The hot weather in summer often leaves our bodies dehydrated, leading to dry mouth and thirst. Many people tend to drink glass after glass of water when they are thirsty, but still don't feel refreshed. This is because sweating in the summer takes away many nutrients from our bodies, including salt, which is essential for maintaining the body's osmotic pressure. Without enough salt, water cannot stay in the body and evaporates faster. So even if we drink a lot of water, very little is actually absorbed by our bodies. Therefore, quenching thirst in the summer should not just be about drinking water, but also about adjusting our diet in multiple ways.
1. Moderate Salt Intake
In the summer, we lose a lot of salt from our bodies, and the loss of salt leads to further water loss. In severe cases, it can even cause muscle cramps. Therefore, it is important to supplement salt appropriately. Salt can be supplemented through dietary adjustments, such as adding a little more salt when cooking instead of only eating bland food. Drinking diluted saltwater can also help replenish salt. The proportion of salt in diluted saltwater should be similar to the proportion of salt in the human body, about 0.9%. Generally, one cup of diluted saltwater a day is sufficient, preferably consumed in the morning. If you have engaged in intense exercise or labor and sweat a lot, you can also supplement with diluted saltwater. However, it is important to note that diluted saltwater is not suitable for people with high blood pressure or heart disease.
2. Eat Thirst-Quenching Fruits and Melons
Many fruits and melons in summer contain a lot of water, and these water contents are filtered by the biological membranes of the fruits, making them high-quality water with biological activity that is easily absorbed by the body. Fruits and melons that can be used for hydration in summer include:
(1) Cucumber: Cucumber is thirst-quenching, diuretic, and can reduce swelling. It can also enhance the body's immune function.
(2) Watermelon: Watermelon is rich in water content and has the effects of cooling, quenching thirst, and replenishing nutrients lost by the body.
(3) Luffa: Luffa contains over 90% water content. It has been recorded in the book "Luchuan Materia Medica" that luffa can "quench thirst and relieve annoyance caused by heat diseases and dry mouth and restlessness." Therefore, luffa is a good choice for quenching thirst in summer.
(4) Tomato: Tomato has a cool and sweet taste, and also has the effect of quenching thirst and relieving heat. It can also supplement the body with the necessary vitamins.
(5) Bayberry: Cao Cao once said "looking at bayberries can quench thirst." So bayberry is a good choice for quenching thirst and refreshing in summer.
3. Don't Forget Hydrating Soups
In addition to drinking water, one of the best ways to hydrate in summer is through soups made with ingredients that can quench thirst and relieve heat and dampness. They not only cool and quench thirst but also provide other necessary nutrients to the body, making them a dual-purpose therapeutic food.
Here are a few examples of soups that can hydrate and quench thirst in summer:
(1) Wu Mei Soup: Boil Wu Mei, licorice, hawthorn, osmanthus, and rock sugar in water. After it cools down, it can be consumed. This soup can quench thirst, relieve heat, and eliminate dampness.
(2) Green Bean Soup: Boil green beans with a small amount of millet or simply boil green beans. It has the effect of clearing heat and quenching thirst. A small amount of salt can be added to replenish the lost salt in the body.
(3) Winter Melon Soup: Boil winter melon with coix seed or other ingredients. It has the functions of clearing heat, relieving heatstroke, and promoting diuresis and spleen health.
(4) Bitter Gourd Soup: Boil bitter gourd with lean meat or other protein-rich ingredients. It can quench thirst and provide the body with necessary protein.
(5) Dried Vegetable Soup: Boil dried vegetables directly or add other ingredients. It has the effects of relieving heat, avoiding overheating, and clearing heat and quenching thirst.
