Dashu, literally translated as Great Heat, is one of the traditional Chinese solar terms. It normally falls on July 23rd or 24th, indicating the advent of the hottest weather.
From the point of view of health preservation in traditional Chinese medicine, Great Heat is the best time to treat winter diseases in summer.
1. It is advisable to drink more warm water and take more walks during the summer.
You can make your body sweat slightly by drinking warm water or taking a walk so as to discharge the damp toxins from the body to prevent you from getting sick in autumn and winter. Replenishing water for the body is recommended in summer. Instead, taking cold drinks and snacks in summer will accumulate cold qi in the body and result in cold feet in winter.
2. Bland or light diet during Dashu
In the Dashu solar term, the diet should be light or bland and rich in fiber. In addition to drinking more water, eating porridge and more fresh fruits and vegetables, you can also eat more food such as lotus seeds, lilies and coix seed to clear heat, invigorate spleen, disinhibit dampness, boost qi and enrich yin. If you experience loss of appetite, it is recommended to drink chrysanthemum tea with Ganoderma sinensis and Goji berry. The aftertaste of this tea is bitter and refreshing. It can course the liver and improve eyesight, relieve fatigue and invigorate the mind. These food ingredients have the effects of removing liver-fire for improving eyesight and relieving summer fatigue.
Recipe – Chrysanthemum Tea with Reishi Mushroom and Goji Berry
[Ingredients]
10g of GanoHerb Organic Ganoderma Sinensis Slices, 3g of green tea, Chrysanthemum, Goji Berry
[Directions]
Place all the ingredients in a cup. Brew them with a right amount of hot water for 2 minutes. Then enjoy it.
3. People with spleen deficiency are recommended to take porridge during Dashu.
Hot weather easily consumes the body’s vital energy. The elderly and weak are more difficult to withstand the heat and are prone to symptoms such as dizziness, heart palpitations, chest distress and profuse sweating.
At this time, it is very necessary to transform qi into body fluid in a timely manner to supplement the loss of body qi and fluid to improve symptoms. Li Shizhen, a famous physician of Ming dynasty, put forward that “Porridge is the most soothing food for the stomach.” This means that drinking porridge can invigorate the spleen and nourish the qi, and generate stomach fluids to replenish deficiency.
During the solar term “Great Heat”, It is suitable to drink lotus leaf mung bean porridge, coix seed lily porridge or Ganoderma sinensis lotus seed lily porridge, which not only boosts qi and engender liquid but also clears heat and resolves summer heat.
Recipe: Lily Porridge with Lingzhi and lotus seed
Health Benefits：It clears the heart, quiets the spirit and is suitable for both old and young.
[Ingredients] 20g of GanoHerb Ganoderma sinensis slices,20g of coreless lotus seed, 20g of lily, 100g of rice
[Directions]
Wash the Ganoderma sinensis slices, lotus seeds, lily and rice, add a little ginger slices, put them in the pot together, add an appropriate amount of water, bring to a boil over strong fire, then cook over small fire until it is thoroughly cooked.
[Description of Medical Diet]
This medicinal diet is suitable for both young and old. Long-term consumption of this diet can protect the liver, clear the heart and calm the nerves, and has a certain auxiliary effect on diabetes
complications.
4. Transformation of dampness and elimination of vexation should be highly valued in the Great Heat solar term.
In the Great Heat featuring high temperature and humidity, there are often sultry sauna days. TCM doctors believe that dampness is a yin evil. If the inhibited dynamic occurs, people will easily become upset. At this time, it is suitable to take Ganoderma lucidum extract powder or spore powder. Ganoderma lucidum is mild in nature, non-toxic and suitable for long-term use. As a top medicine in Compendium of Materia Medica, it is of great benefit to the overall regulation of human original qi.
References:
1. Xinhuanet, “The Great Heat” at 5 o’clock on the 23rd: Drink more water and eat porridge regularly to dispel the heat and wait for autumn to come”, 2018-7-23.
2. China Net, “Great Heat: Health Preservation in Dog Days”, 2018-7-23.
