Healthy Living This Transition Season in Jakarta

“HUMAN IS THE MICROCOSM, UNIVERSE THE MACROCOSM” The body is in fact a microcosm of the macrocosm-the Universe. Whatever happens in the environment will manifest and affect our physical and mental health.

PROTECT YOUR HEALTH IN THIS TRANSITION SEASON
Indonesia, as a tropical country, is always very damp. This is especially so in late summer where humidity levels can be as high as 90%. The climate in October, during transition season from summer to rainy, fluctuates heavily. Dry hot weather prevails from the morning till afternoon. Then, sudden humid cold rain in the evening. People often sweat profusely in the afternoon, however, they are often exposed to sudden damp cold rain in the evening. As a result, one might feel sleepier, have mood fluctuations, feel low in energy and reluctant to exercise. Flu and allergy risk are also higher during this season. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), humidity or dampness inside the body is considered a disease. Dampness is an abnormal state where fluid retention causes blockage of energy. This imbalance state is not yet regarded as a disease in modern medicine, but in TCM “syndrome of dampness, dampness-heat, dampness-cold and wind dampness” are an imbalance treatable with herbs and acupuncture. If the dampness settles inside the body, some health disturbances might appear.
Some physical manifestations of dampness in the body are:
  • Abundant mucus and phlegm (seasonal allergy)
  • Puffy eyes and face especially in the morning
  • Congested feeling of the chest and abdomen,
  • Nausea and bloated stomach, before or after meals.
  • Dizziness or vertigo attack, especially after heavy and starchy meals.
  • Increased sleepiness and heavy feeling of the body. Lack of motivation to exercise.
  • Recurrent pain and rheumatism.
These are all related to the buildup of dampness inside the body. When Dampness affects our joints, this can cause pain and rheumatism exacerbated in wet weather. Such symptoms are sometimes accompanied by local swelling or general edema. Dampness in the long term can also affect reproductive and genito-urinary systems. In women, medical conditions like polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), ovarian cysts, breast cysts and also excessive discharges are often related to dampness syndrome. In modern medicine, we blame hormonal imbalance for causing these problems.
Hormones are essential substances produced by hormonal glands. Even though hormones can be little in amount, however, their effects are significant towards the regulation of body fluids, body weight, energy and even our emotions. In traditional medicine, dampness syndrome is the cause of these problems/imbalances.