Morning Facial Swelling, Swollen Legs from Sitting Too Long—Relying on Iced Americano to Reduce Puffiness Every Day?
In daily life, many people suffer from an edema-prone constitution. From the perspective of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), this is actually the body’s "drainage alarm." Qiu Baorun, a TCM physician at Singapore’s Gong Fang Tang, points out: *"Over 70% of subhealth-related edema is linked to spleen-kidney yang deficiency, requiring both root and symptomatic treatment."*
Self-Checklist for Edema-Prone Constitution:
Noticeable eyelid puffiness upon waking
Persistent indentation (10+ seconds) when pressing the lower legs in the afternoon
Swollen tongue with obvious teeth marks
Cold intolerance, fatigue-prone
⚠️ Be cautious if you meet two or more criteria.
Dr. Qiu’s Three-Step Recovery Method:
Optimal Dietary "Drainage Trio"
Poria & Barley Congee: 15g poria + 30g roasted barley (eaten in the morning to strengthen spleen-stomach function).
Winter Melon & Euryale Soup: 200g winter melon (with skin) + 20g euryale seeds (consumed before dinner to promote water-dampness discharge).
Avoid: Ice cream, pickled foods, alcohol (worsen spleen-kidney burden).
Acupressure
*Zusanli (ST-36, 3 cun below knee):* Thumb pressure for 3 minutes/side to enhance digestion.
*Yinlingquan (SP-9, inner tibia):* Circular kneading for 5 minutes/day to accelerate fluid metabolism.
Herbal Tea Substitute
Classic Formula: 6g astragalus + 3g corn silk + 2g aged tangerine peel, steeped in boiling water as tea.
Case Study:
Patient: Ms. Liu, 32, office worker with bilateral lower limb edema for 2 years (indentation slow to rebound), fatigue, swollen tongue with teeth marks.
TCM Diagnosis: Spleen deficiency with dampness retention, qi stagnation, and water accumulation.
Treatment Plan:
Breakfast: Barley and yam congee.
Dinner: Winter melon and kelp soup (low salt).
Internal Formula (Modified Wuling San): 15g poria, 12g white atractylodes, 9g cinnamon twig, 10g alisma, plus 20g astragalus (qi-tonifying diuresis) and 30g corn silk (enhanced diuretic effect).
External Therapy: Daily睡前 (before sleep) foot soak with mugwort-boiled water (water level above Sanyinjiao SP-6). Ginger-partitioned moxibustion on Yinlingquan (SP-9), 3x/week.
Dietary Adjustments:
Outcome:
1 week later: 50% reduction in leg swelling, faster rebound from indentation.
2 weeks later: Edema nearly resolved, 3kg weight loss (improved water-dampness metabolism).
TCM emphasizes personalized treatment—formulas must be tailored under professional guidance. Never self-medicate blindly.
