With the onset of the summer heat, Changsha, one of the three major furnaces, will face a hot and scorching season. Continuous high temperature will affect human health. Especially for the elderly with chronic diseases, it is more difficult to bear. Air conditioning can solve part of our discomfort, but more important is to master the health care methods to improve the body’s resistance, in order to deal with this natural climate healthy and happy.
According to Chinese medicine, according to the properties of nature, summer is fire, which corresponds to the heart. The heart is the master of the blood vessels, the master of the spirit, in the will for the joy. The heart is the master of the blood vessels, including the master of blood and the master of pulse. If the heart functions normally, the pulse is gentle and strong, with a uniform rhythm and a rosy and lustrous complexion. Su Wen – Four Qi Tuning Shen Da Lun said: “In the summer, March, this is called the month of the summer; heaven and earth, all things are in full bloom”. Summer is characterized by high temperatures, high humidity, and lots of rain. Therefore, “nourishing Yang”, “avoiding summer heat” and “dispelling dampness” are the basic principles of summer health.
Regulating the mind in summer
The heart is the master of the mind, from the perspective of the five organs of God, summer nourishment is important to nourish the heart, “Nei Jing” cloud: “the south produces heat, heat produces fire”, the heat should be in the summer, should be in the heart, the heart is the master of blood, hiding God, mood too extreme can be sad, resulting in the heart and mind restlessness. Therefore, it is very important to calm the heart and tranquilize the mind, the heart is quiet and naturally cool. As Qiu Douji said: “summer in March, want to peace of mind”, should “clarify and mind, the outside of the sound and color, thin taste, can live high, long distant lookout, early sleep and early rise, no aversion to the day, in line with the sun, to eliminate the summer heat.” Nourish the mind and regulate the state of mind, always have ice and snow in my heart, can be said that the heart is quiet and naturally cool.
Get up and take care of yourself
Summer heat should pay attention to the “four preventions”.
First, prevent heatstroke, try to avoid the hot sun, avoid the high temperature environment. Those who need to work in high temperature need to do a good job of protective measures.
Second, prevent injury wet, wet from the environment, wet from the diet. Therefore, to avoid living in wet places and eating cold. If not properly guarded will produce dizziness and weakness, body weight, depression, not thinking about eating and other symptoms.
Third, to prevent cold, summer colds have the characteristics of lingering difficult to heal, mostly from the cold wind, so avoid excessive use of cooling apparatus, avoid sleeping in the open aisle with the wind through the hall.
Fourth, the prevention of epidemics, due to rising temperatures, the environment is humid, suitable for bacteria and some viruses reproduction, coupled with more human sweating, the human immune function is impaired, the most vulnerable to infection germs. Therefore, we should pay attention not to drink raw water, do not eat unclean food, cold food and cold drinks do not over-eat.
Exercise for health
Summer is hot and humid, so you need to avoid the hot sun and sweating too much to damage the Jin Qi. It is advisable to exercise in the early morning at dusk. The best place is at rivers, streams, ponds and shady places, and indoor exercise is also a very good method. The program is based on soothing exercises. Including beat fitness method, dancing, qigong, eight duanjin, swimming, fishing, back health exercises, etc.
(1) beat fitness method, simple and easy to do, best before breakfast. Such as patting the limbs: take a sitting or standing position, put the left arm forward flat, the right hand palm patting the left shoulder, arm, elbow, and then the left palm patting the right shoulder, arm and elbow, with two palms patting the inner and outer thighs, knee joints, inner and outer calves, the focus should be patting the calf foot three points. Can make the muscles and bones of the blood circulation, prevention of rheumatism paralysis.
(2) dance ballroom dancing, dancing can not only show lovers beautiful dance, make the mood happy, and is aerobic exercise, good for health. Time to eight or nine in the morning or five or six in the evening after dinner is good, when the air humidity is suitable. Should choose a spacious, fresh air places, not too many people. Because the blood flow rate accelerates when dancing, the heart load increases, oxygen consumption increases, the effect of fresh air on fitness is very important.
(3) qigong, eight duanjin is one of the ancient traditional gong methods, exercise the movement of the body and limbs and adjust the heart, the combination of breath, with the movement is easy to do, the effect is significant, because the practice of eight duanjin will not sweat, the heart is quiet, cooling effect.
(4) swimming can not only cool the summer heat, but also improve lung function, enhance myocardial contraction, relieve fatigue, and help sleep.
(5) Fishing is good for physical and mental health. In the past, many literati and celebrities to “fishing” as a literary activity. Regular fishing can indeed promote health, the Ming Dynasty Li Shizhen pointed out that fishing can lift the “heart and spleen dry heat”, and the hot summer climate often makes people bored, agitated, easy to “fire”, so the summer fishing good. The old saying: “Lake one stop to get rid of the evil, nourish the heart and nourish the sex is better than medicine”, the reason why fishing nourishes the heart and nourishes the sex is because fishing is with the brain, hands, eyes with, static, intention, moving to help each other.
(6) back health exercises is a good exercise program for the elderly, can exercise the back muscles, increase the flexibility and flexibility of the body.
Diet for health
A, diet should be light, summer drinking more water, gastric juice is diluted, gastric acid secretion is reduced, eat less greasy and thick and other hot food.
Second, replenish water and inorganic salts, because the summer sweat more, inorganic salt water with sweat discharge, must be supplemented, especially potassium ions.
Third, supplement protein and vitamins, human tissue in the case of high temperature, protein decomposition increased, vitamin loss increased. Need to properly supplement lean meat, eggs, milk, fish and other foods.
Fourth, cold drinks should be moderate. Appropriate consumption, can quench the thirst and help digestion. However, for the elderly and chronically ill patients should be selective and moderation, eat as little as possible. Those with a cold spleen and stomach should avoid drinking.
Here are a few summer diets for your reference.
(1) Pearl three fresh soup, with chicken, peas, tomatoes, eggs, milk as raw materials cooked. It can warm the middle and benefit the qi, replenish the essence and fill the marrow, clear the heat and remove the annoyance.
(2) Sugar cane porridge, made from sugar cane juice and round-grained rice. It can clear heat and produce body fluid, nourish Yin and moisten dryness.
(3) Coix Seed Winter Melon Soup, with Coix Seed and Winter Melon as raw materials. It can clear heat and relieve summer heat, strengthen the spleen and promote diuresis.
(4) Jasmine and silver fungus, with jasmine flowers and silver fungus as raw materials, can nourish Yin, moisten the lung, nourish the stomach, promote the production of body fluid, and clear heat and relieve symptoms.
(5) Iced sugar tea, with icing sugar and rutabaga as raw materials, can clear heat and calm the mind, moisten the intestines and nourish the stomach, and produce body fluid to quench thirst.
(6) Five bit wolfberry drink, with Wu Wei Zi, Chinese wolfberry and sugar as raw materials, can nourish kidney yin and help kidney yang.