Great Heat: How to Avoid Summer Heatstroke
Introduction: Great Heat is the hottest period of the year. At this time, many people suffer from summer cold, heatstroke, dysentery, and other illnesses, with heatstroke having particularly high morbidity and mortality rates.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), summer heat most easily damages the body's fluids and Qi. Because summer temperatures are high, a person's pores are dilated, making it easy for fluids to be excreted as sweat. As fluids are lost, Qi is also carried away with the sweat. This can also lead to symptoms of Qi consumption, such as fatigue and lethargy. If not treated promptly, it can lead to severe heatstroke and fainting. We call this type of heatstroke "Yang Shu" (summer heatstroke), which is primarily caused by being afflicted by summer heat pathogen. It results from prolonged labor under the hot sun or staying in high-temperature, poorly ventilated environments, which is what TCM refers to as "acquired through activity." The main cause of Yang Shu is "heat," and its symptoms include high fever, sweating, restlessness, excessive thirst, and scanty, dark urine.
So, what are some good preventive methods for Yang Shu? We know that since Yang Shu is caused by heat damaging fluids and consuming Qi, treatment should focus on clearing heat and replenishing Qi.
Mung Bean Soup to Clear Summer Heat. Mung bean soup is an excellent remedy for clearing heat. The "Kaibao Materia Medica" states: "Mung bean, primarily treats erysipelas, vexing heat, urticaria, and the sensation of Qi rushing upward like a running pig. Crushed and juiced for drinking, or also cooked for consumption, it reduces swelling, regulates Qi, suppresses heat, and detoxifies." Mung bean soup can clear heat and relieve summer heat, quench thirst, and promote urination. It is not only a summer heat-prevention drink but also a good medicine for treating heatstroke. Additionally, regularly consuming foods like potatoes, sweet potatoes, mushrooms, and Chinese yam can also help replenish Qi during the Great Heat season when fluids and Qi are easily depleted.
Hydration is Key in Midsummer. On scorching summer days, the body sweats profusely, causing a loss of salt and a severe lack of water, which can lead to heatstroke. Drinking more salted water can replenish the salt lost in the body, thus preventing heatstroke. However, to be effective, salt water should be consumed in small, frequent amounts. Drinking more tea is also a good method for preventing heatstroke.
Often Eat Fruits and Vegetables. Eat more cooling vegetables, such as bitter melon, loofah, cucumber, snake gourd, tomato, eggplant, celery, lettuce, asparagus, and jicama. You can also eat more fruits, like watermelon or apple. Watermelon is sweet, juicy, and refreshing, with effects of clearing heat and relieving vexation, quenching thirst and relieving summer heat, and regulating Qi in the middle jiao. Apple is neutral in nature and sweet and sour in taste, with effects of nourishing the heart and Qi, promoting the production of fluids to quench thirst, and strengthening the spleen and harmonizing the stomach. It is also highly nutritious and extremely beneficial to the body. In addition, peaches and bananas are also good fruits for preventing heatstroke.
Scraping and Massage to Prevent Yang Shu. To prevent and treat Yang Shu, you can scrape along the bladder meridian on the back and in the cubital fossa. Scraping should be done in one direction with even force, using wrist strength. Generally, scrape 10-20 times until purplish-red spots or patches appear. In addition to scraping, massaging the Fengchi (GB20) and Taiyang (EX-HN5) acupoints can also be effective for treating heatstroke. Massaging Fengchi can expel wind and clear heat, and open the orifices to relieve pain. Massaging Taiyang can unblock the collaterals to relieve pain, and clear heat and relieve vexation.