Summer is a key period for heart care because the heart corresponds to the summer climate, and at this time, the heart’s yang energy is most vigorous. Therefore, maintaining heart health is particularly important. Daily care should pay attention to quitting smoking and alcohol, avoiding strong tea, ensuring sufficient sleep, maintaining a lifestyle that is neither too busy nor too lazy. Choose suitable ways to exercise moderately, such as walking, jogging, Tai Chi, swimming, etc., which helps promote cardiovascular health and strengthen heart function.
Calm and meditative breathing is a practice that relaxes the mind and nourishes the heart. You can try sitting upright, adjust your breathing to be deep, long, and slow, lightly massage the area of the heart on the left chest with your right hand, and make 36 clockwise massages according to the breathing rate, which is beneficial for promoting the circulation of qi and blood and nourishing the heart.
Exercise for heart health should not be overlooked either. Moderate exercise not only strengthens the cardiovascular system but also enhances heart function. Even in the blazing summer, you should choose appropriate exercise methods based on your physical fitness to stay active.
Acupressure massage in traditional Chinese medicine is also a good way to protect the heart, with Neiguan (Inner Pass) and Qimen (Qi Door) acupoints being key points. Regularly massaging these acupoints can promote heart health. For example, massage the Neiguan point on the left arm (2 inches above the wrist crease, between the two tendons) 30 times with the right hand, then massage the corresponding point on the right arm with the left hand.
Regarding diet, it’s advisable to follow a light diet principle, limit the intake of fats, especially animal fats, quit smoking and limit alcohol, avoid overeating and binge drinking to maintain heart health and prevent related diseases.
Diet therapy for heart health, such as hawthorn tea, not only lowers cholesterol and strengthens the heart but also improves appetite; Biota seed tea helps nourish the heart and calm the mind, moisten the intestines, and aid bowel movements. In addition, teas made from ginseng, sanqi (Tianqi), American ginseng, and other Chinese medicinal herbs, as well as some Chinese herbal formulas like Danshen tea, Sanqi drink, provide more choices for heart health, each with effects of tonifying qi, promoting blood circulation, calming the mind, etc.
In conclusion, there are various strategies for heart health in summer, including a balanced diet, regular exercise, acupressure massage, and herbal drinks. The key is to find a method that suits you, persevere, and aim to achieve a healthy heart.
