Let's talk about dampness...

In Chinese Medicine Dampness is considered an excess yin pathogen. This means it has a physical basis and can be seen and felt. It is responsible for that heavy lethargic feeling you get when all you just want to do is sit on the couch and do nothing. Often pain has an underlying “damp” component to it. Meaning that heavy, dull, achy sensation you might sometimes feel. This is fluid/water accumulating in places it doesn't belong. It could be happening at the cellular or the tissue level. Think swelling and edema. Or pain that is worse with damp weather or changes in pressure. The best analogy I've heard is to picture dampness as an internal swamp. And what grows in swamps? Bacteria. Viruses. Molds. Fungus. And many other opportunistic pathogens.

So how does this dampness occur?

It can be caused by an external invasion such as that “cold that penetrates to the bone" or stifling humidity. In most cases it is a result of our modern lifestyle... too much food and not enough movement. The best way to avoid dampness is by avoiding damp causing foods. Think heavy, fried foods, highly refined and processed foods, sugar, dairy, alcohol... you know all those holiday favorites. If you can't completely avoid these foods, then you are completely normal! However, you can use movement and exercise can help the body to utilize the fuel it is getting and drain the swamp. One of the best things to do is to just walk more through out the day. A good goal is to try to get up to 10,000 steps in daily.

So get a jump on the season and increase your movement to avoid accumulating the dampness that occurs during this time of the year.