The dog days of summer are the period of the year with the highest temperature, as well as being humid and muggy. It is also a golden period for health preservation. During this special season, correct health preservation methods can help us enhance our physical fitness and prevent diseases. Next, let's delve into the mysteries of health preservation during the dog days of summer.
What are the dog days of summer?
The dog days of summer occur between Minor Heat and End of Heat, including the early dog days, middle dog days, and late dog days, approximately from mid-July to mid-August in the Gregorian calendar. "Fu" indicates that the yin qi is forced by the yang qi to hide underground. During this period, due to the high temperature and humidity, the body's metabolism accelerates, and the demand for energy and nutrition also increases accordingly.
The importance of health preservation during the dog days of summer
The dog days of summer are when the body's yang qi is at its most vigorous. At this time, conducting health preservation and conditioning can make use of the external yang qi to replenish the internal yang qi, achieving the goals of strengthening the body's resistance, eliminating pathogenic factors, and preventing diseases. For example, for some chronic diseases that tend to flare up in winter, such as chronic bronchitis, asthma, arthritis, etc., conditioning during the dog days of summer can alleviate symptoms and reduce the frequency of onset.
Methods of health preservation during the dog days of summer
Dietary conditioning
Eat more bitter-tasting foods: such as bitter melon and chicory, which have the effects of clearing heat and relieving summer heat, and strengthening the spleen and stimulating the appetite.
Consume an appropriate amount of mutton: "A bowl of mutton soup during the dog days, no need for a divine doctor's prescription." Eating mutton during the dog days can remove dampness and dispel cold.
Drink plenty of water: Maintain the body's water balance and promote metabolism. But be careful to avoid excessive consumption of cold drinks to avoid damaging the spleen and stomach.
Regular daily routine
Ensure adequate sleep: Go to bed early and get up early, and take an appropriate midday nap, which is beneficial for restoring physical strength.
Avoid staying in an air-conditioned room for a long time: The temperature difference between indoors and outdoors should not be too large to avoid causing problems such as colds and joint pain.
Moderate exercise
Choose to do an appropriate amount of exercise in the early morning or evening, such as walking, swimming, yoga, etc.
Avoid strenuous exercise to avoid excessive sweating and damage to yang qi.
Acupoint application
The dog days patch is a traditional external treatment method of Chinese medicine. By applying medicine on specific acupoints and stimulating the acupoints, it achieves the purpose of conditioning the body.
However, it needs to be carried out under the guidance of a professional doctor.
Precautions for health preservation during the dog days of summer
Dietary hygiene
Food is prone to spoilage in summer. Pay attention to dietary hygiene to avoid food poisoning.
Emotional regulation
Keep a pleasant mood and avoid negative emotions such as irritability and anxiety.
Individual differences
Everyone's constitution is different, and health preservation methods should vary from person to person. If there are chronic diseases or special circumstances, health preservation should be carried out under the guidance of a doctor。