Part 5 of 6 in the "What Malaysians mean by heavy dampness" series. The list of the other five is at the foot of this part.

Part 4 set out the model's two lines. This part takes the four habits listed in part 2 and matches them one by one to a place in that model — and says plainly which sentence has an entry in the standard and which is only the theory's common teaching.

The answer first. Three of the four habits have a matching entry in the standard; three familiar sentences have none. Where there is an entry this part writes "the standard says"; where there is none it writes "common teaching" — kept apart from start to finish, and marked item by item below.

"The standard" below means the WHO's 2022 standard terminologies on traditional Chinese medicine; only definition sentences are quoted, never a symptom list.

The short version

• The standard describes spleen yang as the activating, impelling and warming aspect of the spleen's function, and carries a further entry, "cold tends to impair yang": cold is yin in nature and can easily impair yang qi.
• Put together, those two are the theory's basis for treating iced drinks and raw-cold food as a load on the warming aspect.
• The standard's "dietary predilections" means excessive indulgence in specific food, including cold or hot food, certain flavours or alcohol.
• For eating late, the standard's nearest entry is "dietary irregularities", meaning improper diet, including excessive hunger and binge eating.
• The standard's "physical inactivity" entry states that inactivity leads to imbalances in the flow of qi and blood, weak tendons and bones, and stagnant qi of the spleen and stomach.

A note: this section is general information only. For conditions like these, follow your doctor's diagnosis and treatment, and seek medical attention when you need it.

First, the things that cannot wait

⚠️ A safety note: TCM and Western medicine complement each other; it is not a choice between them. For severe abdominal pain, chest tightness or breathlessness, or fever with a stiff neck, call 999 now, or go to the nearest hospital emergency department.

Persistent high fever, blood in the stool, or unexplained weight loss means seeing a doctor first — the reason behind each is in part 6.

A note: this section is general information only. For conditions like these, follow your doctor's diagnosis and treatment, and seek medical attention when you need it.

I. Iced, greasy, late, seated: which link each one loads

Iced and raw-cold food. The standard describes spleen yang (脾阳) as the activating, impelling and warming aspect of the spleen's function.

The standard also carries the entry cold tends to impair yang (寒易伤阳): cold is yin in nature and can easily impair yang qi. Put beside spleen yang, that is the theory's basis for treating iced drinks and raw-cold food as a load on the warming aspect; the step that counts cold food as this cold is the theory's common teaching.

Greasy and sweet. The standard's list of causes includes dietary predilections (饮食偏嗜), meaning excessive indulgence in specific food, including cold or hot food, certain flavours or alcohol.

The theory holds that rich, sweet, greasy food is harder to transform, which is why it is said to generate dampness readily; that too is common teaching. The standard's chapter of causes has no entry for rich, sweet, greasy food generating dampness — the phrase appears there only in symptom and pattern passages, which this part does not quote.

Eating late. The standard's nearest entry is dietary irregularities (饮食不节), meaning improper diet, including excessive hunger and binge eating. "The spleen-stomach should rest at night" is the theory's common teaching on daily rhythm; the standard has no separate entry for it.

Sitting. The standard's physical inactivity (过逸) entry states that inactivity leads to imbalances in the flow of qi and blood, weak tendons and bones, and stagnant qi of the spleen and stomach. The sitting row in part 2's table describes that relationship.

II. This is how TCM theory would read the day

Below, the model above is laid over an ordinary working day. It describes how the theory reads these habits, not any particular reader.

• Lunch: nasi campur with a kopi peng. The theory sees raw-cold food reaching the stomach, so the spleen-stomach's warming, impelling aspect has to work harder and transformation slows; the standard says cold is yin in nature and can easily impair yang qi.
• Two to six in the afternoon, seated directly under the vent. The theory files this as cold and damp reaching the body at the surface; the standard says dampness is yin in nature and can easily damage yang qi.
• Four hours without standing up. This matches the standard's "physical inactivity": stagnant qi of the spleen and stomach.
• Hair washed at eleven at night, asleep before it dries. The theory files this as external damp reaching the body through the head, the same as the row in part 2.
• The theory's overall reading. Across the day the transformation line is slowed again and again, and surplus water lingers more easily; that is the "disordered water metabolism, retained water dampness" of the internal-dampness definition.

This passage describes the model, not a diagnosis.

Put into life in Malaysia, that day usually has two more stretches in it:

• Kopi peng, teh ais, Milo ais: the theory's direction is a warm drink with the meal. If you really want it iced, have it between meals, not alongside the rice.
• Supper in overtime season and exam season: fried food and an iced drink at the mamak is the theory's "rich and greasy + raw-cold + late" all in one. Occasionally is not uncommon; if it becomes routine, follow the direction in part 2.

The words in this part

All five are entry headings in the WHO's 2022 standard terminologies on traditional Chinese medicine. Only their definition sentences are quoted here.

