The sweltering summer heat is upon us. Without timely care, it can lead to irritability, chest tightness, and shortness of breath. So how can men avoid these issues? What are the best summer wellness practices for men?Let's explore summer wellness tips together!
Irritability Often Relates to the Heart
Traditional Chinese Medicine associates summer with the heart. During this season, heart yang energy peaks, making people prone to restlessness and irritability. Therefore, summer requires special attention to heart health: drink more milk, consume soy products, chicken, and lean meats; regularly eat vegetables, fruits, and whole grains; and maintain a cheerful disposition.
Late Nights, Early Mornings, and Afternoon Naps
Summer's early dawns mean people rise early but often stay up late, leading to insufficient sleep. Supplementing with an afternoon nap is essential. Nap duration varies by individual, typically ranging from 30 minutes to an hour. For those unable to nap, listening to music or resting eyes for 30–50 minutes during midday can be beneficial.
Prioritize liquid meals for nourishment
Consuming liquid meals is a key summer dietary practice. Enjoy porridge for breakfast and dinner, and soup for lunch. Adding lotus leaves to porridge helps dispel summer heat, nourish the stomach, cleanse the intestines, and quench thirst. Incorporating mung beans into porridge or preparing mung bean soup alone alleviates summer heat, quenches thirst, clears toxins, promotes fluid production, and aids urination.
The Most Ingenious Approach to Liver and Spleen Health
Lixia marks the first solar term of summer. Rainfall increases significantly between Guyu and Lixia, with air humidity gradually rising. At this time, the body's internal environment must adapt to external changes. As digestive function peaks during this period, incorporating foods that protect the liver and strengthen the spleen can enhance physical fitness while laying a foundation for summer health.
Before Lixia, temperatures rise rapidly with increased precipitation, creating a humid and hot environment. As the liver functions vigorously during this period, avoid excessive liver tonification. Instead, focus on nourishing and soothing the liver. Additionally, ensure adequate sleep by retiring early and rising early to calm the mind and nurture the liver.Dietary choices should minimize acidic and pungent foods, favoring instead options that strengthen the spleen, dispel dampness, generate fluids, and nourish the liver. Regular consumption of honey, herbal teas, and porridges like Chinese yam, coix seed, and euryale seed congee supports liver and spleen health.
Recommended Ingredient for Lixia Wellness: Honey
Longshun Rong's date blossom honey, lychee honey, and codonopsis honey are green, natural, and pure—free from any artificial flavors, thickeners, or preservatives. With a sweet, mellow taste and soft texture, they are premium honeys consumers can trust.
Honey Consumption Method:
Take 2 tablespoons of honey daily on an empty stomach in the morning. Dissolve in lukewarm water below 60°C to prevent high temperatures from destroying honey's nutrients.Roses are also excellent food-medicine dual-use ingredients. Regular consumption not only nourishes yin and supports liver health but also calms the mind and soothes the spirit. Women who steep them in water daily experience numerous benefits, particularly alleviating menstrual discomfort like emotional distress, dull complexion, and menstrual cramps. How Men Can Assess Their Health Question 1: Do you experience breathing difficulties in cold weather? Answer "No" to pass; answer "Yes" for caution.
Shortness of breath indicates the heart is forced to work harder. If accompanied by chest pressure, it warrants attention. If you experience breathlessness, chest pain, or tightness during cold weather, after eating, or after strenuous activity, it may signal narrowing arteries.
Action: Get an electrocardiogram (ECG) to assess heart function, or undergo a stress test.
Question 2: Do you frequently get up at night to urinate?
Answer "No" for pass; answer "Yes" for warning.
Irregular nighttime urination may result from: aging causing muscle weakness, excessive caffeine or alcohol intake, or sleep disorders. If you experience urgency with minimal urine output, or notice blood in urine or semen, it could indicate a urinary tract infection, prostatitis, or even cancer.
Response: Frequent urination isn't a sign of prostate cancer, but a physical exam can assess your risk. A digital rectal exam and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level test can help diagnose whether cancer is present.
Question 3: Do you experience embarrassing itching?
Answer "No" to pass; answer "Yes" for a warning.
Elevated blood glucose levels can promote fungal infections, causing genital itching. Persistent symptoms accompanied by thirst, blurred vision, extreme fatigue, and frequent urination (especially at night) may indicate type 2 diabetes. Other factors to consider include family history, age, and waist circumference—men with waists exceeding 94 cm face increased risk.
Action: Consider blood tests or modify unhealthy lifestyle habits.
Question 4: Do you frequently sweat profusely?
Answer "No" to pass; answer "Yes" for warning.
Profuse sweating (especially at night), loss of libido, irritability, depression, and poor morning condition may indicate declining testosterone levels in men.Many men report these symptoms around age 50. Another possible cause is reduced male gonadal function, leading to lower testosterone levels.
Action: Testosterone therapy can improve erectile dysfunction and help lower cholesterol levels.
Question 5: Do you frequently experience intestinal gas?
Answer "No" to pass; answer "Yes" for warning.
Intestinal bloating, altered bowel habits (e.g., daily to 3-4 times daily), anal pain with mucus, or blood in stool may indicate colorectal cancer.
Intolerable intestinal gas, altered bowel habits (changing from once daily to three or four times daily), anal pain with mucus discharge, or blood in stool may indicate colorectal cancer. Changes in bowel habits occur because tumors disrupt normal digestion.
Response: Men under 50 are more likely to have colitis. Men over 50 experiencing these symptoms should promptly undergo colorectal cancer screening.
Question 6: Have you experienced a decline in any sensory function?
Answer "No" to pass; answer "Yes" for warning.
Diminished function in any sense (vision, hearing, touch, etc.) indicates substances interfering with the corresponding brain regions.If this sensory loss is accompanied by frequent, unexplained irritability, loss of control, and persistent headaches, it may indicate benign lesions, cerebral hemorrhage, or brain tumors.
Response: Diagnosis requires evaluating all symptoms collectively. Persistent headaches may also stem from eye disorders or hypertension.
Question 7: Have you ever experienced brief double vision?
Answer "No" to pass;Answer "Yes": Warning.
This occurs when blood supply to the brain is momentarily disrupted, related to transient ischemic attacks (mini-strokes). Double vision may also stem from other conditions like thyroid issues, diabetes, or multiple sclerosis.
Action: Seek prompt medical evaluation and treatment.
Question 8: Do you often feel sad?
Answer "No": Pass;Answer "Yes," warning.
Mood swings, loss of interest in former hobbies like sports or socializing, diminished libido, chronic fatigue, and lack of life purpose are symptoms of depression.
Response: Seek timely support from family, friends, and professionals. Consider taking an extended break to manage stress and reassess life goals.