Today marks “Grain Full,” one of the 24 solar terms. With its arrival, the weather gradually heats up, and rainfall begins to increase.
Grain Full signals the beginning of the hot and humid summer, which can be challenging and often leads to various ailments for many.
Therefore, the period after Grain Full is crucial for preventing future illnesses. The top priority for summer wellness is to guard against the harm of damp-heat.
Grain Full Wellness: Remember “Three Preventions”
1. Prevent Dampness Evil
Grain Full is the start of “dampness.” At this time, dampness begins to “lurk” within the body. When the summer heat reaches its peak, the internal and external heat and dampness combine, triggering various diseases such as rheumatism, athlete’s foot, and edema.
The Spleen in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) governs the transportation and transformation of water and dampness. If spleen and stomach functions are weak, dampness can accumulate in the spleen. You can eat more foods that strengthen the spleen and promote diuresis, such as adzuki beans, loofah, and yam, to reduce the burden on the spleen and stomach.
You can also cook Reishi with adzuki beans and coix seeds into a congee. Ganoderma sinense aids in calming the mind and promoting sleep, coix seeds strengthen the spleen and dispel dampness, and adzuki beans promote diuresis and disperse swelling. Regular consumption can help restore qi, nourish the stomach, disperse swelling, and dispel dampness.
Ganoderma Sinense and Coix Seeds Congee
2. Prevent Heart Fire
Traditional Chinese Medicine holds that summer is associated with the element of fire and corresponds internally to the heart. The heat of summer can easily lead to symptoms such as irritability, dry mouth and tongue, and insomnia. Individuals with a naturally hot constitution are more likely to experience symptoms of excessive internal heat during summer.
At this time, you can drink more mung bean soup and herbal teas to prevent the combination of internal and external heat. Additionally, pay attention to adjusting your mood, maintaining a cheerful spirit, and avoiding emotions like depression, anxiety, and anger.
3. Prevent Summer Heat
As the weather gets increasingly hot, going outdoors, taking crowded public transport, or working in high temperatures can easily lead to heatstroke, causing systemic discomforts such as dizziness, chest tightness, shortness of breath, and fatigue. Therefore, it’s best to reduce outdoor activities during direct sun exposure and prepare for heatstroke prevention and cooling.
Grain Full Diet: Eat More Bitter Foods and Melons
1. Eat More Bitter Foods
The first “hou” (a five-day micro-season) of Grain Full is “bitter vegetables flourish,” meaning that bitter vegetables in the fields are fresh and edible. After Grain Full, you can moderately consume bitter vegetables, bitter gourd, and lettuce. These not only replenish water but also clear heat, promote bowel movements, and stimulate appetite.
2. Stay Hydrated
After Grain Full, the body’s water consumption accelerates, and various trace elements are also expelled through sweat. Simply drinking water may not be enough to meet the body’s needs, so diverse hydration methods should be chosen.
As the saying goes, “Grain Full brings three fresh delights,” referring to cucumbers, garlic sprouts, and cherries. These seasonal fruits and vegetables are rich in vitamins and minerals, effectively replenishing not only the body’s water but also essential trace elements.
3. Eat Three Kinds of Melons
After Grain Full, it’s the season for various melons to come to market. Eating melons is actually a way to replenish water.
Besides bitter gourd mentioned above, you can also eat more wax gourd and loofah. Wax gourd can clear heat and resolve phlegm, relieve restlessness and quench thirst, and reduce fire and disperse swelling. Loofah is a well-known “helper” in summer for clearing heat, reducing internal fire, cooling blood, and detoxifying. In short, eating more melons in summer is beneficial!
4. Drink Three Kinds of Tea
Ophiopogon Japonicus Tea: Clears Heat and Moistens Dryness
10 grams each of chrysanthemum, mulberry leaves, Ophiopogon japonicus, and fresh Reed Rhizome. Decocted and taken as a drink.
Suitable for those experiencing summer heat, thirst, bitter taste in the mouth and dry tongue, a heat sensation in the palms, soles, and chest, and constipation.
Honeysuckle Tea: Prevents Heatstroke and Cools Down
30 grams of honeysuckle, 20 grams of hawthorn, and 10 grams of dried tangerine peel. Decoction can be prepared and consumed.
Especially suitable for those with summer heat, dizziness, dry mouth, excessive sweating, irritability, and poor appetite.
Mint Tea: Expels Wind and Clears Heat
10 grams of mint leaves, 5 grams of Codonopsis pilosula, 10 grams of chrysanthemum, and appropriate amount of rock sugar. Decocted and taken as a drink.
Suitable for treating externally contracted wind-heat colds in individuals with physical deficiency during summer.
As spring ends and summer begins, the south sees summer harvests and plantings, while crops in the north are full and plump. Everything reaches a state of minor fullness, “will be full but not yet full” is true beauty. May everyone experience calm joy, happiness, and well-being this summer!
Reference:
Health Times. Xiaoman Not Yet Full | Remember “Three Suited and Three Avoidances” at This Wellness Turning Point for a Healthy Summer! 2023-5-21
