With the recent arrival of scorching hot weather, the high temperature has made many people feel stuffy, anxious, and their appetite has also decreased. How to maintain a healthy diet in such weather, ensure nutrient intake, and at the same time, cool down and relieve heat? Below, Liu Xiaochuan, Director and Chief Physician of the Department of Gastroenterology and Infectious Diseases at the Emergency General Hospital, provides detailed and specific dietary guidance for everyone from five aspects. 1、 Dry mouth and tongue, dizziness and dizziness? You need to hydrate. High temperature weather often makes people sweat profusely, causing severe loss of water in the body. When you are outdoors in the scorching sun and soon sweat like rain, do you feel dry mouth and tongue, and even feel dizzy and dizzy? This is what the body is telling you, you need to replenish water in a timely manner. Firstly, we need to clarify why timely hydration is necessary in summer. In hot weather, the human body regulates body temperature through sweating, but this process leads to the loss of a large amount of water and electrolytes. If not replenished in a timely manner, it can cause dehydration symptoms, such as dizziness, fatigue, accelerated heartbeat, etc., and in severe cases, it may even threaten life. Therefore, timely hydration is the key to maintaining physical health and staying cool during summer. How to scientifically and effectively hydrate in the scorching summer? 1. Adequate water intake: It is recommended to drink at least 8 cups of water per day (approximately 250 milliliters per cup). If you engage in heavy physical labor or outdoor activities, your water intake should also increase accordingly. 2. Develop the habit of drinking water regularly: You can drink a glass of water after waking up in the morning, before work, after lunch, before dinner, and before going to bed. At the same time, it is not advisable to drink too much water each time to avoid increasing the burden on the gastrointestinal tract. 3. Choose suitable drinks: In addition to plain water, you can also choose drinks such as green tea and chrysanthemum tea that clear heat and relieve heat. These drinks not only have the function of replenishing moisture, but also help the body cool down. But it is important to avoid excessive consumption of sugary drinks and drinks with high caffeine content to avoid increasing the burden on the body. 4. Eat more fruits and vegetables that are rich in water: Watermelon, grapes, cucumbers and other fruits and vegetables are not only rich in water, but also contain various vitamins and minerals, making them a good choice for summer hydration. You can increase the intake of these foods appropriately in your diet. 5. Avoid a few misconceptions: Do not drink too much water at once to avoid increasing the burden on the gastrointestinal tract and causing water poisoning. Don't wait until you're thirsty to drink water, as your body is already in a mild dehydration state when you're thirsty. Do not use beverages instead of water, as the sugar and electrolytes in beverages may increase the burden on the body. Do not drink a large amount of water before meals to avoid affecting appetite and digestion. 2、 Did you lose your appetite after eating a little? You should have a light diet. Have you ever felt this way during the summer when you just took a few bites and found that your appetite was completely gone or your stomach was uncomfortable. This is actually telling you that your summer diet needs to be lighter to reduce the burden on your digestive system. Why do we need a light diet in summer? This is because during hot weather, the body's metabolism accelerates, and gastrointestinal peristalsis is relatively enhanced. greasy and spicy foods are more likely to cause irritation and burden to the gastrointestinal tract. A light diet is not only easy to digest and absorb, but also effectively relieves gastrointestinal discomfort, helping the body better adapt to high-temperature environments. How to achieve a light diet and reasonable combination? 1. Choose digestible food: In summer, it is recommended to choose Congee, noodles, soup and other digestible food as staple food. These foods are not only easy to digest, but also provide enough energy and nutrition for the body. At the same time, it is important to control your appetite and avoid overeating. 2. Paired with an appropriate amount of vegetables and lean meat: Vegetables are rich in vitamins and minerals, while lean meat contains high-quality protein. In summer diet, these two foods should be appropriately paired to ensure nutritional balance. You can choose some refreshing vegetables such as cucumbers, tomatoes, bitter gourds, as well as lean meats such as chicken and fish. 3. Increase appetizing and cooling ingredients: Hawthorn, lemon, mint and other ingredients have appetizing and cooling effects. These ingredients can be added to the diet to make cold dishes or drinks. For example, making hawthorn tea by boiling hawthorn in water, or adding lemon slices to cold boiled water to make lemon water. These drinks not only increase appetite, but also help the body cool down. 4. Pay attention to dietary timing: In summer, it is recommended to have a relatively light dinner. Meanwhile, it is important to avoid consuming large amounts of food before bedtime to avoid affecting sleep and gastrointestinal health. 5. Avoid misunderstandings: Do not consume large amounts of cold drinks or chilled food on an empty stomach to avoid irritation to the gastrointestinal tract. Don't overly rely on cold drinks to cool down, as it may have adverse effects on the gastrointestinal tract. 3、 Why should we pay special attention to supplementing vitamins in summer? In summer, due to accelerated metabolism and sweating leading to nutrient loss, the body's demand for vitamins will also increase accordingly. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that can help the body resist oxidative stress and enhance immunity; And vitamin B is involved in energy metabolism and regulation of the nervous system, which is crucial for maintaining the normal functioning of the body. How to scientifically and reasonably supplement vitamins? 