Summer and its extreme weather changes and can damage our Spleen function leading to bloating, abdominal discomfort, poor appetite, heavy legs and dull persistent headaches, gas, bland or no taste sensation, nausea and loose stools. When the weather is hot we naturally eat more cold food and drink more cold drinks. If our digestion is weak (low hydrochloric acid levels), this unbalances our gut flora, resulting in the above symptoms as well as an increase in food intolerances.
This condition can be fixed by avoiding foods that increase damp and strain the digestion. These are sweets, molasses, wheat, tomatoes, dairy products, nuts, citrus, juices, oils, deep fried foods, ice-cream, pizza, pork, smoothies, pumpkin and icy drinks.
Foods That Clear Damp
Adzuki beans, rice, alfalfa, mung and kidney beans, well cooked cabbage, Sauerkraut, capers, cardamom, nutmeg, ginger, chicken, clams, dandelion tea, kohlrabi, Congee, mandarin peel, lettuce, rye, spelt, sweet potatoes, spring onion, tuna, vinegar, water chestnuts and grilled or baked (not poached) fish.
A cupping and acupuncture session can give immediate relief for the symptoms as well as herbs to balance the digestion to consolidate the effect.
