Walking down the street, sweating profusely, a slice of frozen watermelon or a glass of vibrant watermelon juice—who could possibly resist? In fact, if you understand the principles of medicine, you can apply the concept of "medicine and food sharing the same origin" to enjoy this delicious, juicy food that is also a medicinal remedy.
I have a patient, Ms. Zhou, who tried this herself. One day, she felt extremely thirsty and overheated. After shopping, she was drenched in sweat and had no appetite. So, she prescribed herself a meal of watermelon, intending to replenish fluids and clear internal heat. About two hours after eating, it really worked. However, the effects were not entirely what she had anticipated. What happened? Ms. Zhou's period suddenly started early, and the flow was as heavy as water, terrifying her. She quickly hailed a cab to the emergency room.
In reality, the watermelon itself was not at fault; it was simply that Ms. Zhou's body constitution was relatively deficient and cold. Watermelon is also known as "Natural White Tiger Decoction," and its nature is cooling and cold. It is naturally unsuitable for those with a cold stomach or pregnant women. Even for those whose bodies are slightly hot but have a fundamentally deficient and cold constitution, it should not be eaten in large quantities. Otherwise, the mild effects can be dizziness and nausea, while in severe cases, it can lead to a hemorrhagic event like Ms. Zhou's. Those who truly need to eat watermelon to clear heat and purge fire are robust individuals with excess heat. People with excess heat are generally loud, have red eyes, and have bad breath. Conversely, those with deficient heat, like Ms. Zhou who experiences fatigue and dizziness, should not overindulge in watermelon. If you accidentally eat too much and feel dizzy or nauseous, you can suck on a slice of ginger for relief.
For those who are not very robust but wish to use watermelon to promote urination and relieve summer heat, you can use the green rind (known as "cui yi"), lotus leaves, and lotus seedpods as the main ingredients, combined with hyacinth beans and raw Job's tears, to make a soup that clears heat and purges fire. If your spleen and stomach are not in good condition, you can use cooked Job's tears to enhance the spleen-strengthening effect.