The dog days of summer, which appear between the mild summer heat and the extreme summer heat, are the hottest, humid, and sultry period of the year. Below are the health tips I compiled during the Dog Days, I hope they will be helpful to everyone.

Tips for keeping healthy during the dog days

Soaking feet in hot water - dispelling dampness evil

Yang Qi is strongest in the dog days of summer. Soaking feet in hot water can stimulate the stomach of foot Yangming. The six meridians in the foot, including the Foot Meridian, the Foot-Taiyang Bladder Meridian, play the role of strengthening the spleen, dehumidifying, stimulating menstruation, and diluting water. For most people, soaking their feet in hot water around 40℃ is enough. People who experience weakness in limbs, drowsiness, and loss of appetite can add 20 grams of Clematis (removing dampness), 15 grams of Atractylodes (stimulating menstruation), and 15 grams of Atractylodes (strengthening the spleen) to hot water, and the effect will be better.

Eat loofah to compete with ginseng

Eat loofah to compete with ginseng in the hot days. This is because the loofah contains the component of ginseng - saponins, which is very suitable for consumption in the hot days to relieve heatstroke and prevent dryness. . The newly bought green loofah can be used to make clear soup, pork ribs or chicken soup, which can remove oil and relieve greasiness, making people appetizing.

A bowl of mutton soup, no prescription required

Eat beef and mutton and drink mutton soup during the dog days to keep fit and nourish yin and qi. Therefore, there is also a saying that "a bowl of mutton soup in Futian does not require a prescription from a miracle doctor". In addition, eating beef and mutton in summer is very necessary to supplement nutrition. Eating some mild beef and mutton can not only supplement rich nutrition, but also use heat to heat up and drive away the poison and moisture in winter and spring through perspiration and detoxification.

When turning on the air conditioner in the hot weather, 26℃ is the most suitable temperature

Experts remind that more and more people suffer from respiratory diseases in summer, which is related to people staying in air-conditioned rooms for a long time. Nasal congestion, runny nose, headache, insomnia, endocrine disorders, etc. are all typical symptoms of so-called air conditioning disease. Experts suggest that the temperature difference between indoor and outdoor should not be too large, generally around 8°C to 10°C. Therefore, an indoor temperature of around 26°C is more suitable. And generally after turning on the air conditioner for two or three hours, you should open the windows for about half an hour.

Moxibustion in the summer solstice in the summer solstice

An old saying goes: "If a family has moxa for three years, the doctor will not come." The heat in the dog days is strong and diseases are common, and people with poor resistance are prone to illness. Colds, fevers, and coughs are very suitable for moxibustion to regulate the body. Moxibustion is simple and easy to operate and is a common health care and prevention method. It can not only warm and clear meridians, remove dampness and cold, coordinate yin and yang, and its mechanism of action, but can also warm qi and activate blood circulation, reduce swelling and pain, prevent diseases and protect health, and have the effect of treating winter diseases and summer diseases.

Experts suggest that during the dog days of summer, moxibustion at Zusanli, Guanyuan, Zhongwan, Taixi and other acupoints can properly regulate the body's constitution and enhance resistance. Those who are strong, have mild illness, and have a short course of disease can do moxibustion two to three times a week; those with poor body constitution, severe illness, and long course of disease can do moxibustion for several months or even more than a year.

Appetizing diet

As soon as the dog days of summer enter, many people will be troubled by the "bitter summer", with taste and loss of appetite. Therefore, "appetizing" is the focus of summer health care. Experts suggest that you can eat more bitter foods in summer. Bitter melon, bitter vegetables, and tartary buckwheat can relieve heat, relieve heat, and strengthen the spleen and appetite. However, bitter melon is cold in nature, so people with poor physical constitution and weak spleen and stomach should not eat more. The weather is very hot and you sweat a lot, which easily consumes your Qi and damages your Yin.

Therefore, foods that replenish qi and nourish yin are also indispensable. Yams, jujubes, honey, lotus roots, and fungus are all good choices. In addition, flat or cool meat products such as chicken, duck, and lean pork also have the effect of nourishing yin, nourishing the stomach, and strengthening the spleen.

"Low-key" exercise

The often said "three days of summer training" does not allow everyone to exercise regardless of time, place, or situation. In summer, the human body consumes a lot of energy, so exercise methods such as running, playing ball, and mountain climbing must be done according to one's ability. It is best to do some "low-key" exercises, which can achieve the exercise effect without causing discomfort.