• Spleen yang (脾阳) — the standard: the yang qi of the spleen, as opposed to spleen yin; it refers to the activating, impelling and warming aspect of the spleen's function.
• Cold tends to impair yang (寒易伤阳) — the standard: cold is yin in nature and can easily impair yang qi.
• When damp prevails, yang declines (湿胜阳微) — the standard: dampness is yin in nature and can easily damage yang qi. The "seated under the vent" line in section II uses this entry.
• Dietary irregularities (饮食不节) — the standard: improper diet, including excessive hunger and binge eating.
• Physical inactivity (过逸) — the standard: inactivity leads to imbalances in the flow of qi and blood, weak tendons and bones, and stagnant qi of the spleen and stomach. The sitting row in part 2's table uses this entry too.

"Dietary predilections" is explained in part 2: excessive indulgence in specific food, including cold or hot food, certain flavours or alcohol.

"Transformation" (运化) is covered in parts 1 and 4: the spleen turns what you eat into what the body can use, and moves the surplus fluid out.

Frequently asked

Is "cold food harms the spleen" a sentence in the standard? Not as a sentence, but two entries put together are the basis for it: the standard says spleen yang is the activating, impelling and warming aspect of the spleen's function, and that cold is yin in nature and can easily impair yang qi. Counting the iced drink or raw-cold dish in front of you as that "cold" is the theory's common teaching, which the standard does not write. So this part states the first two as "the standard says" and the third step as common teaching.

Does "rich, sweet, greasy food most readily generates dampness" have a source? Not in the standard's chapter of causes. The phrase appears there only in symptom and pattern passages, and this part quotes none of that material. So it carries the "common teaching" label throughout the body; if a public-health or university TCM page is found that states it, the source will be added.

And "the spleen-stomach should rest at night"? Also no separate entry. The nearest the standard comes is "dietary irregularities", meaning improper diet including excessive hunger and binge eating — which is not about timing. So this part labels "rest at night" as common teaching as well.

Do not: read this day as your own diagnosis. The passage reads how habits land on the model; it does not say what will happen to any particular reader.

The other five parts

• Part 1: Why do Malaysians always say "dampness is heavy"? What dampness is in TCM theory, and what the humidity figures say
• Part 2: Which daily habits count — iced drinks, air-con and long sitting, and what the theory links to dampness
• Part 3: Dampness teas and 薏米 water: who should ask before drinking
• Part 4: The model inside the theory: the spleen governs transportation and transformation, and where dampness comes from
• Part 6: When to see a doctor first — each sign, and what it can mean

👉 If you are not sure which stretch of your own day to change first, you are welcome to book an online consultation with HansMed, where a practitioner registered under the T&CM Act 2016 can assess it with you.

Sit with a licensed TCM practitioner from wherever you are.

HansMed Modern TCM

Sources

• World Health Organization, WHO international standard terminologies on traditional Chinese medicine (2022) — https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240042322

本文是「马来西亚人说的「湿气重」」系列的第 5 篇，共 6 篇。另外五篇的清单在文末。

第 4 篇讲了模型的两条线。这一篇把第 2 篇列的四个习惯，一个一个对上模型里的位置——并且明说哪一句话在标准里有条目，哪一句只是理论的通说。

先给答案。 四个习惯里，三个在标准里找得到对应条目；三句常听到的话没有。有条目的，本篇写「标准说」；没有的，写「通说」——从头到尾分开写，哪一句是哪一种，下面一项一项标明。

下文的「标准」，指世界卫生组织 2022 年的中医术语标准；引的是定义句，不是症状清单。

一分钟看完

• 标准把「脾阳」说明为脾的功能中激发、推动、温煦的一面；另有一条「寒易伤阳」：寒属阴，易伤阳气。
• 这两条放在一起，就是理论把冰饮与生冷视为加重温煦这一面负担的依据。
• 标准的「饮食偏嗜」是对特定食物的过度偏好，包括生冷或燥热的食物、某些味道或酒。
• 太晚吃，标准最接近的条目是「饮食不节」，即饮食失宜，包括过饥与暴食。
• 标准的「过逸」条目写明，缺乏活动会导致气血运行失调、筋骨软弱、脾胃之气停滞。

