What are the methods to strengthen the spleen, eliminate dampness and lose weight in summer?

Traditional Chinese medicine divides the year into spring, summer, long summer, autumn and winter. July and August belong to the long summer season, during which there are two solar terms, Lesser Heat and Greater Heat. The sun burns the earth and ground moisture rises, forming the two major characteristics of alternating heat and humidity. So how can we strengthen the spleen, eliminate dampness and lose weight in summer?

Dampness harms the spleen, so we should protect spleen yang in summer

Zhang Jingyue, a physician in the Ming Dynasty, said: "Summer responds to the heart and is nourished and grown, and the long summer responds to the spleen and changes." The characteristic of the spleen is that it likes dryness and hates dampness. When dampness invades the human body, it affects the digestive function of the spleen and stomach, and people are prone to symptoms such as fatigue, weakness, and muscle aches. Therefore, health care in summer focuses on strengthening the spleen and eliminating dampness, nourishing spleen yang, and avoiding excessive coolness.

Diet therapy for strengthening the spleen and removing dampness - barley and red bean soup

Job's tears and red beans are good ingredients for removing moisture from the body. Job's tears can remove dampness, reduce edema, and strengthen the spleen and stomach. Red beans, also known as "adzuki beans", have the effect of promoting diuresis and reducing swelling. Drinking barley and red bean soup in summer can help strengthen the spleen and eliminate dampness.

Massage method for strengthening the spleen and removing dampness - pinching the spine and massaging the stomach

Children are prone to loss of appetite and irregular eating habits in the summer. At this time, you can pinch the spine to help digestion and strengthen the spleen. Pinch both sides of the child's spine from bottom to top, pinch the skin and twist it upwards. After twisting three times, gently lift it up. After pinching the spine three to five times, both sides of the spine will often become slightly red. As for adults, it is recommended to massage the abdomen frequently, especially the epigastric area, which can help stimulate the stomach's digestive function and thus nourish the spleen yang.

Scraping method for strengthening the spleen and removing dampness - back scraping

Seeking coolness in the summer will cause the open pores of the human body to close instantly, which can easily lead to heatstroke. According to traditional Chinese medicine theory, the sudden forced closure of pores is equivalent to condensing external cold air on the surface of the skin, which is one of the reasons for the current high incidence of many skin diseases and facial paralysis caused by wind. Gua Sha therapy can play a very good health care and therapeutic role. It can help prevent heat stroke and can also be used to relieve heat symptoms after heat stroke.