The Small Heat season is characterized by hot and rainy weather, which often leads to a feeling of dampness and a loss of appetite due to the combination of heat and humidity.
Additionally, the hot weather often makes people crave raw, cold, and cooling foods, which can further harm the spleen and stomach if consumed excessively. Therefore, it is important to avoid overeating raw and cold foods during the hot summer months.
During this time, it is recommended to consume foods that are sweet, cool, light, and low in oil content to clear heat and dampness.
Watermelon, winter melon, mung bean soup, plum juice, mint soup, and green tea are all examples of foods that can help clear heat and dampness and nourish the body's yang energy. These can be consumed regularly during the summer season.
Nutrition in summer should be different from that in winter - it should be light and not too greasy, as heavy foods can easily harm the stomach.
Chinese medicine suggests that yam and jujube have the function of strengthening the spleen and replenishing qi. They are suitable for making porridge in the summer and are effective in improving the body's immune system, which can counteract the decrease in immunity caused by the summer heat.
Honey, milk, lotus root, tremella fungus, soy milk, and lily bulbs can both nourish qi and yin and nourish the stomach and generate body fluids. They are ideal dietary choices for those who are weak and prone to illness in the summer, sweat excessively, or have a poor appetite.
It is important to avoid consuming oily, heavy, or unclean foods to prevent gastrointestinal diseases such as dysentery and diarrhea.
