“Zhōng fú” as one of the hottest periods in summer, there is a folk idiom that goes: “during Zhōng fú, you can eat as much as you want, and the doctor will run out of legs.” Although this saying may seem exaggerated, it reveals the importance of a balanced diet during Zhōng fú for maintaining good health. During Zhōng fú, the body is prone to heat and dampness invasion. How to help the body smoothly pass through these hottest 20 days by following the diet principles of “eat two, avoid two,” let’s explore if it makes sense?
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1. Eat two types of foods during Zhōng fú
Amidst the scorching summer days of Zhōng fú, it feels like an invisible fire is burning between the heavens and earth, with waves of heat and steam rising. At this time, choosing the right diet is not only a delight for the taste buds but also a gentle care for the body. Clearing heat and dispelling dampness, nourishing the body and mind, has become the core concept of diet during Zhōng fú.
First, during Zhōng fú, one should consume light and heat-clearing foods.
During Zhōng fú, the scorching sun bakes the earth, making the body feel as if it’s in a fiery furnace, with sweat flowing continuously. This causes the precious water and electrolytes in the body to be lost. Dietary adjustments need to be meticulous at this time. Pursuing a fresh and elegant taste enjoyment along with deep nourishment of the body will help endure the summer heat smoothly.
Among green leafy vegetables, cucumber stands out for its crispness, juiciness, and cooling properties. It seems to be the messenger of coolness bestowed by nature, not only carrying a rich group of vitamins and mineral treasures but also possessing unique heat-clearing abilities. It brings a rare coolness to the hot summer days, facilitating the light elimination of toxins in the body, and restoring tranquility and purity to the body and mind.
Tomatoes, like a rosy glow in summer, are sweet and sour, satisfying the taste buds’ craving for deliciousness and providing a solid defense line with its abundant antioxidants, resisting the summer’s attacks. Bitter melon, although bitter, contains sweetness. It joyfully offers the remedy for clearing heat, detoxifying the liver, and aiding vision, helping the body find a hint of coolness and comfort amidst the intense heat.
Furthermore, winter melon and loofah, the two treasures among melons, are frequent guests on the summer table. Winter melon conceals magical powers for diuresis and reducing swelling in its massive body, acting like a gentle nurse caring for every inch of the skin, expelling excess moisture and dampness. Loofah, with its unique sweetness and tenderness, gently soothes the heart, bringing gentle heat-clearing and phlegm-melting comfort, relieving the troubles of the humid and hot summer. These are all nature’s gifts to us during Zhōng fú, offering solutions to beat the heat. They allow us to enjoy delicacies while experiencing the refreshing care and coolness from nature.
In addition to vegetables, consuming fruits in moderation serves as a heat-clearing solution. Watermelon, known for its high water content and low calories, is the top choice for summer heat relief; grapes, peaches, and other fruits rich in antioxidants can replenish moisture, offer necessary nutritional support, and boost immunity.
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2. Do not eat two types of detrimental foods during Zhōng fú
During the Zhōng fú days, especially the scorching period, when the sun is intense and heat is overpowering, the body seems to be in a furnace. Not only are emotions likely to be volatile, but the spleen and stomach are also disturbed by intense heat, resulting in a gradual loss of appetite and signs of weakened digestive function. Skillfully choosing foods that can invigorate the spleen and stomach and nourish the body and mind becomes the wisdom of summer health maintenance at this juncture.
Millet, the golden treasure, is not only a frequent guest at the dining table but also a great helper in invigorating the spleen and stomach. It contains rich B-complex vitamins, akin to a gentle breeze in summer. It quietly activates dormant digestive enzymes, promotes thorough breakdown and efficient absorption of food. The addition of dietary fiber acts as a robust defense line for intestinal health, enhancing peristalsis, facilitating toxin elimination, and feeling light and relaxed.
When it comes to Chinese yam, this mountain delicacy has a mild nature, sweet taste, and nourishing qualities, resembling a gentle healer safeguarding the tranquility of the spleen and stomach. It not only supports the spleen and stomach but also nurtures the lungs and generates fluids. In the scorching summer days, it brings a touch of coolness and moisture to the body, especially suitable for those with spleen and stomach issues due to high temperatures and poor appetite.
Regarding coix seed, this aquatic elf is not only light but also contains extraordinary powers to promote diuresis, reduce swelling, invigorate the spleen, and stop diarrhea. Facing the rampant summer dampness, coix seed effectively alleviates symptoms of feeling heavy due to excessive dampness. It seems to open a window for moisture expulsion, allowing freshness and vitality to return.
In addition, consuming some warm and nourishing meats such as duck and fish in moderation is also a good choice. Duck meat is cool in nature and rich in protein and various trace elements, nourishing the yin of the five viscera, clearing heat, and invigorating the spleen; fish is easy to digest, rich in unsaturated fatty acids, helping reduce blood lipids and protect cardiovascular health.