Extended reading

Knowledge about health during the dog days

1. Ensure adequate sleep. In summer, the days are long and the nights are short. In addition, the temperature is high and the body’s metabolism is fast, which can easily cause Insufficient sleep can lead to depression and heatstroke. It is best to ensure 8 hours of sleep every day and do not stay up late. It is best to go to bed at 22:00 and get up at 6:00 the next day. Do not face direct blowing from fans or air conditioners while sleeping.

2. Prepare sun protection equipment and heatstroke prevention supplies before going out. Sun hats, parasols, sunglasses, etc. are all good sun protection equipment. It is best to apply some sunscreen half an hour before departure; in addition, you need to prepare enough If possible, you can bring some Fengyoujing, Huoxiang Zhengqi water, etc. with you.

3. Rinse your wrist with cold water. You can flush your wrist with tap water every 3 hours for one minute each time. Because the wrist is where arterial blood flows, flushing with water can effectively lower the blood temperature.

4. When going out, do not wear clothes that are too thick or too tight, and do not wear chemical fiber clothes to prevent sweating and heat dissipation in time. Wear more cotton, linen, and silk clothes that are suitable for sweating. You can choose Short sleeves, shorts, sandals.

5. Don’t wait until you are thirsty to drink water. Drink 2 liters of water every day. If you sweat too much, you may need to drink more. You can add more light salt water or mineral-containing water. But don't drink too much water at one time to avoid water poisoning.

Also don't drink ice water after exercise to avoid stomach cramps.

6. Pay attention to eating less spicy and high-protein foods. Spicy foods and high-protein foods contain high calories and should be taken as little as possible. You can try to eat a light diet and eat more vegetables, fruit.

7. Take a nap at noon. Studies have shown that sleeping during the day can effectively lower the body temperature. Moreover, when it is hottest at noon, choosing to sleep can effectively avoid high temperature weather and replenish physical strength in time.

8. Eat small meals frequently. When you eat more, you will consume more calories. If you choose to eat small meals frequently, you can disperse the concentrated calorie intake.

9. Avoid working at noon. The sun is strongest and the temperature is the highest at noon. It is best for working people to avoid working at this time. You can choose to start work early and end work late, take more breaks in the middle, and do not work continuously. Working and being too tired is also one of the causes of heat stroke.

10. Drink more cooling drinks. Some drinks can effectively reduce body heat and are good choices for preventing heatstroke. For example, cold mung bean soup, cold hawthorn juice, cold honeysuckle, cold chrysanthemum tea, watermelon, and cucumber , tomatoes, etc.

11. Apply Fengyoujing to prevent heat stroke. Before going out in hot weather, you can apply some Fengyoujing on the philtrum, temples and Yintang to effectively prevent heatstroke.

What should you pay attention to in keeping healthy during the dog days?

1. The diet should be light and less raw and cold.

In summer, you can eat more bitter foods, such as bitter melon, bitter vegetables, and bitter buckwheat. It can relieve heat, dispel summer heat, strengthen the spleen and stimulate the appetite. However, bitter melon is cold in nature, so people with poor physical constitution and weak spleen and stomach should not eat more. The weather is very hot and you sweat a lot, which can easily consume your Qi and damage your Yin. Therefore, foods that replenish qi and nourish yin are also indispensable, and yam and fungus are good choices.

2. Sweating and cupping

Dog Day detoxification is especially suitable for those with obvious symptoms of dampness and heat, mainly severe acne, thick and greasy tongue coating, etc. As for detoxification methods, sweating in summer is one of the most important detoxification methods. In addition, cupping, scraping and acupuncture with special techniques can also be recommended. In the dog days of summer, allowing the body to sweat appropriately can take away the evils of summer heat and dampness in the body. Sweating can speed up metabolism and promote detoxification of the body.

3. Appropriate exercise

Proper activities in summer are beneficial to the movement of the body's qi and blood and maintain a healthy body. But also because of the hot summer weather, the human body's metabolism is strong and oxygen consumption is large. It is best to control the intensity during exercise and avoid sweating profusely to prevent the occurrence of diseases.

Diet precautions during the dog days of summer

1. Eat more bitter foods.

Bitter food not only clears away heat, but also relieves heat, relieves heat, and eliminates fatigue. Therefore, during the hot season, eating some bitter foods such as bitter melon, bitter vegetables, and bitter buckwheat can strengthen the spleen, whet your appetite, and increase your appetite. It will not only keep the evil of dampness and heat away from you, but also prevent heat stroke, which can be said to kill two birds with one stone. In addition, bitter food can also make people feel refreshed and relaxed, which is helpful for people to restore their energy and physical strength in the hot summer, and reduce or eliminate discomforts such as general weakness and listlessness.

