Recently, Nanjing has been experiencing consecutive high temperatures, leading to a sharp increase in patients in the respiratory department. Many are suffering from "air-conditioning sickness," exhibiting symptoms such as coughing, fever, runny nose, and upper respiratory tract infections.
Associate Chief Physician Zhu Xiaoli from the Affiliated Zhongda Hospital of Southeast University explained that as the outdoor temperature continues to rise, the temperature in air-conditioned rooms remains low, creating a significant temperature difference between indoors and outdoors. The human body's ability to regulate temperature is limited. If people frequently move between environments with varying temperatures, their body temperature and the room temperature will repeatedly conflict, making it difficult to reconcile in a short period. This can lead to physical discomfort and a weakened immune system, causing "heat-related colds." Individuals with chronic bronchitis may experience acute exacerbations.
Secondly, due to closed doors and windows and poor ventilation, the indoor air becomes stale, reducing the immunity of the respiratory tract. People who stay in air-conditioned rooms for long periods are prone to dizziness and upper respiratory tract infections.
Experts remind citizens to pay attention to the following when using air conditioners: Before entering an air-conditioned room from outdoors, one should first wash their face, wipe off sweat, and slightly cool down. The air conditioner should not be set too low, and the temperature difference with the outdoors should not be too large. Avoid frequently moving between air-conditioned and non-air-conditioned spaces.
At night, the air conditioner temperature should be set higher, and attention should be paid to keeping warm to prevent catching a cold. Ventilation is important; it is best to ventilate the air-conditioned room for half an hour to an hour every morning or evening. The air-conditioned room can cause significant loss of moisture; it is best to place a basin of water to maintain room humidity. Drink plenty of plain water and supplement with salt appropriately to meet the body's needs.
Wang Yuanyuan from the Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine Internal Medicine at the Affiliated Zhongda Hospital of Southeast University points out that people who work in air-conditioned rooms should eat some ginger in the morning.
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) believes that "nurturing Yang in spring and summer" refers to the fact that during these seasons, the Yang energy of nature rises and flourishes. Those who practice health preservation must protect and nourish the body's Yang energy to keep it abundant and its flow unobstructed. However, modern urban populations stay in air-conditioned rooms day and night. Although they enjoy the coolness, it suppresses the body's Yang energy, hinders its发散 (diffusion and discharge), leading to an imbalance of Yin and Yang, and ultimately affects the body's vital energy (Zheng Qi), resulting in a decline in immunity.
Wang Yuanyuan points out that ginger has three major effects: inducing sweat to expel external pathogens, warming the stomach to stop vomiting, and detoxification. People in air-conditioned environments can effectively prevent and treat "air-conditioning sickness" by drinking ginger soup regularly.
Morning is the best time to eat ginger because after a night in an air-conditioned room, the coldness exacerbates the body's internal chill. Eating ginger can dispel this internal cold, help the body sweat, and effectively expel toxins. The stimulation of cold and heat between air-conditioned and non-air-conditioned environments can easily disrupt gastrointestinal function, leading to pathogen invasion and gastrointestinal diseases such as vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. Ginger is warm in nature and can warm the stomach and strengthen the spleen. Ready-made ginger juice is now available on the market. Office workers can drink 2-3 drops of ginger juice in the morning after waking up or just before going to work to effectively prevent and treat air-conditioning sickness. (Du En Xiaohong)