In summer, the temperature rises and the weather gets hot. The heat and humidity reduce people's appetite and weaken their digestion. In order to cool down, people often neglect disease prevention and health care, which can lead to various discomfort. In summer, the diet should be sweet and cold to relieve heat and dampness. You can eat more cooling and refreshing foods, such as mung bean porridge, cold dishes, and sesame paste.
1. Avoid eating oily and heavy foods in summer
In summer, the heat weakens people's digestion. Oily and heavy foods are difficult to digest and can cause indigestion. Therefore, it is not advisable to eat oily and heavy foods in summer.
2. Avoid eating cold foods in summer
In hot summer, if the stomach and intestines are stimulated by a large amount of cold food, it will accelerate peristalsis and shorten the time food stays in the small intestine, affecting the absorption of nutrients. Moreover, due to the high temperature in summer, the heat in the body is not easily dissipated, and the temperature in the stomach and intestines is also higher. If suddenly stimulated by cold, it can cause stomach cramps and abdominal pain.
3. Avoid drinking too much water when extremely thirsty
In summer, people sweat a lot. If someone drinks a lot of water at once, it will increase the burden on the heart, dilute the blood concentration, and may cause symptoms such as palpitations, shortness of breath, and excessive sweating. When extremely thirsty, it is better to drink a small amount of water first, and then wait for a while before drinking more.
4. Do not replace plain water with beverages
Soft drinks, fruit juices, colas, and other beverages contain a lot of artificial sweeteners and electrolytes. These substances can have adverse effects on the stomach, affecting digestion and appetite. If consumed excessively, it can also increase the burden on the kidneys and affect kidney function. Moreover, excessive intake of sugar can increase calorie intake and lead to obesity. Therefore, it is not advisable to drink too many beverages in summer. It is best to drink plain water, especially for children and the elderly, who should drink less beverages and more water.
5. Avoid eating too much cold food and beverages
Eating too much cold food and beverages can dilute the gastric juice, affect digestion, and stimulate the intestines, leading to increased peristalsis and shortened time for food to stay in the small intestine, affecting the absorption of nutrients. Especially for people with acute or chronic gastrointestinal diseases, they should eat less or avoid cold food. Avoid consuming large amounts of cold beverages after intense exercise. After intense exercise, the body temperature and congestion in the throat increase. If the stomach, intestines, and throat are suddenly stimulated by cold beverages, it can cause abdominal pain, diarrhea, throat pain, hoarseness, coughing, and other symptoms.
6. Do not consume unbranded cold drinks
Escherichia coli, Salmonella, and Staphylococcus aureus can survive at low temperatures below 70℃. Therefore, consuming unclean cold drinks can harm the body. Unbranded soda or popsicles should not be consumed.
7. Do not consume stale cold drinks
When consuming cold drinks, it is best to choose those that are clear in color, delicious in taste, and fresh. Check carefully if the cold drinks are hygienic and fresh. Fruit juices should not have sediment, and bottled drinks should not be carbonated. After opening the bottle, there should be a fragrance. Fresh milk should be milky white, with even milk and no sediment, clumps, or impurities, and a milk fragrance. The surface of canned drinks should not be rusty, leaking, or spilling. The lid should not be bulging. If there is a drumming sound when tapping the lid, it means that bacteria have multiplied, and it should not be consumed.
8. Avoid eating too many warm-tonic foods
Warm-tonic foods are high-calorie and easy to induce heatiness. Eating too much can cause symptoms such as excessive heat and toxicity. Therefore, it is not advisable to consume too many warm-tonic foods in summer. However, you can eat some foods like duck, loach, and fish to nourish the body.
9. Avoid drinking only plain water or consuming too many sweets
Due to the hot weather and excessive sweating, some salt is carried away with sweat, making people feel tired and weak. It is necessary to drink some diluted saltwater and have some beverages. If only sweets are consumed, it will affect the appetite and prevent obtaining nutrients from other foods. Excessive sugar intake will lead to an imbalance in the intake of protein and fat, which will reduce the body's resistance and may cause irritability, loss of appetite, and other symptoms. Therefore, it is not advisable to only drink plain water or consume too many sweets in summer.
10. Avoid eating flowers randomly
It is often said that eating flowers is good for longevity, anti-aging, and enhancing immunity. However, not all flowers can be used to make wine or tea. When flowers are in full bloom in summer, you must not eat flowers that you are not familiar with. For example, lilies and fruits may contain various toxins. The flowers and leaves of the Dieffenbachia contain oxalic acid and Dieffenbachia toxins. Eating them can cause varying degrees of poisoning. Therefore, flowers should not be consumed randomly.
11. Avoid eating too much chives
Chives are very fragrant, and they taste great when used as dumpling filling. However, according to national inspections of organic pesticide residues in crops, chives have relatively high levels of pesticide residues. If organophosphorus pesticides enter the human body, they can cause neurological disorders, and symptoms such as excessive sweating and speech abnormalities may occur. Therefore, it is not advisable to eat too much chives. Even if you eat chives, it is best to soak them in diluted saltwater for more than half a day.
12. Avoid eating too many fresh fava beans
In early summer, fresh fava beans are available on the market. People with a history of favism, especially boys under 3 years old, must avoid eating fresh fava beans. Once consumed, it can cause poisoning. If there are significant symptoms such as jaundice and hemoglobinuria, it is an acute hemolytic disease and should be immediately treated in the hospital. Therefore, it is not advisable to eat too many fresh fava beans.
13. Avoid eating too much pickled vegetables
The diet in summer should be light. Many families like to eat pickled vegetables with porridge. On the table, there is always a plate of pickled vegetables. However, during the production of these small dishes, preservatives such as benzoic acid and sorbic acid are commonly used. Many small factories or individual vendors violate regulations and add excessive amounts of these artificial synthetic preservatives to make the pickled vegetables last longer, causing adverse effects on the human body. Therefore, it is not advisable to eat too many pickled vegetables, and it is even more important not to buy food from unlicensed vendors.
14. Avoid drinking too much yogurt
Many people believe that yogurt is nutritious and contains beneficial lactobacillus, so they think drinking more is harmless. However, excessive consumption of yogurt can temporarily overload certain nutrients and cause metabolic disorders, especially when there is an excessive intake of lactobacillus, which can cause an imbalance in the original intestinal flora and lead to gastrointestinal diseases. Therefore, it is advisable to drink yogurt in moderation and not consume too much.
【Example】
Orange and Tremella Soup
1. Ingredients: 20g soaked Tremella, 200g honey oranges, 50g white fungus, 15g water starch.
2. Method: ①Remove the root and impurities from the soaked Tremella and steam it in a bowl with a little water for 1 hour. Peel and segment the honey oranges. ②Place a soup pot over high heat. Add an appropriate amount of water, the steamed Tremella, honey orange segments, and white fungus. Bring to a boil, and finally thicken with water starch. Once the soup boils again, remove from heat and serve.
3. Benefits: Relieves thirst, cools the body, calms the mind, and has a skin-beautifying effect.