2. Increase the intake of foods that clear away heat, relieve heat, strengthen the spleen and reduce dampness.

Mung bean soup is a traditional Chinese folk food for relieving summer heat. Except for those with spleen and stomach deficiency and weak constitution, it can be eaten with confidence. In addition, lotus leaves, watermelon, lotus seeds, winter melon, etc. also have good heat-clearing and summer-relieving effects. Lentils and barley have good spleen-strengthening effects and are good summer dietary therapies for patients with spleen deficiency.

3. Foods that nourish qi and yin are indispensable.

The weather is very hot in the dog days of summer, and people sweat more, which easily consumes qi and damages yin. At this time, people often feel "not sick but weak at the same time". Therefore, in addition to replenishing water in time, you should also often eat some light foods that nourish qi and yin to enhance your physical fitness. Such as yam, jujube, sea cucumber, eggs, milk, honey, lotus root, fungus, soy milk, lily porridge, chrysanthemum porridge, etc.

It can be used as a decoction to eliminate food and harmonize the body, promote qi and disperse stasis, produce body fluids and quench thirst, converge lung qi, relieve troubles and calm the nerves. Drinking it regularly can cure diseases and maintain health. It is a rare health drink in hot summer.

Mung bean porridge

Mung bean water is an important food to maintain health and prevent heatstroke during the dog days. Mung beans are also edible and medicinal. . However, it should be noted that mung beans are a medicinal and food product with a cooling property. If the body is deficient or the spleen and stomach are deficient, excessive consumption will cause abdominal pain and diarrhea. People with yin deficiency should not drink large amounts, otherwise it will cause excessive deficiency fire and lead to erosion of the corners of the mouth and swollen and painful gums. and other symptoms.

Poria and fresh lotus porridge

1 lotus leaf (either fresh or dried), 10 fresh perilla slices, 50 grams of Poria, 100 grams of fresh Huaishan, 30 grams of barley, japonica rice Or 100 grams of millet. First decoct lotus leaves and perilla to remove residue, add poria, yam, washed japonica rice or millet into the soup, and cook together into porridge. Add appropriate amount of sugar or salt to the pot according to taste before serving. Poria cocos and fresh lotus porridge clears away heat and relieves summer heat, calms the mind and calms the mind, relieves diarrhea and dysentery, and has an auxiliary therapeutic effect on patients with cardiovascular disease and neurasthenia (psychological consultation in neurology department).

Yam Spare Ribs

In the hot and humid days of summer, the human body perspires seriously, and trace elements of potassium and calcium are severely lost, which is easy to damage yin and consume qi. At this time, it is most appropriate to eat foods that nourish blood and replenish qi. Foods that nourish yin and nourish the spleen. Yam pork ribs are an excellent food for nourishing yin and have the effect of supplementing calcium.

Healthy Food for Dog Days

Carp

The climate in summer is warm and humid. Drinking some carp soup appropriately can help remove dampness, stimulate appetite, diuretic and reduce swelling. From a nutritional point of view, carp is rich in high-quality protein, minerals and vitamins, and is easily digested and absorbed. It is suitable for all types of people, including children, pregnant women, and the elderly.

Duck meat

Duck meat is something that many people like to eat. For example, duck heads or duck necks bought on the street are very spicy foods. It is best not to eat them often. , it is better to eat some light food. For people who pay attention to health care in all seasons, duck meat is especially suitable for summer consumption. As the saying goes: "Eat more duck in the summer to prevent bitterness." Duck meat is rich in protein that the human body urgently needs in summer. It provides nutrients and can prevent and treat diseases. People with heat in the body are suitable to eat duck meat, and it is more beneficial for people with weak constitution, loss of appetite, fever, dry stool and edema.

Lotus seeds

Eating more lotus seeds after entering the ambush can dispel fire. The heart is most fragile in hot weather, and people are easily irritable and sad due to summer heat. Although the taste of lotus seed core is bitter, it can clear away heart fire and lower blood pressure. It is suitable for people with weak constitution, palpitation, insomnia and dreaminess. But those with dry stools and bloating should eat less.

Ginger

In summer, people who eat cold food or frequently blow air conditioners can easily damage the yang energy of the spleen and stomach. Ginger is pungent and warm in nature, and has the effect of warming the body and dispersing cold. Eating ginger in the dog days of summer can relieve vomiting and relieve diarrhea, strengthen the stomach and relieve diarrhea, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory, eliminate phlegm and relieve cough.

