Water Retention — TCM Food Therapy & Dietary Approach
Disharmony of the lung, spleen, and kidney, where the triple burner fails to regulate the water passages and the bladder fails to transform qi, may be associated with retained fluids overflowing into the skin.
Traditional Chinese Medicine Patterns
In TCM, this concern is differentiated into several patterns, each with a classical herbal formula:
Spleen-Kidney Yang Deficiency (Internal Retention of Water-Fluid)
Formula: Zhenwu Tang (True Warrior Decoction) — from *Treatise on Cold Damage*
Spleen Yang Deficiency (Debilitated Spleen Yang)
Formula: Shipi Yin (Fortify the Spleen Drink) — from *Chong Ding Yan Shi Ji Sheng Fang*
Kidney Yang Deficiency (Decline of Kidney Yang)
Formula: Jisheng Shenqi Wan (Jisheng Kidney Qi Pill) — from *Formulas to Aid the Living*
These formulas are for reference under TCM syndrome differentiation and should only be used under the guidance of a qualified practitioner.
Food Therapy & Diet
Dietary Therapy Recipes
- Adzuki Bean and Carp Soup: adzuki beans 50 g, 1 carp; stew plainly (low salt).
- Astragalus Carp Soup: astragalus root 15-30 g, adzuki beans 30 g, lotus seed 15-30 g, amomum fruit (Sha Ren) 3-6 g, carp 250-400 g; cook without salt.
- Adzuki Bean, Coix and Carp Soup: adzuki beans 50 g, raw coix seed 50 g, 1 carp, tangerine peel 5 g, 3 ginger slices.
Dietary Principles
- Favor foods that may support strengthening the spleen, promoting urination, boosting qi, and reducing swelling (winter melon, hyacinth bean, fox nut, lotus seed, radish, adzuki bean, coix seed, corn, carp, crucian carp).
- Avoid overly salty foods (pickles, cured meat, instant noodles).
- Avoid cold-natured foods (ice cream, cold drinks).
- Avoid triggering foods (shrimp, crab, pig's head meat, goose), as well as pungent foods, tobacco, and alcohol.
Understanding the Condition
Disharmony of the lung, spleen, and kidney, where the triple burner fails to regulate the water passages and the bladder fails to transform qi, may be associated with retained fluids overflowing into the skin. In spleen-kidney yang deficiency, the spleen fails to transport water-dampness and kidney yang is too weak to transform qi, so water-cold accumulates internally.
This content is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.