小提醒：本段仅为一般知识说明。相关情况请以西医的诊断与治疗为主，并在需要时及时就医。

先说不能等的几件事

⚠️ 安全提醒：中医与西医是互相补位的关系，不是二选一。若出现剧烈腹痛、胸闷或呼吸困难，或发烧伴颈部僵硬，请立刻拨打 999，或前往最近的医院急诊部。

持续高烧、大便带血，或无法解释的体重下降，请先看医生——每一项的理由，见第 6 篇。

小提醒：本段仅为一般知识说明。相关情况请以西医的诊断与治疗为主，并在需要时及时就医。

一、冰、油、晚、坐，各自「加载」哪一环

冰与生冷。 标准把「脾阳」说明为脾的功能中激发、推动、温煦的一面。

标准还有一条「寒易伤阳」：寒属阴，易伤阳气。两条放在一起，就是理论把冰饮与生冷视为加重温煦这一面负担的依据；「入口的生冷算作这里的寒」这一步，才是通说。

油腻与甜。 标准的病因条目里有「饮食偏嗜」，即对特定食物的过度偏好，包括生冷或燥热的食物、某些味道或酒。

理论认为肥甘厚味运化起来更费力，所以说它容易生湿；这也是通说。标准的病因章里没有「肥甘厚味生湿」这一条——这个词只出现在症状与证型的段落里，那些段落我们不引。

太晚吃。 标准最接近的条目是「饮食不节」，即饮食失宜，包括过饥与暴食。「脾胃夜里该休息」这一句是理论对作息的通说，标准没有单独条目。

久坐。 标准的「过逸」条目写明，缺乏活动会导致气血运行失调、筋骨软弱、脾胃之气停滞。第 2 篇表里久坐那一行，说的就是这层关系。

二、中医理论会这样读这一天

以下把上面的模型套在一个普通工作日上。说的是理论怎么读这些习惯，不是在说任何一位读者。

• 中午，nasi campur 配一杯 kopi peng。 理论看到的是生冷入胃，脾胃温煦、推动的一面要多花力气，运化变慢；标准说寒属阴，易伤阳气。
• 下午两点到六点，坐在出风口正下方。 理论把这归为寒与湿从体表接触身体；标准说湿属阴，易伤阳气。
• 这四个小时没有起身。 对应标准的「过逸」：脾胃之气停滞。
• 晚上十一点洗头，头发没干就睡。 理论把这归为外湿从头部接触身体，与第 2 篇那一行相同。
• 理论的总读法。 一整天里，运化这条线被反复放慢，多余的水更容易停留，这就是「内湿」定义里的「水液代谢紊乱、水湿停留」。

这一段说的是模型，不是诊断。

放到大马的日子里，这一天还常有两段：

• kopi peng、teh ais、Milo ais：理论的方向是配餐时改温饮。真的想喝冰的，放到两餐之间，不要一边吃饭一边喝。
• 加班季、考试季的宵夜：mamak 的炸物加冰饮，是理论里「肥甘厚味 + 生冷 + 太晚」三样一起。偶尔为之并不少见，成为常态就需要按第 2 篇的方向调整。

这篇出现的几个词

五个都是世界卫生组织 2022 年中医术语标准里的条目名称。本篇只引它们的定义句。

• 脾阳（spleen yang）——标准的说明：脾的阳气，与脾阴相对；指脾的功能中激发、推动、温煦的一面。
• 寒易伤阳（cold tends to impair yang）——标准的说明：寒属阴，易伤阳气。
• 湿胜阳微（when damp prevails, yang declines）——标准的说明：湿属阴，易伤阳气。第二节「坐在出风口正下方」那一句用的是这一条。
• 饮食不节（dietary irregularities）——标准的定义：饮食失宜，包括过饥与暴食。
• 过逸（physical inactivity）——标准的说明：缺乏活动会导致气血运行失调、筋骨软弱、脾胃之气停滞。第 2 篇表里久坐那一行用的也是这一条。

「饮食偏嗜」这一条在第 2 篇已经解释过：对特定食物的过度偏好，包括生冷或燥热的食物、某些味道或酒。

「运化」第 1 篇与第 4 篇讲过：脾把吃进去的变成身体能用的，再把多余的水送走。

常见问题

「冰的东西伤脾」，标准里有这一句吗？ 没有这一句，但有两条拼起来的依据：标准说「脾阳」是脾的功能中激发、推动、温煦的一面，又说「寒属阴，易伤阳气」。把入口的冰饮与生冷算作这里的「寒」——这一步是理论的通说，标准没有写。所以本篇把前两条写成「标准说」，把第三步写成「通说」。

「肥甘厚味最容易生湿」有出处吗？ 标准的病因章里没有这一条。这个词在标准里只出现在症状与证型的段落，而那类材料本篇一律不引。所以它在正文里一直带着「通说」这个标签；如果哪天找到合适的公立医疗或大学中医机构页面写明这一点，会补上出处。

「脾胃夜里该休息」呢？ 同样没有单独条目。标准最接近的是「饮食不节」，指饮食失宜、包括过饥与暴食——它说的不是时间。所以「夜里该休息」这一句，本篇也标成通说。

不要这样做： 不要把这一天读成自己的诊断。这一段读的是习惯怎么落在模型上，不是在说任何一位读者会怎样。

这个系列的另外五篇

• 第 1 篇：为什么大马人常说「湿气重」？—「湿」在中医理论里是什么，气象局的湿度数字怎么说
• 第 2 篇：哪些日常习惯算——冰饮、冷气、久坐，理论把什么联系到「湿」
• 第 3 篇：祛湿茶、薏米水：谁要先问再喝
• 第 4 篇：理论里的模型：脾主运化，和「湿」的来处
• 第 6 篇：什么时候先看医生——每一项信号，以及它可能意味着什么

👉 如果您不确定「我这一天里哪一段要先改」，欢迎透过汉方中医的线上问诊，由依 2016 年 T&CM 法令注册的医师为您评估。

无论身在何处，与持证中医师对坐。

汉方现代中医

资料来源

• 世界卫生组织，《WHO international standard terminologies on traditional Chinese medicine》（2022）— https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240042322