In the dog days of summer, you can eat more ginger to replenish your yang energy. Ginger is pungent and warm, and has various effects such as dispersing cold and sweating, resolving phlegm and relieving cough, soothing the stomach, and relieving vomiting. The best time to drink ginger tea in the dog days of summer has also arrived. Put 4 slices of ginger, 4 jujubes, and an appropriate amount of brown sugar into a cup of boiling water and brew. A cup of ginger-date tea that warms the stomach and dispels cold is ready. Drinking ginger tea is a simple and easy health care method that seems to be becoming more and more popular nowadays. Ginger tea can be drunk all year round, but summer is the most suitable season for drinking ginger tea.

Green tea

In the afternoon of the dog days, drinking a cup of green tea can not only clear away heat and relieve heat, but also detoxify and quench thirst. Drinking green tea has the effect of strengthening teeth, protecting capillaries and refreshing people. In addition, drinking green tea after sweating a lot can help the body replenish lost potassium and improve heat tolerance. It should be noted that green tea is slightly cold and may cause bloating for people with weak stomachs.

Mung bean

People are prone to heat stroke symptoms during the dog days of summer. Drinking mung bean soup has a good effect of clearing away heat and relieving heat. And the green soup of mung beans when they are just boiled has the best heat-clearing effect. You can drink the juice and add water to cook until the beans are rotten. At this time, the mung bean soup has the strongest detoxification effect.

Barley

During the hot and humid days of summer, people are susceptible to summer heat and dampness. Drinking barley has good diuretic, swelling, spleen and dampness effects. Eating barley regularly also has a good effect on improving chronic enteritis and indigestion.

Watermelon

During the hot weather in the dog days of summer, the human body perspires a lot and loses a lot of water. Watermelon pulp is sweet and juicy, with plenty of water. It is suitable to be eaten regularly to replenish water and cool down in summer.

Watermelon is a food with a cold nature and taste. In summer, it can help people clear away heat and relieve heat, produce fluids and quench thirst, diuresis and relieve troubles. Eating watermelon regularly can clear away heat and relieve heat. Traditional Chinese medicine reminds some people who are weak and cold to eat less watermelon.

Kiwi fruit

During the dog days of summer, the temperature is high and the skin is easily sunburned. Kiwi fruit is rich in vitamin C and has a good antioxidant effect. It can effectively enhance the skin's ability to resist sunburn. It can also whiten the skin, eliminate freckles, and play a role in beauty and skin care.

Winter melon

Suitable for patients with irritability, difficulty urinating, cough and asthma, and hypertension. People with spleen and stomach deficiency and kidney deficiency should eat less cucumber

It is refreshing, clears away heat, relieves summer heat, and can also increase appetite. Patients with stomach pain and chronic diarrhea caused by spleen and stomach deficiency should eat less.

Chrysanthemum

The pleasantly fragrant chamomile petals contain 17 kinds of amino acids, and are also rich in vitamins and various trace elements. They can clear away heat and detoxify, and are suitable for preventing and treating wind, heat, colds and sore throat. pain. People with cold constitution should drink less.

Bitter melon

Bitter melon has the effects of increasing appetite, strengthening the spleen and stomach, and aiding digestion. It also helps promote blood circulation and relax blood vessels. However, it is not advisable to consume it in excess, otherwise it may cause nausea, vomiting and other symptoms.

Honey

According to the "Compendium of Materia Medica", honey has the effects of "clearing away heat, detoxifying, and moisturizing". After getting up early, drink a large glass of warm honey water to help resolve the heat. However, infants under one year old and patients with liver cirrhosis should not drink it.

Cabbage

Cabbage is cold in nature and sweet in taste. It has the effects of clearing away heat, nourishing the stomach and detoxifying. It is especially suitable for people with weak spleen and stomach or physical weakness after illness, and has the habit of preventing and treating diseases. Effects of constipation. After the cabbage is cooked, do not leave it for too long to avoid the growth of bacteria.

Kelp

Kelp helps remove accumulated heat in the body and can also deal with physical exhaustion caused by excessive sweating. Summer is the season when cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases are most common. The various nutrients contained in kelp can help lower blood pressure and reduce blood viscosity, which is of great benefit to patients with cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. However, kelp is cold in nature and should not be eaten by those with spleen and stomach deficiency.