A guide to preventing dampness in the long summer: Comprehensive conditioning from environment to diet

The long summer (the turn of summer and autumn) brings heavy humidity, which can easily cause fatigue, loss of appetite, joint pain and other problems.To prevent dampness, you need to followEnvironmental dehumidification, dietary conditioning, and living habitsWe should start from three aspects, focusing on keeping dry and ventilated, eating spleen-strengthening and dampness-reducing ingredients (such as barley and adzuki beans), and exercising moderately to induce sweating.It is a common misunderstanding to avoid staying in a humid environment for a long time and eating too much raw or cold food.

Environmental dehumidification: blocking the invasion of dampness

A humid environment is the main source of dampness. It is recommended to open windows for ventilation 2-3 times a day. On rainy days, use the air conditioner dehumidification mode (keep the humidity below 60%).Place bamboo charcoal bags or dehumidification boxes in the wardrobe, and expose bed sheets and bedding to the sun regularly.The traditional Chinese medicine classic "Huangdi Neijing" mentions that "moisture in the earth will damage the skin, muscles, tendons and veins", emphasizing the importance of moisture-proof environment.Common dehumidification products on the market include:Gree dehumidifier,Lao Guanjia dehumidification boxetc. (see Table 1).

Dietary conditioning: Strengthening the spleen and reducing dampness is the key

Traditional Chinese medicine believes that "the spleen is responsible for transporting water and dampness". It is recommended to drink ginger and red date water (3 slices of ginger + 5 dates boiled in water) on an empty stomach in the morning. You can add winter melon, barley and other dampness-reducing ingredients to lunch.Professor Wang Qi from the Beijing University of Chinese Medicine pointed out: "The food in long summer should be warm rather than cold. Cold foods such as mung bean soup and bitter melon need to be neutralized with ginger." Common dietary prescriptions such as Sishen Decoction (stewed soup with 15 grams each of Poria, lotus seeds, gorgon seeds, and yam), and medicinal and food homologous products such asTongrentang barley powder,Lei Yunshang Chixiaodou TeaWait.

Lifestyle habits: Slight sweating is most suitable for wicking away moisture

Sweating through moderate exercise can help eliminate moisture. It is recommended to choose mild exercises such as Baduanjin and brisk walking to allow the body to sweat slightly.Professor Zhang Hongchun of the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences reminds: "Profuse sweating will damage the yang energy. After exercise, you should dry yourself in time and change dry clothes." Before going to bed, you can use mugwort packs to soak your feet (the water level exceeds the Sanyinjiao point), and promote blood circulation three times a week.Avoid staying up late (going to bed before 23:00), because lack of sleep will aggravate spleen deficiency and dampness.

Summary: Moisture prevention requires both internal and external consideration

Long summer protection against dampnessAvoid moisture outside and strengthen spleen and stomach function inside, all three are indispensable.Tools and ingredients such as dehumidifiers and barley are only auxiliary. The core is to establish dry living habits and a moderate eating style.If you have obvious wet-heavy symptoms such as thick and greasy tongue coating and sticky stools, it is recommended to consult a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner for syndrome differentiation and conditioning.

Quote sources:
1. "Yellow Emperor's Internal Classic·Suwen" - Environmental Dampness Theory
2. Interview with Professor Wang Qi from Beijing University of Chinese Medicine - Dietary conditioning suggestions
3. Professor Zhang Hongchun's paper "Pathogenesis and Prevention of Dampness Evil" by China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences
4. Market product data comes from public information on each brand’s official website