During the hot summer, many people lose their appetite, often experiencing a state of "virtual illness without actual disease." Their digestive function decreases, and they are prone to "summer heat ailments" such as mental fatigue, loss of appetite, a bitter taste in the mouth with a greasy tongue, chest and abdominal bloating, and weight loss. Some people are also more susceptible to gastrointestinal diseases. To avoid this, a good method is to regulate your diet. Supplement with salt and vitamins
Nutritionists recommend: In high-temperature seasons, it is best for each person to supplement 2 mg of Vitamin B1 and 2 mg of Vitamin B2 daily, 50 mg of Vitamin C, and 1 gram of calcium. This can reduce the consumption of carbohydrates and tissue proteins in the body and be beneficial to health. You can also eat more foods rich in the above-mentioned nutrients, such as watermelon, cucumber, tomato, beans and their products, animal liver and kidney, dried shrimp, etc. You can also drink some fruit juice. Don't forget to supplement potassium
In hot weather, you sweat a lot, and a significant amount of potassium ions are lost with the sweat. This can lead to hypokalemia, causing symptoms like fatigue, lightheadedness, headaches, and loss of appetite. The most effective way to prevent potassium deficiency in hot weather is to eat more potassium-rich foods. Fresh vegetables and fruits contain more potassium, so you can eat more strawberries, apricots, lychees, peaches, plums, etc. Vegetables like scallions, celery, and edamame are also rich in potassium. Tea also contains a considerable amount of potassium. Drinking more tea in hot weather can both relieve summer heat and replenish potassium, killing two birds with one stone. Don't overeat, and consume less cold drinks
Summer heat affects and weakens gastrointestinal function. Therefore, diet should be well-regulated to help strengthen the spleen and stomach functions. Fine grains and coarse grains should be eaten in appropriate combination. It is advisable to eat coarse grains three times a week. Porridge and solid food should be arranged appropriately. In summer, two meals of porridge and one solid meal are suitable. For example, have noodles and soy milk for breakfast, rice for lunch, and congee for dinner. Eating some cold drinks or beverages in hot weather can have a certain effect of relieving summer heat and lowering body temperature. However, ice cream, ice bricks, etc., are mostly made from milk, egg powder, and sugar, so they should not be consumed excessively. Most beverages have low nutritional value, so it's best to drink them in moderation. Light nourishment is best
Especially for those with a weak spleen in summer, the principle of "light nourishment" should be adopted, which involves replenishing qi and nourishing yin, strengthening the spleen and nourishing the stomach, and clearing summer heat and resolving dampness. For dietary conditioning, it is advisable to choose fresh and tasty foods that are mild in nature, easy to digest, and nourishing but not greasy. "Light nourishment" should avoid pungent, spicy, and heat-producing foods, as well as greasy and sweet foods that can produce phlegm and dampness. For those with yin deficiency and a weak constitution, you can choose foods rich in high-quality protein such as lean pork, duck meat, rabbit meat, white-cut chicken, salted duck eggs, and steamed fresh fish. Recommended foods
Bitter Melon: Traditional Chinese medicine believes that in summer, the heart's fire is easily excessive. Bitter flavors can expel summer heat and dry summer dampness. Eating some bitter foods in summer can restore the spleen and stomach's function of receiving and transporting food, and improve appetite. Eating bitter melon in hot weather can not only clear the heart and relieve vexation, but also refresh the mind, increase appetite, and strengthen the spleen and benefit the stomach. Additionally, modern medicine has found that bitter melon contains an active protein that can effectively stimulate the body's immune cells to kill cancer cells, giving it a certain anti-cancer effect. Bitter melon also contains a substance similar to insulin, which has a significant effect in lowering blood sugar, and is recommended by nutritionists and doctors as an ideal food for diabetic patients.
Mung Bean: Mung bean has a sweet and cold nature and enters the heart and stomach meridians. It has the effects of clearing heat and detoxifying, relieving summer heat, and promoting urination. However, it should be noted that mung beans should not be cooked for too long, so as to avoid the destruction of organic acids and vitamins, which would reduce their heat-clearing and detoxifying effects. Also, because mung bean is cooling in nature, people with a weak spleen and stomach should not eat too much.
Watermelon: In summer, you sweat a lot, and with the sweat, you also lose nutrients. Eating watermelon can not only replenish the lost water but also add nutrition. Research also shows that people who smoke, drink alcohol, or like salty food are more likely to suffer from esophageal cancer. Eating watermelon regularly can reduce the risk of esophageal cancer. The protease in watermelon juice can convert insoluble protein into soluble protein, thereby increasing the nutrition of patients with nephritis. Therefore, watermelon is a good medicine for kidney patients. Watermelon rind is also a great beauty product. Rubbing it on facial skin and then washing it with clean water can increase skin elasticity, reduce wrinkles, and add a healthy glow.
Beer: Beer is rich in amino acids, protein, sugar, minerals, and other beneficial ingredients for human health, earning it the reputation of "liquid bread." Drinking a moderate amount of beer in summer can have effects such as strengthening the stomach, brightening the eyes, dissipating heat, quenching thirst, relieving cough, promoting urination, eliminating fatigue, and restoring physical strength, making it an ideal summer beverage.