The revival of all things in spring is a wonderful phenomenon. However, the weather warms up quickly, with windy and dry conditions and little rain, making it a season very prone to "internal heat." So, what should you do if you have "internal heat" in the spring, and what are the dietary principles for preventing it?
The specific manifestations of "internal heat" in spring include loss of appetite, dry stools, dark yellow urine, a dry and sore throat, red, dry, and gritty eyes, a hot and burning sensation in the nose, chapped lips, and even sores in the mouth and nose. Furthermore, bacteria and viruses become more active in the spring, constantly attacking the body and causing illness. Therefore, diet at this time should be adjusted to ensure good health, improve disease resistance, and prevent the dryness from chapping your lips. Specifically, you should arrange your diet according to the following principles.
1. Pay attention to the nature of foods
Generally speaking, avoid foods high in calories as well as cold foods. Eat less lamb and more lean meat, eggs, milk, and other high-protein foods. Eat more duck meat and duck blood, as duck meat is cooling in nature and not drying after consumption. Duck blood is neutral in nature, nutritious, and can replenish blood. Use more vinegar; its sour taste enters the liver and has effects such as calming the liver, dispelling stasis, and detoxifying and inhibiting bacteria.
2. Supplement with sufficient vitamins
In the spring, bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms begin to multiply and become more active, easily invading the body and causing disease. Therefore, data suggests that you should consume enough vitamins and inorganic salts in your diet to enhance your antiviral capabilities.
For example, fresh vegetables like bok choy, rape, bell peppers, and tomatoes, and fruits like citrus and lemons are rich in vitamin C and have antiviral effects. Yellow-green vegetables like carrots and amaranth are rich in vitamin A, which helps protect and strengthen the mucous membranes of the upper respiratory tract and the epithelial cells of respiratory organs, thereby resisting the invasion of various pathogenic factors. Foods rich in vitamin E should also be consumed to improve the body's immune function and enhance its disease resistance. These foods include sesame seeds, green cabbage, and cauliflower.
The main reasons for frequent occurrences of a dry throat, mouth ulcers, and cracked corners of the mouth are eating too few vegetables and insufficient intake of vitamin B2. You should eat more vegetables. Fruit cannot replace vegetables because fruits are mainly rich in vitamin C, not vitamin B2.
3. Soothe the liver and nourish the blood: Eat more spinach
Spinach is a seasonal vegetable in spring. It has effects such as nourishing yin and moistening dryness, soothing the liver, and nourishing the blood, and it is often effective as an auxiliary treatment for liver qi stagnation complicated by stomach problems. In a season prone to "internal heat," you must not forget spinach.