When does the 2026 Sanfu period start?

The 2026 Sanfu period officially begins on July 15 and ends on August 23, lasting a full 40 days. It’s the stuffiest time of the year and when the body’s metabolism is at its fastest.

What damp-clearing foods can you eat more of for weight loss during Sanfu?

It’s recommended to consume more warming ginger tea that helps induce sweating, as well as unsweetened adzuki bean and coix seed soup, bitter melon, and winter melon, which can drain water and reduce swelling to help the body naturally expel accumulated fluids.

Why shouldn’t you drink iced water when losing weight during Sanfu?

When icy drinks enter the body, they cause the microvessels in the digestive tract to constrict instantly, greatly lowering the basal metabolic rate and allowing cold to linger inside the body, which makes it harder to expel dampness and can worsen water retention.

What details should you pay attention to when soaking your feet during Sanfu?

It’s recommended to soak your feet in 38–40°C warm water for 15 minutes before bed each day, with the water level ideally reaching your calves, until your forehead is slightly sweaty. You can also add mugwort to enhance the damp-clearing effect.

2026 Sanfu weight-loss checklist: TCM-recommended 3 types of damp-clearing foods and foot soaks to reduce swelling

Summary

In 2026, the Sanfu period runs from July 15 to August 23, lasting 40 days, which is when the body’s metabolism is at its fastest.
For your diet, it’s recommended to have more warm ginger tea, red beans, and Job’s tears, which help the body naturally get rid of excess water.
While you’re trying to lose weight, cut back on iced water and avoid cold, raw foods such as watermelon and lettuce, so you don’t slow down your basal metabolic rate.
Before bed every day, soak your feet in 38–40°C warm water for 15 minutes to boost overall blood circulation and effectively reduce lower-body water retention.

Have the recent run of temperatures above 35°C made you want to immediately order a drink loaded with ice whenever you head outside? If you haven’t been eating much more than usual, yet your body feels heavy, your lower belly is slightly bloated, and your shoes even feel a little tight by evening, it may not be weight gain. It could be excess dampness building up in your body that isn’t being expelled.

In 2026, the Sanfu period officially begins on July 15. This 40-day stretch is not only the muggiest time of the year; traditional Chinese medicine also considers it the time when the body’s yang energy is strongest and metabolism is fastest, making it ideal for pain-free body management.

Read more: Pain-free summer weight loss: Try these 3 go-to meals from Hong Jin-kyung and Ryu Hye-young

Sanfu weight loss: 3 types of dampness-clearing foods to eat more of

Choosing the right ingredients is the first step toward getting rid of excess fluid.

2026 Sanfu weight-loss checklist: TCM-recommended 3 types of damp-clearing foods and foot soaks to reduce swelling

1. Warm ginger tea and pungent seasonings: Ginger can induce sweating and relieve exterior symptoms. A warm cup of red date and ginger tea in the morning can gently wake up a sluggish digestive system. If ginger tea isn’t for you, adding moderate amounts of pungent seasonings such as scallions and garlic to your daily meals can also help the body sweat out dampness.

2. Red beans and Job’s tears: These are standout ingredients for promoting urination and reducing swelling. At afternoon tea, try swapping your usual hand-shaken drink for a bowl of unsweetened red bean and Job’s tears soup to help drain fluid that has accumulated in the lower body.

3. Bitter melon and winter melon: As seasonal vegetables, bitter melon and winter melon can clear heat, detoxify, promote urination, and reduce swelling, making them well suited to hot, muggy days. Those with a body constitution that tends toward coldness should consume them in moderation.

Prone to puffiness? 3 dietary pitfalls to avoid

Some of the cooling habits we’re used to are often the very things slowing down our metabolism.

2026 Sanfu weight-loss checklist: TCM-recommended 3 types of damp-clearing foods and foot soaks to reduce swelling

1. Iced water and cold drinks: An icy drink may feel refreshing in the moment, yet it can cause the tiny blood vessels in the digestive tract to constrict suddenly, significantly lowering your basal metabolic rate.

2. Raw, cold fruits and salads: Watermelon, sashimi, and large raw salads are all considered cooling foods. Eating too much can allow coldness to linger in the body, making dampness harder to expel.

3. High-sodium and greasy foods: Fried foods and heavily seasoned dishes can lock water tightly inside cells, worsening swelling in legs that are already prone to puffiness.

A bedtime essential: Warm foot soaks and small daily adjustments

To see noticeable changes in your shape this month, there’s no need to rely on extreme dieting. Simply focus on small adjustments to your daily habits, and you can help ease the burden on your body.

A foot soak is an excellent way to boost circulation. Each night before bed, prepare a basin of warm water at 38 to 40°C, ideally deep enough to cover your calves. Soak for about 15 minutes, until your forehead begins to lightly sweat. This can relax the peripheral nerves and promote blood circulation throughout the body. Add a little mugwort to the water, and its dampness-clearing effect can double.

Rather than fixating on the number on the scale, clearing dampness is what really deserves attention during the Sanfu period. Once excess fluid and coldness have been expelled from the body, you’ll naturally look a size smaller, with results that last far longer than any method that leaves you hungry. Take advantage of these warmer days and adjust your routine with the season. When you get home tonight, try starting with a basin of warm water.

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