Old people are often very sensitive to cold, even in the hot summer they can feel cold. What are the reasons for this and what foods can they eat to keep warm? Here are some recommended foods for warming the body.
Reasons why old people feel cold in summer
1. Iron deficiency
Scientists have pointed out that feeling cold often may be caused by a lack of iron in the body.
2. Low blood pressure
Low blood pressure can cause poor peripheral blood circulation, leading to insufficient blood supply to the extremities such as the hands and feet. This results in a lack of oxygen and energy needed for tissue metabolism, often causing a feeling of coldness and making the person prone to frostbite.
3. Cold sensitivity
This is more common in menopausal women. The reason is that the decrease in estrogen levels in the body leads to instability in the neurovascular function, ultimately causing the patient to feel cold in the lower back, abdomen, hands, feet, or the whole body.
4. Insufficient thyroid hormone secretion
Thyroid hormone is an endocrine hormone that participates in the body's metabolism. It accelerates the burning and release of energy from sugar, protein, and fat, increases heart rate, raises blood pressure, and increases blood circulation in peripheral organs such as the skin, generating more heat. Therefore, when there is insufficient secretion of thyroid hormone, the heat production decreases, resulting in feeling cold.
Foods for old people to keep warm
1. Kelp
Maybe many people don't know that kelp can also warm the body. According to traditional Chinese medicine, kelp grows in the sea, which has a cooling effect. Therefore, kelp itself also has a good warming effect.
2. Walnuts
Can walnuts also improve the symptoms of coldness in the body? For the elderly, eating some nuts every day is beneficial, and walnuts are one type of nuts. Eating walnuts regularly can replenish deficiencies and strengthen the body, and it does have the effect of relieving cold hands and feet.
3. Glutinous rice
Many elderly people like to eat glutinous rice. Glutinous rice can warm the spleen and stomach and invigorate Qi. Eating a little glutinous rice in summer is also beneficial for the elderly, but it should be noted that glutinous rice is difficult to digest, so the elderly should not eat too much at once. Glutinous rice-based foods such as zongzi and tangyuan should also not be consumed excessively to avoid indigestion.
Dietary therapy for cold-sensitive elderly
1. Goji berry and ginger tea
Ingredients: One piece of ginger, 50g of goji berries, 50g of brown sugar.
Instructions: Wash the ginger and goji berries, put all the ingredients in a pot, add 500ml of water, and simmer over medium heat for about 15 minutes.
Brown sugar is warming in nature, sweet in taste, and beneficial to the spleen. It has the effects of replenishing Qi and blood, invigorating the spleen and stomach, and promoting blood circulation. Ginger has a spicy taste and can invigorate blood circulation.
2. Chinese angelica, ginger, and mutton soup
Ingredients: 20g of Chinese angelica, 30g of ginger, 300g of mutton.
Instructions: Soak the Chinese angelica in water until soft, then slice it. Wash the mutton and cut it into pieces. Put the Chinese angelica, ginger, and mutton into a clay pot, add water, bring to a boil, remove the foam, add cooking wine, simmer over low heat until the mutton is tender, season and serve.