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2. Avoid eating two types of detrimental foods during Zhōng fú
During Zhōng fú, when the balance shifts between heaven and earth, with the rise of yang and gradually increasing yin, it is a subtle moment of natural transformation between yin and yang. At this time, the body should also adjust its diet to nourish yang, protect yin, and avoid consuming foods that are detrimental. This is essential to smoothly pass through summer with good health.
The so-called “detrimental” foods not only refer to pungent and hot foods but also encompass those that generate damp-heat, deplete Qi and blood, and obstruct the spleen and stomach function. For example, chilled beverages, though providing instant heat relief, can harm the spleen and stomach’s yang, causing internal cold and dampness to develop. Over time, it may harm the body’s authentic Qi, affecting physiological functions. Similarly, greasy and rich-flavored foods, especially when excessively consumed, burden the spleen and stomach, leading to internal damp-heat retention. This not only affects digestion and absorption but may also trigger various common summer ailments like dysentery and eczema.
Firstly, during Zhōng fú, avoid pungent, spicy, and greasy foods.
During Zhōng fú, amidst the hot summer, with the sun’s yang energy prevailing between heaven and earth, the body naturally adapts by having the Yang energy at the surface while being slightly internally fragile. The ship of the spleen and stomach seems to sail on a tranquil lake under the scorching sun. Although compelled by external heat, internally, it requires gentleness and patience. Indulging in pungent, spicy, and greasy foods at this time is like casting fiery stones into this serene lake, disturbing the tranquility of the spleen and stomach and further burdening the already tired digestive system.
The pungent flavors like chili, Sichuan peppercorn, and black pepper act intensely like flames. While they ignite the passion of taste buds in an instant, they unknowingly intensify the hot atmosphere inside the body. This makes the outwardly dispersed Yang energy more rampant, internal fire prevalent, leading to symptoms of excessive heat like mouth ulcers, and throat inflammation. Greasy foods, especially deep-fried and grilled dishes rich in fats, resemble heavy burdens pressing on the spleen and stomach, obstructing the smooth flow of Qi and blood. This not only intensifies the digestive burden but may also generate damp-heat, causing constipation, abdominal distension, and other digestive issues.
During this peculiar period of Zhōng fú, it is advisable to adhere to the principle of “lightness first, prioritizing health.” Avoid tempting pungent, spicy, and greasy foods, and instead opt for light, easily digestible foods like porridge, simple dishes, seasonal fruits, allowing the spleen and stomach to rest. It helps the body regain balance under natural nourishment, smoothly passing through the scorching summer days.
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2. Avoid eating raw, cold, and cool foods during Zhōng fú
During Zhōng fú, with the intense sunlight and scorching heat, the world seems tightly wrapped in an invisible furnace, causing people to naturally yearn for a hint of coolness to relieve the heat. However, when pursuing icy freshness excessively during this intolerably hot period by consuming chilled drinks, ice cream, and other raw, cold, and cool foods, it is akin to adding frost to the fragile spleen and stomach. The spleen and stomach are the foundation of postnatal health. If their Yang energy is harmed by cold, it’s like fields missing sunlight in winter, gradually losing vitality, leading to subtle abdominal pain, frequent diarrhea, feeling restrained, and discomfort in the body.
Furthermore, raw and cold foods are like winter cold winds silently invading every corner of the body. They not only erode the spleen and stomach but also become invisible killers to blood circulation. Under their stimulation, blood vessels contract like branches in winter, hindering blood circulation, causing slow blood flow, and depriving various body parts of sufficient nutrients and oxygen. The boat of health thus veers off course invisibly.
Therefore, during the scorching summer days of Zhōng fú, it is vital to learn to harmonize with nature and control the desire for raw, cold, and cool foods. It would be beneficial to opt for warm or slightly warm beverages and foods, such as warm green tea and cooling mung bean soup. They can relieve heat, quench thirst, and provide gentle care for the body. While enjoying the coolness, we should respect and care for our body appropriately, allowing the flower of health to bloom splendidly in every scorching day of Zhōng fú.
Editor
“During Zhōng fú, you can eat as much as you want, and the doctor will run out of legs.” This folk saying reminds us to pay extra attention to dietary care during this unique period. By following the diet principles of “eating two, avoiding two”—consuming more light, heat-clearing, and spleen-nourishing foods, while reducing pungent, spicy, greasy, raw, and cold foods—the body can better adapt to the hot summer weather, protect health, and smoothly pass through the hottest 20 days. Additionally, maintaining good daily routines, engaging in moderate physical activity, and nurturing a positive outlook are indispensable parts of summer health maintenance. Let’s approach changes in every seasonal rhythm with a scientific attitude and method, enjoying a healthy and beautiful life.
Do you think my analysis makes sense? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments!
