Summer is a critical period for health preservation, and there are many things people need to pay attention to in summer, not only to prevent moisture invasion but also to learn how to expel dampness.
If the body is heavy with dampness, the risk of illness will increase. While you may not feel it now, as the autumn and winter seasons come, it may lead to bodily damage and make you more prone to colds and fevers.
In summer, “avoid the three fruits,” “eat the three bitters,” “do the three things,” expel dampness, detoxify, and stay healthy throughout the year.
In summer health care, avoid the “three fruits,” eat more bitters, and do three things well to stay healthy and reduce illness in summer.
Avoid the “three fruits.”
Watermelon
Watermelon has abundant availability with the weather getting hotter, and many people lose their appetites. At this time, watermelon becomes a “heat-relieving magic tool” as it can relieve heat and quench thirst in the hot summer.
However, watermelon is a cold-natured food with high water content. While moderate consumption can help relieve thirst and promote urination, excessive intake can worsen internal dampness.
Especially many people like to eat chilled watermelon, although it feels very refreshing, it can make the internal dampness worsen in hot weather, so it’s advisable to avoid it.
Jackfruit
In recent years, jackfruit has been widely promoted in China. Although it resembles durian in appearance, its taste and texture are completely different, being crispy and without a strong odor.
Jackfruit, although a tropical fruit, belongs to the category of fruits that are warm and moist. Overconsumption can worsen internal dampness, leading to weight gain, severe bad breath, so it’s better to consume it in moderation.
Mango
We can see various types of mangoes in the market, some with larger heads, some with smaller heads, all tasting sweet and delicious. However, mangoes, being cold-natured fruits, can worsen dampness if consumed excessively.
For women, it’s advisable not to eat mangoes during menstruation, even in summer when mangoes are delicious, it’s best to consume them in moderation to avoid affecting the constitution.
Eat more bitters
Drink dandelion tea
Dandelion is known as the “queen of herbal medicine” and also as the “fire-reducing herb,” having excellent effects in reducing inflammation and removing heat. In summer, steeping dandelion in water can help reduce heat.
Dandelion is a cold-natured ingredient. When drinking dandelion tea, it’s best to use fermented dandelion black tea, which can alleviate damage to the body, relieve throat inflammation, and sore throat.
It can also accelerate the body’s metabolism, reduce the accumulation of harmful substances, prevent excessive dampness, and keep your body healthier, reducing illness throughout the year.
Consume bitter gourd
We all know that bitter gourd is bitter, but bitterness is the key and essence of its nutrients. Bitter gourd, with its bitterness, has the effects of clearing heat, relieving summer heat, invigorating the spleen, stimulating appetite, invigorating Qi, diuretic, and tonifying the kidneys.
In summer, many people are prone to weakness in the spleen and stomach. Eating some bitter gourd frequently can help invigorate the spleen and stomach, maintain normal water circulation in the body, ensure the normal operation of the body, and prevent diseases.
Consume lotus seeds
There is a saying: “A dumb person eats the bitterest.” This saying is usually said by someone who has been wronged, but it is enough to prove that lotus seeds are relatively bitter foods.
Although lotus seeds are bitter, they are a very suitable nourishing food for summer. They can be made into sweet soup dishes or sugar water in hot weather, serving as excellent nourishing products to maintain normal body metabolism and reduce residual dampness.
Do three things well
“Get” good quality sleep
Sleeping to nurture the heart is particularly important. Lack of sleep can easily lead to heart disease, and even heart failure. So, avoid staying up late, make sure to go to bed and wake up early, and enter the sleep state before 11 p.m.
Long-term staying up late can also damage oxygen levels in the body, making it easier for dampness to invade, worsen internal dampness. Ensure 7 to 8 hours of sleep to help maintain metabolism, eliminate dampness, and stay healthy throughout the year.
“Preserve” a good mood
People’s emotions are easily fluctuating in summer, with negative emotions more likely to affect health. So, it’s essential to adjust your mood, be less angry, and maintain a good calm state of mind.
If a person’s temperament is unstable in summer, it’s more likely to harm the health of the spleen, affecting the normal water circulation in the body. Thus, maintaining a positive and optimistic attitude can help regulate normal water circulation and relieve irritation, nurturing the heart, liver, and blood vessels.
“Refrain” from bad habits
To reduce internal dampness, cultivate good lifestyle habits, especially in summer when people easily feel restless, affecting the health of various organs and even the supply of blood to the heart.
Frequent drinking of alcohol can accelerate heart rate, increase the burden on the heart, and be detrimental to health. Alcohol promotes dampness, excessive consumption will worsen internal dampness, it’s advisable to refrain from it to maintain health and reduce illness.
Also, quit the habit of prolonged sitting, which can affect normal metabolism, lead to decreased blood circulation, and be more likely to induce bodily illnesses. Therefore, stick to more than 30 minutes of aerobic exercise daily, helpful in expelling dampness and staying healthy.
Summer is a crucial period for health preservation and dampness removal, so it’s essential to cultivate good lifestyle and dietary habits to help maintain health and reduce illness throughout the year.
