"Shanghuo" (internal heat) is caused by the imbalance of various organs in the body, which is medically known as a stress-related illness. Due to the large temperature difference between morning and evening in autumn, the body cannot maintain a balanced and stable metabolism, leading to physiological dysfunction and "Shanghuo".
Usually, people do not have obvious symptoms before "Shanghuo" occurs, but after its onset, it manifests as a sore and dry throat, red, dry, and gritty eyes, a hot and burning sensation in the nose, chapped lips, loss of appetite, constipation, and dark yellow urine. Severe symptoms such as canker sores and a swollen and sore throat can affect normal eating and drinking. Some beauty-conscious women may also develop painful, red pimples due to excessive "internal heat," causing inconvenience in their daily lives and work.
Maintain a regular life and eat more vegetables and fruits.
Experts suggest that first, you should maintain a scientific lifestyle, with regular work and rest, and timed and quantified meals. Do not skip a meal to save time, nor overindulge in a feast. All activities should be appropriate and moderate. Ensure adequate sleep, avoid staying up late to prevent excessive fatigue and a weakened immune system.
Secondly, eat more "heat-clearing" foods. Fresh green leafy vegetables, cucumbers, oranges, and green tea have good heat-clearing effects. Carrots are also very effective for supplementing the body's vitamins and preventing chapped lips. In addition, oral cooling agents, such as Sangju Jinju granules, are also very effective for "clearing heat." During a "Shanghuo" episode, it is advisable to avoid spicy foods, alcohol, smoking, and staying up late. Pay attention to oral hygiene, rinse your mouth frequently, drink plenty of water, and take "heat-clearing" medicines under a doctor's guidance. If "Shanghuo" symptoms are significant and do not improve after a week, seek medical attention promptly. Experts especially remind the public not to take "heat-clearing" medicines at will, as excessive consumption may have the opposite effect.
Of course, regulating your emotions is also very important. Anxious mood can "add fuel to the fire," and keeping a cheerful mood helps regulate the body's "internal heat." Additionally, if you have canker sores, the condition is severe and does not improve after a week, you should seek timely diagnosis and treatment. Canker sores are not necessarily caused by "excessive internal heat"; they may be caused by a viral infection of the canker sore pathogen, or they may be related to hormones and genetics. Canker sores are also considered a sign of a weakened body. Therefore, when canker sores appear, if the patient also feels physically fatigued, they should check if their nutrient intake is balanced, if they are getting enough rest, and appropriately supplement various vitamins and minerals.
Dietary Therapy for Clearing Heat
Loofah and Ginger for "Clearing Heat": If you find that you have "internal heat," you should quickly take measures to "clear the heat." The following dietary methods can be used as a reference.
Dry throat and hoarseness:
Drink light salt water, or drink tea with dried orange peel and sugar.
Sore and swollen throat:
Mash tender loofah and squeeze out the juice, gargle frequently with it. Gargling with a mixture of vinegar and an equal amount of water can relieve pain. Gargle with one spoonful of soy sauce for about 1 minute and then spit it out, repeating 3-4 times.
Blisters in the mouth:
Chew a few slices of ginger slowly in your mouth to make the blisters gradually disappear. Chewing 1-2 cloves of raw garlic or garlic leaves can also make the blisters slowly disappear.
Cough with phlegm:
Mulberry bark 10g, licorice and bamboo leaves 5g each. Wash them, put them in a pot, add an appropriate amount of water, and decoct for oral administration to treat excessive phlegm in the morning.
One piece of ginger chopped, one egg, a little sesame oil. Fry the ginger and egg in sesame oil like you would a fried egg, eat it while it's hot, twice a day.
Dry mouth and tongue:
Lily, almond, and loquat congee: 20g of pear, 12g of almonds, 15g of lily, 20g of loquat fruit, 50g of japonica rice, and a little honey.
Wash the lily, almonds, and japonica rice and cook them over high heat, stirring continuously. Cook until the rice grains begin to swell, the water and rice merge, and the mixture becomes smooth and creamy, then switch to low heat.
Next, prepare the other ingredients. Peel the pear and dice it, and also dice the loquat. Then add the loquat dice, stir a little, then add the pear dice, and continue to simmer while stirring.
Once the congee is cooked, ladle it into a bowl, let it cool slightly, and then add a little honey before serving.