Clipping Board » Illness Enters through Mouth ─ The information that has been made public is often just the tip of the iceberg...
2006-5-29
As the hot summer approaches, many people have resumed the habit of drinking cold beverages, especially young people, who tend to prefer cold drinks even during the cooler winter and spring seasons. In fact, from a physiological perspective, the human body prefers a warm internal environment. A warm "internal environment" ensures the smooth circulation of blood and qi, delivering essential nutrients to various tissues and organs while efficiently expelling metabolic waste. However, frequent and excessive consumption of cold drinks can cause the blood vessels of internal organs to contract, which may, to some extent, reduce the body's metabolic rate.
Moreover, regularly drinking cold beverages can harm the stomach qi, a concept in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) that encompasses the digestive and absorptive functions of the gastrointestinal tract, as well as the body's ability to defend against diseases. Damage to stomach qi can lead to weakened digestion and absorption, reduced immunity, and ultimately, the onset of various illnesses.
Regardless of the season, drinking warm beverages is highly beneficial for health. Firstly, warm drinks help nourish and protect stomach qi. TCM holds that a robust stomach qi contributes to overall health, making recovery from illnesses easier. Secondly, regular consumption of warm beverages can enhance the body's ability to fight viruses. This is because the steam from warm drinks is inhaled along with air, warming and moisturizing the upper respiratory tract, promoting blood circulation, and increasing the ability of white blood cells to engulf bacteria and viruses, thereby preventing their invasion. Additionally, warm drinks warm the body's internal organs, inducing a sense of relaxation and comfort throughout the body.
For individuals with a cold and deficient spleen and stomach, it is not only important to regularly consume warm beverages but also to strictly avoid cold drinks. Even for those with normal spleen and stomach function, frequent intake of large amounts of cold beverages should be avoided, especially on an empty stomach in the morning. This is because the body's yang energy fluctuates with the time of day. According to TCM's theory of "correspondence between heaven and human," yang energy is strongest around noon and weakest at midnight. During the early morning, the body is in a phase where yang energy is gradually increasing while yin energy is diminishing. Drinking cold beverages on an empty stomach in the morning can severely inhibit the growth of yang energy, exacerbate damage to stomach qi, and increase susceptibility to illness.
Source: http://www. takungpao. com/ news/ 06/ 05/ 29/ GY- 572230. htm
Avoid Cold Drinks, Drink Less
As the hot summer approaches, many people have resumed the habit of drinking cold beverages, especially young people, who tend to prefer cold drinks even during the cooler winter and spring seasons. In fact, from a physiological perspective, the human body prefers a warm internal environment. A warm "internal environment" ensures the smooth circulation of blood and qi, delivering essential nutrients to various tissues and organs while efficiently expelling metabolic waste. However, frequent and excessive consumption of cold drinks can cause the blood vessels of internal organs to contract, which may, to some extent, reduce the body's metabolic rate.
Moreover, regularly drinking cold beverages can harm the stomach qi, a concept in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) that encompasses the digestive and absorptive functions of the gastrointestinal tract, as well as the body's ability to defend against diseases. Damage to stomach qi can lead to weakened digestion and absorption, reduced immunity, and ultimately, the onset of various illnesses.
Regardless of the season, drinking warm beverages is highly beneficial for health. Firstly, warm drinks help nourish and protect stomach qi. TCM holds that a robust stomach qi contributes to overall health, making recovery from illnesses easier. Secondly, regular consumption of warm beverages can enhance the body's ability to fight viruses. This is because the steam from warm drinks is inhaled along with air, warming and moisturizing the upper respiratory tract, promoting blood circulation, and increasing the ability of white blood cells to engulf bacteria and viruses, thereby preventing their invasion. Additionally, warm drinks warm the body's internal organs, inducing a sense of relaxation and comfort throughout the body.
For individuals with a cold and deficient spleen and stomach, it is not only important to regularly consume warm beverages but also to strictly avoid cold drinks. Even for those with normal spleen and stomach function, frequent intake of large amounts of cold beverages should be avoided, especially on an empty stomach in the morning. This is because the body's yang energy fluctuates with the time of day. According to TCM's theory of "correspondence between heaven and human," yang energy is strongest around noon and weakest at midnight. During the early morning, the body is in a phase where yang energy is gradually increasing while yin energy is diminishing. Drinking cold beverages on an empty stomach in the morning can severely inhibit the growth of yang energy, exacerbate damage to stomach qi, and increase susceptibility to illness.
Source: http://www. takungpao. com/ news/ 06/ 05/ 29/ GY- 572230. htm