Don't Refuse to Sweat in the Summer
Another summer has arrived, and many people dislike the sticky feeling of sweat, while others are afraid of offending people with body odor. Faced with the scorching sun outdoors, many people choose to stay in air-conditioned places. However, sweat glands are the body's "natural air conditioner," and in the summer, one should not refuse to sweat.
■ Sweating is a sign of human health
The human body is covered with about 3 million sweat glands. Sweat glands are tubular structures composed of a single layer of epithelial cells. One end of the sweat gland is the secretory part, which has the function of secreting sweat; the other end is the excretory part, which opens directly onto the skin surface and is called a sweat pore. The excretion of sweat helps regulate body temperature and also excretes some metabolic waste.
The efficiency of converting chemical energy to mechanical energy during muscle contraction is only 25% to 30%, and the remaining 70% to 75% is released as heat. Fortunately, the regulation by body fluids and sweat minimizes the damage of heat to enzymes and structural proteins. When heat causes blood vessels to dilate, water in the blood transports heat to the skin surface, which is then carried away by the evaporation of sweat, transferring the heat to the surrounding environment. The human body dissipates 2427 kilojoules (580 kcal) of heat for every liter of sweat evaporated or liter of water exhaled, and in high-temperature environments, a person's sweat output can be as high as 8 to 12 liters per day. It is clear that the human body can dissipate a large amount of heat through sweating. It plays an important role in regulating body temperature.
It is worth noting that in the summer, sweating a lot during exercise can cause the blood to become concentrated, so it is advisable to replenish water in a timely manner. In addition, the diet should be reasonably adjusted. It is also good to eat fresh vegetables and fruits regularly. Watermelon is an excellent product for relieving summer heat and is known as the "natural White Tiger Decoction." Eating a little watermelon every day is very beneficial. Also, it is important to keep the skin clean by bathing daily.
■ Sweat when you should sweat
Today, the high development of air conditioning and its increasingly widespread application mean that people who are in a stable temperature environment for long periods have their sweat glands almost idle. Even in the season when they should be sweating—summer—they do not sweat often, which is more harmful than beneficial for health. In recent years, "air-conditioning disease" caused by the long-term improper use of air conditioning can be seen as the initial sign of this adverse effect. According to the academic views of Zhang Zi Zi, a famous ancient Chinese physician: expelling internal toxins to expel evil and secure righteousness, and diseases will heal on their own. If sweat glands are not functioning smoothly, an important detoxification channel is lost, and thus an important line of immune defense against disease is lost. In the summer, sweat pores are open, making it easy for external toxins to invade, which must be guarded against. In the winter, subcutaneous fat gradually thickens, adapting to low temperatures, and it is generally not easy to be disturbed by wind and cold. Therefore, from the perspective of adapting to the rhythms of the four seasons and the laws of life, one should sweat when it is time to sweat.
Sweat contains a relatively high amount of sodium chloride, so when sweating a lot, one should supplement salt and calcium. According to research by relevant medical experts, the loss of only 15 mg of calcium in the daily sweat of ordinary people is not very important. However, for people working in high-temperature environments in the summer, more than 100 mg of calcium is lost per hour of sweating. This amount accounts for almost 30% of the total calcium excretion, which can easily lead to hypocalcemia, manifesting as hand and foot cramps, muscle twitching, and long-term calcium deficiency can lead to adults developing osteomalacia, being prone to fractures, and having frequent back and leg pain. To prevent low blood calcium after sweating, one should eat more calcium-rich foods such as milk, dairy products, fish, seafood, and green leafy vegetables.
■ Excessive sweating may be a sign of disease
Hypoglycemia There are many causes of hypoglycemia. It can present with symptoms of excessive sympathetic nerve excitement. During an episode, a sudden drop in blood sugar stimulates the sympathetic nerve to become excited, releasing a large amount of adrenaline, which can cause the patient to turn pale, break out in a cold sweat, and have trembling hands and feet.
Diabetes Due to the complication of autonomic nerve dysfunction, diabetes often also shows symptoms of excessive sweating. However, patients also have the "three more and one less": that is, "more eating, more drinking, more urination, and weight loss." Diagnosis is generally not difficult through blood sugar and urine sugar tests.
Hyperthyroidism This is hyperthyroidism. Aversion to heat and excessive sweating are characteristic of this disease, and it also manifests as mental tension, personality changes, irritability, inability to concentrate, and difficulty falling asleep. In addition, with hyperthyroidism, appetite increases and one eats more, but the person loses weight instead. Hyperthyroidism enhances gastrointestinal function, and most patients have increased bowel movements, along with symptoms of palpitations and decreased work efficiency.
Pheochromocytoma The most common symptom of pheochromocytoma is drenching and excessive sweating. The sweating can be paroxysmal or sometimes persistent, but during paroxysmal attacks, facial flushing or paleness can occur simultaneously. It will also be accompanied by palpitations, hand tremors, and cold limbs. However, during an attack of this disease, there is often a significant increase in blood pressure and the resulting headache symptoms.