Take this model for example, she’s skinny right? Yet she’s got a bulging lower abdomen, caused by “damp”.

What the heck is damp?

It’s one of the 5 pathologies in TCM often caused by disrupted digestion. Often associated with the plump, you don’t have to be overweight to have damp build up.

Damp accumulates when the digestion isn’t working efficiently and a build up of nutrients and gunk can’t be properly processed and eliminated, so it stagnates. And stagnates. The build up has to go somewhere so the body shovels it over to adipose tissue, starting around the belly, like our model here.

Damp is different to the fat we store for energy, so you can do all the sit ups you like, as long as there’s this digestive problem it’ll be an uphill battle. If you ignore your digestion you will stuggle with weight, battle with the kinds of foods you eat and partake in silly fad diets that aren’t sustainable.

The “about” pages will guide you how to strengthen your digestion.