun Wan: Contains saussurea, amomum fruit, codonopsis, and other ingredients. It replenishes qi, strengthens the spleen, harmonizes the stomach, and eliminates dampness. It is suitable for symptoms such as indigestion, belching with reduced appetite, and abdominal fullness caused by spleen deficiency and qi stagnation with excessive dampness. It should be taken under a physician's guidance.
5. Ping Wei San: Composed of atractylodes, magnolia bark, tangerine peel, and other ingredients. It dries dampness, strengthens the spleen, regulates qi, and harmonizes the stomach. It is suitable for symptoms such as abdominal fullness, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, and limb heaviness caused by dampness stagnation in the spleen and stomach. Due to its drying properties, it must be used under strict physician monitoring.
To better manage excessive dampness, individuals should maintain a light diet, avoid excessive consumption of raw, cold, or greasy foods, and engage in appropriate physical activity to promote blood circulation and eliminate dampness. Medications must be strictly taken under a physician's guidance, and self-medication or arbitrary dosage adjustments should be avoided.
