People suffering from pain and body aches should avoid eating: bamboo shoots, eggplant, water spinach, duckweed, and okra… This is the advice from traditional medicine practitioner Huỳnh Văn Quang of the District 5 Traditional Medicine Association in Ho Chi Minh City.
According to Huỳnh Văn Quang, in our daily activities, we encounter many factors that can cause pain. Aside from strong stimuli that affect pain sensation nerves, most minor and fleeting pain goes unnoticed. Traditional medicine views pain and body aches as a result of blocked blood flow and stagnant energy; additionally, it can be caused by “deficiency, evildoers, and wind,” meaning that while the body is weak, exposure to harmful wind can also lead to pain and discomfort.
Modern medicine attributes the causes of pain and fatigue to overworked muscles, leading to a deficiency in ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate) synthesis – the body’s energy source. Pain and fatigue can also arise from delayed signal transmission in muscle cells during excessive physical exertion (this occurs even in those who engage in sedentary activities like prolonged computer use or office work). At such times, lactic acid levels in muscle cells increase, and potassium ions leak out, resulting in feelings of fatigue and soreness.
According to Huỳnh Văn Quang, there are many types of medications, both pharmaceutical and herbal, that can alleviate pain. However, not all types of pain require medication. When muscles are passively engaged for too long, lactic acid accumulates in muscle tissues, and blood circulation decreases in those areas, leading to fatigue and muscle soreness.
To effectively address this condition, it’s essential to enhance blood circulation with a few simple exercises after prolonged periods of inactivity. For cases of soreness caused by heavy labor, it is necessary to reduce excessive muscle activity. For symptoms of shoulder pain and fatigue, massage techniques targeting the neck, cervical vertebrae, and shoulder blades (to promote blood flow and relax muscles) can be quite effective.
In traditional medicine, steam therapy (using herbal leaves for steaming, or in facilities specializing in physical therapy and traditional medicine) remains one of the best methods for treating pain and muscle fatigue. This simple yet effective method works because the heat helps dilate peripheral blood vessels, improving blood circulation and expelling waste products from the bloodstream through sweat glands. After steaming, it is crucial not to take a cold shower (a common mistake made by those who massage after a hot steam session, then immerse themselves in cold water or shower before a massage!). You should dry off, avoid drafts; otherwise, the pain may return, possibly even worse. It is advisable to wait about two hours after steaming before taking a cold shower. After steaming, it is recommended to drink a cup of hot lemon tea or ginger tea with a bit of sugar.
Additionally, you can relieve body pain and soreness by pressing acupressure points along both sides of the spine, from the cervical vertebrae down to the lumbar region, for about 10-15 minutes, which is very effective. Currently, traditional medicine also offers simple, effective therapies for body pain through the use of ultrasound and infrared laser acupuncture (as a replacement for traditional needle acupuncture).
Foods to Eat When Experiencing Body Aches
– One of three types of quail, sparrow, or goat meat cooked with cinnamon powder and spices to taste, made into porridge for consumption.
– Rabbit meat, turtle shell, or soft-shelled turtle meat (200-300 g) cooked into a very soft porridge (beneficial for nourishing the body, suitable for those feeling fatigued, irritable, or sensitive to humid weather).
– Quail without innards (1), fresh silkworm larvae (5), star anise (1 piece), a little fennel, 2 grains of cardamom, seasoning. Preparation: Clean all the ingredients, stuff them into the quail, sew it up, and steam to eat.
– For back pain due to prolonged sitting: Red dates (10), Poria mushroom powder (30 g), Chinese yam (50 g), fresh ginger to taste. Cook everything together with about 100 g of rice to make porridge, which is very beneficial for regular consumption.
– For headaches caused by excessive stress, prolonged sitting, and mental exertion: A cup of very hot ginger tea, along with a slice of ginseng and a bit of honey, or a mint candy will immediately relieve stress.
– Powdered ginseng mixed with hot water for drinking can nourish the blood and purify the blood, enhancing mental clarity.
– Longan (20 g), ginkgo nuts (20), steamed to eat.
– Gastrodia (2 slices), Ligusticum (1 slice), chicken eggs (2), a bit of rock sugar, steamed to consume.
