Li Xia begins on the 6th of May this year. What is Li Xia? This marks the beginning of summer in the Chinese Lunisolar calendar. The Lunisolar calendar is divided into 24 parts, Li Xia is the 7th solar term of the 24. Here are 6 suggestions you should implement into your life at this time to improve healthier living. 

1. Appropriate Diet 

The weather will gradually become hotter, and people's appetite will also decrease. The diet principle of Li Xia is "increasing acid and reducing bitterness, invigorating kidney and liver, and regulating stomach qi". The diet should be light, with foods that are easy to digest and rich in vitamins.  

Add mung beans, lotus seeds, lotus leaves, reed roots, lentils, etc. to the japonica rice to cook porridge, and eat it after cooling, which can strengthen the stomach and relieve heat. 

lentils

2. Lunch break 

When the weather is hot, the blood vessels of the human body expand, and a large amount of blood concentrates on the body surface. After lunch, the blood supply to the digestive tract increases, and the blood supply to the brain decreases relatively. People often feel a lack of energy in the afternoon, so they need to take a nap. The nap time should not be too long, preferably 30 to 60 minutes. Even if you can't sleep, you should close your eyes and rest your mind, and do easy eye exercises such as turning your eyes to promote blood flow to the eyes and relieve eye fatigue. 

seal taking a nap

3. Meditation 

According to traditional Chinese medicine, summer qi is connected with heart qi. At the beginning of summer, we should pay attention to clearing the heart and eliminating troubles, so that the functions of the body's internal organs can be normal. Press and knead pressure point P-6 Neiguan acupoint (two inches above the transverse wrist crease, between the tendon of palmar longus and flexor carpi radialis) to regulate the heart and nourish the heart, replenish qi and blood, nourish the heart and calm the nerves. 

4. Avoid cold drinks 

Drinking too many cold drinks will hurt the spleen and stomach, and symptoms such as abdominal distension, loss of appetite, and drowsiness will appear. You can replace it with fresh fruits and vegetables, such as watermelon, peaches, strawberries, cucumbers, mung beans, etc., which are good heat-clearing and damp-dispelling foods. cold drink

5. Avoid excessive sweating 

After the beginning of summer, the yang energy in nature grows, the yin energy weakens, the temperature gradually rises, and the metabolism in the body accelerates. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that "sweat" is the fluid of the heart, and excessive sweating can easily damage yang. To avoid strenuous exercise, you can choose slow-paced aerobic exercises such as walking, jogging, and Tai Chi. 

man sweating excessively

6. Warm and humid weather 

Affected by the hot and humid weather, the human body is also prone to some discomfort reactions, including bitter taste, loss of appetite, diarrhea, and skin eczema. You can eat more foods that dispel dampness, clear away heat and relieve summer heat, such as coix seed (Adlay), cucumber, Water spinach, lettuce, lotus seeds, wax gourd, etc. 

lettuce

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