For most northern regions, indoor air becomes particularly dry during the heating season. Many people often wake up with a dry mouth, a sore throat, a feeling of internal heat, dry skin, and even dry eyes.
When encountering these situations, many people's first reaction is to drink more water. In fact, the hydrating effect of pure water is often not the best, because it quickly passes through the digestive tract, enters the bloodstream, and is then excreted by the kidneys, leaving little time to moisten the throat and digestive tract mucosa.
If the discomfort is due to insufficient water intake, consider alternative ways to hydrate. Compared to pure water, water containing a small amount of carbohydrates (such as sugar, starch, and various plant-based gums) is much better. Since carbohydrates are hydrophilic substances, they attract many water molecules, slowing down the absorption of water and preventing it from being quickly excreted. This allows more time for the digestive tract mucosa to feel moisturized. Among small molecule sugars, fructose has the best hygroscopic effect. Mixing a spoonful of fructose-rich honey with warm water to make a light honey drink, and sipping it slowly, can make the throat feel much more comfortable. Fruits also contain a good amount of fructose, such as grapes, pears, bananas, and persimmons. In addition to this, tremella soup, rich in tremella polysaccharides, is also an excellent hydrating beverage.
The second cause of dryness is a deficiency in Vitamin A. This is because Vitamin A is essential for the synthesis and repair of epithelial tissue. If there is a severe deficiency, the resistance of the skin and mucosa decreases, the secretion of mucus and sebum on the surface is reduced, and the mucosal immune function also declines. A Vitamin A deficiency manifests as dry and keratinized skin, raised hair follicles, rough and prickly skin to the touch, and even dry eyes. Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin that prefers to coexist with cholesterol, and it is found in the liver, kidneys, high-fat fatty fish, egg yolks, and cream. Unfortunately, the consumption of these foods is generally low in modern diets; people often avoid offal and egg yolks, and drink skim milk. Carotene from plant-based foods can also be converted into Vitamin A in the human body, but only orange and dark green vegetables are rich in it, such as carrots, pumpkins, orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, as well as dark green leafy vegetables like spinach, kale, and sweet potato leaves. If dry eyes occur, it is best to take Vitamin A capsules or cod liver oil under the guidance of a professional while also making dietary adjustments.
The third cause of dryness is improper diet, consuming excessive amounts of spicy, salty, and dry foods, which increases water consumption. When excessive salt enters the bloodstream, it increases blood osmotic pressure, raises blood pressure, but reduces water in the tissues, naturally leading to dryness. When salt leaves the body, it takes a large amount of water with it, making the body even drier. Although chili peppers do not increase the osmotic pressure of human blood, they accelerate skin blood circulation, increase body heat, and cause more sweating. This also leads to a loss of body water. Roasted foods, such as fried peanuts, roasted sunflower seeds, and various roasted nuts, are inherently low-moisture foods. After high-temperature processing that removes moisture, they become very dry. The protein in these foods is a hydrophilic substance and is eager to reabsorb the moisture lost during processing. Therefore, as soon as these foods enter the mouth, the moisture in the oral and throat mucosa is mercilessly stripped away, making the throat and mouth dry. At the same time, these roasted foods often contain high levels of salt, which adds insult to injury for the delicate mucosa. Therefore, although nuts are highly nutritious, they cannot be eaten without limit. It is important to choose products with less salt and to consume no more than a small handful per day.
Finally, it should be said that hydration and vitamin supplementation cannot solve everyone's problems, as some people's issues stem from inadequate rest. In this case, the best measure is to rest promptly to allow the body to recover. The skin's moisture level will gradually return to normal, and the eyes will also regain their original clarity and brightness.