Health Preservation: Be Mindful of Heatstroke When Drinking Iced Water in Summer
Introduction: In the scorching summer, many people buy cold drinks and iced water to quench their thirst. A gulp down is incredibly refreshing. But can iced water really quench your thirst? Health and wellness experts analyze that in summer, many people choose to drink iced water to cool down after heavy sweating, which is actually unscientific. Although this may bring temporary comfort, drinking large amounts of iced water can cause poor sweat pore ventilation, making it difficult for the body to dissipate heat. This leads to the accumulation of residual heat,极易 triggering heatstroke. Moreover, iced water is a cold substance. When consumed and absorbed by the body, it can easily cause stomach cramps. Therefore, the editor reminds everyone not to drink iced water to cool down in the summer.
Iced Water for Quenching Thirst in Summer
Health Preservation: Does drinking iced water quench your thirst better in hot weather?
In the "Treatise on Cold Damage and Miscellaneous Diseases" written by Zhang Zhongjing of the Han Dynasty, it is written that the first step in treating heatstroke is to "first give the patient warm water to induce sweating." This is because warm water contains energy that opens pores to sweat, relieving the stuffy heat trapped in the body. Iced water, on the other hand, has a "blocking" effect and is detrimental to blood and energy circulation. Huang Yuchang, a attending physician in the Chinese Medicine Department of the Taipei City Hospital, says that drinking more warm plain water in summer, or drinks that promote saliva production like plum juice, as well as mung beans and coix seeds, can help relieve summer heat. It is also advisable to eat seasonal fruits and vegetables to intake moisture and nutrients, such as watermelon. As for cooling herbal teas, they should only be consumed when the weather is hot and you are sweating heavily, and not regularly, as they can place a heavy burden on the stomach and intestines, leading to diarrhea.
The colorful toppings and sauces in shaved ice shops, and the mouth-wateringly packaged ice cream and cones in convenience stores. On a sweaty summer day, frozen treats are often the top choice for beating the heat. But how should you choose frozen treats to enjoy them happily without compromising your health? Come and quickly see what the expert doctors teach you about eating ice.
I. Situations When You Should Not Eat Ice
1. Before or during menstruation
The uterus is prone to contractions, causing menstrual pain or difficulty in expelling menstrual blood. Long-term issues can lead to irregular periods.
2. After a meal
The sudden drop in stomach temperature can easily cause bloating, indigestion, and even cramps and diarrhea.
3. After strenuous exercise
It can cause the blood vessels in the gastrointestinal tract to suddenly constrict, leading to diarrhea or abdominal pain.
Tips: Ice can also irritate the throat. People with asthma should not consume too much to prevent an asthma attack.
Everything in ice? Be careful of getting "Frozen Brain"
The traditional Chinese medicine advice to eat less ice is not without scientific basis. In fact, a previous study had volunteers drink iced water, and then immediately had a gastroscopy. The lens revealed that the esophageal and gastric wall mucosa were pale in color, which is a sign of ischemia.
When the mucosa is ischemic, it can cause two types of damage. First, it becomes very susceptible to various viruses and bacterial infections. The esophagus and gastrointestinal tract are the first line of defense when the body receives food, so special care must be taken. Second, the mucosa is prone to micro-edema, which is what traditional Chinese medicine calls "spleen dampness." Indulging in cold drinks can easily generate dampness. Some people experience frequent diarrhea, while others feel chest tightness and a poor appetite. When internal dampness becomes excessive and manifests as external dampness, symptoms like rheumatic pain may appear.
In addition to poor gastrointestinal function, frozen treats can also directly affect various organs. For example, the female uterus is easily affected. Besides an increase in vaginal discharge, it can also cause uterine blood stasis and trigger menstrual cramps. In fact, it's not just traditional Chinese medicine practitioners who believe that gulping down cold drinks or eating large amounts of ice is bad; Western medicine also agrees with this concept. An expert director from the Rehabilitation Department of Chang Gung Memorial Hospital in Chiayi says that there is a type of headache abroad called "brain freeze," or "ice cream headache," which is actually caused by rapidly drinking large amounts of iced water or eating ice.
Shoulder and neck pain caused by eating ice
Experts also believe that the impact of ice on pain conditions has a scientific basis. As iced water travels down the esophagus, it passes nearby muscles and surrounding tissues, cooling them from normal body temperature. This affects local blood flow, and the reduced circulation cannot carry away accumulated waste products, causing pain in the surrounding soft tissues. Judging from the enthusiasm of Taiwanese women for massages and SPAs, even long and well-executed massages cannot relieve body aches completely, and this is often related to a love for drinking iced water and eating ice.
The aches most related to eating ice include the neck and shoulders. Experts suggest that women who like to eat ice can self-assess whether their pain often extends from the neck and shoulders to the "Gaohuang" point near the scapula. Additionally, there are the serratus anterior and middle muscles on the inner side of the chest clavicle. This is why people often feel a sore and swollen sensation when their chest is pressed during a SPA. There is also the increasingly common myofascial pain syndrome, and these symptoms are inextricably linked to eating ice.