Patients with dampness in the body can consume hawthorn appropriately, but should pay attention to not excessive.
Hawthorn belongs to the same source of medicine and food. Hawthorn is sour, sweet and slightly warm in nature; it belongs to spleen, stomach and liver meridians. It has the effect of eliminating food stagnation (digesting stagnant food), promoting circulation of Qi and dispersing blood stasis. It is used for treating dietary stagnation, dysentery and abdominal pain, hernia pain, chest and abdominal pain with stasis, and dysmenorrhea. It should be used with caution in patients with weak spleen and stomach without stagnation.
Patients with dampness in the body do not belong to the contraindicated group of hawthorn, and thus can be consumed appropriately. However, patients with dampness in the body accompanied by weakened spleen and stomach transportation function without stagnation are not recommended to eat hawthorn.
Hawthorn should be used under doctor’s guidance when used as medicine.