Health Preservation: Don't Overdo It with "Fire-Reducing" After the Start of Autumn
The weather after the Start of Autumn remains unpredictable, with high temperatures, humidity, and muggy heat all vying for attention—a phenomenon the public calls "Autumn Tiger." Many people suffer from "internal heat" and seek various ways to cool down, making ready-made herbal teas from various brands the best-selling drinks in supermarkets. Experts warn: overdoing it with "fire-reducing" methods can lead to allergic reactions from herbal teas.
Differentiating Between "Excess" and "Deficiency" Heat
From a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) perspective, "internal heat" can be categorized into "excess heat" and "deficiency heat." Generally, severe symptoms that appear suddenly are classified as "excess heat," while milder symptoms that are long-lasting and recurrent are "deficiency heat." The causes of "internal heat" are numerous. Besides climatic factors, emotional fluctuations, overexertion, improper diet, and indigestion can all lead to various "heat" symptoms in the body, such as a sore throat, red eyes, a stuffy nose, dry mouth, cracked corners of the mouth, nosebleeds, and toothaches.
Overdoing "Fire-Reducing" Can Lead to Diarrhea
Many people believe that when "internal heat" is high in this season, drinking more chrysanthemum, Malva nut, or honeysuckle can quench thirst, relieve summer heat, and expel internal fire. Consequently, some drink these "fire-reducing" teas all day long, at home and at work. Others even buy cases of ready-made herbal tea from supermarkets, treating it as a health drink for clearing heat. However, some of these people experience decreased appetite, mouth sores, insomnia, and diarrhea. Experts point out that these are actually symptoms of an allergic reaction to herbal tea—a classic case of overdoing the "fire-reducing." For people with a weak constitution suffering from "internal heat," dietary adjustments should be the primary approach. The diet should be balanced, focusing on "light nourishment," "supporting yang," and "nourishing yin" during this season, in order to reduce heart fire and nourish lung qi. Special attention should be paid to consuming less "heaty" foods, such as lamb and dog meat.
Top Five "Fire-Reducing" Favorites for the Public
Experts also remind that for cooling down in this season, the first choice is to drink more plain water and salt water. The reason is that drinking salt water or salted tea can replenish the body's lost salts, preventing heatstroke and reducing internal heat. Second, drink tea at a moderate temperature to replenish potassium. Third, drink mung bean soup, which has a unique effect of relieving summer heat and clearing internal heat.
Fourth, eat a moderate amount of bitter melon. It can be considered the most appetizing, refreshing, and heat-clearing gourd. Fresh bitter melon can be pounded into juice or decocted into a soup, serving as an excellent complementary food therapy for conditions like liver-heat red eyes, stomach-heat thirst, and damp-heat dysentery. It can also be used to make herbal tea. Fifth, consume a moderate amount of aged vinegar. Adding vinegar to cooking can increase the concentration of stomach acid, thereby boosting appetite. Adding a few drops of vinegar during cooking also reduces the loss of vitamin C in vegetables and improves the absorption of iron from food.
Don't Blindly Reduce "Fire" for Infants
Experts state that not everyone needs to reduce "internal heat." For example, infants should absolutely not be given "fire-reducing" remedies, as this can lead to diarrhea, abdominal pain, sore throat, coughing, and can even induce tonsillitis and pharyngitis.
Secondly, women during their menstrual period and those with certain gynecological conditions generally have a "cold" constitution. Excessively drinking "fire-reducing" beverages can easily cause menstrual cramps, fainting, and other issues. Additionally, chronic patients with a "cold-deficient" constitution often have poor digestive function and prefer warmth over cold; they should also avoid "fire-reducing" methods.