1. Clarify the types of vitamins that need to be supplemented: Vitamin C: mainly found in citrus fruits (such as oranges, pomelos, lemons, etc.), strawberries, kiwifruit and other fruits, as well as vegetables such as green peppers and broccoli. It has antioxidant and immune enhancing effects. Vitamin B family: including vitamins B1, B2, B6, B12, etc., widely present in lean meat, eggs, dairy products, beans and other foods. They are involved in energy metabolism and regulation of the nervous system. 2. Reasonably arrange intake time: Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and you can consume some fruits rich in vitamin C, such as citrus fruits, as well as grains and lean meat rich in B vitamins. Lunch and dinner should be paired with a variety of vegetables and lean meat to ensure adequate intake of vitamins and protein. 3. Avoid a few misconceptions: Do not blindly pursue high-dose vitamin supplements to avoid adverse reactions caused by excessive intake. Don't rely on specific foods or drinks to supplement vitamins, but rather ensure comprehensive intake of nutrients through a diverse diet. Don't ignore the intake of other nutrients, such as protein, fat, carbohydrates, etc., as they are also crucial for physical health. 4、 Why emphasize eating more fruits in summer? As summer temperatures rise, the human body's demand for nutrients also changes. At this time, fresh vegetables and fruits are not only essential items on the summer dining table, but also effective assistants for a healthy summer. Imagine, in the scorching summer, tasting refreshing and delicious watermelons, or enjoying crispy and juicy cucumbers, does it feel much cooler all over you? Why is there a special emphasis on eating more fruits in summer? Firstly, fresh vegetables and fruits are rich in moisture, which can replenish the water lost due to sweating and maintain water balance in the body. Secondly, they are rich in various vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber, which are crucial for maintaining physical health and enhancing immunity. Especially vitamin C, it has multiple effects such as antioxidant and promoting iron absorption, which can help the body resist diseases. How to choose and consume fresh vegetables and fruits? 1. It is recommended to consume at least 5 different colored vegetables and fruits every day: make sure to consume multiple nutrients, such as red tomatoes, yellow oranges, green spinach, purple grapes, etc., which are rich in different nutrients. 2. Priority should be given to ingredients that have cooling effects: In summer, you can choose some ingredients that have heat clearing, detoxification, and cooling effects, such as mung beans, winter melon, bitter gourd, etc. They can not only help the body cool down, but also alleviate common discomfort symptoms in summer. 3. Reasonably arrange eating time: In the morning, you can choose some fruits rich in vitamin C, such as citrus fruits, as part of your breakfast; Lunch and dinner can be paired with a variety of vegetables and lean meat to ensure nutritional balance. In addition, on hot afternoons, it is advisable to consume some fruits that have a cooling effect, such as watermelon and grapes, in moderation. 4. Avoid a few misconceptions: Don't blindly pursue the benefits of a particular fruit while ignoring the intake of other nutrients. Do not consume fruits as a staple food to avoid nutritional imbalance. Do not consume large amounts of acidic fruits such as lemon and hawthorn on an empty stomach to avoid irritation to the gastrointestinal tract. 5、 Why suggest you drink more soup in the summer? As summer temperatures rise, the body sweats more, which can easily lead to the loss of water and electrolytes in the body. At this point, drinking soup has become an ideal choice for both hydration and nourishing the body. Imagine, on a scorching summer day, holding a bowl of refreshing mung bean soup, gently blowing away the heat, and savoring the sweet taste, does it feel much cooler all over? Firstly, soup is rich in moisture and can quickly replenish the water lost due to sweating, maintaining a balance of water in the body. Secondly, the nutrients in soup are easily absorbed by the body and can provide a variety of nutrients needed by the body, such as protein, vitamins, and minerals. In addition, some soups with the functions of clearing away heat and relieving summer heat, diuresis and detumescence, such as mung bean soup, Winter melon soup, loofah soup, etc., can effectively alleviate the discomfort in summer, such as thirst, fatigue, irritability, etc. How to choose and drink soup? 1. Recommended mung bean soup, Winter melon soup, loofah soup, etc.: In summer, it is recommended to choose some soups with the effects of heat clearing, diuresis and detumescence. These soups not only taste fresh, but also can effectively alleviate the discomfort in summer. In addition, you can also choose other soups with nourishing effects based on your personal taste and needs, such as chicken soup, fish soup, etc. 2. Reasonably arrange drinking time: In the morning, you can choose a bowl of light vegetable soup or tofu soup as part of breakfast; Lunch and dinner can be paired with some nutritious soups, such as chicken soup, fish soup, etc. In addition, in the hot afternoon or evening, you can drink some iced mung bean soup or Winter melon soup to cool down. 3. Control drinking amount: Although soup is nutritious and easy to digest, it is also important to drink in moderation. Excessive consumption may lead to increased gastrointestinal burden or excessive nutrition. It is recommended to arrange the drinking amount reasonably based on personal circumstances, and maintain a balance of water and nutrition in the body. 4. Avoid a few misconceptions: Do not consume large amounts of soup on an empty stomach to avoid irritation to the gastrointestinal tract. Don't overly pursue the taste and taste of soup, while ignoring its nutritional value and health benefits. (Lai Xin She)