Whether quaffing on a cold beer, or sucking ice cubes is your summer’s biggest pleasure, don’t do it too much too often—even though it may sound cruel.
“It is for your stomach’s sake,” said Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Practitioners. “And all begin with the temperature difference.”
The truth is, the temperature of cold drink or food is some 20 degrees lower than that of our stomach (in the case of frozen food such as ice cream or shaved ice, the difference is even bigger). And every time when we drink/eat cold thing, our body has to use additional energy to warm the stomach up before the digestion takes place. The colder the beverage/food, the larger the pressure to the stomach.
Furthermore, as the stomach needs to protect itself so as not being broken down together with the food ingested, there is a mucus coating on the mucous membrane in the stomach that prevents the organ from self-digestion. When chill substances enter into the stomach, the blood vessels in the mucous membrane of the stomach will contract abruptly making the blood flow decrease, thus thinning the mucous layer that covers the mucous membrane. With this condition occurs repeatedly over a long period of time, the protective mechanism of the stomach mucous membrane will be undermined by gastric juice and protease, causing poor digestion and more vulnerable to chronic gastritis.
The bottom line is, our stomach requires a warm (body temperature) environment; often treating it cold is not likely to result in good digestive system. So… is there any option that can save us from summer heat without debilitating the stomach? “Besides cool water, due to its high water content, a piece of watermelon is always good on a hot day,” TCM Practitioners recommended.
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Haven’t we all had our feet soaked in cold icy water for comfort in hot summer afternoons? Unfortunately, it’s unfavorable for health, according to Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners.
Since our feet are the farthest part of our body from the torso and the farthest part of our body that the heart pumps blood to, by the time the blood circulates down to our feet, it’s the coldest extremity. Moreover, as our feet are a bit more flat, they have more surface area for the volume they occupy (versus our head or torso), it’s easier for the blood to acquire the temperature around them. As a result? feet are the most vulnerable part of the body subject to frostbite.
If we often let our bare feet steep in cold icy water, it may cause a pronounced constriction of the blood vessels in the nose and shut off the warm blood that supplies the white cells for fighting off germs. Consequently, the reduced defenses in the nose offer virus chances to strengthen making common cold symptoms developed.
So, next time when your feet need a dip, you better trade the icy water for warm water.
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“In summer, the best way to avoid dehydration is to drink lots of water—especially in the mornings,” Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners strongly suggested.
The truth is, after an overnight fast particularly in hot summer time, our average blood viscosity measurement is at its highest in the morning hours due to the fluid from the body is removed caused by the evaporation of sweat.
If the blood viscosity is at exceptionally high specially for older people, blood won’t be able to circulate well and may increase the risk for blood clots causing blood vessel blockages and even strokes.
That’s why it is so important to start our day with plenty of fluids, even if we don’t feel thirsty, for blood flow in summer mornings.
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Have you often been inclined to tiredness, annoyance, and agitation in long hot summer days? If yes, don’t worry. You are just like many other ordinary people whose mind and body simply can’t respond well to mother nature…. Having said that, “By adjusting your diet to the season, you can still enjoy and appreciate the summer months in ways that are both healthy and refreshing,” said Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Practitioners.
According to TCM, summer is a season that depletes energy and body fluids and we should cater our diet to it. Basically, the key to health during this hottest season is to “cool” and “clear”—cool our mind and clear our body. To begin with, we should stick with this easy but important approach: Opt for a light and bland diet that is effective in clearing heat and reducing sweating, like eating more vegetables and fruits those with cold/cool property. At the same time, avoid high fat, strong flavor, and hot spicy food that are warming in nature bringing extra heat to the body.
In fact, aside from tastiness and nutritiousness, fresh vegetables and fruits such as tomato, cucumber, bitter gourd, winter melon, and watermelon are also good at heat stroke prevention. And for beverage, some flower teas and fruit drinks are exceptionally great at coping with summer symptoms such as clearing heat, slaking thirst, and promoting appetite. Chrysanthemum Tea, Sour Plum Soup, and Lotus Leaf With Honey Water are a few of them.
Let’s allow your diet reflect the vividness and abundance of summer when plants growing fast and strong. At your next BBQ party, why not swap your usual soda for Lotus Leaf With Honey Water?
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