In our daily lives, excessive dampness is quite a common issue; many people suffer from discomfort caused by dampness. Many who are troubled by dampness think of using dampness-eliminating herbs like barley seeds (Yi Yi Ren) and poria (Fu Ling), but sometimes they don’t work effectively, or the dampness returns as soon as you stop taking them. Why is that? From the perspective of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), dampness is considered a yin pathogenic factor; it requires warm-natured herbs to be resolved and dispersed. Therefore, just using dampness-eliminating herbs isn’t enough; they must be combined with formulas that warm yang and promote diuresis (water regulation).

I’d like to share with you a "golden combination" for eliminating dampness: taking Shen Ling Bai Zhu San (Ginseng, Poria, and White Atractylodes Powder) in the morning, and Gui Fu Di Huang Wan (Cinnamon and Aconite Rehmannia Pill) in the evening. Why this combination? This relates to the functions of our body's internal organs according to TCM. In TCM theory, the spleen governs transportation and transformation. The food and water we consume rely on the spleen and stomach for transportation and transformation before they can be absorbed and utilized by the body. If spleen and stomach function is weak and their transportation-transformation ability is impaired, food and water can accumulate in the body and transform into dampness and phlegm. Therefore, the key to eliminating dampness lies in fortifying the spleen.

Shenling Baizhu San is a classic formula for fortifying the spleen and dispelling dampness. It is based on the Sijunzi Tang formula with the addition of dampness-dispelling herbs such as white hyacinth bean and coix seed. While Sijunzi Tang itself has the effect of fortifying the spleen and boosting qi, the addition of white hyacinth bean and coix seed enhances its dampness-dispelling properties. However, using Shenling Baizhu San alone may not completely eliminate dampness, and dampness is prone to recurring after discontinuing the medication. This is because individuals with severe dampness often also experience yang qi deficiency. Yang qi is like the sun within the body; it warms the body, promotes the circulation of qi and blood, and helps dispel dampness. If yang qi is insufficient, dampness can be difficult to eliminate completely.

This is where Guifu Dihuang Wan comes into play. Guifu Dihuang Wan warms and supplements kidney yang, which is the root of the body’s yang qi. When kidney yang is sufficient, the yang qi throughout the body becomes robust accordingly. With ample yang qi in the body, dampness gradually dissipates, just as the sun dries up small puddles.

Moreover, the timing of taking these medications is also significant. The period from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. is when the stomach meridian is active. Taking Shenling Baizhu San, which fortifies the spleen and dispels dampness, during this time allows the medicinal effects to circulate throughout the body along with the stomach meridian, clearing dampness from head to toe. The period from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. is when the kidney meridian is active. Taking Guifu Dihuang Wan in the evening to warm and supplement kidney yang aligns with the concept of “seeking yang within yin,” allowing the medication to work more effectively.

Now, let me share a real patient case with you. Mr. Zhang, aged 50, is a taxi driver. He has a busy work schedule, irregular eating habits, and often enjoys cold beverages. Recently, he has been feeling particularly heavy and sluggish, with weak limbs, loose stools, and a thick, greasy tongue coating. Hearing that coix seed can dispel dampness, he started drinking coix seed porridge daily. However, after more than half a month, his symptoms showed no improvement.

After Old Zhang came to me for a consultation, I took his pulse, examined his tongue coating, and inquired about his lifestyle habits in detail. I concluded that he had spleen and stomach deficiency, internal dampness, and insufficient yang energy. I then prescribed Shenling Baizhu San and Guifu Dihuang Wan, instructing him to take Shenling Baizhu San in the morning and Guifu Dihuang Wan in the evening. Old Zhang followed my instructions diligently for over a month. When he returned for a follow-up visit, he happily reported that he now felt much lighter, had more strength in his limbs, his bowel movements had normalized, and his tongue coating had become cleaner.

However, I must remind everyone that this "golden duo" for dispelling dampness is not suitable for everyone. If dampness has persisted for a long time and has transformed into heat, leading to symptoms such as dry mouth, bitter taste, dark yellow urine, and dry stools, then this method may not be appropriate. Since Guifu Dihuang Wan is a formula that warms and tonifies kidney yang, its use in such cases may aggravate the heat pathogen in the body. Therefore, before using it, it is best to consult a professional traditional Chinese medicine practitioner to choose the appropriate method for dispelling dampness based on your specific condition.