Summer is for nourishing the heart. The heart corresponds to the color red, so consume more red foods like watermelon. Avoid excessive cold drinks in summer, especially for women—limit cola, Sprite, and similar beverages. Summer heat promotes oxidation, so eat more fruits and antioxidant-rich foods like tomatoes, grapes, and nuts. Do not eat dishes left out for over three hours.Some believe summer appetite is poor, so light meals aid digestion. However, summer not only depletes bodily fluids but also consumes nutrients. Without timely replenishment, fluid imbalance and metabolic disorders may occur, weakening physical constitution. Thus, besides hydration and increased fruit/vegetable intake, consume nutrient-rich foods like chicken, fish, and lean meats to meet nutritional needs.
(2) Avoid excessive use of warming spices in summer. The dry heat of summer and autumn, combined with the frequent use of warming spices in cooking (such as star anise, fennel,cinnamon, Sichuan pepper, white pepper, etc.) can exacerbate internal heat, causing constipation, hemorrhoids, intestinal gas, painful urination, hematuria, and renal pain. It may also trigger angular cheilitis, cracked lips, pharyngitis, nosebleeds, conjunctivitis, dizziness, palpitations, prickly heat, and heatstroke.Individuals with liver disease, heart disease, tuberculosis, diabetes, hyperthyroidism, or atherosclerosis should avoid hot spices as they may worsen these conditions.
(3) Avoid substituting plain water with beverages during summer. Soft drinks, fruit juices, and colas contain high levels of saccharin and electrolytes, which can irritate the stomach, impair digestion, and suppress appetite. Excessive consumption also increases the kidneys' filtration burden, affecting renal function. Frequent intake of artificially colored beverages may contribute to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children and is a potential cancer risk factor.In contrast, boiled and cooled plain water (20–25°C) is readily absorbed by the body, quickly quenching thirst while promoting metabolism, increasing hemoglobin levels in the blood, and enhancing immune function.Some people consume large amounts of cold drinks or chilled water when thirsty, which is dangerous. Heavy sweating has already caused excessive salt loss in the body. Consuming large amounts of cold beverages at this point severely disrupts the water-salt balance in the body, leading to metabolic disorders and symptoms such as stomach cramps, palpitations, and shortness of breath. Therefore, when thirsty, slowly drink some lightly salted water.(5) Avoid cold foods for breakfast in summer. As summer arrives, some people enjoy iced soy milk, iced milk, iced mung bean soup, or iced fruit juice for breakfast.Developing a habit of consuming cold foods for breakfast can damage "stomach qi." Upon waking, the body's systems have not fully transitioned out of sleep mode. Eating cold foods, especially cold beverages, at this time can cause poor blood flow throughout the body. Over time, this may lead to reduced digestive absorption, increased susceptibility to colds, and weakened immunity.