Chinese medicine experts introduce that the “three dog days” are a good time for treating winter diseases in summer. Some people who are weak and sickly can enhance their resistance through treating winter diseases in summer, effectively reducing the probability of colds, rhinitis, pharyngitis, and other conditions during the autumn and winter seasons. It is said that the “three dog days” are “perfect” for applying dog day plasters. Experts remind that dog day plasters can only prevent diseases to a certain extent and do not cure all illnesses. In addition, when applying dog day plasters, it is important to follow the doctor’s instructions as not everyone is suitable, and it may cause skin allergies and other issues.
Dog day plasters can adjust the body’s constitution
Dog day plasters are a shortened term for the acupoint plaster therapy for treating winter diseases in summer, and it is also a characteristic method of traditional Chinese medicine for disease prevention and treatment. By applying warm and dispersing medicated plasters on specific acupoints during the hot weather, it can expel cold evils, open up the meridians, warm and tonify yang, achieve the therapeutic effect of balancing yin-yang, adjusting the body’s constitution, and prevent the winter evils from being triggered.
It is introduced that the three pentads of days known as “initial dog days,” “middle dog days,” and “final dog days” are the best dates for fostering yang qi and dispelling internal damp-cold evils. Dog day plasters rely on “absorbing yang” for health maintenance, and the treatment effect is better on the pentad days of dog days. The key diseases treated by dog day plasters include individuals with yang deficiency constitution, low immunity, respiratory system diseases, chronic osteoarthritis, and other conditions. Dog day plasters have the effect of clearing the lungs and stopping cough, especially suitable for the respiratory system diseases that are common in winter and spring, such as chronic bronchitis, chronic rhinitis, bronchial asthma, emphysema, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, etc., which can reduce coughing, improve the patient’s quality of life after medication, and quickly expel excess cold from the body, reducing joint swelling or pain and preventing joint deformities or stiffness.
Special populations are not suitable for plaster application
However, not everyone is suitable for dog day plasters. Luchenghua reminds that people with severe hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, liver, kidney, hematopoietic system diseases, those with acute fever, those with significant internal heat symptoms like yellow phlegm, bloody sputum, children under two years old, pregnant women, women during menstruation, those with scar constitution, skin damage, ulcers, special sensitivity to drugs, and other special populations are not suitable for dog day plasters. It is also important to note the time for plaster application, with children typically applying for 1-2 hours and adults for 2-5 hours. If the skin becomes red or too hot during the application process, the plaster should be removed immediately, and the time should not be extended privately.
There is also a popular online saying that “dog days are the ‘golden period’ for weight loss, applying dog day plasters equals ‘lying thin’.” Dog day plasters do not have a direct weight loss effect, so the public should not exaggerate the preventive and therapeutic scope and effects of dog day plasters or have excessive expectations. Many people, in pursuit of convenience and cost savings, purchase dog day plasters online for self-application. The medication in dog day plasters is tailored to the patient’s constitution, and the acupoints for application vary for different diseases. Simply relying on common knowledge or online searches for acupoint charts for application is not rigorous or scientific, and it may not achieve the therapeutic effect and may even lead to adverse reactions.
“Using heat to treat heat” first distinguish the constitution
During the dog days, some people may choose the method of “using heat to treat heat” for health preservation, such as promoting sweating to cool down. This method is not suitable for everyone—people with internal heat constitution may experience more internal heat if they adopt “hot therapy”, while those who sweat easily may experience discomfort such as palpitations due to excessive sweating. In addition, for those with poor constitution or spleen-stomach deficiency-cold, drinking a large amount of cold tea may worsen the weakness and coldness in the body and even lead to symptoms such as diarrhea and abdominal pain. Therefore, when choosing health preservation methods, people should judge whether “using heat to treat heat” is suitable based on their own constitution.
There is a traditional saying of “eat radish in winter and ginger in summer,” but not everyone is suitable for consuming ginger in summer. Ginger tends to be warming, can be used to warm the middle, expel cold, and is more suitable for those with stomach cold, wind-cold colds, poor appetite; however, it is not suitable for those with internal heat, dry cough due to lung heat, vomiting due to stomach heat, halitosis, hemorrhoids bleeding, painful sores, hepatitis, hair loss, etc.
For those with yang deficiency constitution or who feel cold in hot weather, appropriate consumption of mutton for nourishment is recommended, but in moderation, as excessive consumption may lead to more internal heat; those with internal dampness and internal heat should avoid eating mutton in the dog days. Similarly, individuals with a hot constitution and good spleen-stomach can have cold drinks and foods in summer, but should not treat cold drinks as water; those with weak spleen-stomach, such as frequent diarrhea, unformed stools, abdominal bloating, should not consume cold foods.
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