Summer is the season of “damp Qi”. What does that mean? Well, it means it’s the season to eat more water-containing foods as it’s really hot. There is more moisture in the air, our body is hotter and we crave more water to cool ourselves down. Damp foods can help with that because they are naturally more watery and fluid-like.
So that means now is the time to eat more fruit than usual. The problem is, it’s easy to over-indulge (yep, even fruit should be enjoyed in moderation) which according to Chinese medicine can produce excessive “damp”, which can lead to swelling and inflammation – not great for any pregnant lady, right?
Other foods that are considered damp are oily foods. So in summer, it’s best not to eat too much of them if you’re already eating more fruit. Oily salmon would be an exception, as in pregnancy it’s best to have lots of it to help with your growing baby’s brain, especially from 20 weeks onwards.
The other exception would be nuts – again these are great for ensuring that your energy levels don’t spike and drop throughout the day and it’s a good idea to have some in your handbag at all times.
The top 6 damp foods you should avoid during a summer pregnancy
- chocolate
- lollies
- sugar
- crisps
- deep-fried chips
- sugar-filled fizzy drinks.
If you’re going to be pregnant over the summer, really try to stay away from those as much as you can as they are all the worst and will create lots of damp in your body. If you have too much damp, you can experience very loose bowel movements and you feel foggy in the head and slow moving. You’re sure to already feel slow moving, no need to add to it right?!
It’s extra important for a pregnant lady to keep her damp levels in check. You can do this by checking out your tongue. Look in your bathroom mirror, point your tongue out as far as you can and take a good look. If it looks puffy, has teeth marks at the side or if you can see a coating on your tongue, then you have excess damp in your body. This can translate to inflammation too and that’s not great to prepare for birth, nor is it good for birthing.
So what to do? Survey what you’re eating, take out the obvious junk, eat more of the good stuff and if you’re still having problems, contact your local Chinese medicine practitioner who has a special focus on pregnancy and they will help you navigate your way back to balance. Your ankles and gut will thank you for it and you’ll be thanking yourself later when you give birth as you won’t be so swollen in your pelvis.
Happy summer!