Author: Guo Yangzhi, Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University
Summer heat stroke is a serious heat stress reaction, mainly due to long-term exposure to high temperatures, resulting in thermoregulation dysfunction, which in turn causes the body's internal heat to be unable to effectively dissipate, resulting in an increase in body temperature and a series of symptoms. The onset temperature of heat stroke is generally above 40 degrees Celsius, especially in hot and hot weather.
The symptoms of summer heat stroke vary according to the severity of the disease, mild cases are manifested as fatigue, tiredness, dizziness, headache, as well as obvious skin flushing and thirst, sweating and other symptoms, with the aggravation of the disease, there will be nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath and other manifestations, and obvious increase in body temperature. If the water electrolyte and symptomatic treatment are not replenished in time, the condition is further aggravated, and heat stroke may develop, severe heat stroke, local or systemic muscle twitching, and even coma, and the body temperature at this stage can even exceed 40 degrees Celsius. For mild to moderate heat stroke, timely separation from the high temperature environment, timely hydration, and electrolytes can avoid further deterioration and gradual recovery, while severe heat stroke is an emergency and requires immediate medical attention.
Heat stroke is a disease that tends to occur in high temperature environments, but we can reduce the risk of developing it with a few simple preventive measures. First of all, long-term exposure and strenuous exercise in high temperature and high humidity should be avoided as much as possible, and outdoor activity time should be minimized, especially the hot noon period. When outdoor activities are necessary, choose breathable clothing, avoid wearing clothing that is too tight or breathable, and use sunscreen to reduce sun damage to the skin while reducing the risk of rising body temperature. During the activity, work and rest should be combined, appropriate rest, regular temperature should be measured when conditions permit, and if the body temperature rises beyond the normal range, cooling measures should be taken immediately. Secondly, it is necessary to focus on ensuring water intake, drinking 2-3 liters of water per day, and timely intake of water-rich and electrolyte-rich foods, such as water-rich watermelons, oranges with high vitamin C content, cucumbers rich in potassium and vitamin K, and electrolyte drinks, etc., to maintain the balance of water and electrolytes in the body. Third, alcohol and caffeine drinks should be avoided when the ambient temperature is high, as it increases the risk of dehydration in the body. Finally, when we are active indoors, we should also keep the room ventilated and use equipment such as air conditioners or fans to reduce the indoor temperature. Through the above prevention methods, we can effectively prevent the occurrence of heat stroke and protect our health.
Traditional Chinese medicine believes that summer is the season when the yang energy is the most vigorous, the human body has strong yang qi, and the yin qi is relatively weak, as the "Pension Hengyan Summer Ling" said: "Summer, the day when heaven and earth meet; Yang Qi to its strengths." Summer health should focus on adjusting the balance of yin and yang to maintain the health of the body. As mentioned in the "Yellow Emperor's Inner Scripture Suwen Four Qi Tone God Theory": "Therefore, in summer April and May, the popularity is in the muscles, the joy is in, the spirit is in the lungs, if there is no change with the long summer, release the yin for a long time, to fold its yang, so that its yin qi is reversed, then the chest is paralyzed, the heart is sick, and the hair is vomiting", clearly proposed that summer is the most prosperous time of yang, health practitioners should pay attention to the protection of yang, avoid injury, be cautious against heat stroke, do not overwork, avoid overeating, otherwise it is easy to cause chest tightness, heartache and various bleeding and other diseases.
According to the theory of TCM physique identification, in summer, some people with special constitution often show special discomfort symptoms, generally including the following categories:
Hot and humid constitution: People with hot and humid constitution are prone to symptoms of wet and hot and humid in summer, such as bitter mouth, dry mouth, bad breath, sweating, weight laziness, yellow urine, etc., and may also appear eczema, acne, boils and other skin diseases.
Yang deficiency constitution: people with yang deficiency constitution consume yang quickly in summer, and are prone to symptoms of yang deficiency, such as cold intolerance, mental tiredness, inability to tolerate air conditioning and poor appetite, etc., and may also affect heart function, resulting in palpitations, chest tightness and other discomfort.
Qi deficiency constitution: People with qi deficiency constitution may have symptoms of insufficient qi and decreased immune function due to "summer heat and gas consumption" in summer, such as fatigue, shortness of breath, lazy speech, palpitations, shortness of breath, pallor, etc., and may also affect digestive function, resulting in dyspeptic symptoms such as loss of appetite and stomach fullness.
Blood stasis constitution: people with blood stasis constitution in summer due to sweating resulting in insufficient fluid, more likely to have poor blood circulation and other signs of blood stasis, you can see chest tightness, palpitations, shortness of breath, purple tongue and other symptoms, but also may occur chest tightness, stains, hair loss, dysmenorrhea and other problems.
People with different physiques have different points in summer health.
In summer, the humid and hot constitution needs to pay attention to the following aspects: keep indoor ventilation and avoid humid environment; Moderate exercise, such as walking, swimming, etc., helps to expel moisture; Avoid high-fat, sticky and indigestible foods, such as barbecue, rice cakes, fatty broth, etc., and choose light foods. In addition, bitter melon, cucumber, raw barley, red beans, lotus leaves and other foods have the effect of clearing heat and dehumidification, while traditional Chinese medicines such as gentian, huanglian, forsythia and other traditional Chinese medicines have the effect of clearing heat and detoxification, reducing moisture and yellowing, and can also be taken in a small amount of decoction.
Yang deficiency constitution needs to pay attention to the following aspects in summer: avoid long-term exposure to high temperature sunlight and moderately participate in cool outdoor activities; The nap time should not be too long, so as not to affect the nighttime sleep. Eat more foods that nourish yang and qi, such as cistanche, lock yang, deer antler tablets, black sesame, glutinous rice, etc., and you can also appropriately take a small amount of ginseng, yellow essence, codonopsis and other traditional Chinese medicines with the effect of tonifying yang and invigorating qi.
Qi deficiency physique needs to pay attention to the following aspects in summer to maintain health: moderate participation in soothing exercises, such as Tai Chi, Qigong, etc., can enhance the flow of qi and blood; Avoid standing and sitting for a long time and pay attention to good posture. Eat more foods with the effect of tonifying qi and strengthening the spleen, such as yam, jujube, lotus seed, coix kernel, Shengbaishu, etc., and you can also choose Chinese proprietary medicines with qi-invigorating effects, such as Sambai Shusan, Liujunzi Soup, and Jade Pingfengsan.
Blood stasis constitution needs to pay attention to the following aspects in summer: avoid sitting for a long time, maintain appropriate exercise, such as walking, yoga, etc., to help promote blood circulation. In addition, eat more foods with the effect of activating blood circulation and removing stasis, such as hawthorn, tomatoes, lemons, celery, etc., and you can also drink Chuanxiong, peach kernel, safflower, motherwort and other drugs that have the effect of activating blood circulation and removing stasis in traditional Chinese medicine.
In short, the prevention and treatment of summer heat stroke and traditional Chinese medicine health care is very important, through scientific work and rest, reasonable diet regulation, appropriate medicine and food conditioning, can effectively prevent and treat summer heat stroke, but also can adjust the balance of yin and yang of the human body, enhance the body's immunity and resistance, so as to achieve the purpose of health preservation. In summer, we must always be vigilant, pay attention to our physical condition, and take corresponding preventive and therapeutic measures in time to ensure the health and safety of the body.
Source: Guangming Web